Dream Closet - Hisness

Let's face it - when it comes to dream closets, the attention has been given primarily to 'her'. Start an Internet search for dream closets and you will find hundreds of images and information about extreme closets for women. Rooms of shoes and walls of clothing that seem to go on forever makes me wonder if the dream is the closet or the surplus of contents.
On the shortlist are dream closets for 'him'. I have a board on my Pinterest devoted to 'hisness' {found HERE} - that features all of the strong armed decor charm that reflects a gentleman's taste. Admittedly, it doesn't tip into the 'sportsman', but leans to the debonair and urban sophistication of a man.

Capturing my attention is the recent sneak via AD into Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent's new Manhattan apartment. The Greenwich Village 15th floor apartment is a conversion of two floors with the main living space at the entry level and three bedrooms on the floor below. The pre-war style apartment is a favourite of mine that features high ceilings, long paned windows and intricate moldings. I have to admit it had me pouring over the real estate listings on Compass - if you have a few idle hours to dream, go HERE.

One of the highlights of the personal space are the his and his closets for Nate and Jeremiah. Details were ironed out for both men to suit their style and needs.

Nate and Jeremiah's closet.  image Douglas Friedman

Love the moldings, long dual mirrors on each side of the closet breezeway, and the patterned wall-to-wall carpet. The amount of shoes is probably necessary for the public events Berkus performs, but it is enviable. The tour starts in the video below.

And so, if it was my client requesting a 'hisness' dream closet, what would I include?

Let's start with the bedroom and bath; these area's should be coordinating and set the tone for the style of the closet area. My client wants masculine, dark, luxurious. So the bedroom styling will be similar to this.....

Layers of charcoal, BOND on the wall, lacquer night table and leather headboard.

The principal bath area will reflect the tone of the bedroom. Rich woods, iconic basket weave tile on the floor and white subway tile as the feature in a walk-in shower grand enough for a party for two (hisness will have guests in the shower of course). Old school cross handle faucets and an over-sized rain-fall shower head add a vintage vibe that works in this old New York apartment style. Ample storage for toiletries, mountains of luxurious towels, a shaving mirror, lighting on dimmers, and the necessary separate water closet add the finishing touches to his premium space. Of course there is a small wall mounted TV to ensure every news flash is captured.

Features for the haberdashery style closet are about form and function. The list of needs for the closet starts with the way the client prefers to keep his clothing. Are the jeans hung up? or folded and stacked on a shelf?  or folded in a drawer? If he travels often on business, the luggage and travel toiletry case will need to be close at hand, so we'll make room for them. Are his dress shirts folded on a shelf or hung on hangers. Decisions, decisions.

The space above offers so much. Like the other Greenwich Village apartments I looked at, this one has a window. It's a bonus to have air and natural light in the room. The cabinets are rich toned wood - notice the drawers on this unit are not too deep. I think this helps keep the contents at a manageable volume. Retractable valet bars are a must - if placement allows, install several. The pullout shelf allows hisness to lay out pieces to coordinate or pack. Personal items like photo's and memento's add charm.

When the size and layout allow, adding a wardrobe island is ideal. The mix of black and white works with natural woods. Notice the sideboard table on the back wall. My clients dream closet will have a distinctive piece of furniture to add character while providing storage.

It's all in the details. Space to shine shoes and storage to keep shine kits at hand, racks that roll out to display pants he's looking for easily; make getting ready effortless. Dividers in sock and underwear drawers are a must. Double-tier hanging racks throughout the space with drawers and shelves interspersed bring balance to the dream closet. When the hanging racks are lined up in a row it can begin to look like a retail space - so mix it up.

And let's not kid ourselves, men have a lot of shoes too. Don't forget shoe horns and shoe deodorizers to tuck in to each pair.

One wall devoted to shoes.

Easily accessible space for organizing ties and belts is a must. This tucked-away closet addition pulls out and provides needed space at the bottom to store away personal items.

A place to sit is so important in the gentleman's dream closet. He needs a comfortable and stylish chair to sit and put on his socks/shoes or to rest for a few minutes while he takes an important call. A compressed bar tray and a hidden bar fridge will ensure that everything he desires is at his fingertips.

A generous and sturdy luggage rack is needed to help him pack and unpack from his journeys. This one is available via 1stdibs.

Widdicomb folding luggage rack

On the check list for a luxurious dream closet for hisness is:

• a small TV to catch the news as he dresses,
• a clock (he's not always going to have his watch on),
• good quality wooden hangers for suits and shirts (no wire hangers)
• a combination of pot and ambient lighting that are on dimmers
• a full length mirror (or two), a hidden safe for valuables,
• personal pictures set in similar frames to give a cohesive look, memento's and treasures that hold meaning for him,
• a space to write a note or balance a laptop while on the phone,
• a recharging center for all of his electronic needs,
• don't forget the lint brushes tucked in to a drawer near his suits,
• and if he is so inclined - a professional steamer set up and ready to go rather than an iron.  

