Hang up your coats!

Yep, it's hang-up #5.

We have a coat closet, but wanted and easy hook option for hanging coats and leashes when we walk in the door. This was a really simple project, you just need a nice piece of wood that's at least as wide as the studs in your wall and some hooks. Attaching the hooks to the wood provides the extra support you'll need to withstand the daily force of grabbing and hanging those heavy winter coats. The standard stud distance in US houses is 16 inches {this is not so in much of Europe ~ did you ever notice how you buy something from Ikea and its screw holes are either too wide or two narrow to hit two studs?} My pop cut and sanded a plank that was 36 inches long, giving us plenty of coverage for screwing into studs that are 32 inches apart.

Before screwing the hooks into the wood, I contemplated painting it, but C was in favor of the natural wood look ~ so I applied a coat of my favorite beeswax polish and called it a day. It gave the wood a nice, finished look, and it should add a bit of protection when we hang up wet coats.

But I have to be honest, after a few days on the wall, half of our coats still end up hanging over the backs of chairs... we're just leaving the hooks open for guests :-) The hooks all came from urban outfitters. The larger, acorn hooks are about seven years old and have hung in four different apartments as I moved through the years. The flowers are new ~ I picked them up on sale last week!