Hey, it’s Cho, and I’m FINALLY back with another Cho Does Home Reno post! If you’ve never read one of these before, definitely click that link to catch up! So let me start off by apologizing for my long hiatus! I know this was a series that my aunt TT’s audience was just starting to really get into. However, Eric and I are currently endeavoring to make a big real-estate purchase. We’ve been focusing on renovating our other properties and by we, I mean just Eric. If that big purchase goes through, definitely be on a look out for a future post, because that’s worth talking about and will actually tie together with a past post. Hint hint!
Out With The Old
With Eric preoccupying himself with the rentals, we haven’t really done any work on our own home! I’ve lived with him for over 2 years, but until recently, I always had my own townhouse separate from the house we live in. For a tour of that living space, check out my recent youtube video here. Notice anything special about that space? Yes, the huge walk in closet is what got me to sign the lease! It was my first home as an adult, and I truly felt like a real housewife. It isn’t Heather Dubrow’s closet by any means, but a boy has to start somewhere. And by the end of this post, I’ll actually be closer to her status if you ask me!
Moving into Eric’s house was a huge transition for me. While our home is big, beautiful and rich in character, it did not have a walk-in closet. I know, #RichPeopleProblems! Instead, we use a multipurpose room staged as an office, sitting room and closet. As you can imagine, this was fucking wreck and never met any of my needs. A true Jack-of-all-trades but master of none. Eric won’t admit this, but I would argue that it didn’t meet his needs either. We’ll see what he says in the comment section…
In With The New
With me moving in soon, I decided to make some dramatic changes to the multipurpose room with a focus on making it more of a closet. We got rid of all of our traditional furniture and put in the IKEA PAX System. This system is great for many reasons, but the biggest reason is the huge array of customization! I designed both Eric and I’s wardrobe from start to finish to fit our very specific needs. I needed much more space to hang all of my clothes while Eric prefers to fold his clothes and put them away and out of sight. Eric also wanted this super high tech functional hamper that is removable, but I decided to keep my cheap laundry basket.
What no one told me was how expensive this would be and how many trips I’d have to make to IKEA over the course of a month. No, you can’t just go to IKEA once to get all of your needs. Either they’re missing an item, you have to return an item, an item part is LITERALLY missing or a litany of other issues occur that forces you to go back. The 4th time I visited, I told the customer service rep that if I had to come back one more time that they’d better have a cocktail ready for me upon arrival! She laughed, and said that they didn’t have a bar. I told her to make sure I don’t have to come back then. I think she thought I was joking. Thankfully, I haven’t had to go back. Has anyone else had this experience with IKEA???
Someone Is Spoiled
Well, the closet is now 95% done! After spending nearly $4k (and I went with the cheapest finishes), I am elated to have a wardrobe that finally fits my lifestyle! I give it high marks on functionality and convenience. I would have loved to get different colors or higher end finishes, but my focus really was on functionality, and I was trying to stay within budget. Thank god I did, because I had some coins left over to invest during the Coronavirus stock market crash! Side note, my grandmother is convinced that I have Coronavirus. Building the wardrobe wasn’t difficult at all, but that’s easy to say when someone else does it for you. Eric can let you all know in the comment section how difficult set up was. He spent so much hard work for 3 weekends in row, and I love him for it!
Now that you’ve seen the near-finished product, what do you think? Remember that 5% left? Well, we are still debating about the couch. I don’t want a couch in this room at all. It should really only be a closet and an office. We have a WHOLE fucking house to lounge in, so I don’t know why he’s being so obstinate. Eric isn’t budging on this issue. We have 5 non-working fireplaces in our home. The dramatic topic of fireplaces deserves its own post, but one of them just happens to be in our closet, so he wants to sit in front of it during the winter time. What should we do? I’m thinking that upgrading to a modern, more sleek love seat will be a good middle-ground for us.
Let me know your thoughts in the comment section, and definitely check out my Survivor recaps! If you’re subscribed to my youtube channel, definitely be on the lookout for a more in depth tour of our closet and everything it has to offer! If you like what I do here on the site, be sure to support me in my other ventures elsewhere on the internet!
