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The closet. It’s not just a place for clothes to hang, it’s a place for inspiration each and every morning. From boss babe to weekend warrior, you set the tone for the day in your closet by what you choose to wear. Such an influential space deserves to be more than a white boring box… don’t you think?
Like these amazing, gorgeous, beautiful, inspiring closets:
Above: Via Frontgate/Elegant Residences/Angie Helm Interiors – Pinterest
Chandeliers, quatrefoil shaped windows, built-ins for days… Are you drooling yet?
With dreams of these pin-worthy master closets, and a budget that probably wouldn’t even cover the lighting fixtures, I set forth on my master closet makeover!
Now it’s not the biggest walk in closet, but it’s definitely enough space. There are two other smaller closets in our bedroom that my husband uses, so this is all mine. Before I jump in, you must see the uninspiring hot mess it was before:
Clearly, the only good thing about this before picture is my leopard pants (trust me, they’re great.)
The issues: The existing wire shelving layout didn’t maximize the space to it’s fullest potential. Some of my longer dresses hit the floor, there was un-utilized space beneath where my pants hung, the space on top was hard to keep neat and the “U” configuration made it feel smaller than it really was.
The “Dream Closet” plan: Run two built-ins down either side, floor to ceiling, leaving the back wall empty. I needed hanging space for both long dresses and tops, but also a good amount of space for folded sweaters and pants. I also wanted to have a couple drawers for things like tank tops, leggings, bathing suits and items purchased that I want to hide from the hubs. HAHA! (Note: My closet did not need complete shoe, jewelry or handbag storage. I covered that in my office!)
Must haves: Crown molding, a pop of color, a furry rug and most important… a chandelier.
The budget: I budgeted $750 to get my dream closet done, which – in the world of dream closets – it’s unfortunately not much at all. Having custom closets installed was WAY out of budget, between $3,000 – $5,000. I explored some semi-custom solutions which were – in comparison – on the more affordable side, but still in the $1,500 – $2,000 range. I considered the upgraded closet systems found at the big box stores. They fell within budget ($500 – $700), but they just didn’t feel custom enough and didn’t utilize the space the way I envisioned. I also played with the “from scratch” idea, which could be inexpensive (somewhere between $100 – $300), but I wasn’t completely confident in my carpentry skills. That’s when old faithful came through for me… IKEA.
The solution: The Ikea Pax System. Designed to be freestanding wardrobes with tons of customizable features, they are the perfect specimen to be hacked into a custom closet! My closet did not have great depth, so the 13.75″ deep Pax wardrobes were ideal. I wanted to maximize the space floor to ceiling, so their 93 1/8″ height was fantastic – leaving just enough room for 5″ crown moulding. Their standard width of 39 1/4″ meant I could fit two units side by side perfectly… IF my closet was two darn inches deeper! ARRGGGGHH!
Was I going to let 2″ stop me? Heck no! I was going to modify one Pax unit on each side to be 2″ shorter. The Ikea Pax Wardrobe Planner allowed me to roughly see my vision:
Over the course of a three day weekend, my loving husband (begrudgingly) helped me paint, assemble, modify and beautify my closet.
I started by ripping off the baseboards on the front and back walls so I could use every inch of space to get the units nice and flush. This also allowed me to get a more built in look as later on, I put new baseboards over the units. (Note – Pax units DO NOT have the same cut outs on the back bottom that Billy bookcases do – to go over small baseboards and sit flush on the wall.) I painted the visible walls of the closet a beautiful dusty purple – Benjamin Moore, Excalibur Gray.
I left two of the units full width, one on each side. Those units would house the pants hanger and drawers as those accessories can’t be modified. I used my 12″ miter saw to cut the other two units down. The portion I cut off was used as a template to recreate the holes on the end of my resized piece, allowing me to put the units together as intended. I used drill bits that matched the hole sizes, then used a forstner bit to recreate the cam holes. I also used the saw to cut down the shelves and a hacksaw to cut down the hanging bars.
Speaking of hanging bars, the 13″ deep Pax units are not designed to hold a traditional hanging bar. I believe this is because they wouldn’t be able to support the weight if they were freestanding. Being that my Pax units were going to be sandwiched wall to wall, and secured to said walls, I knew this wouldn’t be an issue. To secure the bars, I used one of the predrilled holes (meant for shelving supports) and then made a new one of my own.
But before I installed those, we needed to assemble the Pax units. Given how tall they are and the tight space of my closet, they needed to be assembled in place. Once all four were up I connected the pairs together, ensured they were flush and plum, then secured them to the walls.
After installing the bars, shelves and drawers I added 5″ crown molding to the tops and 4″ baseboards to the bottoms with my favorite tool ever, my Ryobi Air Strike. I bought a sample of Valspar “Dove White” which is very, very close to Ikea white. The sample size was more than enough to give the trim two coats of paint. At this point, it was really coming together.
