We live in a one bedroom apartment and our 2 year old, Moses, sleeps in a closet off the living room. I haven’t posted pictures of Moses’ closet in a year or two (it used to look like this) so I thought I would share a few. Notes and sources below.
We recently installed a custom toddler bed that Paul built. It was a happy coincidence that a crib mattress is the exact length of the closet. The artwork is a print I blew up from a book called The Architect’s Brother
The orange stripe bedding is from Ikea, I had to modify the twin set to fit a toddler bed.
The “It’s beautiful here” coatrack is made by South African artist Heath Nash. I love love love it. (I got it a few years ago from Anthropologie.) The monkeys I bought while on vacation in Tulum, Mexico. The wall color is Benjamin Moore’s Celery Salt that we had leftover from painting our bookshelves. (IT isn’t as bright as it appears in these photos.)
The light fixture I bought from the Flea Market a few years ago. Although you can buy a similar one from Amazon right here.
The little red shelf is from Ikea, we painted it red. The artwork is a McSweeney’s cover and the toys pictured are both also from a trip to Mexico. I laughed because I left the room for 1 minute to change a poopy diaper (glamorous, I know) and when I came back this is what my perfectly styled photo had become.
4 month old Roman will soon join his older brother in the closet, we’ve hired a wood worker to build a custom bunk bed crib that will lift open from the front. Anytime I start to feel badly that they sleep in a closet I remember what Kacy said, “Harry Potter also lived in a closet, and he grew up to be a fine young man.”
Smellyann
June 8, 2010
It's very nice. I like it a lot and am inspired by it.
But one question: Why don't you move to a bigger place??
heidi adnum
June 8, 2010
Gorgeous, Jordan. The yellow stripes are so happy, perfect for little boys 🙂
Kat
June 8, 2010
I wouldn't mind living in a closet if it was that nicely styled 🙂
carissa
June 8, 2010
at least it is a pretty roomy closet =) it's just barely smaller than our 2nd bedroom in ny haha.
Nicole
June 8, 2010
You know, they don't realize that its a closet, they will probably just have memories of it being really cozy 🙂 I know that my childhood bedroom must have been ridiculously cramped with three kids and all their things stuffed into a 12×12 room and yet I don't remember it that way at all.
Risa West
June 8, 2010
our baby sleeps in a closet, but it's not nearly that wonderful. we do what we have to i guess
domestikatedlife.com
June 8, 2010
What a lucky lil guy sleeping under that gorgeous light fixture! Such a cute room!
Erika ~TiptoeButterfly~
June 8, 2010
i have that same lotus light! .. and umm that's ONE lucky boy – i'd SOOOOO want that to be my room – what other kid can say they lived in a closet – and a COOL one @ that! .. i'm ALL for it — i think i'm gonna inmvistigate if i can make a closet a guest room now in my house .. think they'd mind?!
*kiss kiss*
Erika
~Tiptoe Butterfly~
molly::applecyder
June 8, 2010
My kids might as well live in a closet. They share a bedroom, and it is a nicely sized room, but we only use the room for sleeping, so the size doesn't actually matter.
You've done such a nice job with this little space.
Shannon @ What's Up Whimsy
June 8, 2010
I love that they hare going to share this little sleeping nook together! I find that my son doesn't really play in his room, he only sleeps there, so it's perfect! I love it!
Danielle (elleinadspir)
June 8, 2010
I think it is the perfect toddler sized room! And I think the two kiddos will enjoy many nights in there together laughing and sleeping and sharing secrets (once the baby is a bit older…)
robin k
June 8, 2010
Gorgeous and inspired, Jordan.
Anonymous
June 8, 2010
We live in one bedroom too, and what we did was let our child have the bedroom and me and my husband sleep on the sofa in the living room :).
Jana
the southern hostess
June 8, 2010
You are a lesson in ingenuity and fine decorating skills. I'd sleep in one of your closets any day. I hope that doesn't sound creepy.
mymcmlife
June 8, 2010
Wow! I find this extremely inspiring! (I also loved your post about your home office and Moses' toy storage in your living room.) My husband and I live in a small house with 2 bedrooms. Currently one of the bedrooms is my office but we'll be converting it into a baby room soon and moving my office into the hall coat closet. I love that you're making your 1-bedroom apt work for you and not just running out and getting a bigger place like most people would do. Kudos to you!!
rikshaw design
June 8, 2010
that is a little piece of heaven..thats all they need..just a colorful place to lay their little heads…unbelievable!
carolyn
June 8, 2010
LOVE it — my little brother used to live in a closet too, and aside from still being a "little brother" at heart, he turned out just fine. Beautiful job, Jordan — such a cozy, happy little spot!
Redneck Mommy
June 8, 2010
That is TOTALLY adorable.
I may have to steal that color scheme.
I wish my closet was so inviting. But it's so small there is no way we could fit any sized bed in it. Sigh.