I would be fine with the couch in there. But if you are changing it it needs to be black and modern. Or something like this. Not my taste, but fits your room. (I am the opposite of modern, lol) I can’t wait for Eric to explain how easy putting together IKEA is. DID YOU NOT HELP HIM?
Of course, he didn’t help me lol
Sorry, just seeing this. I am cleaning. I enjoy cleaning about as much as Cho enjoys manual labor. And I do it even less often. This could take a while. And by a while I mean a few weeks. THEN I can hire a cleaning lady…
So you’re cleaning your house so that you can hire someone to clean your house?
That’s so funny. I know so many people who clean their house for their cleaning ladies! haha
Oh noe. This is not that at all. I am cleaning my house to make sure nothing is dead under any of the piles. I am cleaning my house because I have been mentally ill for the last several years with very few gaps of sanity where anything was cleaned. I am cleaning the house so that the maid doesn’t send the po po here t investigate the crime scene. I am cleaning the house to make a path for the maids to actually enter the house. There are a whole lot of reasons I am cleaning the house.
My brother on the other hand who has a big pretty clean house cleans before the maid comes, does dishes, vaccums the whole nine. IDGI either.
But this is not a normal situation. during my fits of sanity I have to do as many sane things as possible because you never know who long I can keep doing all the things to stay sane.
haha I totally understand what you’re saying! We don’t need the maid calling the cops on you. LOL
But you did it alone. So impressed. My husband and I almost got divorced over putting an Ikea item together.
IKEA deserves their reputation for packaging. Everything was packaged perfectly efficient. As Cho said, it’s not antique wood furniture but it is extremely functional and the manufacturing quality is also very good. Assembly is truly simple but there was so much to assemble because Cho’s Real Housewives dreams. I assembled it over three weekends. There was just one thing I didn’t find to be real clear. The doors were put on last but one needs to be sure that drawers, shelves etc aren’t mounted where the hinges are installed. That wasn’t real clear until I opened the door packages. Otherwise everything was great.
Would you recommend IKEA furniture in general? I am asking because, well, I stated in comments below about a particular piece (a free standing linen closet) and I want to know if IKEA is worth the money. I only want to spend a few hundred dollars but it is so hard to find exactly I what want.
Tricky question. Yes, I would recommend the for all your organizational and functional needs. Comfort and style? Not so much. It depends on what you’re looking for.
A linen closet, I think you could totally do for less than $300 and get exactly what you want. Click the link in the post to learn more about how their PAX System works. You could start with a 29in system and include pieces that you want for the closet. It’s like playing with legos.
We looked at The Container Store too but IKEA’s system can be free standing.
I’m thinking something like this. https://www.marthastewart.com/shop/rivet-rivet-revolve-modern-leather-loveseat-sofa-56-w-chestnut-p562573766c08fa0921a69e4750f03078.html
I like this one! Would be nice in the room and be a good contrast/center piece.
I did all the important things.
Ugh sorry TT I just got that picture to load. Just about what I was thinking but with more traditional, spindly legs. In a deep, rich jewel tone or silver.
What an impressive job, Cho. I agree with Tamara. If Eric is insisting on a couch it shouldn’t be that one. If my walk in was big enough for a couch I’d have one in there if for no other reason than to have a place to sit when I’m putting on my shoes or boots.
THANK YOU TERRI! And good thinking on the reason for a couch. Putting shoes on is a must!
I love that this series is a thing!!! Cho is the best. I am sooooo jealous of your walk in closet. I love our home but closet space is lacking big time. A walk-in is a fantasy. Love what you did and congrats to Eric for the hard work! I don’t hate the couch, it looks comfy, but ditto the others that suggest maybe a different color.
Omg Hi Kyle!! Happy to see you commenting on this post. I’ve always wanted a closet like this, and now I can die happy. It makes life so much easier when it comes to finding what you want.
Do you live in a historic home? Those typically don’t good closet space.
Hopefully after this real estate purchase, we’ll be able to get back to making more home reno posts!!
