Strangely, our house here in Delaware has zero closets on the first floor. No coat closet. Nothing.
I contemplated buying this armoire/hutch from Craigslist to use as a make-shift coat closet. I ended up passing on it because the bottom two decorative moulding panels were smaller than the top ones and the proportions were driving me crazy. Plus, the price was a little steep for me.
I had planned on painting it and replacing the glass with mirror, for some extra sparkle and so you wouldn’t be able to see the coats/stored items.
Even though we’re moving in a few months, I’m still contemplating the idea of an armoire turned into a coat closet. (I’m sure I’d have plenty of other things to store in the actual coat closet, if we have one. Paint and tools come to mind) It would be easy to find an inexpensive armoire on craigslist and just add two wooden cups and a closet rod dowel cut to size, if there wasn’t a rod already.
I would take any of these…
Cottage Living
I grew up in old farmhouse with no built in closets. my mom is the queen of armoires! another great storage "hutch" is a pie safe. my brother couldn't handle hanging his clothes up so he had a pie safe with shelves. painted blue. i wish i had that now!
If it has not already been snapped up, it may just be one of those items that come back to haunt and have you muttering -"I really should have bought that"-
I love it and am sure that it will only increase in value with your added touch.
pve
Hmmm… I adore the photos that you included but I have mixed feelings about armoires. I have a couple for the same purpose and and they are so ridiculously large and ungainly that I sometimes want to chop them to pieces.
Though I have to agree with other poster… the armoire that almost was could be a real stunner!
i spotted a few armoires AND farmhouse tables at my thrift stores… you are going to love NYC thrifting!
I have a large armoire that I had in our nursery at the old house and then it wouldn't fit up the stairs in our new house. So, now it's in our living room. I'm glad you posted these images. Surprisingly, I had a hard time finding many inspiration pictures that used armoires in living rooms when I was trying to decide where to put it.
wow…that is a stunning piece. but it can go either way….you may find something even more perfect down the road.
i love the idea of removing the glass and adding mirror!
Love this idea! Especially useful for storage-less 1950 capes!
My house is from the 1930s and there isn't any closet space on the first floor. (The bedrooms are on the second floor and not all of those have closets either). I have been wanting a something along the lines of a coat rack bench but an armoire might be even better. Right now the coats are hanging off pegs in the kitchen!
I'm looking for the exact same thing (since the dingaling who remodeled our old home took out both the coat closet and the BASEMENT STAIRS to put a shower in the powder room– dingbat) I love the look you could have achieved with that CL find. Too bad I'm not in Delaware (and too bad the proportions were off– would have driven me nuts, too)
I love the idea! The only thing I would recommend is that you make sure the armoire is deep enough to accommodate an adult-size hanger before purchasing it. I have a too-shallow coat closet (what was the builder thinking?!?) and the doors bareeeely close in front of our coats. So I'm a little sensitive to closet/armoire-acting-as-closet depth. :) Good luck! I too love the should-a would-a could-a armoire!
can't wait to see what you do with it! Trade offs of old houses with character for no coat closet. Similar problem down here.
Nice piece. What about trading those bottom panes for a raised panel? Can't wait to see what you come up with.
I live in a house built in 1902 and we don't have any closets on the first floor either. For now, we have a coat tree. But an armoire would be perfect! Though I have no idea where I'd put it. You've given me some great inspiration though, and the piece you found is beautiful!
love that armoire! I understand how those bottom panels would be a bit grating though…But it's so great otherwise! my first thought was also replacing the glass with mirror. and I know it's rude to inquire, but I wanna know what the seller was asking for it!
I'd say keep looking, you could always use the armoire in a different location in your new home.
I have to say that you find the most awesome stuff on your craigslist!! It must have been tough passing up that armoire! It is gorgeous…especially knowing how it would look after you got finished with it.
Love the style of the armoire, but i see what you mean about the bottom panels, that would kinda bug me too! I've done what you suggested (paint and replace the glass with mirror) on a couple of armoires that I had at my store, and they looked amazing! Especially if you antique the mirror for an aged effect. There are tutorials online for doing this, though knowing you Jenny you already have done a project involving this! :)
Karla
blog.kerrisdaledesign.com
Could you have turned the doors upside down, having the smaller panes on the top? I agree with you that I would be bothered by the smaller panes the way they currently are. Somehow, it would bother me less if they were on the top and the larger, "heavier weight" windows were on the bottom.
mb from Dallas
No 1st floor closets!!! Eeepps! A coat closet is definately in order for you, my dear. :)
Hope you find one you LOVE.
i've seen this exact post on craigslist! i always thought it looked so different and interesting, but they were asking a lot for it. my search was philly area, and it's so exact, it's gotta be the same piece. lol.
Good idea! Loooove that first one!
I agree that you should snap it up if you love it half as much as I do…I've been drooling over the elisabeth armoire by oly (in the domino photo) for the last year and been looking on my craigslist ever since–I can't find anything even close. if it's in your budget–give it a whirl!
dani
I have two armoires. One is an antique pine that I would never paint – currently serving as our coat closet (we live in an old Victorian – I think the maidservant must've taken the guests' wraps and put them out of sight)/table linen storage.
The other armoire is a 1970s Henredon monstrosity my husband inherited. I painted that sucker white and changed out the hardware (it had enormous ugly 1970s handles on it) and now its drawers and cubbies serve as the best arts and crafts/office supply cabinet ever.
Your ideas for the closet are great. I never thought about replacing the doors with mirrors.
I can relate to the closet shortage. Our little bungalow was built in the 40s and it seems they left some things out!
I know you will find something fabulous.
I totally relate to no closet space in our NYC apartment. An armoire is a great solution. You have terrific ideas!
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Love the images, and yes I would also take any of them!! Go ahead and get what you want, it will turn out beautifully!
Karena
Art by Karena
I live in a small apartment with no coat closet, so I ended up getting an Aneboda wardrobe (they were on sale for a short time at my local Ikea). It works really well. You're pretty skilled, so you could probably do something really glam and pretty to it. I'm not as skilled, so the most I think I can do is put pretty paper on the doors…
OMG you have to buy the armoire!!! It's gorgeous!
Love the white armoirs. Do you have any favorite white spray paints? I don't want a bright white or glossy white, and have been stumped on the perfect color :)
Carrie –
Rustoleum's Heirloom White is a nice creamy white.
When we lived in NYC we used armoires for our coats/clothes/tv controls/tv cable boxes/etc. When you live in NYC you need to get storage where ever you can…armoires were the perfect solution for us. We even had a floor to ceiling one that was quite slim (custom made by another designer…that I bought off Craigslist) and used as my China closet/entertaining linens/large dishes. Great post.
I've done that twice, with t.v. cabinets. One short one for an armoire for the children's room, and one tall for a coat closet. It works great!
perhaps a matching wood behind the two lower panels with mirror above would have made the proportions less offensive-
john in nc
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