DriversRecommendedOutdated drivers can make a good PC feel brokenScan driver issues before chasing fixes manually.Scan NowBlack Friday PreviewAmazon USBlack Friday preview: compare before the rush hitsAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run Scan×
ThatPainter
Blog

A Nearly Finished Closet Island—and Four Very Personal Birthday Bags

The closet island was nearly ready for paint, with drawer fronts and doors still to finish and install. The update also features four colorful birthday handbags.

By ThatPainter Team Published
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More

The closet island was almost ready for primer and paint, but its drawer fronts and cabinet doors still needed finishing and installation. In her June 2025 closet island progress update, Kristi Linauer also shared four birthday handbags—two she bought herself and two from Matt. The two threads meet in a practical way: finishing the island and clearing the construction dust came before moving clothes, handbags, and shoes into the walk-in closet.

How close was the closet island to being finished?

It was one major finishing stage away from painting, not yet complete. Linauer had positioned the drawer fronts to check how they looked, but had not attached them. The cabinet doors and drawer fronts still had to be made and installed, and the exposed edges needed veneer banding, trimming, and sanding before the island could move on to primer and paint.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

That distinction matters when reading a progress photo: a front set in place can show the intended design without being ready for everyday use. The remaining work was not simply a coat of color. It included completing and attaching the visible faces, then dealing with the edges so the plywood and applied trim would read as a finished surface.

What changed in the drawer-front design?

Instead of framing each drawer front and cabinet door as an individual piece, Linauer changed course and planned to trim each drawer section as one cohesive unit. This gives the section a unified visual treatment rather than making every front look separately framed. She cut 1/2-inch plywood for each drawer front and attached 1/4-inch-by-1.5-inch strips along the sides.

Popular on Amazon
Soucolor Acrylic Paint Brushes Set, 20 Pcs Pointed Tip Artist Paintbrushes | Soft No-Shed Bristles Art Supplies for Acrylic Oil Watercolor, Canvas Rock, Nail, Face Painting, Miniature, Model, DIY Crafts
  • Great Value Paint Brush Set: Soucolor 20 acrylic paint brushes come in 10 different sizes, making them ideal for fine detailing, model painting, rock painting, nail art, face painting, DIY crafts, and general art projects. The varied brush sizes give you better control for both delicate lines and broader color coverage, while the soft bristles deliver smooth, consistent results on acrylic, oil, watercolor, canvas, wood, ceramic, and more.
  • Awesome Set of Paint brushes: Professional paint brushes can cover all of your needs. The multi-purposed brushes are ideal for Watercolor, Oil, Gouache, enamel, Acrylic Painting, Body, Nail, Face Painting, Miniature, Model, Wood, Glass, Cup, Ceramic, Fine work, Art class, Craft Art Painting, DIY Art Crafts etc.
  • Soft and long-lasting: The bristles are soft and strong, with nickel metal ferrules and blue wooden handles. After cleaning, the bristles will become soft and fluffy again and will not fall off.
  • Easy to clean: it’s very convenient to Wash well in soap and water. Retain shape after drying. the brushes hold up very well. Nice selection to beginners and professionals. Keep them clean and they last a long time.
  • Perfect for All Painters & Occasions: Suitable for art beginners, hobbyists and professional artists. Great for art class, home creation, travel painting and DIY handmade projects. A practical art gift for students, teachers, family and craft lovers.

The practical appeal of the revised approach is visual continuity: the strips help make each drawer section read as a whole. The trade-off is that the edges still need careful finishing, and the cohesive treatment depends on the fronts and trim being aligned as a group. The post describes the construction choice but does not give measurements for the drawer boxes or a complete cutting plan, so those dimensions would need to be determined for the cabinet being built.

How do you make drawer fronts with iron-on veneer edge banding?

The sequence in this project is to fit the fronts, add the trim, finish exposed edges, and only then attach the finished fronts. Linauer identified iron-on veneer edge banding as the way she planned to conceal the exposed plywood and trim edges. She also noted that the banding was the most time-consuming part, because it had to be applied, trimmed, and sanded.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
  1. Build or position the drawer boxes. The fronts need to correspond to the drawer sections they will cover.
  2. Cut the plywood fronts. Linauer used 1/2-inch plywood for each drawer front.
  3. Add the side strips. Her planned trim was 1/4-inch-by-1.5-inch strips, arranged so each drawer section read as one unit.
  4. Apply iron-on veneer edge banding to exposed edges. The purpose is to cover the visible plywood and trim edges.
  5. Trim and sand the banding. This is the labor-intensive finishing stage in the update; the goal is to remove excess banding and smooth the edges.
  6. Attach the fronts and doors, then prime and paint. In the post, the fronts were only set in place, so attachment was still ahead.

That order keeps the distinction between fitting and fastening clear. Linauer had already set the fronts in position, but planned to attach them only after finishing the edge banding. If the edges are left raw or the banding is not trimmed and sanded, the plywood-and-trim construction remains visible instead of presenting a clean surface for primer and paint.

