Our Country Style Walk-In Robe Design

After three years of living with clothes in various parts of the house, we finally have an area to store them! Yes, our walk-in robe is complete. I could not be happier. Having this small part done, means we can finish the final bedroom. Our clothes have been stored in there until now. In today’s post, I’d like to share with you our vision for our walk in robe and our walk-in robe design. I’ve blended rustic, with vintage and modern to achieve this look. Here’s what I did.

Our Requirements for the Walk-In Robe Design

This walk-in robe design was one of the easiest spaces I’ve put together for the farmhouse. Whether it is because there are essential items that could not be changed or because the area is part of our ensuite, I’m not sure. I had very definite ideas about the fittings and finishes because I wanted the space to blend.

My inspiration for the space was a robe I saw in a recent Three Birds Renovations home. (Its in the mood board above). This robe has a modern boho vibe that’s definitely not our home but the configuration appealed to me. Their robe had a combination of drawers and open hanging space. I already knew we wanted this as our robe is a separate space and does not require doors. I had intended installing a full-length mirror at the end of our robe and their idea demonstrated how that would look. All I had to do was tie in our vintage farmhouse vibe and the blue of our ensuite.

• 

• 

The Walk-In Before

The walk-in was part of the kitchen in the house when we moved in. It was a large, almost square, room. We divided it up to make space for the internal staircase, the ensuite, and this space. The proportions of the new areas are still generous, showing you just how substantial the rooms in our farmhouse are.

When we took the kitchen apart, we discovered gorgeous old boards lining the room. It wasn’t practical to keep them in the bathroom because of moisture. So we paid homage to the original house by leaving the boards as a feature wall at the end of the robe. They are now home to Gavin’s hat collection and a mirror.

Our Design

The robes for our walk-in were custom-made by our builder, enabling us to have the design we wanted. (Within our budget, of course!) I investigated Ikea and Bunnings’ options but the units would have left empty spaces at the end. Having them built custom used the entire length of the room. Plus, we didn’t have to assemble them! I’ve done that before. It’s not a job you want to do with your partner!

For our design, I chose pigeon holes along the bottom to house shoes, which are time-consuming to make, so we had to save money elsewhere. One way we did this was to paint the units ourselves. We saved about $500 this way, which I was able to use on the floor finish, the knobs (which we installed), the pendant light, and a rug.

You can see from the photo that our design is basically ‘his’ and ‘hers’ sides that mirror each other. My side is bigger because I have work clothes and farm clothes. Plus, I wear a lot of dresses so I have double the hanging space. Gavin wanted deep drawers for his t-shirts so I decided to mirror that on my side. In hindsight, I would have preferred three shallower drawers as I fold my things using the Konmari method. It does not take up a lot of vertical space. The ceiling is very high and we could have put more shelves up there, but we chose to leave the space empty for the storage of suitcases and bags. These are still easily accessible.

My Favourite Parts of the Walk In Robe Design

The part of our robe design I love is the two doors you enter our walk-in robe. Again this is a mirror, with one door on either side. Behind these doors are all the things you do not need to see. One side houses our toiletries and bathroom cleaning supplies. As you know, we do not have storage in our ensuite because we have an antique washstand vanity. So, everything we need is stored here within a couple of metres of the basin. The cupboard on the other side houses ALL the linen for the farmhouse. I love that we have our towels and sheets right where we need them.

We also have a hidden cupboard for things we need to store. The family photos and personal documents are in there. There’s loads of room for bags and suitcases at the top. Because let’s face it, they’re not going to get used any time soon the way things are!

Finishes

Our ensuite has brushed brass tapware, so I chose brushed brass knobs for the front of the drawers. These match the ensuite perfectly. The units are painted Vivid White by Dulux to bounce light into the room and match the trim in the bathroom and bedroom. The pendant light is also the same as the ones in the bathroom to tie the space together.

I was originally going to buy a large gilt mirror for the back wall. Instead, I decided to use the mirror I’ve had sitting in the bedroom for the last three years. While it’s not full length you can see your entire body when you stand back. So it’s perfect for the space. I love how the soft gold contrasts the rustic vibe of the wall. Gavin’s Akubra and Irish Farmer’s hats add the perfect farm touch.

To finish the space I purchased a medallion runner in a blue pattern to match our bathroom tiles. The floor is painted the same white as the rest of the house.