4 Smart Toronto Condo Remodel Ideas

We all know that condo living has its advantages and disadvantages and one of the latter can be having enough space.

Organized Interiors has been dealing with getting the most out of small and unusual spaces for more than 40 years now. Our custom design expertise really got a workout on this condo remodel in Toronto.

The project involved redesigning a few areas in this small condo space.

condo remodel reach-in closet

This closet makeover in a Toronto condo adds built-in drawer and shelving storage and attractive sliding glass doors.

4 condo remodel ideas we used for this project

The following condo remodel ideas were used for this project:

  • a custom built-in wardrobe was added
  • a small home office space was created
  • sliding doors were installed in multiple closets
  • three bedroom closets were given makeovers

Let’s walk through each step that was taken for the condo remodel and explain how we dealt with some of the design challenges that were encountered.

Custom condo wardrobe

condo remodel wardrobe and home office

A built-in custom wardrobe and home office space were part of this condo remodel project.

Because closet space is often at a premium in condos, adding a wardrobe is a smart way to increase your clothes storage space.

A new wardrobe closet was needed for the condo’s entrance area. The tall cabinet section in the photo above shows the wardrobe that we built, complete with lower drawers.

You can see that the wardrobe drawers and doors have no pulls visible, so you may be wondering how they are opened. Touch-latch hardware was used. By avoiding installing handles or knobs on the wardrobe’s front, the clean lines of the design are preserved. The doors and drawers simply need to be pressed lightly and they pop open. 

We used LED strip lighting across the wardrobe top (facing the ceiling) to provide some ambient lighting for that corner, as the condo’s overhead light fixture in that area is a little further away.

On the immediate left of the wardrobe is the original entrance closet, which had sliding glass doors added. That closet is half-occupied by a stacked washer and dryer, with the remaining half being used for storing cleaning products and linens.

Home office space

Having a home office was useful even before the pandemic. Now a home office has become even more of an asset as working from home becomes the norm for many of us.

Along the adjacent wall to the wardrobe, we built a home office space. It includes a desk with upper drawers and larger file drawers down below, which both use the easy-open touch-latch hardware. An overhead cabinet with lift-up doors provides additional storage space.

As you can see, creating a useful office workspace at home doesn’t require much room. Having a dedicated part of the home you can use for work and studying helps you be more productive and avoid having to use areas like the dining room table to get work done.

The home office is situated between the condo’s entrance and an open kitchen. We used high-gloss white laminate for the custom cabinetry exteriors (including the wardrobe) to match the finish of the kitchen cabinets. 

Sliding closet doors

condo closet sliding doors

The existing builder-grade sliding mirrored closet doors were replaced with our glass sliding doors. The left closet has a drawer tower and a short hanging rod and the right closet is designed for hanging wardrobe storage.

There were two narrow master bedroom closets on either side of the entrance to the en suite bathroom. All the condo closet doors were builder-grade sliding mirrored doors, which were replaced with our aluminum-framed white laminated glass sliding closet doors.

The challenge with adding doors to these two closets was that we wanted to increase the access to the closet interiors, without affecting access to the bathroom in between.

The solution: our top-hung bypass doors. Using the same door profiles and glass as our regular sliding doors, we used top-hung hardware to create a single large panel for each closet. Each door slides completely to the side in front of the bathroom door, to reveal the entire left or right closet.

The top-hang feature means that there is no floor track in front of the entrance to the bathroom, so you don’t have to step over it each time you enter and exit. If anyone is in the bathroom and someone else uses a closet and forgets to close its door, the doors have the same grip on the front and back so they can be opened and closed from either side.

Sliding doors aren’t just meant for closets in a condo. Using sliding doors as a room partition is ideal for enjoying an open space, while also giving you more privacy when needed.

The Toronto Star included sliding doors (especially in open-concept living spaces) on their list of the home trends that will be popular in 2021.

Condo closet makeover

drawer tower in open closet

Deep drawers, easy-to-access shelving, and two hanging rods maximize this small closet’s storage space.