But because nothing is ever easy, I needed to move the junction box for the light on the ceiling. The dope who originally installed the box put it completely off center… and that just isn’t acceptable for a dream closet.
So I moved it and hung my oh-so-perfect flush mount chandelier that I scored off Amazon for just $128. A very high end look for quite a reasonable price. Moving electrical and hanging lights are whole tutorials in themselves (and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing!) so we’ll just leave it at that.
To help disguise the hole I had to patch on the ceiling I decided to add another decorative touch. This pre-made picture frame molding panel fit PERFECTLY around my lighting fixture and adds an additional detail that I absolutely adore! #CeilingJewelry
I also added these inexpensive, but absolutely gorgeous glass pulls to the drawers. They add just a touch more sparkle and also serve a purpose. But who cares about function… it’s about the bling!
Next came this faux sheepskin rug from Ikea and a mirror I found at the promise land, HomeGoods.
With the finishing touches in place, the gorgeous empty closet brought tears to my eyes… MY DREAM CLOSET WAS A REALITY!
And once I finally loaded my clothes in (on these space saving, inexpensive, matching hangers) it was complete…
Here’s the budget break down:
Ikea Pax & Accessories: $476 (Purchased during the 15% Pax sale!)
Crown & Baseboards: $60
Paint sample, additional screws and forstner bit: $12
Chandelier: $128
Paint for walls & ceiling: $0 (used paint I had)
Mirror, Faux Sheepskin, Drawer Hardware, Picture Frame Molding: $86
Grand Total: $762 (So I went $12 over. I think it was $12 well spent!)
I couldn’t be happier with the way it came out! I find myself hanging out in there because it’s just so pretty. Now all I have to do is keep it as neat and tidy as it is in these pictures…
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Very lovely. we have a condo with a trapezoidal shaped walk-in closet that we are going to redo and previously planned to use an Elfa type system, but this is so much more elegant. Hubs is quite handy and perfectionist so this is a definite front runner. Ours will be more minimalist — no ceiling candy — but love the vibe in yours.
Thank you – and yes! I looked into Elfa too, but it didn’t feel as custom as I wanted. Good luck if you (and the hubs) take it on!
So my closet is much narrower than yours around 60 or 62 inches if I remove baseboards. But I was thinking of installing the regular 22 inch deep with hanging rods on one side and the 13 inch deep Pax on the other side with shelves for shoes and drawers for other things. Why didn’t you do that or even both sides with the wider 22 inch Pax?
This is based upon my understanding that you only need like 3 feet for walkthrough space and you would have still had that with 2 of the deeper Pax’s.
OOps, I meant that I understand that you only need 2 feet of walk space, not 3 feet.
The 22″ deep were much too large for my closet, they would have come past my doorway opening. Make sure you’re considering this if your closet is even more narrow. The 13″ were absolutely perfect in my closet. I wouldn’t make it too narrow, it will be hard when it comes to everyday usage and function. You won’t be able to step back and look at things and you want space to take things down and look at them without bumping into the other side. Hope this helps a bit!
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I used it when we did an addition in our house. Funny enough our closets were about the same width so this worked great in our space. Of course I had to make a few adjustments because of depth BUT without your guide I would have not even thought to try a PAX like this. We LOVE our closet so much and it works so well!! I wish I could share pictures with you. So again…..Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!
You’re so welcome! I’m very glad this helped you! The Pax system is so great and saves so much money! I would love to see pictures of your closet. Would you mind if I emailed you to get them? Let me know!
Hi Kelly,
Silly question, but do you think I can drill a hole for the clothing rail between those two pre-drilled holes? I plan on adding doors so I cannot afford to have clothes sticking out of the closet (it’s in a nursery so the hangers are baby/kid sized). I have limited space so I need to work with the 13inch depth rather than 22.
Not a silly question at all! I’m sure that can be done, but you would have to measure out the size of the baby/kid hanger to see if it would fit. You need to have a little room behind the hanger so you can take the hangers on/off and pull items off easily. You might have just enough room… check back and let me know if it works out!
HI there, closet looks amazing. Finally found some PAX’s and taking on the project in new year. My PAX will be 13″ as well and 79″ height. Did you attach the cardboard backing to your project? I was planning on not nailing in the backing.
Yes I used the pressboard backing. If you decide not to just make sure that your units sit flush to the wall otherwise you’ll see gaps. Hope this helps!
Hi Kelly! I’m in awe, truly and I’ll never not refer to chandeliers as “ceiling jewelry” from here on out. I just bought a Pax and am trying to deal with shoe storage. I’m going to hang a bar in the lower half and clip boots to it, but could use the space underneath for an organizer for my flats (and plan to put that on one of the pull out shelves). If you install that pull out per the instructions, I lose an inch or so (the bracket doesn’t fit in the bottom hole so you have to go one up).
