My Closet Remodel with Reclaimed Cabinets

Woohoo … Mike finally gave me the green light a few months ago to start my closet remodel. As you know, this project has been on my wish list for a while now.

As luck would have it, Mike recently removed the hot water heater from my closet and replaced it with a tankless heater that he relocated outside. In doing so, my closet instantly gained FOUR WHOLE FEET of usable space. Even better yet, the update created the perfect opportunity to really re-think my closet space and design something that works for me.

To give you some perspective, my closet is basically my sanctuary. I spend a lot of alone time in my closet getting ready each day or even escaping for some quiet time throughout the day. So my goal is to design a space that makes me happy. On the list of must-haves is comfortable vanity seating for long hour usage when I’m doing my makeup. And of course, I need a beautiful well lit area that’s optimized for TTL vlogging.

Closet Remodel Budget

To be honest, I haven’t really given myself an actual budget. I know that I’m only willing to spend a [fraction] of the $10-15K that it would cost to hire a closet remodel company. I also know that I don’t want to spend more than $600 on my flooring. That means for my 100 square foot closet, I’ll need to stay somewhere in the range of $5-6/square foot. Now this can be problematic since my taste tends to move me closer to the $10/square foot range (LOL). BUT it’s all about compromise. I know that if I spend too much money on the flooring then I’ll have to make cuts in other areas like my furnishings which is not ideal. I really want to invest my money on the design elements like my vanity chair and makeup mirror. As of right now, I’m thinking I will shop somewhere like Home Depot for flooring to find something in stock and in budget.

We have already saved a thousands of dollars on the reclaimed wardrobe unit that Mike found at The ReUse People of America.  In fact, we have saved tons of money buying salvaged building materials for our home over the years and this wardrobe unit was a major score at less than $50. Another way I’ll be saving money is by being my own designer and contractor for the project. As with my kitchen remodel, my good friend and construction expert Andy will help me with the more technical work like customizing the closet unit and installing the flooring and minor electrical work. Although I do plan to work alongside him as much as possible to learn all that I can for future projects.

Closet Remodel Design

For those of you who don’t know, I actually went to design school so I’m pretty comfortable sketching out my own designs.

I’m sure Andy will help me make adjustments where needed but as of right now I have a pretty clear design layout. We will need to completely demolish the current space. The new build will revolve around the reclaimed cabinets. The units were originally from a butler’s pantry from a mansion. As you can imagine, the cabinets are very nice quality and already have built in lighting, [a major cost saving].

Project Goals for my Closet Remodel

• Bright well lit dressing area
• Dedicated area for makeup and videoing, proper lighting is crucial
• Must have storage for jewelry
• Laundry should be hidden
• Maximize hanging space for various clothes
• Must have full length mirror
• Must have plenty of storage for various makeup and beauty products
• Shoes & handbags should be enclosed
• Vanity seating must swivel and be comfy for long hour usage

Project Mood / Aesthetic

• Modern
• Fresh & clean
• Uncluttered
• White and cool tones throughout
• Flooring must be white or as close to
• All metal hardware should be matte black

I’m thrilled that I’ve pretty much wrapped up the design phase of my closet remodel. Once I select and order everything, I’ll be ready to move on to the construction phase. Let the madness begin! Comments below if you want to see construction phase or if you’d rather wait until the big reveal.