In this post, I will share my review of the Immunity mattresses and if you like, you can see our Agility Mattress review here. Stay tuned below for our discount code!

Choosing a quality mattress is something that has become more and more important to me over time. There is such a stark difference when we stay at an Airbnb on an uncomfortable mattress—it’s jarring now that we are used to our incredible mattresses. We now have only Agility and Immunity mattresses in all the bedrooms of our home, so let me tell you more about why I love them!

Which Immunity mattresses did we choose?

For our main bedroom, we chose the Immunity Terracotta Medium Firm Copper mattress. It is an absolute dream to sleep on (more on this below!) and my favorite mattress I have ever owned. I am super impressed by it and would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a soft and firm mattress—it’s the perfect mix of both.

For our children’s bedrooms, we chose the Immunity Cinnamon Firm Copper mattresses. They are the perfect children’s mattresses and very comfortable as well. I lay on my kids’ beds pretty often for stories, snuggles, etc., and I never want to leave once laying down. It’s very nice!

Reasons I love our Immunity mattresses:

Comfort – Far and away this is the most comfortable mattress I have ever tried. Recently, I was laying in bed and I said to my husband, “Isn’t our bed the best place in the world?” (He agreed.) I wish I would have known what a big difference mattresses can make. When I was younger, I had a lot of sleeping issues, but I honestly never thought a mattress could help. Recently, I am sleeping better than ever!

100-Night Risk-Free Trial – It can take 30 days for your body to adjust to a new mattress, so this trial gives you plenty of time to be sure you made the right choice for you.

Free Delivery – Your mattress will arrive in a box that seems way too small to fit a mattress, they are packed so well. They are easy to unbox and use right away and delivery is free.

It wouldn’t be a complete review without sharing any downsides of the product. My honest opinion is the only downside of these mattresses is the price. They are definitely not the cheapest mattresses on the market and I can understand why the price would create pause for a budget-minded shopper. With that in mind, I encourage you to shop their sales (which are amazing!). There is one going on now and we regularly share significant sales and discount codes on our podcast as well.

Labor Day Sale

1. Labor Day Sale. Save 20% off any mattress and get 2 FREE temp-regulating, memory foam pillows. Sale ends 9/4.
2. After Labor Day, use the code ABM to receive $300 off any mattress.

To try an Immunity mattress in person, find a retailer near you.

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored. However, we have a long-term sponsor relationship with Shop Therapedic, both on our blog and podcast, and I did receive a free mattress as well as a discount on other mattresses for our new home.

More children’s rooms: 50 Kids Room (and Nursery) Ideas, Kids Shared Bedroom, Reconfiguring a Closet, Daisy Painted Wallpaper.

The first thing we did before we moved in was paint the walls pink. We chose the color Sulking Room Pink by Farrow and Ball. At first, I was worried it was too dark (it reads almost brown in certain lights), but once the curtains and other details went in, I knew it was the perfect color. It’s rich and deep and balances a lot of the other uber pink decor.

We found the antique bed locally on Marketplace. The bed canopy is such great quality and comes in a bunch of different colors. For the mattress, we chose an Immunity mattress (Cinnamon) and I’ll be sharing a full review of it in an upcoming post (short story—we love it!).

For curtains, we chose to go with Two Pages Curtains for this room (and our entire home). I love the classic pleated look they have. I ordered a swatch book before choosing colors and it helped SO much. I highly recommend the swatch book if you are choosing colored curtains to coordinate with painted walls.

Our daughter is a budding artist, so we decided to create an art gallery in her room! As you can see, it’s comprised mainly of her own art. I plan to add more and swap out over time.

Etsy art included: Julie Andrews Print and the other piece is from Janet Hill.

Before we moved, I found this gorgeous antique vanity. She uses it to store all her makeup (I give her my old makeup every time I do a clean out and she squirrels it away and is OBSESSED).

Wood toys we love:

• Wood Stacked Rainbow
• Wood Animal Set
• Wood Play Camera
• Castle Music Box
• Wood Name Puzzle

This bear rug from Etsy was the first purchase I made for her new bedroom. I thought it was so cute and charming—and COZY.

Here you can see a little row of flea market art we have displayed along with one of the kid’s photos from Disney. I love mixing antique gold frame art with photos in ornate gold frames that are new.

It was our daughter’s dream to have a “real” tea set, so I started collecting blue china and have created a mix and match collection for her to play with. She spends so much time decorating and redecorating her table, I absolutely love these memories for her! The white table is new and the rest are flea market finds.

Can’t you just taste the (pretend) tea and cakes?

Another key element we leaned on when decorating our new home was vintage and antique light fixtures. This chandelier was an Etsy find. I found so many charming fixtures there, as well as locally at flea markets. They make a room so special and add a lot of historic charm. The sconces around her gallery wall match as well.

We chose the Lila area rug for this bedroom and the toy box is a DIY.

I was cleaning and decorating this room while my daughters were having a sleepover at my parents’ home. The instant she returned home she ran into the room and started re-decorating it her own way (before I even had a chance to take photos) and so these dolls are her personal touch. I think it’s important to let your kids be involved and put their touches on their spaces, even when they aren’t old enough to care about most details—they will love to organize their own things in their special, unique way.

I’m so excited to keep adding details to this room over time! We are collecting little mermaid and princess things along the way. It’s so fun.

Thanks so much for reading!! If you’re curious what other home projects we’ve completed recently, check out our dining room wallpaper and stair runner carpet updates. More to come soon! xx – Elsie

They can even improve your quality of sleep and provide energy-efficient insulation during the summer and winter months.

I’m also answering some common questions about blackout curtains in this post. If you’ve been on the fence about purchasing blackout curtains, this guide will give you all the resources you need!

Related: Best Round Dining Room Tables, Best Floral Wallpaper, Affordable Traditional Light Fixtures, and Best Coffee Tables (Splurge + Save).

Do Blackout Curtains Block 100% of Light?

Blackout curtains are designed to to block up to 99% of light. Thicker and denser fabrics block the most light, making blackout curtains perfect for bedrooms, kid’s rooms, and home theaters.

What is the Best Fabric for Blackout Curtains?

Polyester and polyester cotton blends are the best fabrics for blackout curtains. These fabrics are thick and tightly woven. Curtains lined with an acrylic coating also help reduce noise.

Do Blackout Curtains Make a Room Less Hot?

Blackout curtains are considered to be energy efficient because they make rooms less hot in the summer and warmer in the winter. They are great at insulating windows, and can even reduce utility bills.