The mechanics *look* as though I can drill one hole between them and have the brackets basically sit flush with the floor to eke that last inch out. Looking for a level head to confirm whether or not this will work before I start drilling. Thoughts?
Thank you! And I’m glad to hear the term “ceiling jewelry” is catching on, haha! Ok, so drilling a hole between the holes… was just staring at mine to see if I think it could be done. It looks as though you could, but are you truly saving an inch? On my units it looks like it would be maybe a half inch at best. I’m also not 100% familiar with the exact pullout hardware you’re using. If you went for it, this is a measure twice (or 8 times) and drill once situation. Make sure you take all of the hardware elements into account in your measurements before you tried it. But I suppose if it didn’t work, your holes would be covered anyway by the bracket having to go in the hole above it. Hope this helps you think it out a little bit! Good luck!
Just found you in July 2020 and I had to say thank you for this post and compliment you on the beautiful closet! I was looking at the Pax system, but had decided I wouldn’t be able to use it because the frames were so deep – your blog is the first example I was able to see of someone actually making it work with the shallower units. Thanks again for sharing your talent and creativity!
You’re very welcome – and thank you for the compliments!
Please add me to your long list of fans! I’m inspired by what you e done and encouraged to see how you cut things down to make them fit perfectly. Everything looks just wow! My question is do you think it is doable to cut the pants hanger down? My other option is to hang pants up high but that seems impractical for a short person like me to hang my hubs pants or forgo the pants hangers altogether…. I welcome your input! Thanks for all you’ve shared!
LOL! I have fans! I’m blushing! Thank you! Ah, that’s a big no unfortunately on modifying the pant hanger. It’s all metal and locks into the Pax unit. I put the pant hanger in the unit that I didn’t shorten because of this. Unfortunately you’ll need to 86 the pant hanger. Good luck with your project!
Great post! I really want to know when that 15% off sale happens each year. We just built a 14’ x 12’ master closet and I’ll be using the pax deep cabinets.
I’ll be needing that extra savings.
And ‘Home Goods – the promise land’….priceless reference!
Thank you! It’s usually around September. Sign up for IKEA emails so you don’t miss it. It’s definitely substantial savings!
Hello, Kelly, my goodness your closet turned out stunning! I’m on the process of remodeling my closet. I’m just stuck because do to COVID its practically impossible to order from Ikea for the moment. I’ve been planning on using the billy bookcases, but after I saw your closet I might consider using the pax cases. My question is, even though your closet looks stunning, do you feel you can fit more into now? Is it easier to find, access your clothing than how you had it before?
Ohhh I love your questions! Yes, I do feel like I have more space because I carefully planned the Pax units based on my needs. Before it was all wire racks, so everything just needed to be hung or tossed on top. Well I don’t want to hang sweaters, I want to fold them. I want to store tank top/pajamas in drawers. Those weren’t able to even be in the closet before as they needed to be in a dresser. So the answer overall is yes. I have ample space, I am very organized (and it honestly stays much more organized!), and I feel like I can access everything well. I do keep a small folding step stool in the closet to access the very top top shelves, but I keep things I don’t use too often there. Hope you decide (or already have decided) to take the plunge!
Hi Kay!
This is a beautiful closet makeover. I love the ikea pax closet systems. Our master clsoet is currently 6×4 (72×48), and currently an L shaped configuration with only my clothes (hubby has been relegated to a PAX system installed in our bedroom). We’re considering widening it to 6×5.5 (72×66) as part of a bath/closet remodel. This is probably the most we can get without eating into the bathroom space adjacent to it.
We have a really tight space, and ideally, I’d like to move hubby’s clothes into the closet as a result of expanding our closet. I noticed that your closet is 70″ wide. Do you think 66″ width will work with the same configuration as yours? Will it seem too claustrophobic?
Thanks!
Thanks! So, I think it actually could work in your closet if you only put hanging bars on one side and then do drawers/shelf space on the other side. With the 13″ Pax the hangers jut out into the walking space (see other comments, I provide the measurement of just how much that is.) So if you only put hanging bars on one side you should still have ample walking space despite having a few less inches in width to begin with. Hope that helps/makes sense! Good luck!
Instead of horizontal hanging bars so the clothes on hangers stick out use the pull out bars that are an accessory on the Pax on one side so there is more clearance at your shoulder height.
Hi, this is great. you say you used ikea hanging bars but since you modified the width were you able to cut the bars down too?
Thanks! Bars were easily cut down with a hacksaw.
Hi! I couldn’t find your closet measurements anywhere! Do you know what they are? I also have a narrow closet and debating on the 13”, but I’m not sure if mine is as wide as yours! (Or how much walking space I should plan for) Thank you!!
Roughly 69.5″ wide by 75″ long. Somewhere in the comments I have measured my walking space exactly, including how much the hangers jut out.