Cho, I live in an historic home. It is a 1930 Craftsman bungalow with a lot of its original charm. The closet space is sad and forces you to get VERY creative. I have purchased pieces that reflect the time period the house was built in. I got an inlaid French sideboard from 1888 on Nextdoor for $160!!! The same with two red leather club chairs for $300 from Bassett that originally cost $2k in pristine condition. Also some little side tables that a local lady repurposes with a Mackenzie-Child’s type of paint job. I would lose the marshmallow couch and go for a velvet chesterfield settee or loveseat. Keep posting. I love watching y’all restore a grand old lady like mine.
I forgot to mention that I just bought it in September so a lot of my stuff just didn’t look right.
You are so cute! Glad to finally put a face to the name.
Yes Dawn thank you so much! <3 If you want to see more pictures of myself (and eve Eric too!) check out the link at the bottom of the blog post!
You know my thoughts on a love seat in a closet. I prefer a middle island for more storage or an empty space for meditation. BUT Eric did work VERY hard to build your first dream wardrobe – so if he needs a sofa, I’m willing to take you shopping for one.
omg Car!! Thank you for commenting omg LOL I love you. Everyone reading, this is my best friend irl!
Ok anyway, yes we’re going to let Eric have this one. Compromise is a real thing in relationships!
Y’all should compromise and get a big ottoman thingy to sit on. Y’all can sit on it to put on shoes and realistically you probably won’t use the fireplace in the closet since you have others. (I’d be the one who accidentally set my clothes on fire, lol) But great job guys! I love this post!
The problem is that Eric wants to use the Closet as a sitting room as well. That’s why he HAS to have a loveseat with a back. He prefers to watch TV shows on the ipad in this room instead of the parlor. It makes no sense.
Otherwise, I think an ottoman would be the perfect thing for this room.
This is not a problem! This is your closet but it is Eric’s OFFICE with a FIREPLACE. (Blah blah blah you have four other fireplaces I know.) But HE HAS A FIRE PLACE IN HIS OFFICE! He can relax on his couch like thingy and read his boring work stuff IN FRONT OF THE FIRE with his feet on the white thingy being warmed by the crackling fire instead of facing a wall painted with Jeff Lewis Sanitarium Grey.
this is EXACTLY what he wants to do! ugh!!
UGH!??? CLEARLY, you do not care about Eric’s happiness. He just built you a closet working tirelessly for THREE WEEKENDS in the house HE BOUGHT where you have TAKEN OVER HIS OFFICE for your Real Housewives closet.
And he is not allowed to enjoy one of his five fireplaces? For God sake, let him enjoy his rich people stuff until Bernie Sanders takes two of your fireplaces and gives them to me!
OMG AT THE BERNIE COMMENT! LOL I don’t even want to think about the election.
I’m so sick of these fireplaces and they don’t even work! This is a battle I’m going to have to revisit years from now. I’m conceding… FOR NOW!
Hi Cho!
I don’t think there should be a couch in there. But the love seat that Tamara suggested is beautiful and chic. I would only put a couch/loveseat if it looked like that one.
Sounds like it was a lot of work on both of you. Ikea and all these stores can be annoying to get everything just right. It can be stressful. Ordering pizza these days seems like a challenge b’c nothing right gets delivered. lol
Best to you and Eric, enjoy your home! <3
Laila omg HELLO! I love my Survivor peeps. We’re the best!
I’m glad someone agrees with me about there being no loveseat in here too. But I’m compromising, and we will make it work.
Also thank you for acknowledging my hard work. It would have been easier on me mentally had IKEA had a bar inside their store. LOL I know what you mean about the pizza ordering. Life is a mess these days.
If IKEA had a bar, more men would happily accompany the ladies. It would be a win-win moneymaker. Give some space to a local brewery or winery.
I think that would be a totally neat idea! Come on IKEA, get it together!
Don’t tell Cho, but I get up at 6 am to start getting ready for work and if anything goes wrong in the next hour or so it can effect my whole day. The wardrobes and made my mornings so much easier and the room way less cluttered.
I told you this is what we needed!!
I have been searching online for the past two months for a free standing linen closet, and I just get so lost in the options and in the comments. I have ordered furniture online in the past and have been disappointed every time. So I can understand the time, effort, and money to get want you really want. Congrats and enjoy creating your new space together!