Miscellaneous Tips:

• How to Hang Curtains The Right Way – How to make your windows look bigger, plus Elsie’s favorite curtain rods and hardware.
• How to Lengthen Curtains Without Sewing
• Blackout Curtain Liner – Add a liner to the curtains you already have.

The Best Blackout Curtains:

Amazon

Pleated Curtains

Elsie chose these pleated curtains for her historic home. Made from faux linen, these elegant curtains block 95% of the light, are noise-reducing, and are perfect for living rooms and bedrooms. They are available in 38 versatile colors.

One reviewer said, “I finally found curtains that checked all of my boxes: size, blackout, pinch pleat, and color. They are perfect!”

West Elm

Cotton Velvet Curtains

These bestselling blackout curtains from West Elm are made from a lightweight cotton velvet fabric and stonewashed for extra softness. They are made with a 2-in-1 construction with two options for hanging.

This velvet fabric also helps insulate windows and can add an elevated look to any room. Love these curtains? They are available in 11 gorgeous colors.

Amazon

Faux Linen Curtains

These affordable blackout curtains are made from a high quality polyester blend and block anywhere from 75%-95% of light. The faux linen fabric adds texture to a room, and these curtains can be hung three different ways. They are available in 15 colors.

One reviewer said, “These curtains have the right thickness, the texture is perfect, and the quality is impeccable. They remind of Pottery Barn curtains.”

West Elm

Crossweave Curtains

If you’re looking for curtains that block 100% of the light in your bedroom or living room, these crossweave curtains are the answer. Made with interwoven threads that create a crosshatch pattern, these curtains bring a textured look to walls and windows.

These blackout curtains are available in four colors and sold individually or as a set.

Amazon

Plush Velvet Curtains

Elsie and Emma have used these velvet blackout curtains in their bedrooms time and time again. They both agree that they have improved their quality of sleep.

These plush curtains are made from a room-darkening polyester blend, can be hung three ways, and are available in 13 colors.

Wayfair

Thermal Curtains

The function of blackout curtains with a soft and delicate look. This curtain set provides thermal insulation and is made from a 100% polyester triple weave fabric with a beautiful tulle overlay. They are available in beige, pink, and gray.

One reviewer said, “I love the way these look and how they let light in once you pull them back. The material is heavy, yet silky soft.”

Amazon

Solid Curtain Set

With over 105K ratings, these popular blackout curtains are the most budget-friendly on our list. Sold as a set, these triple weave blackout curtains balance room temperature, are thread trimmed and wrinkle-free, and easy to hang. They are available in 15 colors.

One reviewer said, “They darken the room better than any curtains that I’ve bought in the past, and my house is much cooler in the summer since I put them up.”

Pottery Barn

Noise-Reducing Curtains

Crafted of polyester fibers that look lightweight, these curtains are designed to block light and reduce noise for better sleep. The 3-in-1 construction offers three hanging options, and they are proudly made in a Fair Trade-Certified factory.

Love these curtains? They are available in five neutral colors.

Amazon

Velvet Curtain Set

When it comes to velvet curtains, these are the most budget-friendly on our list. Sold as a set for under $50, these curtains block 75% of light and are made from a thick, high quality polyester blend. I have these in my bedroom, and I really love them.

These soft velvet curtains come in 17 rich colors.

Wayfair

Polyester Floral Curtains

These floral blackout curtains would be perfect for a nursery or kid’s room. They provide light filtration and thermal insulation and have a sheer, elegant overlay with a floral design on top. And, they are stain-resistant and machine washable.

One reviewer said, “Absolutely beautiful curtains. It’s hard to find blackout curtains that are pretty and keep the sunlight out on hot days.”

Links: Velvet Curtain Set / Pleated Curtains / Solid Curtain Set / Velvet Curtains / Faux Linen Curtains / Cotton Velvet Curtains / Noise Reducing Curtains / Thermal Curtains / Crossweave Curtains

Shopping for More Home Decor?

• The Cutest Sofas Under $1,000
• The Best Living Room Rugs (Splurge + Save)
• 25+ Round Coffee Tables You’ll Love For Your Home
• The Best Dressers (Splurge + Save)
• The Best Full Length Floor Mirrors (Splurge + Save)

You will also find an array of dresser styles and color options to choose from (variety is good!).

Hopefully this shopping guide will inspire you work on a bedroom refresh that you’ve been thinking about. Or help you find a budget-friendly dresser if you’ve recently moved into a new space.

I’m also sharing tips for updating a dresser at the end of the post. It’s so easy to make little changes (that make a big impact) without spending a lot of money.

Related: Best Living Room Rugs (Splurge + Save) and Best Full Length Mirrors (Splurge + Save), and Coffee Tables (Splurge + Save).

This is Elsie’s favorite dresser. You can see it in her current bedroom, and in a previous bedroom below. If you are able to save up for a piece of furniture like this, it can last for years.

Splurge Dressers:

West Elm

Mid-Century 8-Drawer Dresser

This is one of West Elm’s best-selling dressers. I love the sleek mid-century design and that it’s made from sustainably sourced wood. It’s a spacious dresser that’s available in 2 colors and a smaller 6-drawer version.

Anthropologie

Ingram 6-Drawer White Dresser

This has been Elsie’s go-to dresser for years! It’s a beautifully made dresser with silver and brass hardware, and it’s sealed with clear lacquer to prevent wear and tear. It’s available in 3 colors and has a matching nightstand.

West Elm

Ellington 6-Drawer Fluted Dresser

I love the rounded corners and textured design of this fluted oak dresser. The wood is kiln-dried for extra durability, and it has black metal hardware. This dresser is also available in a black finish and has a matching 2-drawer nightstand.

Wayfair

Eliana 6-Drawer Geometric Dresser

This white and gold dresser has an art deco feel and a unique geometric pattern on the front. It’s roomy with 6 drawers and has plenty of space on top for a lamp and bedroom decor. This dresser is available in 3 colors.

West Elm

Hargrove 5-Drawer Vertical Dresser

Depending on your space, you may prefer a vertical dresser. I love the simplicity of this contract-grade mahogany dresser, and the color is so versatile. It’s also available in a 6-drawer horizontal style.

Wayfair

Mid-Century 4-Drawer Vertical Dresser

A vertical wood dresser that reminds me of a well-crafted piece of vintage furniture. It’s made of solid wood, available in 5 colors, and has over 1,500 positive reviews.

Amazon

Antique-Inspired 6-Drawer Dresser

A gorgeous ivory dresser with an antique feel. The ribbon detail on the drawers, crystal knobs, and pedestal feet are so charming! In addition to a master bedroom, it would be perfect in a kids room or nursery. This dresser is available in 4 colors.

