She Removed Every Shelf From Her Linen Closet to Create Something Her Home Never Had
Five wire shelves filled a hallway closet with towels, blankets, and storage bins, leaving little room for anything else. Sandra, from Sandra Joan Living, wanted a feature her previous house had, but there wasn’t enough hallway space to add another piece of furniture.
Instead of finding a new place for it, she emptied the linen closet, removed its shelving system, and repurposed the recess. The project involved patching the walls, adding beadboard wallpaper, building a bench, and painting the interior Benjamin Moore Crownsville Gray.
The finished space has hooks for bags and coats, baskets for storage, and a place to sit, all within the original closet opening.
Five Wire Shelves Came Out
The original closet had five white wire shelves supported by a central metal pole. Folded linens, household supplies, and storage containers occupied the recess from top to bottom.
Sandra removed the closet doors, cleared the contents, and took down the shelving. She sold the wire system through Facebook Marketplace rather than discard it.
With the shelves gone, rows of mounting holes remained across the back and side walls.
She patched the damaged drywall and prepared the empty recess for a bench, replacing linen storage with a place to sit and remove shoes.
Beadboard Wallpaper and a Built-In Bench
Sandra covered the back wall with beadboard-patterned wallpaper she had on hand, avoiding the cost of wood paneling.
A shelf supported by decorative corbels purchased through Facebook Marketplace went above the seating area. She cut the shelf to fit the opening.
Below, a bench platform with vertical dividers created space for a future seat cushion and storage beneath it.
Crownsville Gray Changed the Closet
Green and burgundy were among the colors Sandra considered before choosing Benjamin Moore Crownsville Gray, a brown-toned olive shade.
She had the color matched to Glidden Interior Premium paint. One quart covered the small space, with some paint left for touch-ups.
The finish extended across the wallpaper, shelf, and side walls, replacing the original white interior.
A Linen Closet Became a Hallway Mudroom
Four double hooks now line the back wall beneath the shelf. A straw hat, wicker basket, and small framed picture occupy the center section, while three IKEA baskets provide storage above.
Sandra reused baskets she owned and added thrifted accessories. She also replaced her first set of hooks after deciding they were too small for the nook.
The former linen closet now provides a mudroom-style entry spot without taking floor space from the hallway.
At the time Sandra shared the project, the bench still needed a cushion and changes to its lower dividers. The main conversion was in place, with space to hang belongings, store seasonal items, and sit while changing shoes.
For another approach, see how a homeowner turned an empty entryway niche into a custom mudroom with built-in shoe storage, a bench, coat hooks, and overhead cubbies.
Image credits go to Sandra Joan Living.