Alicia
June 8, 2010
So cute! I would have loved sleeping in a closet as a kid – so cozy & a spot that was all my own. And as someone else said they don't know that it's a closet – it's just their room! Great colors!
jora
June 8, 2010
Jordan….I love, love, love this. Such a sweet cozy space space for him. He has the parks and streets and museums of S.F. to play in! xo
Meg
June 8, 2010
Love. We would do this in a heartbeat if we had a walk in closet. As is, we'd have to section off part of the living room, I think. Our 1-bed is 900 Square feet, palatal by our standards. So it seems slightly absurd that we couldn't fit a kid.
Not that we need to yet. But still. You think about these things.
Meg
June 8, 2010
Oh. And I forgot to say. AMAZING. Amazingly done. Seriously.
Happenstance
June 8, 2010
This is fantastic! I love what you did with this space! It's so not a closet, but more sleeping quarters:) Love the toddler bed–was hoping you bought it somewhere so I could copy. Cannot wait to see the bunk bed crib, what a great idea. I think you're on to something!
nicole me oh my!
June 8, 2010
I love this! Such a great space.
ashlynn
June 8, 2010
Good job Paul for making the bed, the closet looks cooler than my girls full size room.
Ingrid
June 8, 2010
I Love it. It's beautiful, well thought out, fun perfectly decorated and the perfect size. I don't think rooms and homes and cars need to be bigger in order to make things fit. I think this is PERFECT. Love the canvas too..Who did you use for that?
Ave
June 8, 2010
What a great room for two little boys. We also live in San Francisco and our daughter (20 months) also sleeps in a closet!
Michelle
June 8, 2010
So cute, I love it~
Amber, theAmberShow
June 8, 2010
I was wondering how you'd do it with two! I like the idea of a small, cozy bedroom for them.
Elizabeth
June 8, 2010
How big is that picture blown up?
Damaris
June 8, 2010
this is inspiring. We had 6 people living in a two bedroom. I seriously don't believe that kids thrive better with lots of space.
Molly W.
June 8, 2010
AND this closet is way better than anything Harry had. :)Looks just lovely, Jordan.
the binghams.
June 8, 2010
that is the most amazing closet ever and i wouldn't for one minute be sad that they sleep there. that is adorable and if we ever get to live the dream and move to SF, i'll do the same i'm sure.
michelle
June 8, 2010
Just darling. I can't wait to see how the bunk bed crib works out.
Mackenzie {Design Darling}
June 8, 2010
that is the cutest little closet bedroom since i don't know when.
ampersandity
June 8, 2010
hahaha, i love that you're unashamed about them living in a closet! you've made it into a beautiful space — i wouldn't mind living in there myself!
Jessica
June 8, 2010
where did you get that adorable elephant plush? love it! and everything else of course!
arre
June 8, 2010
oh jordan – this is love! (if only i were a few fee shorter) i would totally live in this perfect little closet! well done!
Heather
June 8, 2010
I adore how nice the room/closet is, but those tiny checkered Vans are what really got me!:)
Joslyn
June 8, 2010
that dreamy little closet is perfection.
i want to live there 😉
Miggy
June 8, 2010
pish-posh. Anyone living outside of SF or NYC might think it's weird to put a kid in a closet, but anyone who's ever lived in either city knows a walk-in closet = a 2nd bedroom.
Very inspiring space.
pepper
June 8, 2010
Lovely Jordan! Our two really like their bunk crib and you are lucky to have such a spacious closet our closet bedroom is 1/2 the size of yours. Lucky ducks!
KellyinBernal
June 8, 2010
Totally happy colors and completely inspiring! I love it. I think it's also a good example of how less really is more. In SF I find that we have to be more discerning about what we keep in our homes. The upside is that we tend to be far less overruled by clutter. I too would love to know how you blew up the print from the book? Is it a canvas or something that they could do a Kinkos? More information would be great. Thank you.
Rachel
June 8, 2010
Bunk bed crib??!!! PLEASE share that! We have two kids and are similarly space confined and that sounds like just what we need!
Sarah
June 8, 2010
This is really cool and very creative. Can't wait to see the bunk bed crib.
High-Heeled Foot in the door
June 8, 2010
So sweet. I love it. I grew up in a NYC apt and my parents did the same thing.
Our hallway closet got a twin bed, night stand and storage above!
Katie Melech
June 8, 2010
I've spent the last hour surfing your blog (when I should be working…opps) It is inspiring =)
Ransacked Goods
June 8, 2010
City living indeed! What a wonderful cheerful little nest you've made for your boys. And it will make a great story when they are older. My aunt used to boast she grew up in a chicken coop – which she did.
mrs. c
June 8, 2010
I think this is a very clever way to use a space. What do we do in the bedroom but sleep….I think it is very cozy!
A Perfect Gray
June 8, 2010
such a stylish closet indeed. It should be the title of a grand novel, "Moses' Closet."
thank you for sharing your precious space with us…