the marion house book

I found it! The perfect linen closet for our small space. It’s a vintage oak piece with glass upper doors and closed storage below. The perfect combination. I found it at a store here in Toronto called Smash that specializes in found and reclaimed pieces.

It needs a bit of love and care but on the whole I think it has a lovely patina and looks like it was meant for the space. When I pulled my tape measure out in the store I couldn’t believe how perfectly it fit. I have been looking for a piece that would work here for some time and feel so fortunate to call this beauty my own.

And what a difference it makes psychologically to walk up the stairs and not be greeted by a mess. I’m absolutely amazed what a little organization and tidiness can do for my peace of mind. I truly feel calmer and more composed just seeing this small area of my home under control.

And of course I had a good purge of linens and materials I haven’t used in months (sometimes years) before I put it all back in. I’m happy, very happy. Now if only I could learn how to fold a fitted sheet!

Okay, here it is my sad excuse for a linen closet. This is a section of my house I have never shown before on the blog and now you know why! There is nothing pretty about it.

When we moved into our home five years ago we spent all of our money fixing up the kitchen, plastering walls and refinishing the floor. By the time it came to purchasing furniture we were pretty much tapped out. At the time, all we could afford was this measly 18 inch wide cabinet from Ikea. From the beginning, it has never been enough storage space. Remember, we’re living in narrow Victorian home with a grand total of three closets in the whole house (one of which is downstairs!). Over time I’ve tried to dress up the other side of the leaning closet to some effect but as you can see it eventually just becomes a dumping ground for more stuff.

To make matters worse, this is essentially the first sight you see when you round the corner at the top of the stairs. Psychologically it’s draining. For five years, it has been an eyesore and I’ve finally had enough!

The good news is that we actually have quite a bit of space in this little corner of our house. It’s just shy of five feet long and about two feet deep. I’m thinking the best solution would be to find a piece of furniture to fill the space. The task is finding something that uses the space efficiently, gives us ample storage and looks good. It also can’t break the bank.

I love the look of this vintage seafoam green cabinet but I think it would have to be twice as tall. Although I really love the idea of having another tabletop to decorate! Practically it could be somewhere I fold laundry but somehow I doubt that would happen.

This vintage bread rack also looks great and if I was just storing towels it is something I would consider. Unfortunately, I have sheets, blankets, pillowcases, pillows, duvets, throws and baby blankets to store so I think I need something with some closed storage space.

Something like this is probably more practical. Look at all those linens she has stored away in there! Not sure if I could work with all glass doors though. For one thing, it means your linens always have to look neat and tidy. Colour coordinated also helps!

Hmm…this might be tougher than I thought but I’m determined to find something…wish me luck! And send me your suggestions, ideas thoughts! How do you deal with all your linens?