Now, for the save category—there are so many good dressers to choose from!

Budget-Friendly Dressers:

Wayfair

Helmick 6-Drawer Pine Dresser

This popular dresser showcases natural wood grain and knots for a unique look. Instead of hardware, it has 6 spacious drawers with minimalist wood cutouts. It’s available in 5 versatile colors.

Wayfair

Mid-Century 6-Drawer Dresser

Available in 6 colors, this mid-century dresser is compact (and saves space) but also has enough room on top for small lamp and decor. It has smooth rolling drawers, brass-finished knobs, and modern tapered legs.

Target

Scalloped Wood 3-Drawer Dresser

I love this scalloped wood dresser. The unique design and texture would be perfect for a bedroom refresh! One reviewer described it as “high end design on a budget and easy to assemble.”

Wayfair

Ellenberger 6-Drawer Dresser

If you can’t decide between a wood or a white dresser, why not have both? This handle-free dresser has 6 lengthy drawers and a cool retro vibe.

Wayfair

4-Drawer Wood Dresser With Cabinet

This 4-drawer dresser with a cabinet reminds me of something from West Elm (for a fraction of the price). I love the modern design, and the cabinet has a shelf for added storage. This dresser is available in 4 colors.

Amazon

Storkcraft 6-Drawer White Dresser

A best-selling dresser that’s perfect for a nursery or kids bedroom. It has a sleek design, metal drawer pulls, and a durable and easy-to-clean coated surface. This safety tested dresser is available in 3 colors and a vertical option.

Amazon

Rattan 3-Drawer Dresser

I will always love rattan and wicker, and especially this rattan dresser. It’s so inexpensive that you could buy two and combine them to look like this. The easiest DIY ever! This dresser also has a matching nightstand.

Links: 6-Drawer White Dresser / Mid-Century Dresser / 5-Drawer Vertical Dresser / Antique-Inspired Dresser / Geometric White Dresser / Vertical Mid-Century Dresser / 6-Drawer Fluted Dresser

Links: 4-Drawer Dresser with Cabinet / Mid-Century White Dresser / Ellenberger 6-Drawer Dresser / Rattan Dresser / 6-Drawer White Dresser / 6-Drawer Pine Dresser / Scalloped Dresser

How to Update a Dresser:

It’s easier than you think to update a dresser. If you find a good deal on one that you love, but you aren’t in love with it, here are some ways you can give it a makeover:

• Change the paint color or stain
• Update the hardware
• Use peel and stick wallpaper
• Swap out the legs (I love these)
• Add a unique detail

Shopping for More Home Decor Items?

• The Cutest Sofas Under $1,000
• The Best Affordable Area Rugs
• Best Round Dining Room Tables
• The Best Blackout Curtains

It is true that the elastic sides make it a bit more of a puzzle, but there’s actually an easy hack to folding a fitted sheet that you’ll want to know.

Some tutorials I’ve seen make it seem even more confusing, but this is our easy way to get a flat and folded fitted sheet to neatly tuck away in your linen closet.

Folding a fitted sheet is something that I didn’t take time to figure out until I was in my 30s … it just looked so complicated. But once I saw this method, it clicked for me after a few tries—and I’ve been folding like a pro ever since!

Want a makeover for your bed? Reupholster Your Bed Frame in One Afternoon (With a No-Sew Option, Too)!

I would definitely suggest watching this short video a few times before starting! That way you will know where you are going, and then you can follow along with your own sheet more easily.

I’ll show you how to do it with a twin sheet (which makes it easier to see what I’m doing since it’s smaller), but the same exact method applies to crib size, twin, queen, or king size fitted sheets.

Step One: Start with a fitted sheet turned inside out. Holding the sheet lengthwise (so the longer way) put your hands all the way into the corners where the corner seams are like you would put on a mitten.

Step Two: Take your right hand and “clap” it onto your left hand so the two seams are touching. Fold that right hand side over the left so they fit within each other.

Shake out the sheet a bit to untangle the excess fabric.

Step Three: Slide your right hand in where your left hand is and swap hands so your left hand is free. Follow the elastic edges with your left hand down the side of the sheet until you find the two corners that are dangling on that side.

You can shake that side a bit so they are right side out at first. Fit those two corners into each other so they match and mirror how your right hand looks.

Now, you should have two corners on your left hand and two corners on your right hand.

Step Four: Repeat the process of taking your right hand and “clapping” it onto your left and then folding over your right hand corners so that they are laying on top of the left hand with all four corners now on top of each other.

Shake out the sheet a little and you should have a loose rectangle shape.

Step Five: Lay your sheet on a large flat area like a table, bed, or floor so you can smooth it out. Fold the sheet lengthwise (the long way) into three sections to make it a very long rectangle.

Then, fold the sheet three more times widthwise (the short way) to end up with a neat rectangle. You did it!

PRO TIP: When folding a sheet set, fold the fitted and flat sheet and tuck both of them into the corresponding pillowcase so you can keep the whole set neatly together!

There you go! Once you realize how easy it really is to get a fitted sheet to behave, you’ll never go back to just balling it up and throwing it in the linen closet. Happy folding!

P.S. Check out this post to Make An Easy Duvet Cover With Any Flat Sheet!

The biggest news of all has got to be the conversion of our man cave into a nursery for my 1-year-old son!

Much to my husband’s dismay, of course … he did love that man cave, but sacrifices have to be made when you have kids! You can see my nursery reveal here.

Related: Find more DIY home decor projects here.

As you can see, the room is quite small (in the UK, the third bedroom is usually quite small and we often jokingly refer to it as a “box room”), which meant there wasn’t much space for the bigger essentials like a wardrobe.

Not that I minded—I find wardrobes to be like bulky oversized boxes. So, I decided to create a DIY hanging rail from the ceiling!

It looks so light and minimal but still holds plenty of clothes. And, of course, baby clothes are *the* cutest, so this DIY rail ended up looking aesthetically pleasing, too!

Supplies Needed:
–branch/driftwood or dowel rod
–strong cord/rope
–ceiling hooks
-scissors
-drill
-sandpaper (optional)

Tutorial:

Decide how long you want your clothing rack to be and cut your branch/dowel rod down to this size. I cut mine to the length of the drawers so that the rail would be suspended above and line up nicely.

Drill a hole into both the ends of the branch that’s big enough for your rope/cord to fit through. Sand around the holes if needed to smooth things out and make it easier to pass the rope/cord to go through.