Hi, Love your closet! I’m thinking of doing the 13″ depth with hanging rails, and came across your blog – was curious how it’s held up over the years?
Thanks – It’s held up great – absolutely no complaints!
This is kind of random, but my closet is similar to yours – not wide enough for the 22 7/8″ deep pax wardrobes. What is the width of your closet? It will help me get a visualization of how much walking space I’ll have between the hanging clothes if mine is about the same as yours. 🙂
About 70″ wide, I have roughly 43.5″ of walking space, hangers jutting out 6″ into that. 🙂
I just found your website when looking for closet inspiration. Your closet is amazing and your instructions are great! Thank you!
I’m going to be installing our PAX closet next weekend. I’d like to add drawer handles. Did you have any challenges drilling through the drawers to install the knobs? Any advice on how to do this properly?
Thanks again for the awesome inspiration!
Thanks so much for all your kind words! Sorry, probably very late on this response but a good drill bit and taping over the area where I was drilling ensured a clean hole and less splitting of the finish.
I’m debating on whether I should cut it down (width wise) as well or to just leave 6-8″ of space from the wall. Was it difficult to do?
Cutting down wasn’t too hard if you have the right tools. Measure twice (or three times) and cut once. If you mess up the pieces get expensive to replace.
Your closet is gorgeous! I am trying to find that identical chandelier but the links are broken. More info please!
Thank you! Sorry about the link. Unfortunately, it looks like it might not be available any longer. It’s no longer on Amazon and it’s out of stock on Overstock: https://www.overstock.com/Lighting-Ceiling-Fans/Crystal-Glass-Drop-Silver-Flush-Mount-Chandelier/7924342/product.html
Hope you can find something similar!
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
omg this is amazing!!!!!!!
we are recently looking at Pax for our closet, but the sizes don’t seem to fit that well! our width are about 45 inch and 85 inch… how did u deal with the extra space on the side??? (or urs pretty much fit well?) thanks
🙂 Thanks! I had to cut the units down, as explained in my post to make them fit wall to wall. If you have a few inches of extra space, I would suggest spacing out the pax evenly, secure them to the wall, then you can use some wood trim between to hide the extra space.
Sorry if it’s a daft question, I’m not very DIY savvy.
how do the backs of the pax go on? I want to use as a display unit for statues, and was looking at separating the mirror off of the pax wardrobe door, and putting it in the rear instead, but trying to work out if this would require drilling holes in the mirror or not.
The back of the Pax is just laminated chipboard. You could definitely hack to with mirror, but I’d be unsure of exactly how to adhere the mirror to the unit (epoxy glue?) Keep in mind you do need to adhere these units to the wall for stability, so you’ll have to figure out an alternative way if the mirror is now your back.
Great Tutorial, Exactly what I am looking for! I am thinking to use fabric or wallpaper to cover the holes on the side to have a more custom (less Ikea) look.
Thanks! Ohh that sounds great, come back and share pictures!
Very pretty! Now that clothes are in your closet, is it difficult to get to the two drawers at the bottom of one cabinet?
No, not at all! I mean, I have to bend, but nothing hanging gets in the way and there is still space for me to stand while the drawers are open, as my walkway width was wide enough.
Nice job. I may have missed it but did you remove baseboards behind Pax units?
Admittedly, I got lazy and left them because my floors were installed after the baseboards and it was a huggeee pain to get them out. But ideally they should come out so Pax can sit flush to the wall. In my case, to compensate, I added a 1×1 plank to the wall behind the units, so I could adhere them to the wall flush… if that makes sense. Hope this helps!
Do you think you can secure them to the wall without the 1×1 plank behind the wall and keeping the trim not the ground? Trying to see the safest, but yet least amount of work way to do this. Just not sure if the HW to secure they provide will reach or work. Any help would be great. Thanks.
No, you need the 1×1 – as the baseboard trim is going to set them off the wall. To secure them properly, they need to be flush. Hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing your DIY story in such detail. I am totally inspired. Could you tell me which year was this project completed because the PAX system in Ikea seems quite pricey now.
If you search for “PAX” in the search bar at ikea.com you’ll find the individual pieces that I used. They are the same price as when I had purchased them. What you’re looking at are the pre-made sets.
Hi there-
I’m currently researching the Pax system—I’m thinking they don’t have the hanging bars in the 13” wardrobes because the clothes stick out and wouldn’t allow the doors to shut (for those wanting doors), rather than due to weight concerns. It took me awhile to figure this out as I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t just get a hanging bar!
Sure, that too, but I’m sure the tipping hazard is also why, as it makes the units unbalanced if they are not properly adhered to the wall.
Hi Kelly would the hangers fit if you had the hanging bar in the middle and had doors on?
No – how I have the bars situated is the only way you can have hangers hanging on them. Any further back and there’s not enough room.
Meg – did you do use the hanging bags in the 13″? If so, was it simple install/sturdy? Having the hardest time with my layout because of this.
