Ready to ditch your ugly bi-fold closet doors? I said goodbye to mine and hello to closet curtains & LOVE my closet’s new look! In this post I’m sharing our glam closet makeover how-to!
Hands down the most asked questions about my recent master bedroom reveal have to do with the closet makeover that involved replacing our bi-fold closet doors with curtains. Apparently I’m not the only one with a mad hatred of those clumsy bi-fold doors! I was pretty leary about how this little project would turn out but having curtains instead of doors on our closet has been a total game changer. It’s not only way better looking than before but also every inch of our closet is now easily accessible which is huge when you’re living in an older house that’s majorly lacking in storage space!
So for those of you have been thinking about tackling this project in your own home, I’m sharing the how-to and all of my sources (includes some affiliate links – see my full disclosure statement {here})) for getting the job done starting from the beginning with the pretty horrendous ‘before’:
Most closets with bi-fold doors simply have two doors that connect in the middle, in which case you can simply remove both doors and the track they attach to, do a little patch work with wood putty, and be done with it. Our closet had a center support between the two closet doors that needed to be removed so I called in my contractor to tear that out (after making sure it wasn’t a necessary support), add a new header, and patch the hardwood floors:
As you can see, there was a weird raised portion of hardwoods in the center of our closet that I ended up having them remove and patch too. Once that was done, I removed all of the previous closet hardware and painted all of that yellowed wood a new crisp white (“All White” c/o Farrow & Ball):
Next came the wallpaper (I used {this} paisley paper c/o Farrow & Ball) and new closet rods and hardware. For the closet rods, I used 1 1/4″ cell cast acrylic rods from Nationwide Plastics (now Curbell Plastics), which is the same source that I used for the acrylic rods in our home office. I price shopped several places before placing my order and didn’t find anywhere with cheaper prices that also offered the convenience of cutting the rods into the exact length pieces that I needed prior to shipping.
Most of the rod hardware that I used was my old closet hardware that I simply spray painted:
I wanted a finish that would last so I lightly sanded the hardware and sprayed it with primer first, followed by several light coats of spray paint. Be sure to use a respirator while spraying (such as {this one}) and read the application instructions on the spray can because they’re a little different than for most painting jobs in that you need to apply a second coat within 1 hour or after 24 hours. The specific paints I used are {this spray primer} and {this metallic brass spray paint} (not to be confused with their metallic gold finish that is in an identical can).
I sprayed everything this way – the rod brackets & flanges, the curtain rod and rings, the curtain rod brackets, and even the screws. My trick for painting the screws is to just stick them in some styrofoam before spraying:
The end caps that is used for the two rod pieces that are held up with brackets were {these 1 1/2″ brass end caps} but they were actually too small to fit on the rods (the 1 1/2″ measurement refers to the outside diameter – the inside diameter unfortunately is smaller than the 1 1/4″ diameter of my rods) so I hot glue gunned them to the ends. It’s worked fine but I’d try to find something that was a better fit if I do a similar closet in the future.
For the curtain rod I initially tried a cafe curtain rod but it was too flimsy so I ended up buying a 0.5″ copper plumbing pipe from Lowe’s and spray painting it. It works well for my 70″ closet opening with very lightweight drapes but you might need to go with a solid rod if your opening is wider or your drapes any heavier. The hardest thing to find was supports for such a small curtain rod but I eventually found {these brackets} and they worked beautifully.
The closet curtains I used are inexpensive, lightweight AINA linen drapes from IKEA. I actually had a pair of these in my hoard closet that I bought for another project and never used and I was all excited about not having to buy new curtains until I realized that they looked quite yellowy against my crisp white walls. I didn’t think that bleaching linen was the best idea so I gave {this Rit laundry treatment} a try and it worked awesomely! You can see the before and after change in color here:
I simply filled up our large basement sink with hot water, added my drapes and the Rit treatment and stirred and soaked them for about ten minutes, after which I threw them in the washer. Super easy and I got the exact shade of white that I wanted. The final step was to simply hem them to the length that I needed (which I did using {this no-sew option}) and then fold little pleats at the top (you can see them in more detail two pics above) and clip the drapes to the cafe rings.