Now, fix your ceiling hooks in using wall plugs (wall anchors). Remember to mark precisely where the holes are in your branch/dowel rod and space the ceiling hooks at exactly the same distance.

Again, I used the dresser as my marker for spacing! But I also used some masking/Frog Tape to mark where the holes would need to be drilled in. It’s a simple but useful way of ensuring precision.

Please note if you’re in a rental where you aren’t allow to draw holes, this branch could be hung with heavy duty self adhesive hooks.

However, It would greatly limit how much you could hang on the rail and would be more for aesthetic purposes rather than function.

Next, cut two pieces of rope to the desired length. Make sure you have a little extra rope to make room for any errors. The extra can always be trimmed later!

Thread your rope through one end of the the branch and make a knot. Do the same with the other side.

At the top of the rope, make a loop knot.

Hang it up on one of the ceiling hooks and trim any excess rope.

Now, hang the other end of the branch on the other hook and tie a loop knot at the end of the rope. This can be a little tricky, as you need to make sure the branch itself hangs level.

And you’re done! I’ve put mine up high enough so that there’s room to hold my son’s longer clothing, like his bedtime onesies. And although I haven’t got many clothes hanging up in the pictures, it can actually hold 2-3 times more!

What do you think? Is this something you think you’ll try? xo, Medina

You can follow me on my blog, Instagram, and TikTok!

P.S. Love this post? Check out Hanging Copper Pipe Clothing Rack DIY.

Print

DIY Hanging Clothes Rail

How to make a DIY hanging rail from the ceiling!

Author Medina Grillo

Equipment

• -scissors
• drill

Ingredients

• branch/driftwood or dowel rod
• strong cord/rope
• ceiling hooks
• sandpaper optional

Instructions

• Decide how long you want your clothing rack to be and cut your branch/dowel rod down to this size. I cut mine to the length of the drawers so that the rail would be suspended above and line up nicely.
• Drill a hole into both the ends of the branch that’s big enough for your rope/cord to fit through. Sand around the holes if needed to smooth things out and make it easier to pass the rope/cord to go through.
• Now, fix your ceiling hooks in using wall plugs (wall anchors). Remember to mark precisely where the holes are in your branch/dowel rod and space the ceiling hooks at exactly the same distance.
• Again, I used the dresser as my marker for spacing! But I also used some masking/Frog Tape to mark where the holes would need to be drilled in. It’s a simple but useful way of ensuring precision.
• Next, cut two pieces of rope to the desired length. Make sure you have a little extra rope to make room for any errors. The extra can always be trimmed later!
• Thread your rope through one end of the the branch and make a knot. Do the same with the other side.
• At the top of the rope, make a loop knot.
• Hang it up on one of the ceiling hooks and trim any excess rope.
• Now, hang the other end of the branch on the other hook and tie a loop knot at the end of the rope. This can be a little tricky, as you need to make sure the branch itself hangs level.

Notes

• I put mine up high enough so that there’s room to hold my son’s longer clothing, like his bedtime onesies. And although I haven’t got many clothes hanging up in the pictures, it can actually hold 2-3 times more!

So why would you want to add more to your plate by also decorating your kids’ rooms for the holidays? While there’s certainly no rule that says you have to, we have a few reasons why we love the tradition and we may convince you to do the same!

For this cheery post we are partnering with our friends at Spoonflower who, in addition to being a go-to spot for wallpaper and fabric, are the perfect place to shop for home decor (and other finishing touches) you may need for your space.

They also support the work of thousands of independent artists and have designs to pick from for any holiday!

Looking for more decor ideas? Check out:

• Choosing My Nursery Wallpaper
• Nova’s Retro Floral Bedroom
• Office Wallpaper – In My Home Office

For my daughter Lola’s holiday room, I picked out this adorable Santa print for a duvet cover. I love how these checked red and green sheets set match, but gives another pop of pattern and color.

I also thought it would be fun to do holiday curtains and picked out these candy cane curtains and this nutcracker wall hanging.

So, why should I decorate my kid’s room for the holidays? I’ll tell you why …

Childhood holiday magic doesn’t last forever: Sad but true. While the holidays still retain magic as an adult, it just can’t quite match the level that you felt as a kid, with the promise of presents, decorations, and the smell of cookies in the air.

So why not play into all that fun while you can and make it as special as possible for them? And seeing that light in their eyes is so fun for you, too!

The holidays are about memories (and physical items have a role!): While holidays are about people and time with loved ones at its core, I think we all have special memories connected with a few physical items from the holidays.

I know my family has a special connection to some Christmas plates and cups we still use every year for Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas morning brunch.

And, I remember the thrill of getting out our special Christmas pajamas and sheet sets each year to make going to bed a magical time.

You can buy items to use year after year to make it simple: While there are some categories that are super fun (like holiday pajamas) if you have kids, you know they grow out of those yearly.

It’s nice to have your main kid’s room decorations be things that they can use year after year like bedsheets and pillows, duvet covers, throw blankets, curtains, or wall hangings.

Making a holiday bookshelf area is also a really cute tradition, and you can use those books over and over and add new ones here and there (or get them from the library!).

Choosing the right items makes decorating super fast: While everyone’s to-do list gets loooong during the holidays, items like bedding are easy to change out. You have to change and wash their sheets every so often anyways, throw pillows can be tossed out in a second, and switching out artwork is super fast.

You can even make paper Santa hats to add to artwork like I did to her cat picture! Picking items that are a snap to set up means that you have more time for cookie decorating and hot chocolate by the fire, right?

It’s just CUTE, OK?!? I mean, do you really need a reason to surprise a kiddo with an adorable room decorated just for them for their favorite holiday of the year?! I didn’t think so. It’s. Just. CUTE.

If your kiddo loves the holidays as much as mine does, then the look on their face once their room is decorated is totally enough to make the effort worth it.

And some kids (like mine) love to help decorate for any occasion, so you can get a mini-helper for the changeover as well. Hope these ideas help make the holidays a little more special for everyone in your house! xo. Laura

Looking to bake something special for the holidays with kids? Check out:

• The Best Vegan Sugar Cookie
• Vegan Royal Icing
• Overnight Cinnamon Rolls – Small Batch
• Our Best Cookie Recipes of All Time!
• Spiced Gingerbread Waffles

In this post, I’m sharing the best affordable area rugs that you can find online. I’ve included a variety of colors (bold, neutral, and in between) to choose from.

Also, let talk about texture! I know shag carpet ended years ago, but it’s fun to have different options depending on which room your rug will be in—like a living room, dining room, bedroom, or office. An area rug can really make a big impact on a room.

