In Week Two of the Apartment Therapy Cure, participants are asked to create a “landing strip” (nope, it’s not what you think). In Cure lingo, a landing strip is the place you “land” when you get home. Where you drop your keys and coat, and file through your mail.
Ben and I started the Cure process back in January, so we’re a little off schedule. But I do like the way our front hall (i.e. landing strip) has turned out. Our entrance is very narrow, so we didn’t have room for a console or other table. Instead, we painted out a skinny shoe cabinet (SANDNES from Ikea) to match the wall, switching up the hardware to match the door pulls on the coat closet opposite. It provides just enough room to hold a bowl for keys and a vase of flowers. Oh, and it hides shoes! Always a good thing.
The mirror hung in my parents’ bathroom for the past 30-plus years (and was, at one point, faux gold leafed); I snatched it up during their recent reno. I love being able to “check my face” before I leave the house now.
We installed three hooks at Lila height, to the right of the cabinet. It’s great for little girl coats and daycare backpacks.
I can’t remember where we found the low ceramic bowl that now holds our keys and sundry items, but I love it. And I love that I can (almost) always find my keys now.
I also love the white vase that sits to the left of the mirror. It’s got pussywillows and cherry blossoms in it currently, and I plan to change it up with seasonal blooms or branches throughout the year.
Next: the living room.
Blackswampgirl Kim says
Andrea, I LOVE it! (And I’m sad that I felt that I was too disorganized at the time to start the AT cure when I saw the initial posts on it… I need the task list, and the kick in the butt.)
I adore that little shoe cabinet, by the way. Do the shoes store vertically, and how many can you fit in that thing?
Loree / danger garden says
Fabulous use of that shoe cabinet!
Andrea Bellamy says
Kim – thanks! I am super disorganized, too – hence the fact that I’m doing the AT Cure one month rather than one week at a time. Better than nothing, me thinks. Yep, the shoes store vertically – the “drawers” kind of pull out/down at a 45 degree angle. You can fit two pairs of men’s shoes in each of the four compartments, or three-four pairs of women’s. Not a ton of storage, but it does do double duty as a console table, too.
Loree – thanks! I love that the paint job makes it look completely different than the original.
Jen says
Looks great! I can’t wait to do our landing strip.
Dh just knocked out the wall between the dingy foyer and the dingy dining room, added a window a huge sliding glass door to the balcony and a coat closet! He’s in the drywall stage right now.
Once it’s painted and the flooring is in, then I can accessorize!
Meredyth says
Every once in awhile I hit your blog on my favorite places and I always so enjoy it-I am looking forward to reading your book! Thank you!
(janis) pinecone camp says
You did a beautiful job! I love how you transformed that shoe cabinet. Clever girl.
doyetski says
Chanced upon you blog while searching for gardening blogs here in Vancouver. New to blogging…new to gardening, too.
Love your “landing strip”!
Elise Weatherby says
Love, Love Love it! this is a great “ikea hack” I live in your typical narrow Vancouver small space style place and this is perfect. Have been following your blog for a while love it too.
Dublin Flower Shop says
This is great.
The style and what you have done
with the space is amazing.
I love the flowers in the vase – nice touch.
Aanee