There was another small reach-in closet in the second bedroom. Once again, we added our sliding closet doors, this time with a standard bottom track.

For the interior, we used the same type of design that the left-hand closet in the double master closet has. To maximize the small closet’s storage space and functionality, the drawers are built extra-deep. The shelves above them are shallower to make them more useful higher up. Short upper and lower hanging rods were added as well.

In both closets, the drawers are designed with scooped fronts to once again avoid handles. In this case, it was to ensure any handles did not interfere with the sliding doors.

Talk to us about your house or condo remodel needs

If you’re planning a house or condo remodel, talk to Organized Interiors about what we can do to transform your living space.

Whether it’s giving one of your closets a makeover or you’re considering a bigger scale project like this that involves multiple upgrades for your home, we can help.

Schedule a free design consultation with us to make it happen.

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7 Benefits of Custom Sliding Closet Doors You Might Be Overlooking

When Organized Interiors is doing a closet makeover, it’s not just the interior of the space that we’re working to transform.

The closet doors are a major part of the makeover process, too.

Just as garage doors have a big impact on a home’s curb appeal, the door(s) of a closet can make or break the aesthetic presentation of your closet space.

Hinged swinging doors are used most commonly for closets, but they’re not your only door option.

Why not get a little more creative and boost your closet’s curb appeal with some custom sliding closet doors that add a more stylish touch to a room?

sliding closet doors toronto

Boost your closet’s “curb appeal” with custom sliding closet doors

A beautiful closet space starts with the doors. Any successful closet makeover isn’t fully completed until the finishing touch of the perfect door style with the right colour and finish is added.

Sliding closet doors that are added as part of a closet makeover (or as a standalone home upgrade) can really create a special and unique closet space.

They can do far more than just keeping your closet’s contents hidden. But the benefits you’ll get out of your sliding closet doors are directly related to what type of doors you end up buying.

Sure, you could save a few bucks by opting for a generic, mass-produced door product bought from a big box store or an online retailer that only comes in a handful of finishes.

Or you could aim a little higher with your design aspirations and choose custom sliding closet doors (also known as bypass doors) for your home.

Find out below why custom sliding closet doors are well worth the investment and how they have multiple types of functionality you might be overlooking.

1. Customize to fit both your room and your style

Custom sliding closet doors may cost a little more, but are you willing to settle for “close enough” with the products you’re using for a home improvement project or is “absolutely perfect” more desirable?

Too often, buying “off the shelf” sliding closet doors with DIY hardware kits that only offer a minimal number of choices of finishes, styles, and sizes leaves the buyer feeling like the finished project looks merely adequate.

The style or finish may not look exactly how you imagined once everything is installed, but it’s “close enough”.

This disappointing experience just doesn’t compare to the satisfying feeling of “they’re absolutely perfect!” that is felt when your closet doors are specially tailored for your living space, as well as your style preferences.

There’s no settling. Customization gives you a much larger selection of materials and finishes to choose from, ensuring a higher level of satisfaction with the completed project.

Organized Interiors can design sliding doors with a wide variety of panel and insert options that complement your décor and are properly sized to suit your space.

Door insert panels with a wood grain melamine finish create a warm, earthy look that never goes out of style. For a more modern aesthetic, glass or mirror panels work nicely.

The beauty of customizing is that you can get more creative and combine different materials to design closet doors with a truly one-of-a-kind look.

2. Sliding closet doors modernize and upgrade a room’s décor

The doors of a closet tend to be an afterthought when it comes to considerations of a room’s décor. They do have an impact on the appearance of a room, however.

A standard white hinged closet door with panels works fine in a room, but only does so much to elevate the appearance of a space.

Closet doors come in a variety of types aside from the aforementioned sliding and swinging styles. Bifold, barn, louvered, and pocket doors immediately come to mind.

Perhaps whatever doors your reach-in closets currently have look a little outdated. Maybe years of daily use have taken a toll and left them scuffed, dirty, and looking a little too well-worn.

Replacing them with new sliding doors could be the very thing a room’s décor needs to give it an overdue update and refresh.