My pair of curtains is wide enough to cover my entire closet opening when I pull them closed:
but my closet curtains have actually stayed open since the day I installed them because who minds looking at all of this prettiness?!
And I’ve found that having the wallpaper in the back of the closet has been great motivation for keeping my wardrobe pared down so I can still see enough of that pretty pattern 🙂
I hope I answered all of your questions but if I missed any, just leave me a comment and I’ll get back to you!
Hope you all have a great week!
Kasia says
Wow! Amazing makeover and these beauty gold accents:-)
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much Kasia!
Val says
Kris, I can see your point about the access, which is so much easier now but don’t you have problems with dust on the clothes? We used to have a built-in wardrobe without any doors or drapes or anything else, and fighting the dust was a never ending task.
Kris Jarrett says
I haven’t noticed that being an issue yet Val – I always left the bifold doors of our old closet open so I’m thinking there won’t be much of a difference. But if it ends up being an issue I can always start keeping the drapes closed 🙂
Deb says
Not for me. Years ago people who have money to replace a door…..put up a curtain. Flash backs. Sorry
Lois Black says
Love your idea! Great soluiton. You did a beautiful job!!!
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Lois!
Mia Beward says
It seems like so much trouble to put up curtains. For me it is easier to just close a door.
Dianne says
Very lovely! I would agree with having less clothes so you can see the pretty wallpaper!
Kris Jarrett says
Yes, it’s a good motivator to keep my clothes under control!
Becky says
Classy remodel!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you Becky!
lisa | Shine Your Light says
That is amazing that all that gold goodness in there is actually the original hardware! I LOVE the pop of gold, it totally glams it up and is such a fun detail! And the rods…..swoony. Love them. Dying the curtains was such a fabulous idea, that is definitely the only prob with the Ainas, that they lean more cream than white. Such a great closet makeover!!!!! You are a design genius!!
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Lisa! It’s so funny with those AINA drapes because I’ve used them in other settings where they looked much more white. Not sure if that’s because there’s some variation and some pairs are whiter than others or if it’s solely a difference in how they look depending upon the color wall they are hung on.
Garden, Home and Party says
Kris,
This tutorial is great and I like the creativity you used to make things work without having to buy every item brand new. I’m happy to know about the Rit laundry stuff…I have had issue with fabrics that yellow over time and it’s nice to know of a product that is easy to use and provides great results.
xo,
Karen
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Karen! This is only my second time using Rit but both times it’s done an great job with whitening without harming my fabric!
Hailey says
Amazing! I love the results! Nice DIY.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Hailey!
Ashley Karpf says
Really creative! I love the idea.
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you Ashley!
Amanda says
Love the closet!! Did you install that closet organizer prior to changing the bifold doors?
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Amanda! Yes, were lucky enough to have that closet organizer in there from the beginning. We didn’t use it much before because it was so hard to get to with the bifold doors there but now I love having it!
Dana Moss says
Awesome, awesome, awesome! This is the most perfect closet I’ve ever seen!
Kris Jarrett says
You’re so kind – thank you Dana!
Temika says
This looks AMAZING! What size were the curtain rings that you used?
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much! They’re cafe curtain rings from Lowe’s that I spray painted – I think they’re 1″ in diameter.
Ela says
Hi,
Will 2” be too big? Which is more aesthetically looking, 1” or 2”? I can’t really envision when you buy stuff from amazon. Lol!
Cath says
Very beautiful! I’m having a big head with my wardrobe now. The space available is too narrow for sliding doors.
I do hope my husband is agreeable to this unconventional method (it is where I’m living)!
Denise says
Amazing job. Just moved into a 30 year old dates home. Our master ensuite has a walk in closet with ugly flimsy bi fold doors. They are going bye bye!! Thanks for the inspiration ☺
Kris Jarrett says
Good luck! I wasn’t sure if I’d like having the curtains but I LOVE it!
Danica Stannard says
Thank you for the inspiration. Our home was built in the early 80’s and has horrible bi-fold his and her closets in our master bedroom. I’m excited to try curtains, and possibly the wall paper too! Your closet looks amazing!