I’m so glad I found your site. My closet is similar in length but it’s not as wide as yours (54”). I am wondering if I can place the hanging rods further back to accommodate my smaller closet width? My hangers are a 14.5” wide.
I’m pretty sure where I have the hanging bars on the 13″ Pax units is about as far back as they can go to fit a standard sized hanger. Any further and they won’t have any wiggle room to move or slide easily. Hope this helps!
hi! you did an incredible job with your closet! i am so envious! can you please come over? lol. quick question on the drawers and shelves. you say you used the komplement ones but i can’ t find any that are 13″ deep like the pax frame? the komplement drawers and shelves look like they are 22″ deep? can you provide the link please? thank you! ps. so glad i found your blog!
Thanks so much! If you just type “PAX” into the search bar on ikea.com you’ll find all the individual Pax pieces in all the sizes. If you click to Pax in the navigation it doesn’t show you everything for some reason. Good luck!
Hi,
This is very nice. What pant hanging system did you use? I suspect the IKEA Komplement Pull-out pants hanger would not work in 13.75” deep frames.
They make one for the 13.75″ and that is what I used.
Hi! Love what you have done. If you didn’t secure it to the wall would it tip over because the clothes rail is on the outside row?
Thanks, Grace! Yes, though they suggest that all PAX units (even if you don’t hack them) be secured to the wall for extra safety and support!
Hi I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m also trying to install a hanging clothes rack on a 13inch wardrobe and was wondering if you just used the ikea hanging rack and made your own holes or did you make your own completely? Thank you so much!
Yes, I used the Ikea hanging bars designed for the deeper units. On each side I used one of the predrilled holes meant for the shelving, then drilled the second hole. Hope this helps!
how “sturdy” was the modified hanging bar.. this is what I am going to have to do for my closet as well…
Very sturdy! The bar isn’t modified, it’s just the location of where I installed in. As long as your PAX are secured to the wall well, the bars will hold fine. Good luck!
I want to do the hanging rail on 13inch unit as well. So glad i found your site! I was thinking I could use rotate the rod 90 degree from how your have them, this way I can just use 2 pre-drilled holes. Did you try doing this? Is there a reason you did it this way?
Not sure if they changed how the rails attach, but mine kind of sat in a U shape. If I would have rotated it to the side the bar might have been able to pop out… if that makes sense?
Hi!
Really nice job here!
I was wondering if you remember the size of the drill bits used to recreate the necessary holes ?
Regards,
Nicolas
Thanks! I actually intentionally did not post the sizes of the bits to avoid confusion. The Ikea hardware can slightly differ in Pax units based on size, country of manufacture, even year to year models. The only way to ensure success is to measure them yourself.
OMG. This was amazing. TFS.
I’m inspired to organize my newly renovated master bedroom and bath. I wish I found your site before framing the walk in closet.
Hi,
Thank you for sharing such great detail. I am trying to design IKEA PAX Closet and have few questions:
1. What is the depth you choose? 13 or 22 inches?
2. My Closet is 72 inch long side, 42 deep and has 23 inch wide on short side as rest of the space is for closet door. I am not sure if just do 2 units on long side [39.5 and 29.5] or do combination of [39.5 + 29.5 + corner unit]. Your inputs will be helpful.
13″ units, as stated above. To figure out the units you’ll need and what will fit I suggest using the Ikea Pax Wardrobe Planner on the Ikea website. Good luck!
Hi I have he same exact depth for my closet and was thinking of doing 23″ depth on one side and the 13″ deep on the other. Do you have the measurements for how much space you have left with your clothes having the way they do. Specifically I’m asking, with hanging the clothes the way you did how many inches are left from end of hanger to end of opposite hanger?
I actually answered this in a comment below. Walkway is around 43.5″ wide. My hangers stick out about 6-ish inches into that walkway space. Good luck with your project!
I love this closet so much that I’m trying to copy it exactly! 🙂
Did you raise the pax closet with some sort of base or just put the base molding directly?
Thanks and good luck with your project! I did not raise them, the Pax units come with a raised base, I simply just added tall base trim to the bottoms to give it a more built in feel.
Hi there!
I was just wondering what the measurements of your closet are? It looks pretty similar to the size of mine and just want to compare sizes. Thank you!
Approx closet measurements: 75.5″ deep by 70″ wide. Hope this helps!
So mine is just slightly narrower than this. Do you feel like you’re right at the cusp of having enough space between the two sides or would it be fine if it was even narrower? That said, my doorway to my closet is right against the wall so I might be blocking an entryway if I put anything against that wall but it’s still worth considering. Thanks!
So the Pax units come out to just about where my doorway is. I have maybe another 1.5″ on either side that could be played with, but anymore than that and I think it would begin to feel too narrow. Not sure of your exact closet dimensions/layout, but maybe you just line one side with units and do some more narrow open shelving for folded goods on the other? Hope this helps!