The combination of the sliding door’s aluminum frame and hardware, along with whichever type of insert is used, instantly adds more visual interest to a room with its modern design.

One of our most popular sliding door designs uses white semi-opaque laminated safety glass with decorative mullion strips.

sliding closet doors in bedroom

Sliding glass doors add more visual interest to a room than traditional white swinging doors.

3. Superior functionality and durability

Modern technology improves just about everything and sliding closet doors are no exception.

Most older, cheaper sliding doors are made from heavier materials that require more effort to use than modern doors made from lightweight materials.

The extra weight in some of those older doors also makes them a tad noisy when they’re being opened and closed. Visit Organized Interiors’ showroom and try out one of our sliding closet doors and you’ll be impressed with how quiet they are.

You’ll also notice how smoothly they open and close. Cheaper doors cut corners on the quality of the hardware and components that are used. That makes for a less satisfying user experience with the doors when compared to what you get with custom sliding doors.

Another issue you have probably encountered with some sliding closet doors is a door being dislodged from its track, getting jammed, or having the two doors hit each other when one of them is moved.

Sliding doors that are built with a high-quality aluminum frame system and reliable hardware (such as the rollers) ensures the doors operate smoothly, with less chance of performance issues over time.

The higher quality of construction materials and the precise craftsmanship that goes into the manufacturing process of our custom sliding doors (which is done in our own manufacturing facility) results in a high-calibre, built-to-last product.

4. Headache-free, precise installation by a pro

Another reason you’ll experience fewer issues with custom sliding closet doors compared to DIY sliding door systems is you know they’ll be properly installed.

That “easy do-it-yourself assembly and installation!” promise on the DIY sliding door system’s packaging rarely turns out to be true.

And when it comes to a product that involves moving parts that will be getting used heavily every day, a perfect installation is essential.

When your sliding doors are custom-made, a professional installation will be part of the full-service experience you get.

Our installers will save you the time and headache of assembling and installing your own sliding doors. The sliding door system will be precisely framed, installed, and tested to ensure it works perfectly.

sliding closet doors with wood and glass

Glass combined with melamine insert panels create a closet door look that’s anything but ordinary.

5. Change the feel of a room + enjoy more mirror space

We know that the main purpose of a closet door is utilitarian (as in it keeps a closet’s contents hidden).

And we’ve established that custom sliding doors can be a real asset when you’re looking for ways to update a room’s décor. Another benefit of sliding closet doors is they can be customized to radically affect how a room feels.

Mirrored doors will make a room feel brighter because they reflect the light so effectively. Various types of glass panels will also reflect light nicely, although to a less degree than mirrors will, obviously.

Another well-known effect of using large mirrors in a room is that they create the illusion of a room appearing bigger than it is.

Sliding doors with large floor-to-ceiling mirror panels also conveniently function as the biggest full-length mirror you’ll probably ever use outside of a fancy boutique or high-end clothing store!

Here’s one more hidden benefit of having mirrored sliding doors: any wall space that was used for a hanging mirror or floor space a freestanding mirror previously occupied is now freed up. 

6. Looking for room divider ideas? Try sliding closet doors!

You might be surprised to learn that sliding closet doors aren’t just for closets. They can also be used as room dividers to partition off a space in a home for privacy.

The Toronto Star recently reported that many Toronto condos have moved towards using sliding glass doors and partitions over traditional walls and doors. More office spaces are utilizing this design trend as well.

Condo developers love the design concept because it helps them save space in condo units that are increasingly shrinking in size.

But another reason this trend is growing is that there’s a convenient practicality to having room dividers that also provide rolling functionality. In a condo or a house, a larger room can be partitioned off to create space for any number of uses including a:

  • guest room
  • work space
  • dressing room area (in a large master bedroom)
  • dining area

When these areas aren’t being used, open the sliding door to enjoy the benefits of having a more open space. When privacy is needed, the simple slide of a door keeps the two areas separated.

room divider with sliding closet door

A room divider in a condo creates a private or open space with the simple slide of the glass door.