Lisandra says
Really great DIY project. We moved into a house where all the closet doors are missing so I’ve been stuck with a long closet that’s just open in our bedroom. I’m going to try to duplicate what you’ve done here but I’m nervous about purchasing the copper pipe and brackets. Can you share where you purchased the cafe rings and clips? Also, how did you measure or decide how to fold the curtains when clipping/hanging up?
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Lisandra! I bought the cafe rings and clips at Lowe’s but they sell similar ones on Amazon too. And I didn’t do any measuring when folding and clipping the drapes – I just played around with it for 5-10 minutes and figured out the look I liked best and then clipped them all the same way. Good luck with your closet project!
Nancy says
Hi. I recently bought 2 pairs of AINA drapes and had the same thought- they need to be lightened. A quick search on the internet brought me right to your page! Can you provide a few more details on the actual lightening process? You used RIT White Wash, but they also make a RIT Color Remover- how did you choose between those two products? Do you remember how many packages of White Wash you used for how many panels? Only one panel in the sink at a time or two or more together? How much water in the sink? Were you able to observe the lightening process as it was happening so that at 10 minutes you were happy with the result and knew to remove them? Or say, you saw the result at 5 minutes and left them an extra 5 minutes but saw no further lightening- or if you had left them in for 20 or 30 minutes what might you have expected? Any extra details that you can provide would be so helpful- thanks!!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Nancy,
My store only had the White Wash so I went with it and am not sure what the difference is between it and Color Remover. I did both panels in the sink at the same time with one pack of RIT. I wasn’t able to tell very well how much they were lightening while soaking so just tried ten minutes and do a round two of soaking if it didn’t get them light enought but that ended up being just the right amount of time!
Noelle Miller says
This is absolutely beautiful! I just bought a house and one of the bedrooms has a giant oversized closet with no doors… I have been at a loss of what to do. If you don’t mind, would you be able to provide a total cost for a make-over like this? If not, I completely understand. Beautiful job!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Noelle! Unfortunately with this being about a year ago now that I did the makeover and the fact that it was done at the same time that I remodeled the rest of the room (so all of the expenses were intermingled), I honestly don’t have a great idea about total cost – if I did I’d be happy to share it!
Jerica Marie Drago says
Hello!
Could you tell me about the organization inside the closet? Did you have the shelves built, or did you buy all of that somewhere? We are also starting on the ground level with the original closet in our new, but old, home. We don’t have any system for organizing in place yet, but this looks like it will do!
Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
The organization on the left end of our closet was already there when we moved in – I’m pretty sure it was custom made (it’s painted wood). It really helps a lot to have that extra organized space given how small our closet is!
Nataliya says
Kris,
How is your painted curtain rod holding up? Don’t the rings scratch it when you open/close it? I tried to spray paint IKEA rod. Even after light sanding and priming, the paint is easy to scratch off with my finger nail :(…. Also, do you think brass colored curtain rods are timeless or they are going to be dated soon?
Thank you!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Nataliya,
It’s been a year and a half since I did my closet and there are no visible scratches on my rod or rings (it’s possible that there are some at the very top of the rod but that’s not visible so I wouldn’t care). It might have to do with the type of rod you’re painting? As far as the brass, it might be dated at some point but I don’t think it will any time in the near future. Hope that helps!
Abi says
I’ve discovered what I’m doing to my own closet! So beautifully simple! Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you! Good luck with your project!
Pam says
I love your closet!!! I am currently remodeling my bedroom, including my closet. What is the measurements of your whole closet? I am wondering if this design will work for us. The side shelves look like they would be very useful. Thanks!!!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you! The total width of the inside of the closet is about 8 1/2 feet and the opening itself is about 6′. Hope that helps!
Kay Thomas says
Hi – I am thinking of replacing current black high gloss wardrobe doors (not my choice, furniture left by previous owner) with curtains by running a curtain pole along the top. I have a double and a single wardrobe side by side.
I am concerned that with the doors removed, dust will get into the wardrobes easily and I will be creating another problem.
Do you find this a problem?
I love what you’ve done – stunning.
Kris Jarrett says
Kay I honestly haven’t found dust to be an issue at all. The reality is that even when we had the bifold doors, we left them open 95% of the time so having the open closet with drapes really isn’t hasn’t been any different.