Related: The Cutest Sofas Under $1,000, Best Living Room Rugs (Splurge + Save), Best Coffee Tables (Splurge + Save), and Best Round Dining Tables.

At the end of the post, I’m going to share our tips for keeping area rugs clean. This is a popular question in the A Beautiful Mess world since so many of us love light-colored rugs!

Types of Area Rugs in this Post:

• Shag
• Jute
• Chenille
• Wool
• Tufted
• Moroccan
• Bohemian

Rug Sources: Wayfair, Rugs USA, Urban Outfitters, World Market, Rifle Paper Co., and Amazon.

Amazon

Simple Jute Rug

You can’t go wrong with a simple jute rug. Elsie swears by this rug and has used it time and time again in her home. This neutral color goes with everything and this rug is available in 11 versatile colors.

One reviewer said “This jute rug is not only beautiful, but it’s very soft on your feet. It lays perfectly with no wrinkles.”

Wayfair

Colorful Shag Rug

This vibrant shag rug has all the 70s feels. It would be great in an area where you want to hide stains and marks (like a playroom or kids room) or as a colorful statement piece in a living room.

One reviewer said “This is a fantastic rug. Super bright colors, very soft, and a great price.”

Wayfair

Wool Terrazzo Rug

Laura has this amazing terrazzo rug in her pink living room. I love the vintage-inspired pattern and the dusty pink color is fresh and fun. This rug is also available in ivory and navy blue.

One reviewer said “It’s gorgeous. There are metallic threads in it, which you can’t see from the pictures. And this size of rug for the price is incredible.”

Urban Outfitters

Orla Chenille Rug

This soft chenille rug has rich, earthy colors with a cool bohemian-inspired geometric design. This type of rug works best in low traffic areas with a rug pad.

One reviewer said “I get so many compliments on this rug. It matches a lot of my other decor because it has so many different colors in it.”

Rifle Paper Co.

Power Loomed Rug

Rifle Paper Co. makes high quality rugs and the prices are very reasonable. Elsie has this loomed rug in her master bathroom. This stunning rug also happens to be stain and fade-resistant. If you’re looking for a neutral rug with a lot of charm, this one is for you!

Rugs USA

Moroccaan Jute Rug

I’ve been looking for a pink textured rug for my living room, and this Moroccan jute rug is on my list. Handmade in India, this rug is made from an eco-friendly fiber that’s easy to clean (a huge plus if you have pets). It’s available in 4 colors.

One reviewer said “It’s very well made. I also have a $5K rug in the house and it is hard to tell the difference.”

Wayfair

Striped Taupe Rug

Elsie has this affordable striped loomed rug on her back porch She actually placed two of these rugs together to create the look of one long rug to work for her outdoor space. I love a versatile rug that can be used outdoors as well as inside.

One reviewer said “I am super happy with this rug. I plan to put it on the balcony in the summer, but couldn’t resist using it to layer and now I think I need a second.”

Amazon

Southwestern Tufted Rug

I love this handmade ivory rug. It’s extra plush with a wonderful geometric pattern and bright, fun colors. And, you can’t beat the price.

One reviewer said “I love this rug! It’s super soft. I bought it for my office to make it cozier and more welcoming.”

World Market

Faux Cowhide Rug

I had no idea that faux cowhide rugs were so easy to maintain and clean until Emma told me about one she has in her dining room! The fibers can be spot cleaned, so you don’t have to worry about spills as much. And, this neutral rug can “dress up” any space.

One reviewer said “I bought this to layer over a vintage Turkish rug and it looks elevated and luxurious. This rug is soft and nice.

Wayfair

Boho Dots Rug

This rug that would look so good in a bedroom or dining room. This wool polka dot rug (I love the imperfect dots) is thick enough to be used without a rug pad. It’s also available in dark blue.

One reviewer said “Just what I was looking for. Great quality, heavy rug. Looks phenomenal in my space.”

What’s the Best Way to Clean a Rug?

Elsie owns a mix of vintage and newer rugs and she swears by this stain remover. Keeping your rugs vacuumed (at least once a week) is another trick to keep them looking new and fresh.

If you have pets, Folex is the best cleaner you can buy, hands down. Elsie and Emma swear by it, and it has nearly 80k positive reviews on Amazon.

Looking for more tips? Check out How I Clean My Vintage Rugs and Leather Sofas.

Speaking of vintage rugs, Elsie’s favorite places to shop for them are:

• Apple & Oak
• Etsy
• EBTH
• eBay

Looking for More Rug Inspiration?

• The Best Rugs on Etsy
• How to Uncurl a New Rug
• Make Your Own Woven Rag Rug
• Make Two Rugs Into One Large Rug

Adding trim is a quick way to take a set of Pax wardrobes from looking stock to chic, and you can customize your doors to fit your home’s personality.

Love a good IKEA hack? Check out:

• IKEA Hack: How to Add Cane Webbing to an IVAR Cabinet
• Fluted IKEA Besta Sideboard Hack!
• IKEA Hack: Star Toddler Learning Tower DIY
• Mid-Century Modern IKEA Play Kitchen Hack!

Supplies:
–drill
–painter’s tape
–level
–14″ wooden circle
-straight half round molding (I did a 3/8″ x 3/4″ size moulding)
-half round flexible molding (I did this 3/8″x 3/4″ size flexible moulding)
–miter saw or hand saw and a miter box
–craft saw
–finish nail gun (I love that battery one but this one is a little more budget friendly) and 3/4″ brad nails
–wood filler and fine sandpaper
–caulk
-paint primer (use this one so you don’t have to sand the laminate doors first)
-acrylic paint (with a spindle brush if you can as they are super helpful for painting moulding)

*Note: I like this site a lot for flexible moulding, as they have lots of sizes and you can get it pre-bent into a circle, which is really helpful since the material can be tough to bend from straight.

If you get confused on how to order it, they are really helpful over the phone.

This type of door style works best with a single knob for your door hardware, and it’s usually placed in the middle of the door. So add your hardware first so you can build around it. Knobs like this work great!

Now, we’ll want to use our wooden circle for our arch guide. Drill a hole in the middle of your circle that’s the same size as your door handle screw, so you can take the door handle off and kind of hang the circle on the screw. Use some painter’s tape to keep it from rotating.

Drape the start of your flexible trim over the top of the circle (you can tape it in place if you want to) and line up and tape your first straight trim piece for the top left side.

It should be 3.5″ in from the edge of the door and the end of the trim needs to hang all the way down to just touch the wooden circle.

