Simple solutions to strange alcoves

I wish I had taken a picture of this space before I started putting these shelves in. You'll have to just picture it with two empty alcoves that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. This is right by the front door. We lived in this house for four years and I changed my mind a few times during those years. Towards the end of our time there, I decided to create something that made the most sense by the front door.

On the left, I made closets for hanging coats and storing shoes and other things. The right alcove stayed the same the whole time we lived there but it needed a fresh design.

Before

It was time to remove the corrugated metal and put up wallpaper and new trim. I thought I was finished when I added the black trim but I'm glad I decided to add the wood trim to the outside of the alcove because it gave the space more dimension. Then it was time to work on the left alcove.

Before

Oh, those barn doors! I wanted to love them. I wanted them to function better. I did love the look of them and I loved that the black paint was chalkboard paint. However, try as I might, barn doors spanning this big a space just couldn't be managed properly. So, instead I decided to find doors to fit. I got lucky and found the perfect size!

I kept the shelving on one side since we liked to play games in that front room.

On the left, I put up hooks for hanging coats and bags.

It just makes sense to have a space for people to sit to take shoes off and a space to hang coats and bags when you walk into a home. I'm not sure what the original idea was behind the design of these alcoves but I like how they ended up by the time we moved out of that home.

Now we live in a new home with more alcoves for me to design for beauty and ultimate function! I can't wait to get the work done and share my next alcove adventures!

Stay tuned!