Traci says
I have a similar problem with my husband’s closet but wonder if you matched the drapes on your windows? This question doesn’t seem to be covered or if it is, I’m having a hard time finding the answer! Thanks in advance!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Traci! I didn’t match the drapes – I have gray drapes on the windows and used white for the closet. You can see the rest of my room, including the drapes on my window in this post: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/one-room-challenge-master-bedroom-reveal/
Multeataskr says
Thanks for sharing all your how-tos. I am definitely inspired!
Debbie says
I love your closet and those acrylic rods are beautiful. Our master closet and all the closets in our home have those thin cheap wire rods and shelves which I hate. The one in our master collapsed with all clothes ending up in the floor. So my question is do you think these will hold lots of clothing without breaking?
Thanks
Kris Jarrett says
I don’t think that they would ever break if properly supported but if you had longer rods than mine (you’ll notice that mine are divided up so each rod is fairly short) and a lot of heavy clothes, they could definitely bow a bit.
wayne says
the door height in those photos are 80″. where do you find curtains to fit that size? normal curtain sizes are 63″, 84″, etc THANX
Kris Jarrett says
The IKEA curtains I used come with hemming tape so you can make them the exact size you need!
Amy Hickman says
Looks beautiful! We are just starting a bedroom/bath remodel and I can’t wait to replace our bi-fold doors!! I was wondering where your closet system is from? I especially love your shelves tucked in the corner.
Kris Jarrett says
They were actually custom made for the closet by a carpenter/contractor I believe – they were there when we moved in but they don’t look to be anything that you can get through a store. They are really nice to have!
Lily says
Would love to get your link on how you did the inside closet renovation
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Lily! The inside cubbies in the closet were actually there when we moved in so unfortunately I don’t have the details on them. I’m sure they were custom made though rather than being put together with store bought items because they’re all wood construction.
Laura says
Love! Thinking of doing something similar to hide my son’s toys in our family room nook. Did you have the copper pipe cut to size?
Kris Jarrett says
I cut it myself with a pipe cutter – it’s a little hand held tool you can get at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Super simple to use!
Layla Digby says
We have a a double door opening to our closet (doors are 24″x66″).. I am having trouble trying to figure out which size curtain panels I need to buy in order to be able to have them cover the entire opening and also tie back to either side to keep it open… most I see are sold as one panel 50″xlength… our entire opening is about 50″, so would i still buy two of them to have the bunched up look?
Kris Jarrett says
Layla I think you could either do that (use two 50″ and bunch them up) if you have thin curtains that wouldn’t take up too much space when pushed back or you could take the 50″ size and hem them on one side to be not so wide. If you don’t like to sew (like me), Stitch Witchery is great to do hemming with just an iron!
Diana says
Beautiful! Thank you so much for the tip on whitening the Aina curtains using Rit! Like you, I was hesitant to bleach them and I can’t wait to try the Rit.
Kris Jarrett says
Good luck – hope it works out well for you!
Ann says
Curious if you would post a picture of the acrylic rods now. I called Nationwide Plastics to order cell cast rod for my closet & they said it would scratch and look terrible in about 3 months of constant use. I am pretty sad. I so dislike my wooden rod. Thoughts? Photos?
Thanks Ann
Kris Jarrett says
I can’t guarantee yours wouldn’t scratch because it might depend on the hangers, how much you slide things back and forth, etc. but mine aren’t scratched up at all!
Steph says
I am hoping to do this in my living area with a closet. When these curtains are closed can you see through them at all? Thanks.
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Steph – no, you can’t see through the curtains when they’re closed!
Alyssa says
I realize this is an old post but am hoping you’re still monitoring comments. Does the curtain rod on the right side go all the way to the wall or do you have some other sort of storage on that end? We have a 7′ closet that I think this layout would work for but I’m not sure how to best use the less accessible end space
Thank you!
Kris Jarrett says
Yes, on the other end of the closet, the interior rods go all of the way to the wall. The storage areas are only at the one end!
Anne Davis says
I don’t see a center support bracket. Are you now noticing any sag in the rod?
Kris Jarrett says
No, the rod I used is very rigid and the drapes are super lightweight so there’s been no sagging at all!
CS says
We have cheap, crappy bi-fold doors in our hallway. The hardware is always breaking and the doors keep coming loose. Do you think curtains would look all right in our hall closet and laundry room?
