Are you someone who loves the idea of a large walk-in closet? You know the type. The one where you walk in and there is customer shelving and cabinetry, show storage, maybe a built in ironing station, and an island. Well, if you are like most of us, we cant allocate that much of our home to just closet space. But maybe there is a way that you can get the closet space without having to get a whole new house with it. We have had many clients in the Reno and Sparks, NV areas as us if we can build them a nice big closet and if it would be possible to turn an unused neighboring bedroom into one. So much so, we decided here at Paramount Craftsman Services, we should write an article describing how you too can transform an unused bedroom into that dream closet you have always wanted. Read on to learn more!
This is more of a blue print rather than a step by step guide. Things you should consider, and things you may want to incorporate into your designing process. We recommend with any sizeable project like this that you consult with your preferred contractor in your area and if need be, hire one to do the work for you to ensure that your project is completed correctly, complying with all building codes and regulations, as well as safely. The last thing you want is something to not be secured correctly or maybe aa screw gets sent into a water line hidden in the wall and you are left with injuries or damage to your home.
One of the first things to determine when deciding if you want to convert a spare bedroom into a closet is, do you even have a spare bedroom you can convert into a closet? If you are searching this online and reading this article then the chances are, yes. Which leads us to the next thing. Is that spare bedroom connected to your bedroom? Meaning, do the two bedrooms share a wall? If this is the case then you are one step closer. It becomes a little more difficult if the two rooms don't have a shared wall because now there is walking between two areas of the house that may ruin the "flow" of your home. For example, if your spare bedroom is two doors down the hallway, you can of course still turn it into a closet if you would like, but if you ever chose to sell your home or maybe living situations change, you now have a setup that is less desirable than if walls were shared.
Assuming you have a spare bedroom with a shared wall, the next thing to look into would be door placement. Where would the door best be placed in the shared wall to make the closet most functional while having the least amount of weirdness, for lack of a better term. I mentioned flow before and that is because flow is important. You want the space to still be functional and for doors to be able to swing properly, or maybe you want a barn door that needs wall space to be able to open and close. You want when you get up in the morning and go pick out your clothes for the day, that the doorway to your new closet doesn't open up right at the side or end of your bed or other piece of furniture. You also want to make sure that your door placement doesn't effect the inside of your new closet design in any way negatively. You want to consider how your new closet will look from the inside. It will take some planning but deciding where to place your door will help ensure your closet turns out perfect.
The next step can be one of two things, either begin to cut out and frame in your new doorway while closing the other. Or, you can work on getting the shelving units designed and built for your closet. If you choose to go the former route, we recommend you take a look at one of our previous article here called, What to Expect When Removing A Wall. This will help you understand what may be in your walls before cutting into them and how to handle it. If you decide to start designing the interior of your closet so that you can plan your doorway around the desired layout of your closet, it is best that you consult with a designer that can help build you the closet that you want, draft blueprints, at which point you can take them to a manufacturer of closet shelving and they can begin to build your closet setup.
When you are in the process of closing up the existing doorway, and framing in the new one, you will need to ensure that you do the framing correctly to prevent any drywall problems such as cracks, chipping, warping, bending, etc. Each stud should be 16" on center and there should be what is called a "footer" in place. This is a piece of lumber that the studs secure to at the floor to keep them in place. After the framing is done, it is time to install drywall to close off the doorway and maybe apply some patches where the new doorway was cut in. Measure, cut, and secure the drywall in place using the necessary hardware. It is important to note as well that there are different thicknesses of drywall and to measure your existing drywall before installing new drywall to ensure the new drywall sheets you install are level and flush with the existing drywall. After the new drywall is set in place and secured, you will need to tape the joints with drywall tape and the proper joint compound. Once the joint compound has finished drying you will likely need to sand it to a smooth finish and possibly apply a second coat to make sure any air bubbles that may have popped up, or other imperfections in the joint are smooth. Allow to dry and sand again. Once it looks good, it is time to texture. It is important to note that with the texturing process, texture can be very difficult to match. So practice texturing on a scrap piece of drywall and make sure it matches before you spray the whole thing and then find out some adjustments needed to be made and then you have to sand off all the texture and start over. Allow the texture to dry and touch up as needed.
Once you have made it this far, you are likely at a point in which, you have your designed closet shelving being built by the manufacturer, you have your doorway cut out and a new door installed in place, and the previous doorway to what once was a spare bedroom now closed off. At this point there isn't too much left technically other than having the closet storage and shelving being installed once manufacturing is complete, painting of at least the drywall work that was done to close off the old doorway and frame in the new. You will likely need to get baseboards and door trim matched so that you can install the trim where the old doorway was and frame in the new door. We recommend painting the trim before you install it. This will help keep the paint line transition from the trim to the walls straight and clean.
At this point, your closet should be complete! You have your doorway installed, the old doorway closed up, walls are painted, new closet storage and shelving is installed, and its looking good! The only step left is to enjoy your new closet. There could be other things you can do like add recessed lighting in the ceiling, some speakers in the ceiling or in the walls to be able to play your favorite music while getting ready, or maybe an ironing station, or a nice hanging mirror with backlighting to help you pick your perfect outfit. The possibilities are endless for your new closet and its up to you to decide how much you want it to have.
We hope this article was helpful in guiding you through the buildout of your spare bedroom into a nice, new closet space for your home. If you are in the Northern Nevada area, specifically, Reno, Sparks, Incline Village, or surrounding areas and you would like someone to build you the closet of your dreams, our team of experts here at Paramount Craftsman Services are here to Bring Your Vision To Life. We are licensed remodeling experts and have a keen sense of understanding our clients wants, needs, and desires for their home to ensure we encapsulate that when remodeling your home. Whether it be your kitchen that needs remodeling, or your bathroom, your closet, or your whole home, Paramount Craftsman Services is here for you.
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