   
   

Credenza space - Nate and Jeremiah

Luxury with unique pieces and special finishes that reflect his personality will make a closet he is dreaming about.

{honest, he's dreaming about a dream closet too}

T.G.I.Weekend

Jump for joy - it's the weekend. 

Enjoy the summer fun.

IKEA Hacks

I am noticing more frequently images on the net or in home decor magazines that has one thing in common - it's IKEA. The products can be a love/hate relationship, but you have to admit they are constant. Years ago I bought IKEA desks and night tables for my kids rooms. Cheap, cheerful, basic, bland - load it in the car and assemble it at home.
The early years proved that you could build it, but not take it apart and move it. IKEA has improved the quality and stability of it's pieces over time. I have designed and outfitted three large offices using the IKEA business modular systems. Large scale projects or a kitchen build is where the assembly service is worth every cent.

But this is a company that has grown with enormous success, and that doesn't happen without listening to the choir that sang to them. 338 stores in 40 countries = a lot of shared idea's. Now their products are popping up in decor images everywhere. It may be something subtle or a full scale kitchen by IKEA, but they have grown from the basic early apartment style designs first introduced in 1943. IKEA's founder, Ingvar Kamprad's name is the beginning point of the acronym for the stores own name. Elmtaryd is the farm where Kamprad grew up, and the town were the farm was located is Agunnaryd.

Add stock molding around basics to enhance a dressing room. Use IKEA luxe drapes to soften a doorway.

One common element in the IKEA showrooms are the room displays; they vary from location to location, but they offer visitors a glimpse of how to pull it all together. What is happening and you cannot see, is the wheels are in motion for many guests to the enormous home warehouse. And this is where the IKEA Hacks are born. It all begins with a consumer saying 'I'd like it if it was - a different colour, taller, had different handles....'

PAX wardrobe with padded fabric doors and new hardware added.

One of my favourite IKEA hacks is the Vittsjo series of metal shelves and tables painted gold. From simple to vibrant.

IKEA Vittsjo shelf painted gold.

and the coffee table painted gold to match.

Sometimes it is something as simple, as making it not so simple.

A narrow entryway is suddenly filled with great design and shoe storage with Trones stacked tightly together. 

The fun part is that IKEA hacks have discovered and shared so many different ways to utilize the same products.

Trones as recycling bins

Add a wood shelf on top.

Trones with a black base built around them.

Basic bookshelves and cabinets are transformed with additional mill work, creative paint idea's and hardware.

Wardrobe systems carefully altered and trimmed create a one of a kind custom cabinet. 

PAX wardrobes elevated and enhanced with gold center door knobs - by Tommy Smythe. 

When it came time to hunt for kitchen cabinets we took a long look at IKEA kitchens. Designers like Sarah Richardson are installing them in kitchens, so they must be good. And while I like the look, I was concerned about the quality/longevity of the interiors. 

Here is a good example of where I think IKEA hacks it's own kitchen. They have created a kitchen with various elements that you won't find in a regular stock cabinet company. The look is traditional with an industrial twist.

anything but boring !

Upholstered IKEA pieces are not free from hacks, and some of these transformations are offering colourful solutions to work for your home. Check out the BEMZ site to discover a world of new choices - HERE.

JennyLund chair in gotland stripe by BENZ.

IKEA hacks bring out the beauty in the most basic of products - like the LACK table. At $10, if you mess up the hack, it's not a loss.

IKEA Lack table via StyleMePretty

If it can be painted (and everything can), it can be transformed.

Gold spray paint has never been so popular.

Hackers share much needed storage solutions for the new cabin size condo's.

EKBY Drawer Shelf utilized under the bed space.

FLORT remote holder is perfect for the car.

And then sometimes people see things in a very different way.

So what is new on the horizon?
I'm interested to see these pieces transformed and added to the IKEA Hack list.

Falkhojden desk available in white and powder pink.

Sprutt cart - $79 + $9 for a can of spray paint = new bar cart

This is a picture I snapped with my phone at the local IKEA. I had a feeling that they may have hacked someone else.

With dorm rooms needing to be filled with functional living options right now, IKEA hacks offer a ton of creative ideas.

There is one more thing that IKEA offers that can be taken away for assembly; available in Sweden, Great Britain, Finland, Denmark and Norway is the IKEA house. Bo Klok factory built modular homes - details HERE.

Basic with a world of opportunity to customize hack.

** I was not asked by IKEA to comment on their products or compensated for this post. I just hacked into the mountain of idea's for some fun.