Final Reveal of the Command Center!

Well, it’s been a long time coming!!! I am finally done with the Command Center!

{At least the parts you see are all done…still need to fine tune the storage cabinets in there, but that’s for another day!}

Let’s take a look at where it all started…

It started as a dumping ground for all our extra stuff, and it was a space that was totally and completely not functional. It’s right by our front door and just down the hall from our other front door-the one we use all the time. It’s a fairly big “closet” with a great size window and lots of natural light. It seemed like such a waste to me to have it be used as a storage closet.

I thought of a few different ideas for its’ use before I ended up deciding on a more central gathering spot {and organized dumping ground} for all of our everyday stuff. I wanted it to be a little fun, so I decided to add the stripes for a bit of subtle pizazz!

Are you ready for the “AFTER” photos?!?!

I really tried to use what we already had around the house, with the exception of the valance, the new bench, a new light fixture and some of the labels.

Baskets add a lot of extra, easy to access storage on the shelf.

It helps not only me, but the other adult in the house {as well as babysitters, etc.} know where to find our go to items.

I printed out little labels of what was in each basket on my computer and then mounted them on coordinating scrapbook paper. On this particular basket, I secured the label with a close pin.

We’ve had these white wicker baskets from the early days of our marriage. They started out a dark wood tone, but I sprayed them Heirloom White from Rustoleum.
{This is their second coat of paint. I started with a whiter paint and it was just too gray white for the rest of the room,}

More labels printed off the computer, adhered to cute scrapbook paper and secured this time around with some ribbon I had on hand.

Living in San Diego, we always need sunscreen readily available. One basket holds the sunscreen and the other contains a few lint rollers {also a must when you have a huge, shedding yellow lab!!}

For some additional storage, I found some wrapping paper that worked well with the valance fabric and covered two shoe boxes that we had in our closet. I picked up a packet of metal adhesive labels from Martha Stewart’s line at Staples. Again, more computer printed little labels inserted into the metal tabs. This is for things we don’t use very often: Extra stroller/car seat accessories and winter hats for the boys.

I made {or pique-assiet’ed-aka mosaic’ed} the little clock years ago. I think this was a craft I did in my newlywed days in Newport, RI! It has found its’ way around our homes over the years and many a time has been rescued from the “Goodwill bag!” I could never get the gumption to give it up, yet we didn’t really have a home for it in our new house. Until one day I thought we could really use a clock in here, and I pulled it out of the Goodwill bag yet again! I think it has finally found its’ home!

And you can’t see it in this picture, but in the first picture there is a little red apple. Again, something I’ve had for years {this one I think predates married days} that we use for loose change, and it seems to fit well in here.

On the small wall next to the door, I used some Command self adhesive hooks to hang baseball hats {again, another staple when heading outside in the sun around here} and a small little hook for our keys.

The larger hooks below the shelf are for all the bigger hanging items. And below that is our trusty bench. I love this thing! I found it on Overstock for about $99 and it has been a great addition to this little powerhouse of a room. In the left basket are the boys’ shoes and the right basket houses the grown ups’ flip flops. We had both of those baskets already for when we first moved into this house. The boys know right where to go to drop off their belongings and their shoes {although rarely do they make it all the way into the basket!}

I purchased this mail sorter on a trip to Home Goods with clients/friends a few months back. I was planning on using it in our office, but I waited long enough to not hang it. Turns out a nursery doesn’t really need a mail sorter of sorts! But it was the perfect addition in here.

It was black but I used the same Heirloom White finish for the paint.

We needed a place for mail for me and Jason, and a place for bills and catalogs/magazines.

I did a lot of looking for a new one because I wanted it to be a nice, updated fixture, and I thought I could have a bit of fun with it. However, I did not want to break the bank so I finally decided upon this little number from Lamps Plus…

I’m so glad I didn’t spend any more money on this because I thought you would have been able to see the entire fixture and you can’t see the top at all. It’s a nice, simple fixture with a bit of the dark bronze that is throughout the house.

And to keep it real, a picture of how it usually looks; full of backpacks, a soccer bag and and a swim bag.

{After I’ve picked up everyone’s shoes and cleaned up the bench!}