7. Need to add closet space? Sliding closet doors can help.

Are you lacking enough closet space because your existing closets are full or too small?

Older homes commonly have a shortage of closet space, so your home may have one or more rooms that lack a closet altogether.

Instead of undergoing a costly renovation to create a traditional closet space, use Organized Interiors’ create-a-closet®.

This cost-effective storage solution allows a closet space whatever size you need to be added to any room. We simply install gables and the sliding doors of your choosing to create instant storage space that looks stylish.

Another clothes storage option that nicely supplements your closet storage is a wardrobe, which can also be customized to match your décor.

Take advantage of these custom sliding door benefits

As you’re now aware, it’s not just about what’s inside a remodelled closet space that makes it exceptional.

If your current closet doors are feeling outdated or you’re looking to take advantage of one of the other ways in which sliding closet doors can improve your home, take a few seconds to request a free in-home consultation with us.

One of our design consultants can show you the wide range of sliding closet door solutions we have available, provide design suggestions, and answer any of your questions.

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Building Closet Storage Anywhere With create-a-closet®

When you think about building closet storage, you might envision an expensive, logistically complicated process.

For bigger, more elaborate closet projects, that may be the case. But what if your closet building needs are more modest and constrained by important factors like room space or budget?

Adding high quality closet storage anywhere you need to is exactly what makes create-a-closet® so appealing.

For anyone looking for versatility and cost-effectiveness when it comes to adding closet space, create-a-closet® is the perfect storage solution.

building closet storage

The need for building closet storage space

If you don’t have the luxury of having a spacious dressing room/walk-in closet, adding supplemental closet storage to your traditional closet space can be very helpful.

Perhaps your needs aren’t even about adding supplemental closet space – it’s about having any closet space. This may be the case if you live in an older home, which can have little to no closet space.

There are a few options available, but not all are ideal. Some people buy a clothing rack that sits in a corner, which doesn’t allow you to keep your clothing out of sight.

Others may buy wobbly portable mesh storage wardrobes with zipper openings. Unfortunately, both of these storage ideas end up looking as cheap as they cost. They also contribute to a room’s cluttered look.

A custom wardrobe works much better in a room, as will create-a-closet®.

No mess and no framing

The process of installing create-a-closet® is quick and easy. The door-to-ceiling closet storage space involves no framing and no drywall to sand or paint. That means there’s virtually no mess.

In less time than you might think, your new closet space will be installed and functional. Right away, you can begin enjoying the benefits that building closet storage for a room provides, whether it’s in a bedroom, home office, basement, or laundry room.

Customize your closet space

Having the ability to customize when building closet storage is important, which create-a-closet® allows you to do. This ensures your new storage addition effectively complements the décor of its surroundings.   

The closet size can be tailored to your available free space and installed to fit perfectly. The doors are an important part of your closet’s design and we offer sliding, solid panel, and mirror doors (which we manufacture ourself) for you to choose from.

You can have a say in how the open storage space in your closet overheads is laid out. Closet accessories like a shoe rack or pullout valet rod can also be incorporated into the design to enhance the closet’s functionality even further.

Building closet storage reduces clutter

The clutter in a room is minimized or even eliminated if there’s ample closet space. Using create-a-closet® as supplemental clothing storage helps ease the burden on your existing closet space. 

Not only will you have more room for storing things, you’ll also be able to hide your belongings from view with the closet doors. This helps to maintain the clean aesthetic of a space.

Enjoy the freedom that building closet storage space provides

create-a-closet® is a practical and cost-effective solution to add valuable closet space to a room in need of more storage options.

Whether its building closet storage or improving your home with our other organization and storage solutions, Organized Interiors can help.

Schedule your free in-home design consultation with us to move forward with your home improvement plan.

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Find out How These Closet Door Ideas Will Improve Your Bedroom Space

One aspect of your bedroom that may not have gotten the attention it deserves is your closet doors.

There’s a lot of opportunity to improve your bedroom space, however, simply by using some of these useful closet door ideas.

