Frugal Friday Decorating: How to Customize a Builders Standard Closet the Couture Chateau Way
Earlier this week I shared how I love tassels…and that we use them on our custom hangers in custom silver leafed closets
Our silver leafed closets are a Couture Chateau Signature. Something only the homeowner knows about. Private & Delightful.
Silver is gorgeous in closets as it provides a gentle reflection for the clothes. It illuminates without overpowering.
Today I am going to share a secret with you.
When we work on smaller projects or are doing a guest room or vacation home that doesn’t have a huge budget but our Clients sill want that signature “Couture Chateau Closet”….this is how we get it…frugally :)! Since we are working on some Tahoe Cabin Projects right now, I thought it’d be a great time to share…
First…your basic closet. No walk in, no nothing…just a basic closet…
This is a closet pic from http://www.honeyandfitz.blogspot.com. I thought it was a great real time picture of a normal closet.
Second, strip that puppy bare….patch & repair the walls…make SURE you are working from a SMOOTH finish texture. Then, bring in Martha. Martha Stewart’s Silver Metallic Paint that is :). Available at Home Depot.
If you are really serious about mimicking the Silver Leaf thing, you will have to do some faux finishing, but more often than not, we just paint the entire thing in Martha’s Silver. Don’t forget the ceiling & side walls as it’s the reflection of the silver that makes the closet feel so magical.
For our Couture Chateau Custom Closets we add down lighting that highlights the center of the hangers. For a DIY Approach you can add strip lighting, but be careful to make sure it’s no – heat and you have proper ventilation and on/off switches. Wiring is always tricky and you should consult a licensed electrician in your area if you want to go this route.
We also add cedar, but we frame out the unseen INSIDE walls that hold the doors so you don’t see the Cedar, you just get the benefits.
Home Depot Again…these cedar planks can be mounted on the inside wall where the closet doors hang if you want to hide them. Typically they go on the floor but often the aesthetic isn’t right…so we customize!…a couture chateau in the making…
Use the Container Store’s Basic System in SILVER.
From the basic Elfa System you can literally take it from Frugal to Frighteningly Expensive very quickly…
Here are some of the things we talk to Frugal Clients about adding:
Custom Upholstered Fascia Pieces to Match the Silver. We have used white leather, silver leather, hot pink!…and more…
Custom Poles: You need to make sure it fits the hardware, but we have custom painted, custom upholstered & custom wallpapered those puppies…
Hangers: For Budget Friendly Custom, Tuesday Morning & Home Goods have those slim line Hangers that we make slip covers for out of matching fabric. The Container Store does have some plain covers that you can customize by adding trim or a monogram. We have never used them so I can’t vouch for those…but they seem like a viable option.
Or, just hang a tassel on your favorite hanger & you’re done! 😉
So there…one of my most TIGHTLY kept design secrets.
A Couture Chateau Frugal Friday Closet for my Friends!
xoxo Ann
Couture Chateau 