Love this! What did you use to fasten the PAX units together and then fasten them to the wall? I know they do come with some wall fasteners, but nothing to hold the units flush to one another. Mine are on carpet and don’t sit flush nicely.
Thanks! Mine are on wood, so first I got them as even and level as possible. To secure them to the wall I added a piece of scrap wood to the wall behind the units then used the fasteners Ikea provided and drilled into that wood piece. To keep them flush together I measured the width of the sides of the Pax when pressed up against each other and purchased screws in a size that would go through both and not come out the other side. I used one of the predrilled holes (meant for shelving supports) as my starting hole. I did this once at the top of the unit and once towards the bottom. If you’re having trouble with them staying level on carpet consider going over to your local hardware/lumber store and getting thin plywood to put underneath them. They’ll cut it down to size for you and all you’ll have to do is tuck it under the units before you fasten them up. The plywood should just sink into the carpet and you wouldn’t even see it. Hope this helps a bit!
Stunning, I love the results!! Do you still love the 13″ Pax? I’m thinking of purchasing one in the next few days.
Thank you! Yes I still love them! I’m so glad I was able to find a solution for my narrow closet!
and cute knobs!
great job! I am having trouble designing my closet and this is my first ikea purchase! I think that your long hang with folding space design is what I am trying to replicate, do you have the dimensions? I have been measuring my existing closet (i am moving) and I feel like i am doing everything wrong. How do you know how much space to leave for dresses and shelves?Can you help? thank you!
Sorry for the delayed reply here! To figure the space you’ll need for long hanging, take your longest item and measure it on the hanger. Ideally, add 2″ to that so it doesn’t drag and that should be about the right height for your long hanging items. Keep in mind, this is custom. So if you figure that measurement, but realize then you wouldn’t be able to reach the pole, make some manual adjustments. As far as the folded space, I was just going for an even look so I took the total space I had and divided it by how many shelves I wanted to get to get the result I did. Hope this helps!
You are my hero.
Ha! Why thank you!
I’m also super late to the party but I LOVE your closet. Can you tell me what you have in the bottom left corner? I think they are pants but I’m curious how they look. Thanks.
Thank you! Yup, I have a pant hanger accessory in the bottom left!
OMG!!! I’m late but I love your space. So much inspiration. Thank you!!!!
You’re welcome 🙂 Glad to be of inspiration!
I’m with Charlene, very awesome and very inspiring! I am having trouble finding the 13″ PAX now. I most definitely cannot use the 23″ depth. The IKEA website is not showing the shallow one. Guess I will have to call. I also want to say the ceiling jewelry was the highlight for me. Brilliant Idea!!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Mary! Yeah, Ikea doesn’t make them easy to find on their website. If you type in PAX in the search bar on top, then look for the units that are 13 3/4″ deep you’ll see them. I just looked myself. Hope this helps.
Hi! I know I’m late to the party on this post, but I just found your project and LOVE what you’ve done with your closet! I’m trying to figure out how to do almost exactly the same. I want to make sure I have the break down of what you bought.
It looks like you got 9 shelves and 3 drawers. Is that correct or do the drawers come with a shelf that covers them. Also, where did you get the rods for the closet?
Thank you!
Hello – You’re never late to the party when it’s an Ikea hack party 🙂 Thank you for the kind words! I have 10 shelves and 3 drawers. I placed shelves above the hanging rods so if items from the top fell I wouldn’t be fishing them out of the back bottom. The drawers do need a shelf to cover them, I’ve included that in my count. The rods are Pax rods designed for the deeper Pax units. I explain how/why this works in the post above.
Hope this helps!
I’m new to shopping IKEA. Would you have the link for the drawers and shelves? I’m not having luck searching. Maybes it’s me? Pax drawers and Pax shelves, nothing shows lol. I’m sure I’m missing something
Their website is a little weird to navigate. Just type in “Pax” into the search bar and almost all the individual Pax pieces come up. The accessories are under the “Komplement” collection. Hope this helps…
HOLY CRAP! You are amazing, just letting you know.
LOL, why thank you!
Thank you for sharing. This is very inspirational. I am thinking about doing something very similar to my closet. My walking-in closet is long but narrow. I can have four of these PAX shelves side by side, but only on one side. I do have a side wall that is left and I plan to put in shelves for shoes. I am thinking about using Ikea’s Billy Bookcase as a shoe shelf and connect the two walls with a corner PAX shelf. Think of it as a very long “L”
The problem is that the Billy is not as deep as the PAX. So, when the PAX shelf meets the Billy, there will be a gap. The difference is almost 10″. How did you shave off the 2″ off of the PAX. Also, I’m also curious to see if you have any good ideas on how to close the gap.
Here is the link to the Billy Bookcase: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S59182201/
Here is the link to the PAX Corner shelf: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10219852/
Thanks so much!
