Long story short: we reduced the number of exterior doors in our bedroom from eight to six, and it’s more than enough. We mainly use the middle set along that long wall, but the extra doors give the room incredible light and views that really define the space. Adding a fence to create a small private courtyard outside has been lovely— it not only makes the yard more secluded, it also makes the bedroom feel cozy and tucked away.
By removing that final set of double doors (they were where our left nightstand and the left half of the bed used to be), we created a cozy nook where the bed now sits. It changed the flow of the room and made the bed placement feel intentional and snug.
For reference, this is what the room looked like when we bought the house. The two-door area that’s half open in the old photo is where we drywalled over to create the new bed wall.
Before the drywall, the bed used to sit along a different wall; after closing off those doors, we rotated the bed to the new wall and it feels much better for the room’s layout.
The bed wall change also let us add a huge closet along the wall where the bed used to be. This added storage is a game changer for our small house—more on that in a moment.
We didn’t remove those extra doors from the exterior yet; we simply drywalled them from inside so they’re hidden but still exist outside. The glass was spray-frosted for a clean look from the street. At some point we’ll remove them outside and patch the siding when it makes sense to hire professionals.
Inside, we installed Ikea Pax wardrobes along the former bed wall. They’re our go-to closet solution—customizable, functional, affordable, and easy to make look built-in. We added brass hardware to coordinate with our existing knobs and curtain rods, which makes everything feel cohesive.
Two of the wardrobes are very wide (8′ tall and 39″ wide each), giving each of us ample hanging and folded storage. A smaller 19″ wardrobe sits in the corner and is typically covered by a side table; it has no hardware by design so it reads like a paneled wall until we need to access the occasional items stored there, like holiday decorations.
That small cabinet is essentially low-access storage, and we prefer practical hidden storage to wasted space. The dresser with the mirror is a temporary placement until we finalize a plan for that area.
UPDATE: We later added another Pax wardrobe and organized the interiors to look built-in. We also made a video tour showing how we organized the closets.
To show the scale more clearly, here’s another view that better illustrates the distance between the bed, the side table, and the wardrobe wall. The room feels balanced and open even with all that storage.
Having this much storage after living without a bedroom closet feels euphoric. I say smart storage is my love language because being organized in a smaller home truly changes daily life—less clutter, lower utility costs, and everything having a place makes the whole house feel easier to live in.
Before the wardrobes, we used 3-drawer dressers and moved hanging items into our son’s closet. Now his closet is fully his, and we even added custom shelves and a fresh paint color for him. The nightstands we used previously were relocated to our daughter’s room, where they flank her bed and provide much better storage after removing their metal legs.
Removing a large dresser from the daughter’s room freed space for a desk, which will be useful for drawing and future homework. The nightstands from her room fit naturally in our bedroom—swapping furniture between rooms has been surprisingly seamless.
That bench at the foot of the bed doubles as Burger’s doggy steps—he hops onto the ottoman, then the bench, then the bed and promptly naps. It’s the little things that make a house feel like home.
The closet addition also allowed us to reconfigure the kids’ rooms: our son gained a desk in place of his old dresser, and both kids now have more practical, personalized storage and workspaces. These ripple effects have been one of the best parts of this project.
Inside our wardrobes we used a mix of pull-out drawers, shelves, hanging bars, and baskets—everything organized to maximize the space. We even fit our luggage in there, which feels delightfully indulgent to have two good luggage storage options.
After living here for ten months, our priorities shifted slightly. We intentionally avoided committing to a full ensuite and walk-in closet from the start so we could make decisions after living in the space. Trial, error, and gradual changes helped us discover a plan that works better now than the original ideas we had while viewing the house remotely.
The new plan: move the bedroom entrance to the spot where the inlay dresser sits and build an ensuite bathroom in the adjacent area. This approach uses the existing footprint efficiently and avoids losing the two beloved kitchen windows or converting the side porch.
Luckily, there used to be a doorway in roughly that same spot, so we don’t expect major structural complications. The proposed bathroom will align with the front of our built-in closets and include a doorway between the bedroom and closet area, creating a well-sized ensuite (about 9′ by 6′), which is generous for our home’s scale.
If someday we wanted to convert this room back into a family room or move the bedroom upstairs, the drywalled doorway could be reopened. Many of these changes are reversible, which makes experimenting with layouts much less intimidating.
Sidenote: We considered moving the bedroom upstairs, but we prefer sleeping on the same level as the kids and don’t want to take the best downstairs space for ourselves. Our house is small, so keeping multifunctional areas is important.
Again: many of these renovations are inexpensive and reversible. We closed that interior door with just a little drywall and supplies, and the biggest expense was the wardrobes themselves—an investment we were planning to make anyway.
By placing the future doorway where the inlay dresser stands, we preserve kitchen windows and the side porch while adding a practical ensuite. The bathroom wall will also help center the fireplace on the remaining bedroom wall, creating a more balanced visual composition.
That extra rectangular area of the room—an awkward patch added onto the main space—will become the ensuite. The wall will align with the wardrobes, the mini-split unit will be tucked above the new bedroom door in a recessed spot, and the renovation stays relatively simple and affordable while giving us a functional bathroom with a big window.
The bedroom still feels spacious. There’s plenty of room opposite the bed for seating, a puzzle table, or a cozy chaise. That seating area has evolved into a multi-use spot for laptops, puzzles, and quiet work time—perfect for a main-floor bedroom that gets used frequently throughout the day.
Adding the bathroom wall will also visually center the fireplace on the remaining wall, and we plan to build in cabinets that flank it, possibly topped with a counter material for a finished, built-in look.
That table has become our puzzle and laptop zone: I take work calls there, John uses it when he wants a quieter spot, and the kids do crafts and puzzles there too. The flexibility of this room has made it a favorite spot for all of us.
Is it unusual to have a table in a bedroom? Maybe. Would someone else have created a huge walk-in closet instead of a wall of wardrobes? Absolutely. But we love how this room works for our family: plenty of storage, bright light, and flexible spaces that can change as we live here.
That’s our bedroom ten months in: abundant closet storage, a thoughtful plan for a future ensuite and door, and a sunny table for puzzles and work. It feels good to be here, and we’re grateful for the way the room suits our life.
P.S. To see everything we’ve done in the last ten months to make this house feel like home, check our archive of updates and projects.
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