Pantry Makeover! Getting rid of those wire shelves with an Ikeahack

I've always loathed wire shelving in all it's forms... but I do understand why they are used. Lightweight, easy to install, and cost effective - they seem to be the shelving of choice for builders du jour. If you're stuck with unsightly wire shelving - I have the solution for you!

After trying to figure out a way to do built-ins on our own and without custom cabinetry, I turned to the trusted and faithful BILLY from Ikea. Billy comes in two depths (12 and 15 inches I believe), and by choosing the shallower of the two, I not only gave myself some extra space in our walk through pantry, but I avoided the "black hole" - where food items get lost and never used because they are way in the back. You'd never know these are budget bookcases - they look like they were designed to be in a pantry.

 This set up allows for two rows of jars or a bin which makes everything incredibly easy to locate and things don't get lost in Neverneverland. We trimmed out the bottom and the centre (where the two bookcases meet) with some simple baseboard trim to make it look like a single unit. Had we had more time in this house (oh, did I mention we are moving! Another post :) - I would have gone much further like some of the Billy built-ins I found on Pinterest and put crown on the top to really give it that built-in look. I also might have wallpapered or stenciled the back, but I was far too indecisive to settle on anything.

Before our pantry overhaul, my pantry sadly looked like this (can't believe I'm sharing this!).

Granted, I knew we were ripping it all out so I didn't invest any time in making it pretty - seriously, how big of a transformation is that?

Taking out the wire shelving, patching and painting was a bit of a task (the wire shelves were anchored with some pretty serious drywall screws) - but my husband and father-in law tackled it like pros.

I customized my shelf heights to the heights of my jars and was so happy how it all worked out - another big plus about this project is how easy it is to adjust shelf height to accommodate different sized items - something you can't do with wire shelves.

Despite the depth being absolutely perfect for this project, the width did not line up perfectly. I toyed with the idea of building in an extension so the pantry fit the entire width of the space - but instead opted for a chalkboard diy wine shelf (upcoming post!). The little gap (just less than a foot) was good for putting large Costco acquisitions before I had a chance to properly put away, but could also have used it to store a broom or a small foot stool.

While the pantry doesn't always look as clutter-free as these images, the reality is pretty darn close. I've found it really easy to maintain when you have a home for everything. I wanted to redo my labels prior to this post, but with the move ahead just didn't have the time. These labels are going on 2.5 years and still kicking - although some have definitely seen better days. I'm still amazed at how long they've held up though!

Have you ever used a Billy in a non-bookcase way? Do you have wire shelves you hate as much as I do?

The Perfect Home to Renovate

Every once in a while, on a lazy Saturday morning over a soy latte, I start thinking about where we would be had we not moved to Winnipeg and weren't building a new home. We had already started thinking about moving before we got transferred here, so it's likely we would have been on our way to a new-to-us home anyways. And so, I look around on MLS. I look and see what's out there. What might we have bought? Would we have stayed in our preferred area (where we lived before) in a new, smaller home, or would we have moved out further and to an older, larger home?

While going through our imaginary house-searching, I came across this gem. It needs A LOT of work, but it doesn't take much imagination to see what potential it has. I can't even venture to say how much a total renovation would cost, but I feel like $200K would improve this home significantly. I would paint the exterior grey and white, practically gut the interior, paint out all the wood white, replace the kitchen, bathrooms, railings, and flooring - and I think it could be a pretty spectacular place.

This property checks off so many boxes for me:

• Interesting and unique exterior
• Large, private, treed in lot
• Open floor plan
• Vaulted ceilings
• Walk-out finished basement
• 4 bedrooms
• Priced low enough to allow for substantial renos (under $550K)

Of course, there's no knowing what condition the house is in, what other things might need attention. Who knows if that fireplace is up to code or if the roof needs to be replaced. But, from a purely superficial standpoint for the purpose of dreaming, this baby is a winner. 

I really love the way this house/garage is laid out. Although it's not huge, it definitely seems a tad more impressive laid out in such a way.

Just imagine white painted walls, a new fireplace and reclaimed wood floors. 

There isn't a ton of kitchen space to work with, but starting from scratch I would extend the kitchen all the way to the door frame, omit the half wall, and add an island facing the living room.

The open concept and vaulted ceilings are what really do it for me. This is actually a very similar layout to the house we are building. My husband has already remarked that he doesn't know how easy it will be to go from a living space with vaulted ceilings to one without when we ever leave, so this type of layout would solve the problem.

It's really hard to tell how this master loft suite could be used based on the current situation, but there seems to be enough space to work with to do something amazing. I am not sure, but it looks like it could be missing an ensuite, which would be a very expensive addition. There are apparently two bedrooms on the main level, which I would consider joining to create a master suite, and then separating the loft into two bedrooms. One thing is for sure, those dark beams would really pop if the panelled walls were painted white.

The backyard is full of potential with a great expansive space enclosed by shrubs and trees. Pool, anyone?

Even the entry is inviting, bordered by trees.

And now for some inspiration:

Via

I really like this modern/industrial take on painted wood panels.

Via

Probably the easiest and most effective way of transforming the house in question - paint everything white.

Via

And more dreamy white lofted spaces.

Via

Love this weathered grey look for the ceiling as an alternative to all white.

Via

This is a great kitchen layout that could work for the house (scaled down in size).

Voa Houzz

Although different in style, I feel like grey paint with white trim and wood accents would really complement this house.

So what do you think? Would you ever tackle a big reno like the above, or would you rather move into a completely finished home? Unfortunately for me, my husband have completely different ideas of what we want in a home (he wants new new new, I want old and in need of some love!).