vestibule shoe closet

Have you always wanted a shoe closet?
We did this little project a few months ago, and I finally painted it last weekend.
I wish it was a walk-in, but it's walk-up. It is super spacious though- a whole 22 by 11 inches (technically, it is 11 inches on one side and 10 inches on the other). This made it extra fun for hubby and my brother-in-law
when they were making the shelves.

You see, the old house has a vestibule.
Sounds fancy, but it just means we have a passage between our front door and interior of the house.
I tried to make vestibule a common word in our house, but the kids just laughed at me when I said it.
"Go hang up your coat in the vestibule. Wait for me in the vestibule. Your shoes don't belong on the floor of the vestibule." So now we call it the entryway.

I would say most of the old houses I have been in here have vestibules. Most have a closet and
beautiful, period doors that close off the entryway. When we looked at the old house we saw evidence of vestibule doors, and with further investigation, we found them in the basement! They are amazing!

This is one of the reasons why I love old houses.

When houses were built in the 20's, the vestibule had a purpose. It created a layer of insulation, which helped with heating efficiency (ha!). It provided a place for coats, hats, umbrellas, wet shoes and offered privacy.
New houses do not offer these charming, functional spaces. Perhaps they have become too efficient. For us, we have enjoyed making the life of a "modern" family fit into the style and quirks of the old house.

   

The vestibule closet is the perfect space for our shoes. We love it.

* * * * *
Are you wondering if we will restore the doors? Re-tile the floor? Paint the walls? Restore the vintage, push-button switches? Yes, yes, yes and yes. We committed to the master bedroom project next,
but I think we can handle the vestibule makeover, too.