Kris Jarrett says
I wouldn’t hesitate to use curtains in the hall or laundry room but it’s definitely just dependent on your own personal taste!
Anonymous says
Loved this article and the transformation! Thank you for sharing your tips 🙂
Miyah says
hello ‘ how long are your curtains for your closet ?
Helena says
Hi! This is just what I have been looking for!!!! What did you use for the shelving?
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Helena,
The shelving was actually in the closet when we bought the house. It looks to be simple wood shelving that was custom built for the space.
wendi says
Love the makeover! How deep are the shelves?
thank you!
Wendi
Eliana says
I saw a closet like this in an AirBNB I stayed in recently and was wondering how I might be able to do it in my bedroom. Many thanks for the inspiration- yours looks amazing! I especially love the patterned wallpaper, it’s so stylish!
Harper says
What should I do if my closet is about 10 feet wide with a post in the center?
I bought the aina (2 curtains) and the same color rod.
Help! I love your design taste
D. wille says
I love it, I did the same thing with a hallway closet and access is so much easier! Living in a very small house every nook and cranny has always been considered prime real estate for me. The back wall in my closet is white but I do like the pattern you chose, something to think about?
Jennifer says
I’d just skip the curtains entirely. My closet is si,liar to yours and I have IKEA closet systems inside and have it just open
Anonymous says
Hi Kris, I enjoy learning from your website and getting ideas.
Question – how durable has the spray-painted finish been on your knobs or items that are high-touch items? I am just wandering if kitchen drawer handles that were spray painted (I.e. brushed brass) will keep the look or if the paint wears off within a year or two. Maybe you can share your experience with me on that “Thank you.
Birgit
Birgit says
Sorry, my name didn’t make it …. I just sent the question about the spray paint.
Birgit
TiffAny says
How did u fix/patch the hardwood? I have the same issue ?
Amber says
This is GORGEOUS! I do have one question though, the built in on the far side , with the boxes? It’s SUPER chic and I’m wondering how functional they are? Do the hanging clothes block the baskets? I love the look of them! I’m just worried Id put stuff back there and then not be able to access it easily!
Jean says
Very nice I would love to do my Closet like this Nice 👍🏿
Lori says
This is brilliant! I love absolutely everything you did to revamp this space.
Julie says
Beautiful! Love the wallpaper and gold accents.
Linda O'Chery says
Love your closet idea! Would you tell me what kind of rod you used to hang the curtains, the diameter size of it, and the size and type of brackets used. Thank you!!
Ingrid Mitchell says
Your issue with the bi-fold doors and the two closets with the divider between them is exactly the issue I have. You have given me inspiration to make the change. Thank-you!!!
Question: Where do you put your shoes? In the cubbies?
Lisa B says
I want to know about the closet system inside I LOVE how you made use of the short side by adding shelves there instead of the typical shelves in the middle. Where did you find that closet organizer?
Christy says
Where did you get the clear rods?
Emily says
What kind of sheets would you recommend using? Like more sheer ones or?
Stephanie Simon says
I love this closet makeover so much down to every single detail. I can’t get over it! I have been looking at it since you first did it and I think I am going to take the plunge and do the same! Thank you so much for being an inspiration.
Hillary says
My new house had cheap mirrored doors on the laundry/closet combo, which had actually cracked and were taken down when I bought the place. I debated my options, and decided on the curtain idea myself as a way to save space. I love the look and have been very happy with the result.
Jenna says
Wow, fantastic job! Thanks for including your tips and tricks, like using foam to spray screws, and glueing end caps on that didn’t fit. Using curtains you already have by simply treating them with Rit is motivating, cost effectively satisfying, and looks sharp! It’s inspiring and even exciting seeing projects that reuse items just sitting around collecting dust by giving them a simple refresh and put back to good use.
Jessica says
I’ve never liked my bifold doors, and one has a defect that makes it hard to open. Thank you for sharing your process! I think switching to curtains will be my solution.
Lynn says
Hi, love the closet makeover!!! Could you please share a pic of the closet with clothes in it? I’m thinking of doing the same thing to my closet (that had sliding mirror doors) and would love to see yours in action. Thanks!