Enhance your bedroom’s decor with these closet door ideas

Closet doors are capable of being used for more than just hiding the contents of a messy closet. They offer the chance to enhance the décor in your bedroom.

Our high quality closet doors come in the following types:

  • sliding
  • bifold
  • solid panel
  • mirrored

Mirrored and wood surfaces can be combined to create a truly dynamic bedroom aesthetic. We have the best selection of detailed mirrored door designs in Canada.

Mirrored closet doors make a room seem larger and brighter, as well as saving you the space that a full-length wall or floor mirror would require.

Adding floor-to-ceiling closet doors also helps to make a room seem larger. Choose from a wide variety of wood finishes and mirror styles, in addition to framing (or frameless) options.

mirror closet door ideas

Custom closet doors are your best choice

Why buy your closet doors at a big box retailer with their limited one-size-fits-all selection and the hassle of installing them yourself? For the best closet door ideas, come to Organized Interiors.

We manufacture our own closet doors, which means it’s easier to achieve the look you want for your closet doors.

Custom-made closet doors also offer more flexibility for closet spaces with unique and unconventional dimensions. We oversee every aspect of your closet doors, from design to manufacturing to installation.

This beginning-to-end approach to our customer’s product means they’re assured of complete satisfaction with both the look and fit of their doors.

Easily access the contents of your closet

Sliding closet doors don’t open into the room, so they use less space. Our closet doors are manufactured with the highest quality track and hardware systems, ensuring many years of smooth, silent, and effortless performance.

We also offer a tri-access door system, which gives you almost 100% access to the items in your closet.

closet door ideas create-a-closet

Transform unused bedroom space into closet space with create-a-closet®

Our create-a-closet® concept lets you use your bedroom’s unused space to create a floor-to-ceiling freestanding closet that gives you more storage space.

It can be installed quickly with none of the mess, inconvenience, or high cost that comes with a home renovation project.

We’ll help you assess the best spot for your create-a-closet®. Once we’ve installed the hardware, gables, and closet doors in your style of choice, your functional and stylish closet will be ready to use.

create-a-closet® works great in any room in your home that could benefit from additional closet space.

Complement your closet doors with an organizer and accessories

You can complement these closet door ideas by adding additional closet storage and organization solutions:

  • a modular SmartLine closet organizer leaves floor space clear, maximizes closet storage space and functionality, and can be adjusted as your needs change
  • closet accessories like retractable valet rods and four position hangers take up little space and provide extra hanging space
  • sliding belt racks keep your belts organized and helps them maintain their shape
  • felt storage boxes look stylish, are ideal for storing household items, and fold up when they’re not being used

These closet door ideas can work in a bedroom, guest room, and home office.

Visit our unique showroom, which has all of these closet door ideas and much more that will capture your imagination.

You can schedule a free in-home consultation with one of our design experts to discuss your plans to improve your closet space.

See also:

Discover Storage Space You Never Knew You Had

No matter how large or small your home is, storage space is always at a premium.

It can often seem that as hard as you try to declutter, you just never have enough space to keep the things you really need.

And it’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of buying more and more plastic bins to try to meet your storage needs.

That often leads to nothing more than stacks of mismatched plastic boxes that you’ve bought and filled at different times, all containing things you need once in a while.

But of course, when you do need a particular thing, you’re never sure which bin you put it in (although you have a sinking feeling it’s probably in the one at the bottom of the stack).

Part of the solution can be reducing the number of things you keep rather than trying to store them all. But there will always be some things that you need to store – and we have a better way for you to do it.

create-a-closet

create-a-closet®

At Organized Interiors, we offer a revolutionary service called create-a-closet.

We’ll visit your home, find unused storage space, and then custom-build an attractive, freestanding closet designed to fit your space and suit your storage needs perfectly.

Whether it’s a basement, a bedroom, a children’s playroom, an entryway or mudroom, or even the family room, we can design a closet that will provide the storage you need and match the look and style of your home.

Book a free in-home consultation with one of our design consultants today. Let us help you make use of the storage space you never knew you had!