Glad to be of inspiration! If the depth is an issue, why not just use another Pax unit instead of the Billy for a seamless look? Alternatively, you could float the Billy off the wall so it visually aligns. Or you could not use the Pax corner unit and instead use a narrow Billy on a catty-corner. That would allow you to bump the other Billy up to it and have the depths match (kind of like this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S29023398/) Careful when mixing Ikea pieces though – they all may seem like the same color, but they often vary slightly and when next to each other you can tell! (For instance I realized the Besta white was pretty different from Billy white in another project I did) Check before you buy! I explain in my post above how I took the 2″ in length off the Pax units. You will need to recreate the holes so it fits together (see above!) Good luck with your closet!
This is amazing! My problem is, my walk in is slightly longer, and slightly taller than the pax frames. I’m not sure how I’d solve that problem. I fear that extending the width will affect the pax organizers, and as for the gap in the height, it’s approximately 8cm, not sure if a crown moulding will cover that? Any advice?
Hi Michele – thanks! The Pax units come in different widths so you may find a different combination of units would work better for your space. As for the gap at the top, if you were to build a simple base for them (just using some 2×4’s) It would raise them up enough to close the gap. Or you could just put a chunky 5″ crown up top and leave the space so it looks more like furniture and less like a built in. There’s definitely some work arounds if you get creative with the Pax units. Good luck!
I love this closet and hope to do the same in mine. Could you describe how and where you secured the units together? And how you secured them to the wall? I can think of a couple ways to do it but your experience would be helpful. Thanks so much. -Eileen
Thanks! I secured the units together using screws that were just long enough to go through both, but not come out the other side. I did that in about 4 places. I used the holes (that are meant to hold pegs for shelves) as my starter holes. I secured them to side walls in the same way, as they sat flush against. As Ikea suggests in their Pax instructions, I also secured the Pax units to studs on the back side. Hope this helps!
Loved it!! Planning to upgrade 2 of my walk-in closets. Issue raised by Ikea consultant was i can use only 201 cm height frame since door’s height(203cm) is less that height of frame(236 cm) though i have 8 feet of ceiling. Did you assemble wardrobe outside and then slide in from door? or did assembly inside the closet? for later option is it must to to assembly on floor or it can be done vertically as well?
Thanks! Ah, the height, yes that was an issue after the first unit was in place! I had to build the other 3 units in the closet, as there would have been no maneuver room to get them in. They weren’t hard to build in place, you just need two people to do it. Good luck!
Hi! I love the results of your closet. I’m in the process of re-doing mine. What is the name of the paint color and brand. Love this color!
Thanks😊
Thank you! The paint is Benjamin Moore Excalibur Gray. There’s a link in the post above. 🙂
Hi Kelly,
I love what you did but when I went to the IKEA website I couldn’t find any one piece for less than 175.00 and it was only 19 5/8″ wide. At there current prices it seems that your project would cost with your measurements would cost $2,000.00 with only the PAX wardrobes. Can you tell me if I’m looking at the wrong thing or they’ve really upped their prices. 😕
Not sure exactly what you’re looking at, but here’s a direct link to the units I used. I used 4 of them: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00214572/ They are $90 each, regular price.
Thanks! I was looking at the PAX wardrobes and they are very pricey!
About the chandelier, I went to Amazon and found it and wanted to use the frame just like you did but the measurements for the frame are 20″ x 12″ and the chandelier is 20″ x 7.3″. There were other frames and chandeliers but these were the ones your links took me to. I couldn’t find a frame with the same dimensions as the chandelier. Any ideas?
The link I provided in my last comment to you are the Pax wardrobes I used, again they are $90 each and I used 4 + adding shelves, drawers, and hanging bars. The totals above in my post are what I paid. As far as the chandelier and frame linked above in my post those are the exact products in the exact dimensions that I used. The frame goes on before installing the chandelier. See the images above for the final look.
Thank you Kelly!! I am very excited to get started and hopefully get a similar result to yours! You’ve been a great help with the original inspiration and the follow up questions and answers.
This is absolutely amazing and I love the paint used. I’ve been a bit confused but now I’m definitely going to go with Ikea Pax. However I’m not sure about which one to get. There’s different types of white colour and different quality. Do you mind telling me which one u got pls?
Thanks so much! There’s only one white in the IKEA Pax system, the difference is the sizes. As written above, my closet required a smaller depth so I went with the 13.75″ deep Pax, at the 93 1/8″ height. Since every closet is different you’ll need to measure out which Pax will work best for you and how many you’ll need. 🙂
Love this, thanks for the inspiration.
By the way, the reason the wardrobes don’t have holes for hanging rails is if you have doors on them they are not deep enough for a hanger, so IKEA do extending hanging rails that are mounted on the back of the wardrobe.