Now that your straight and flex trim are lined up on the circle, mark a straight line with a pen or pencil where the straight trim hits the top of your flex molding, all the way down to where it hits your wooden circle. Now you have your angle to cut!

When I went to cut the straight trim on my miter saw, I realized pretty quickly that the angle I needed to cut was greater than 45°, which is the max angle for most miter saws. Fortunately, there’s a trick to get your saw to cut more than 45° (which you can fully see in this video).

But, you basically clamp or glue a scrap piece of wood onto your saw, make a 45° cut, and then keep that cut board clamped in place like you see above and you use that as your new guide.

When I rotated my saw angle back towards the middle to the 25° mark, that gave me a 70° angle (45° + 25° = 70°) which lined up with the angle I had drawn and that’s how I found what angle I needed to cut.

To cut the reverse angle for the other side, you can either cut another 45° to mount to the other side of your saw and reverse the process, or you can flip the trim upside down and it will cut a mirror angle.

Want a super simple (no power saw) way to do it? All you have to do is use a hand saw to eyeball it and saw straight across the line you drew the best you can.

Will it be perfect? No, but it will be pretty close and you can use wood filler to fill in any areas where it didn’t perfectly line up.

Now that you have your deep angles cut on your straight sides, tape them back in place while your flexible trim is still draped over your circle and mark with a pen/pencil where the straight trim overlaps the flex trim (so you know where to cut your flex trim).

It is possible to cut flex moulding on a miter saw, but from experience, I would only do that with straight pieces. Sometimes, you can buy them pre-bent like I did, which makes handling them around the circle easier.

Cut it very slowly and carefully—it has a tendency to move or bounce back since it’s kind of a rubbery material.

Overall, I would recommend buying pieces pre-bent like mine and using a craft or hand saw to make the cut since it’s such a steep angle and that material is finicky with a miter saw. Just eyeball the line you made and saw through it to make the cut.

You can also use a heavy duty X-Acto knife and make lots of cuts, but be careful not to cut yourself since the material is rather dense.

Once your flex moulding is cut, you can put your puzzle pieces together as shown to make sure they fit! Now repeat for the bottom section of trim.

Once you are happy with that, you can cut the height of your straight pieces to also hit 3.5″ from the top and bottom of the door at mirroring 45° angles so you can add a smaller piece of straight trim to connect them.

Repeat the process with each of your doors—you can use the pieces you already cut as a template to make it go a lot faster).

Once they are taped in place and you make sure they are all level with the door edges, use a finish nail gun to attach the trim to the door. You can also put down a little wood glue first between the trim and door if you want for extra hold.

Once your trim is attached, it’s time to fill any nail holes with wood filler and sand smooth when dry, caulk where the trim meets the door for a seamless look, and paint the doors so it all matches.

You can also use the wood filled to fill any gaps where your trim didn’t line up perfectly, and that helps it all look like one unit as well.

Since the IKEA doors are laminate, you’ll want to use this primer before you paint. It will help the actual paint stick to the laminate, and you won’t have to sand the doors before painting.

I used Melting Icicles by Behr to match the white that IKEA furniture comes in, and it’s a really great match for your final coats of paint. I used a spindle brush for the trim parts and a small roller for the flat areas.

Once your paint is dry, your customized IKEA Pax cabinets are ready to fill and use!

I really feel like adding the trim to the doors brings the whole wardrobe up to another level. It makes it look so custom and luxe and I absolutely love it.

You can customize your trim to be whatever shape you want, but this Parisian feel fits my home perfectly. If you are about to add an IKEA Pax wardrobe to your space, try this custom trim idea to make it a little more chic and I think you’ll be so glad you did. xo Laura

For more door ideas, check out:

• DIY Arched Door Trim (with Flexible Molding!)
• DIY Circle French Closet Doors
• Star Trim Closet Door DIY
• Add Geometric Panels to Your Plain Closet Doors

Print

Tips to Customize an IKEA Pax Wardrobe

Customize IKEA Pax Wardrobes with Wooden Trim!

Cook Time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day

Servings 4 doors

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $50

Equipment

• drill
• level
• miter saw or hand saw and a miter box
• craft saw
• finish nail gun you can rent these from home improvement stores

Ingredients

• painter's tape
• 14" wooden circle
• straight half round molding I did a 3/8″ x 3/4″ size moulding
• half round flexible molding I did this 3/8″x 3/4″ size flexible moulding
• ¾" 18 gauge brad nails
• wood filler and fine sandpaper
• caulk
• paint primer use Zinsser 1, 2, 3
• acrylic paint use a spindle brush

Instructions

• First, we’ll want to use our wooden circle for our arch guide. Drill a hole in the middle of your circle that is the same size as your door handle screw so that you can take the door handle off and kind of hang the circle on the screw. Use some painter’s tape to keep it from rotating.

  Drape the start of your flexible trim over the top of the circle (you can tape it in place if you want to) and line up and tape your first straight trim piece for the top left side so that it’s 3.5″ in from the edge of the door and the end of the trim hangs all the way down to just touch the wooden circle.
• Now that your straight and flex trim are lined up on the circle, mark a straight line with a pen or pencil from where the straight trim hits the top of your flex molding all the way down to where it hits your wooden circle. Now you have your angle to cut!
• When I went to cut the straight trim on my miter saw I realized pretty quickly that the angle I needed to cut was greater than 45°, which is the max angle for most miter saws. Fortunately, there’s a trick to get your saw to cut more than 45° (which you can fully see in this video), but you basically clamp or glue a scrap piece of wood onto your saw, make a 45° cut, and then keep that cut board clamped in place like you see above and you use that as your new guide. When I rotated my saw angle back towards the middle to the 25° mark, that gave me a 70° angle (45° + 25° = 70°) which lined up with the angle I had drawn and that’s how I found what angle I needed to cut.
• To cut the reverse angle for the other side, you can either cut another 45° to mount to the other side of your saw and reverse the process, or you can flip the trim upside down and it will cut a mirror angle.

  Want a super simple (no power saw) way to do it? All you have to do is use a hand saw to eyeball it and saw straight across the line you drew the best you can. Will it be perfect? No, but it will be pretty close and you can use wood filler to fill in any areas where it didn’t perfectly line up.
• Now that you have your deep angles cut on your straight sides, tape them back in place while your flexible trim is still draped over your circle and mark with a pen/pencil where the straight trim overlaps the flex trim so you know where to cut your flex trim.