Definitely try the PAX system. If there’s an IKEA near you, I would recommend going inside for help. They have always been really easy to communicate with and bounce ideas off.
The wardrobe you see actually came in lots of pieces, so it’s easy to customize to exactly your needs. If you’d like some additional help where I can send you links, please email me at [email protected]
I’m going to disagree with Cho and Eric here. First of all Cho DID NOTHING TO PUT THE THING TOGETHER, Secondly, Eric is not a normal person. No one on planet Earth has ever utter the words, “Otherwise everything was great.” about any IKEA assembly. Eric is some sort of carpenter, like Jesus was.
Relationships have been destroyed by IKEA. Many relationships.
That said my really rich friend told me a long time ago that lots of rich people were doing IKEA kitchens. I would just like a counter top that was anywhere near an electrical outlet and some sort of light that actually makes the room less dark.
This post is sponsored by the letters P for pessimism and D for Debbie Downer.
One of my friends does IKEA kitchen installations. He used to be a land surveyor but when the economy slowed down he tried a few other things to make a living. After a few disappointments he landed this job and he’s been very successful at it.
I’m glad he’s found his footing. I feel like working for IKEA would be a really good gig with it being a European company and all.
Lol just for the record, I love IKEA kitchens!
LOL TT just sprayed Eric and I with the tea!
Every time I’ve walked past the kitchen section, I’ve been impressed, but I never really inspected them. We have a nice island in our kitchen that has two outlets. It’s so useful for charging phones or I guess a multitude of anything else you’d like.
Happy you are back! How about a chaise in a darker color? Gotta have somewhere to sit when putting your shoes on!
Thank you Tasha for the comment and for the lovely suggestion! I would love to have a chaise instead of a loveseat, but I don’t think Eric would be down for that. But we do gotta have something to put our shoes on. I never even thought about that to be honest.
Hey Cho! Tried to reply up thread but I think my phone ate the comment. Anyway, have y’all thought about putting one of those big ottoman thingys in there for seating instead of a full blown couch/loveseat? I’m loving this post and you both did a great job! 🙂
The problem is that Eric prefers to watch TV on our ipad in the closet instead of going downstairs in the parlor to watch it. Why he prefers this, I still don’t understand.
I would much prefer a large ottoman.
Thank you for the compliments. Definitely go back and read some of the other reno posts. They’re really fun reads!!
Eric Hutchinson you are a prince among men but that marshmallow has got to go!
He’s my knight in shining armor, but I agree. THAT COUCH HAS GOT TO GO!
I fear for the fireplace in the office/closet for a different reason. What I think aesthetically is of no importance and Eric totally deserves a couch to relax on in his office (sorry Cho) but, here’s the thing… I grew up in an old east coast house with a wood burning fireplace and I remember every time we used it everything got that “fire” smell. Not as bad as a campfire but, definitely noticeable. I’m worried that over time your clothes will start to smell. Just my two cents. I’m so glad you brought this back Cho xx
Yeah, wood fireplaces and stoves, while pretty do have an odor and are very dirty. I had a wood stove and wouldn’t do that again. The house was built in 1906 and the fireplaces were coal. They had been converted with old radiant gas inserts that are no longer there. I want to put new gas inserts in all of them. (Except the two TT get after the election lol). Actually, there were originally six fireplaces. One was covered by the kitchen stove when they turned the dining room into the kitchen. It had beautiful green tile that Is still there. Anyway, I digress. The gas inserts I’m looking at are either the Enviro Q1 or the Vermont Castings Presidential. Doing 5 of them isn’t inexpensive however.
Ahhh perfect!!
My darling Eric has thought this out IN DETAIL. LOL
Thank you so much for your comment, Fizz! I don’t typically help Eric with our rental properties, but if he’s able to convince me to, then you’ll see more posts. Until then, I only really do home reno posts on the property we live in.
I honestly feel like reading about you guys renovating a cardboard box would be totally entertaining! But, I guess I can settle for your amazing historical home
Gas fireplaces are the best. Good luck with your fireplace inserts.