We kicked off 2008 with a home improvement project that changed our master bedroom completely.
On New Year’s Day we decided one tiny closet in the master bedroom wasn’t enough. After years of John stashing clothes in the guest room, we resolved to add two full wardrobes to flank the bed and create the feeling of a built-in nook.
New Year’s Day: The Timeline
8:20 am – Up and at ’em.
9:00 am – Drive to Ikea.
11:00 am – Arrive and head straight to the closet section.
12:30 pm – Leave Ikea about $460 lighter with two large wardrobes and interior fittings.
2:00 pm – Back home and take a short break.
2:15 pm – Move the side tables and break out the allen wrench.
3:50 pm – One wardrobe frame assembled.
4:30 pm – Second wardrobe frame complete; curtains re-hung on the back wall to visually enlarge the window.
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5:25 pm – Quick run to Lowe’s for long screws to anchor the wardrobes to the wall (Ikea didn’t supply these).
6:15 pm – Install shelves and a hanging bar in Sherry’s side.
7:30 pm – Fit drawers and a hanging bar in John’s wardrobe (we discovered we’d bought two shelves in the wrong size and planned to replace them).
8:30 pm – Fuel up with a Burger King run—cereal wasn’t cutting it.
9:30 pm – Move every item into the new closets. The guest room closet was suddenly empty.
10:00 pm – Hang white curtains on the wardrobes, then decide they look too much like a cheap set-up.
10:05 pm – Push the curtains to the side and instantly prefer the built-in look.
Refining the Look: Molding and Curtains
Over the next few days we bought 7″ molding from Home Depot to bridge the four-inch gap between the wardrobe tops and the ceiling, and picked up curtain panels at Linens N’ Things. After adding the molding and rehanging curtains, the wardrobes began to look more integrated with the room, but the dark chocolate panels weren’t quite right.
We returned the dark panels and went on a curtain spree, trying many options from Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens N’ Things, and Target until we found the perfect pair: khaki chenille-like curtains with a subtle crosshatched texture. They balanced warmth and refinement and became the clear favorite.
Finishing Touches: Lighting and a Header
Next came lighting. After searching local stores we found two brushed nickel plug-in swing-arm lamps at a Lamp Factory Outlet for $40 each—an excellent, budget-friendly find. Mounted above the bed, they gave the space a hotel-like, finished feel.
To make the two wardrobes read as one built-in unit, we mounted a wide plank of wood to the ceiling as a header. After painting and adding crown molding, the header visually connected the wardrobes and framed the bed like a cozy nook. The result transformed the room from a collection of freestanding furniture into a deliberate, cohesive design.
Final Thoughts
Turning a 12 by 13 foot room in an older house into a special master bedroom took planning, trial and error, and a few shopping sprees. The wardrobes, molding, curtains, lamps, and header all work together to create a finished, intentional space that feels like a tucked-in nook rather than two oversized boxes beside a bed. Mission accomplished.
Update: Several readers asked how the curtain rod is attached behind the header. We mounted a basic curtain rod bracket to the piece of molding bridging the wardrobe and ceiling and hung the rod a couple inches below the ceiling so it can lift off the bracket for removal. The two pilot holes above the bracket are evidence that we learned the spacing the hard way.