  It is possible to cut flex moulding on a miter saw, but from experience I would only do that with straight pieces (sometimes you can buy them pre-bent like I did which makes handling them around the circle easer) and cut it very slowly and carefully—it has a tendency to move or bounce back since it’s kind of a rubbery material.

  Overall, I would recommend buying pieces pre-bent like mine and using a craft or hand saw to make the cut since it’s such a steep angle and that material is finicky with a miter saw. Just eyeball the line you made and saw through it to make the cut. You can also use a heavy duty X-Acto knife and make lots of cuts, but be careful not to cut yourself since the material is rather dense.
• Once your flex moulding is cut, you can put your puzzle pieces together as shown to make sure they fit! Now repeat for the bottom section of trim.
• Once you are happy with that, you can cut the height of your straight pieces to also hit 3.5″ from the top and bottom of the door at mirroring 45° angles so you can add a smaller piece of straight trim to connect them.
• Repeat the process with each of your doors (you can use the pieces you already cut as a template to make it go a lot faster) and once they are taped in place and you make sure they are all level with the door edges, use a finish nail gun to attach the trim to the door (you can also put down a little wood glue first between the trim and door if you want for extra hold).
• Once your trim is attached, it’s time to fill any nail holes with wood filler and sand smooth when dry, caulk where the trim meets the door for a seamless look, and paint the doors so it all matches. You can also use the wood filled to fill any gaps where your trim didn’t line up perfectly and that helps it all look like one unit as well.

  Since the IKEA doors are laminate, you’ll want to use this primer before you paint. It will help the actual paint stick to the laminate and you won’t have to sand the doors before painting. I use Melting Icicle by Behr to match the white that IKEA furniture comes in and it’s a really great match for your final coats of paint. I use a spindle brush for the trim parts and then a small roller for the flat areas.

  Once your paint is dry, your customized IKEA Pax cabinets are ready to fill and use!

Notes

*Note: I do like this site a lot for flexible moulding as they have lots of sizes and you can get it pre-bent into a circle, which is really helpful since the material can be tough to bend from straight. If you get confused on how to order it, they are really helpful over the phone.

But, then I remembered that ordering an inexpensive Pax wardrobe and building it into the wall would be the fastest, easiest, and best looking solution to my closet storage problem.

If you’re asking, “How do you make IKEA Pax wardrobes look built in?” it’s actually pretty simple and I was surprised how fast the process went. I’ll show you what I did!

Looking to organize your closet space? Check out these posts:

• How To Customize A Store-Bought Closet System
• How To Organize a Closet in a Non-Permanent Way (No Drilling and Perfect For Renters!)
• Divided Built-In Closet DIY
• Elsie’s Low Waste Closet Renovation
• Easy Built-In Closet DIY

Supplies:
–IKEA Pax wardrobes (I did this double set and added plain doors)
–2 1/2″ or 3″ construction screws
-drill
–miter saw or hand saw with a miter box
-2x4s or 2x2s for base
–finishing nail gun or small finish nails, a hammer, and a nail setter
-baseboard to match your current baseboard
–wood filler and caulk
-paint in your current baseboard color and/or IKEA Pax Wardrobe color

Step one: Remove the baseboard. You’ll want to first remove the baseboard on the wall that you are placing your shelving so that it can sit totally flush against the wall. Just use a box cutter/razor to cut the bead of caulk between the top of the baseboard and the wall to disconnect that connection point.

Then, use a crowbar to gently pry the baseboard off the wall (pull it a little bit every foot or so to try and keep it all coming off at about the same pace to avoid breaking it).

If you want to only remove the amount needed rather than the whole baseboard, you can use a multi-tool like this and mark how much board you want removed based on your closet width and length measurements.

Then cut a line down the board so you can simply pull off the piece you want removed (you can see I did that on the back right corner of my photo).

Step two: Build your simple rectangle platform. You know what a rectangle looks like? Good. All you have to do now is build a base with either 2x4s or 2x2s that is the same size as your cabinet dimensions.

So let’s say for simplicity’s sake your total closet measures 24″ wide and 80″ long, you would build a base 24″ wide and 80″ long so it fits perfectly under your closet.

I used a miter saw for this, but you can also use a hand saw with a miter box to cut your boards to the right lengths.

You’ll see I also cut some middle support boards that are the same length as my end pieces so the middle of the closet had something to rest on as well. Just screw your boards in place from the outside edges and your platform is ready to go.

Optional note: As you can see, the right side of my cabinet is right against the wall, so I did add a 3″ spacer trim board to that side to make it easier to open that door without feeling super tight (I’ll show you how).

You won’t need to do that if you are in a free-standing area, but you may consider it if one side is against the wall like mine and you want to move it out a bit.

It is one extra step, and you need to add that into your total width measurements, but it helped a lot since I had a wall and a window in that corner.

Step three: Attach platform to wall. Use some all-purpose screws to attach the back edge of your base to the wall every 12″ or so. If you had flooring you didn’t care about, you could also drill down into the front edge to secure that to the floor.

But there’s certainly enough weight on the platform once complete to not really need to do that step.

Step four: Add your wardrobes on top (one at a time). Place your closet sections one at a time on the platform, making sure it’s snug against the wall.

The IKEA instructions show you how to connect the sections to each other and then how to connect them to the wall, so just follow their instructions to install.

Step five: Add your trim. Now that your units are sitting on the platform and connected to the wall, you can go ahead and add your baseboard back on. For best results, use a miter saw to cut your baseboard to fit all the way up to and then around your closet (I cut a 45° angle on the corners for a clean look).

Or you can use your hand saw and a miter box if you don’t have a power saw. I cut the wall pieces first to fit and then measured for the pieces around the closet.

Attach with either a finishing nail gun (I have this battery one and I love it) or small finish nails and a hammer and use a nail setter to make sure the head of the nails go in past the face of the wood.

I also added a small piece of cabinet trim to the vertical side gap between the wall and the cabinet (it was actually leftover from my kitchen renovation), but you can order something similar from the cabinet department of a home improvement store.

Or just browse their trim aisle and see if you like anything over there. I just cut it to the height of the cabinet and attached it with a finish nailer.

Step six: Caulk/paint your trim and you’re done! Fill any nail holes with a small amount of wood filler (just wipe with a damp cloth to smooth, easier than sanding) and caulk between the baseboard and the wall or closet to make them look seamless.

When the filler and caulk is dry, paint your baseboards to match either the cabinet or the baseboards in the rest of the room for the ones against the wall only, and your new closet system is ready to use!

I used Melting Icicles by Behr to match IKEA Pax white and it’s a great color match if you are trying to match the stock wardrobe.