Thanks. Actually these do fit a hanger just fine with the way I installed my hanging rail. My hangers do not touch the back and have a good amount of wiggle room. I realize that these Pax are designed for the back hanger, but that’s why it’s an Ikea Hack, I modified it to fit my needs.
I was going to ask you about this too because I was just in the store and they said the 14″ depth can’t fit hangers – but yours look awesome and id rather save the space too. You just moved the hanger rod up closer to where it fit ideally for your hanger, right?
Also, I want to just pay to have them install for me BUT if I come across the same length issue you had, I will probably need to modify it on my own and therefore won’t be able to use their install services, right? Can you share more info with me on how you recreated the side piece? You just cut it and moved it in a couple inches?
Really love it thanks again!!
Hi Alaina! Yes, I modified the more narrow PAX to be able to use a regular rod and fit a hanger comfortably. They say it won’t work because they aren’t sold/marketed to do that (and this probably wouldn’t work if they were freestanding, not sandwiched and secured between walls), but I decided to hack it and make it work. I describe where I put the bar exactly in the post above. The hangers I used are standard size, but fit perfectly and don’t even hit the back with a little swing. As far as the modification in width, I lay out exactly how I did it in the post above. I cut off the excess, then recreated all the holes that were on the end so it would fit back together as originally designed. I wouldn’t say it’s the easiest DIY, but if you’re familiar with using a drill and have some basic building skills it’s not too difficult to figure out. Good luck!
Do you remember when the PAX was on sale? Hoping it’s soon.
You did an amazing job with your closet!
Thanks so much! Hmm, I believe it was around Sept/Oct. I’m on the Ikea email list and I get sale notifications. If you’re in the market for some Pax, you may want to sign up too. 🙂
Going back through my emails, it was Columbus day in 2015. I’m hoping that repeats this year – the timing would be great for me.
Helpful! Thanks.
That’s a really nice transformation. I was thinking of going to the IKEA path as well for my walk in wardrobe. I think it is time to have a proper one. Hahaha.
Anyway do you mind sharing me your experience after using IKEA’s stuff. Because I worry if it doesn’t last as long.
Thank you! When it comes to the quality of IKEA Pax pax VS. other closet systems, I personally think the IKEA Pax is a little bit better quality than most. Let’s be honest, all this stuff is made of pressboard with laminate over top (even the high-end closet systems.) The real difference is in the accessories. The soft closing drawer mechanisms as well as the metal hanging bars are superb quality for the price. My closet has been in use for nearly a year and I’ve had no issues what-so-ever. Good luck with your closet project!
This looks so amazing. Could you do a quick rundown of the crown molding? Did you just nail it to the top the piece of the wardrobe?
Thank you!! Yes, I simply brad nailed it to the top front of the pax units with my Ryobi Airstrike. It fit perfectly, right up to my 8′ ceiling. Once nailed in place I caulked the bottom and then painted it to match the units. 🙂
Thanks for replying! I also have 8′ ceilings and was wondering what size moldings would fit. Good to know that larger moldings fit! What length nails did you use?
This is such great inspiration for me.
Of course! I believe they were 1 1/4″ 18 gauge brad nails. If you’re hammering these in, I’d go for at least a 1 1/4″ finishing nail and be sure to countersink them, then fill the hole for a seamless look! My nail gun automatically countersinks the brads, so I had to do was fill the hole. Good luck with your project!
Beautiful result! I’m trying to plan a similar project- would you mind sharing the actual dimensions of your closet to give some context to the space you were working with?
Thanks!
-Amanda
Hi Amanda, thanks so much! Dimensions of my closet are approximately 70″ wide by 76″ deep with 8′ ceilings. Hope this helps and good luck with your project!
Thanks! Could you please tell me how wide your walkway is? The depth of the unit is 13″, but how far from the back do the clothes stick out?
Also would you tell me how high your bar is for each of the double hanging rods are? I.e., how much length from pole to floor? Thank you!
Walkway is around 43.5″ wide. My hangers stick out about 6-ish inches into that walkway space. The height of the hanging bars was based on the size of my clothing and the level I could reach to comfortably without stretching. I would recommend figuring out that “custom measurement” for yourself as well, as you’ll find the closet will work better for you! 🙂
Love! Pinned and tweeted! Thank you so much for sharing this with us at our linky party. We hope to see you next Monday @ 7 because we can’t wait to see your new creations! Happy Sunday! Lou Lou Girls
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by and for hosting a great link up!
Absolutely gorgeous. I love it all. You did an amazing job and it turned out so beautiful. I redid my closet with a little bit of glam last year, doesn’t it just thrill you every time you walk in?
Thanks so much! Yes, it’s a total thrill! I literally just stand there and admire, totally forget about getting dressed LOL! Thanks for stoping by and thanks for hosting a great link party!
Absolutely Beautiful…done to perfection… Great color & style ! Love it!!!!
Thank you so much! 🙂