Hanging Pots + Pans Storage

I'm helping this young family settle into their new apt by reusing what they have including these simple Grundtal rails, one of my favorite products from Ikea.

Before installing them we were concerned that having the pots and pans on this wall would make this corner feel cramped so we held it up to make sure and it wasn't a problem. They're both tall so we placed the top bar as high up so things are out of the way yet still easy to access. We placed the deeper pots on top with the pans below so nothing is in the way when you're at the stove.  

This simple idea has made them both really happy to be able to easily access and store everything without taking up precious cabinet space and they love the way it looks. 

What I Did Today: Shoe Cabinet + Elfa Closet

before:

 progress:

The first day with this new client we did a much needed edit and rearrangement of her clothes closet.  

The original shoe shelves were killing her nice little walk-in closet making it a pain to access the back left hanging area. I personally think these hanging shoe shelves are the worst. Shoes always fall off, you can't put low heal or flats on them and they come out so far from the wall. I designated the freestanding cabinet (that may or may not be switched out for a larger unit), for shoes and jewelry. Both the cabinet and the closet are sooo much nicer now, in looks and in functionality.

On the left wall we're going to hang an oversized bulletin board for inspiration pics, notes and her many many beautiful necklaces.

These are progress shots. I'll keep you posted as we go....

The Weekend House: Beach Chic

metropolitan

down pipe

cloud white

picnic basket

barely there

This is the final paint colors for the house. The client's didn't want to do one color throughout, they wanted each room to be different while making sure each had the same overall feeling which we're calling beach chic.

Before we met they showed me the colors they were leaning towards and from there we worked out exactly which color would work best. Slight variations make a huge difference and can only be truly seen in the space you're painting; what looks best at the paint store isn't always best. I simplified the colors (they had about 8 different colors throughout) and recommended painting the ceilings the same colors as the walls in most of the rooms instead of using a standard Ceiling White. The open living/dining area has tall sloped ceilings which means they have a very large surface and I wanted to make sure that line wasn't broken making the space feel smaller.

Here's the plan:
- living/dining area walls and ceiling Benjamin Moore Metropolitan AF-690
- living area accent wall Farrow + Ball Downpipe #26
- bedroom walls and ceiling Benjamin Moore Cloud White OC-130
- bedroom door and trim Farrow + Ball Downpipe
- kitchen ceiling and walls Benjamin Moore Barely There
- guest room ceiling (shared ceiling w/kitchen) Benjamin Moore Barely There
- guest room walls Benjamin Moore Picnic Basket

I always recommend matte or flat finish for walls and ceiling, eggshell or satin for trim and/doors. Most walls aren't that perfect and eggshell just highlights every imperfection, but with a matte/flat finish, the walls recede and give a cleaner look.

Time For The Closet Switch

It's time to switch out the spring/summer wardrobe for the fall/winter. For most of us, 60% of our wardrobe is considered all year round and don't need to be put away, but there's no reason for your white linen skirts and thin cotton sweaters to sit in your closet untouched for the next 8 months.

Reasons to do the switch are most importantly:
- clearing room so your clothes aren't stuffed in the closet making it
     impossible to see what you have 
- clean your clothes and the closet itself (wiping down the shelves, cleaning the floor, vacuuming the baseboards and molding) to keep moths away
- to re-acquaint yourself with the clothes you have 

Someone recently said she'd rather spend time with her kids than spending the hour or two switching out her closet. While I understand the sentiment (I hear it often), I think it's important to take the time to set up your things, whether it's your clothes or your kitchen, so the experience of doing everyday things is as easy and enjoyable as possible. Not only for your own sanity, but to show your children that taking care of your things is important. 

It's a lesson I remember my father teaching me, and though I'm not terribly sentimental, I still have the shoe shine box he used to show me how to polish my shoes when I was young. Though I will say thank goodness that not every parent teaches their kids to do this or I wouldn't have a job ;O)

Reader's Questions: Open Closet = Moths?

Danielle asks: " I used to store my garments on a rack, which was beautiful and very convenient, but then I started to find holes in my clothes! I've been told these were definitely caused by silverfish or moths (my home is very clean! I just like fresh air and keep my windows open most of the time). From that point on, I stored my clothes in cheap wardrobes and it's quite ugly. My question is how do you cope with moths and such? I would be too afraid to ever store my garments outside of the closet without closed doors..."

First, are they holes or tears? Natural fibers tend to break, to tell, grip the fabric to try to 'close' the hole by bringing the fabric together. If there's a piece missing that's a hole and you may have moths, but you may not. I have tears in several of my pieces but I've never had moths. Clothing moths usually create several holes next to each other and you'll see the cocoons or dead moths that look like sawdust near the holes. Did you see any dead moths or casings on your clothes?

Clothing moths are not like other moths that are attracted to light; they like dark, closed, humid spaces and are attracted to what we leave behind on natural fiber clothing such as our oils, hairs, and skin cells. They love it when we wear something once or twice then put it back in the closet or drawer not to be touched for a while. 

Do you have wall to wall carpet? I had a client who's home was also very clean but had moths living in the carpet. They tend to be near the baseboards where you don't spend too much time really vacuuming (corner of closets, behind furniture). Another client has a reoccurring problem and we suspect someone in a nearby apartment is infested and they're coming into her space.

The point is that having your clothes out is not the problem. Keeping your space and clothes clean is the only solution. If you really think you have clothes moths you need to have ALL your clothes cleaned; dry cleaned or laundered as needed. I'm assuming you didn't clean ALL your clothes when you suspected you had moths. I assume this because most people don't because it's annoying and expensive but it's the only way.

Edit out the pieces you don't love and wear and make sure you regularly clean the clothes you do have. For most I generally don't recommend cleaning clothes after every wear, but definitely at the end of the season even if you've only worn it once. But for those who have had moths in the past, regular cleaning is a must. 

But you may not have moths. People see a hole and they immediately think it's moths (silverfish leave stains not necessarily holes). Not sure what clothes you have but that can make a difference. My wool and cashmere get tears because I don't have a lot of clothes so things get worn a lot. Vintage clothing can tear because over time fibers break down. And if you tend towards fast-fashion (like from H&M, Target, Forever 21) the inexpensive synthetic clothing breaks down much faster, usually after a few wearings. 

Let me know what you think Danielle, I hope this helps!!