Thursday 23 May 2013

Makeover in progress!

First of all, a warm welcome to my new follower rosie posie, glad to have you reading.

As we live in a one level bungalow, we officially have no stairs but do have an area we refer to as 'under the stairs'.

Before we bought it, the bungalow had been extended from 2 bedrooms with no separate dining room to a 3 bedroom plus dining room abode. The 'under the stairs' bit refers to a cupboard that lies between the two back bedrooms. It used to house cleaning stuff plus anything my son needed to put there. As he now lives elsewhere with FDiL. and the main thing he stored under there has been moved out, we are taking this opportunity to fashion it into a better storage area.

Here it is just as DB has started:
There were quite a few large holes in the walls and skirting which have now been filled and are drying out. DB put an upright in dividing it into 2. The left hand side will house the vacuum, its hoses, pegs etc and should have enough room for 1 or 2 shelves above it. The right side will be all shelves. The top shelf used to store cereals, pickles, jams etc but these should now be able to be moved down which will save having to stand on a stool to access them.

Here is the progress:

The top picture shows the paper removed from the left side and an undercoat applied. Then two coats of the paint were added.
Upright and top shelf added temporarily before the fun part! The previous owner built this extension after firing the builders for a shabby job. Each shelf will have to be fitted individually as the side walls move in and out and even the back wall isn't entirely straight. DB will do the best he can (and he is very good at these sorts of jobs) but I reckon a professional carpenter would have trouble.

Other than buying the middle conti-board, the rest we already had, stored in the attic. Here is the finished result before filling and still some skirting board to be fitted bottom left (haven't got any):
Everything back in with lots more room up top for jams, pickles, marmalades etc:
And bi-fold door closed - we can't find a door for the very top so don't bother:


16 comments:

  1. What a really useful cupboard, lots of storgae space. I love to see space used so cleverly (and isn't it nice when the children's final few possessions go and live with them).

    I think the only thing I would do differently is to store the loo rolls and kitchen rolls in baskets on the top shelves, so I could just reach the edge of the basket to get them down and move the jams etc down to a more easily reached shelf.

    Other than that absolutely perfect.

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    1. Yes, it had crossed my mind and I might yet change it over.

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  2. How useful is that! I love our cottage, but one drawback has been not a single - no not ONE cupboard in the entire place. And what's more, no room to put any! We have managed over the years to fudge round it, but my vacuum cleaner is still plonked in the utility, no room for a proper cleaning cupboard. Thank heavens for my larder unit - it was late coming but `i make good use of it!

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    1. Ah well, at least you have a utility room or space, I have always hankered after one of those.

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  3. Hubby's done a great job! I am so envious of you having a tall cupboard. It's the one thing that is missing here, and if we did put one under the stairs it would mean would have to walk around it when she wanted to get in or out of her bedroom.

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    1. Always a problem isn't it, trying to find room to store stuff. One of our wardrobes stands in as a cupboard - good job we don't have too many clothes.

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  4. Its a great use of space. Hubby has done really well.

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    1. It can certainly store far more now than it used to.

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  5. That looks great. Will it stay that neat and tidy? My junk tends to creep up on me in cupboards! X

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    1. Should do as not much will be moving in and out.

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  6. That is a really good use of a smallish space :-) Your hubby has done wonders :-)

    Storage sems to have been forgotten in more modern houses - you are lucky to have a space which can be repurposed so wonderfully!

    Our loft is a dumping ground for all the stuff we only use a few months of the year and our guest bedroom gets used as a general store I am ashamed to admit :-)

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  7. Our loft also has lots in it. At the moment it is a bit of a mess but DB has divided the area up into 6-8 partitions (in his head) so when I ask for something, he say something like "ah yes, that will be with the kitchen stuff in 3!

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  8. I want one a cupboard like that. Good use of space you have a skilled husband .

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    1. I do indeed, he can turn his hands to most things including plumbing and electrics.

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  9. That's a great use of space! I wish I had a cupboard like that too :) Your husband did a good job.

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    1. Isn't it, we have now moved the pickles and jams down and put the toilet rolls and kitchen rolls on the top shelf.

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