Our IKEA Pax Closet Makeover (and a Hektar Lamp)
Split-levels have many talents. Generous closets are not one of them. Our bedroom closet was a 6-foot cave with a single wire shelf, so we tore it all out and replaced it with an IKEA Pax system.
Start with the IKEA Pax planner
The IKEA Pax planner lets you drop frames, doors and interior fittings into your exact dimensions. A few tips after many, many hours in it:
- Measure ceiling height at the front and back of the closet. Old houses slope. Pax frames come in two heights, and you need clearance to tip the frame upright.
- Plan interiors before doors. Drawers behind hinged doors need extra clearance, and the planner flags it if you check.
- Print the parts list. The planner groups everything, which makes store pickup much faster.
The build
We built the two frames on the bedroom floor, tipped them up, anchored them to the wall, and then filled them with drawers, double hanging rods and pull-out trays. Each frame took about an hour once we found our rhythm.
The Hektar lamp
While we were at IKEA (twice... three times), we grabbed a Hektar lamp. Hektar is IKEA's industrial-style line, and the oversized pendant and floor lamps look way more expensive than they are. Ours sits on the dresser next to the new wardrobe and makes the whole corner feel like a boutique hotel.
Total time: one weekend. Total arguments: two. Total closet space gained: approximately infinity.