Optional side trim/spacer step: If you do decide to add some length to one side (or both) to get a wardrobe door further from a wall (or to center the whole thing into a recessed area but you have a gap on both sides), add your closets to the platform first.

Once they are attached, scribe the curves of the wall onto a board. Walls are never perfectly straight, or in my case, even a little straight, so you want to trace the actual curve of the wall onto the board.

If you haven’t scribed an uneven wall or floor onto a board, this is a good video that shows you how to scribe in general and this one shows how to do it when filling in a cabinet gap like I did. I cut my board to the right height first and then scribed the curves and used an inexpensive jig saw to cut the lines.

Then, I gently tapped my board into the space with a hammer/mallet (being really careful not to push it back too far so that it lined up flush with the wardrobe front) and attached the spacer to the wardrobe with a finish nailer from inside the wardrobe where it’s barely noticeable at all.

Caulk and paint the spacer and the area will totally disappear into the built-in.

How great does that look?! I did also add some custom trim to the doors to make them feel more Parisian and special.

I’ll show you how to do that in another post, but it’s pretty similar to how I added DIY Arched Door Trim (with Flexible Molding!) to the doors in my house.

If you’ve always wanted some built-in closet or wardrobe storage, this is a great way to do it yourself and you can customize it to the size that you need by buying more or less Pax wardrobe units.

This solved a big problem for me in an affordable way and I love the way that it looks in the room. Hope this helps if you’re thinking of doing the same! xo. Laura

P.S. Love this post? Check out Young House Love’s IKEA Pax Wardrobe Closet Makeover.

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Easy Hack to Build-In an IKEA Pax Wardrobe

Easy way to make an IKEA Pax wardrobe look built into the wall

Keyword ikea hack

Prep Time 5 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $50 (not including wardrobe)

Equipment

• drill
• miter saw  or hand saw with a miter box
• finishing nail gun or small finish nails
• hammer
• nail setter

Ingredients

• IKEA Pax wardrobes 
• 2 1/2″ or 3″ construction screws
• 2x4s or 2x2s for base
• baseboard to match your current baseboard
• wood filler and caulk
• paint in your current baseboard color and/or IKEA Pax Wardrobe color

Instructions

• Step one: Remove the baseboard. You’ll want to first remove the baseboard on the wall that you are placing your shelving so that it can sit totally flush against the wall. Just use a box cutter/razor to cut the bead of caulk between the top of the baseboard and the wall to disconnect that connection point and use a crowbar to gently pry the baseboard off the wall (pull it a little bit every foot or so to try and keep it all coming off at about the same pace to avoid breaking it).
• If you want to only remove the amount needed rather than the whole baseboard, you can use a multi-tool like this and mark how much board you want removed based on your closet width and length measurements and the cut a line down the board so you can simply pull off the piece you want removed (you can see I did that on the back right corner of my photo).
• Step two: Build your simple rectangle platform. You know what a rectangle looks like? Good. All you have to do now is build a base with either 2x4s or 2x2s that is the same size as your cabinet dimensions. So let’s say for simplicity’s sake your total closet measures 24″ wide and 80″ long, you would build a base 24″ wide and 80″ long so it fits perfectly under your closet. I used a miter saw for this, but you can also use a hand saw with a miter box to cut your boards to the right lengths.

  You’ll see I also cut some middle support boards that are the same length as my end pieces so the middle of the closet had something to rest on as well. Just screw your boards in place from the outside edges and your platform is ready to go.
• Step three: Attach platform to wall. Use some all-purpose screws to attach the back edge of your base to the wall every 12″ or so. If you had flooring you didn’t care about, you could also drill down into the front edge to secure that to the floor as well, but there’s certainly enough weight on the platform once complete to not really need to do that step.
• Step four: Add your wardrobes on top (one at a time). Place your closet sections one at a time on the platform making sure it’s snug against the wall. The IKEA instructions show you how to connect the sections to each other and then how to connect them to the wall, so just follow their instructions to install.
• Step five: Add your trim. Now that your units are sitting on the platform and connected to the wall, you can go ahead and add your baseboard back on. For best results, use a miter saw to cut your baseboard to fit all the way up to and then around your closet (I cut a 45° angle on the corners for a clean look) or you can use your hand saw and a miter box if you don’t have a power saw. I cut the wall pieces first to fit and then measured for the pieces around the closet. Attach with either a finishing nail gun (I have this battery one and I love it) or small finish nails and a hammer and use a nail-setter to make sure the head of the nails goes in past the face of the wood.

  I also added a small piece of cabinet trim to the vertical side gap between the wall and the cabinet (it was actually leftover from my kitchen renovation but you can order something similar from the cabinet department of a home improvement store or just browse their trim aisle and see if you like anything over there). I just cut it to the height of the cabinet and attached it with a finish nailer.
• Step six: Caulk/paint your trim and you’re done! Fill any nail holes with a small amount of wood filler (just wipe with a damp cloth to smooth, easier than sanding) and caulk between the baseboard and the wall or closet to make them look seamless. When the filler and caulk is dry, paint your baseboards to match either the cabinet or the baseboards in the rest of the room for the ones against the wall only, and your new closet system is ready to use! I use Melting Icicles by Behr to match IKEA Pax white and it’s a great color match if you are trying to match the stock wardrobe.
• Optional side trim/spacer step: If you do decide to add some length to one side (or both) to get a wardrobe door further from a wall (or to center the whole thing into a recessed area but you have a gap on both sides), add your closets to the platform first and once they are attached, scribe the curves of the wall onto a board. Walls are never perfectly straight, or in my case, even a little straight, so you want to trace the actual curve of the wall onto the board.

  If you haven’t scribed an uneven wall or floor onto a board, this is a good video that shows you how to scribe in general and this one shows how to do it when filling in a cabinet gap like I did. I cut my board to the right height first and then scribed the curves and used an inexpensive jig saw to cut the lines. Then I gently tapped my board into the space with a hammer/mallet (being really careful not to push it back too far so that it lined up flush with the wardrobe front) and attached the spacer to the wardrobe with a finish nailer from inside the wardrobe where it’s barely noticeable at all. Caulk and paint the spacer and the area will totally disappear into the built-in.

Notes

Optional note: As you can see, the right side of my cabinet is right against the wall, so I did add a 3″ spacer trim board to that side to make it easier to open that door without feeling super tight (I’ll show you how). You won’t need to do that if you are in a free-standing area, but you may consider it if one side is against the wall like mine and you want to move it out a bit. It is one extra step, and you need to add that into your total width measurements, but it helped a lot since I had a wall and a window in that corner.