Also popular on Amazon
Sale
Pro Grade Paint Brushes, Paint Brush Set for Walls, Trim & Stain, 5-Piece | Interior & exterior | Cabinets, doors, furniture, decks | For latex & oil-based | Synthetic bristles, Softwood handles
  • COMPLETE 5-PIECE BRUSH SET FOR EVERY PAINTING TASK — Includes 1 Inch Flat, 1.5 Inch Angle, 2 Inch Flat, 2 Inch Angle Stubby, and 2.5 Inch Angle brush giving you every size professional painters use daily. Get all 5 for less than the price of a single brush from hardware store brands — professional grade performance at a fraction of the cost. Perfect for walls, trim, cabinets, doors, furniture, and detailed cutting-in work on any project.
  • ZERO BRISTLE LOSS — GUARANTEED BY PRECISION ADHESIVE BONDING — Every bristle is locked in place with precision-set adhesive that keeps them in the brush — not in your paint job. The coated steel ferrule provides structural support while the adhesive bond ensures clean performance on every stroke. Premium SRT synthetic filaments load more paint and release it evenly for a smooth streak-free finish on walls, ceilings, and trim. Works with latex, oil-based paint, primer, sealer, and wood stain.
  • INCLUDES THE ANGLE STUBBY MOST SETS LEAVE OUT — Professional painters know the 2 Inch Angle Stubby is the go-to brush for tight cabinet interiors, window sashes, inside corners, and detailed trim where standard angle brushes are too long. Combined with the 1.5 and 2.5 inch angle sash brushes you have precision cutting-in covered at every scale — baseboards, crown molding, door casings, and ceiling lines.
  • FLAT BRUSHES FOR BROAD SMOOTH COVERAGE ON ANY SURFACE — The 1 and 2 inch flat brushes deliver even coverage on walls, furniture, shelving, doors, fences, decks, and wood surfaces. Ideal for applying primers, stains, varnishes, polyurethane, and specialty coatings. Solid wood handles provide all-day comfort and control for both professional contractors and weekend DIY homeowners tackling interior or exterior painting projects.
  • TRUSTED BY PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS AND CONTRACTORS NATIONWIDE — Pro Grade delivers professional-grade results at a price that makes sense for crews who go through brushes on every job. Ideal for property managers, remodeling contractors, apartment turnover crews, maintenance teams, and commercial painting operations. Backed by thousands of verified reviews from working painters. Washable and reusable for multiple projects.

Why did edge finishing take so much time?

Edge banding is a small detail applied around edges, but it touches many of the surfaces that make a cabinet front look finished. It has to be fitted to the exposed edge, trimmed back, and sanded; repeating that work across multiple fronts and doors can take longer than the quick visual change suggests. Linauer specifically called it the most time-consuming part of this process, followed by trimming and sanding.

For a painted project, this stage is also a transition between construction and finish work. The faces may look close to complete while the edges still need attention. Moving directly from temporarily positioned fronts to paint would skip the attachment and edge-preparation work that the update says remained.

What had to happen before the closet could be organized?

After finishing the island, Linauer planned to complete sanding and clean away construction dust before moving her belongings into the walk-in closet. That order makes the cleanup part of the project rather than an afterthought: sanding creates dust, and the closet was not yet ready to receive clothes, handbags, and shoes while construction cleanup remained.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Also popular on Amazon
AROIC 10 Pcs Paint Brushes, Acrylic Oil Watercolor Painting Brush Set | Nylon Hair Brushes Artist Professional Drawing Kits for Adult, Kids Face Canvas Rock Painting Arts Crafts Supplies(1 Pack)
  • 【All sizes of art brushes】: The 10 sizes of multi-functional brushes have various shapes, making the mixing color easier, which is very suitable for artists, students, teenagers, children and painters at all levels. Wonderful Present ideas for friends and family who like painting!
  • 【general brush set】: Professional paint brush can meet all your needs. Multifunctional brush is very suitable for watercolor, oil, gouache, acrylic painting, body, nail, face painting, miniature, model, ceramics, arts and crafts painting, etc.
  • 【high quality process】: It is designed with anti falling bristles, anti-rust nickel ferrule and solid wood handle. You can use the brush to focus on the painting and always be creative.
  • 【easy to maintain】: After using the brush, it is very convenient to clean the brush with warm soapy water and reshape the tip of the brush. Air dry the brush and place it on top of the top for long use.
  • 【100% satisfaction guarantee - buy now】1 packs of set brushes, you can also get friendly customer service, any questions feel free to contact us, within 24 hours to help you! There is no risk in buying our paint brush kit.

The update does not describe a detailed closet-storage plan or specific organizers. Its endpoint is the practical milestone of making the space ready to use: complete the remaining finish work, clean up, and then move the wardrobe into place. In Linauer’s words, “If there’s one place where you should be able to express your personality, it’s your wardrobe!”

What were the birthday handbags?

The post’s personal side story was a four-bag birthday haul: Linauer bought herself two handbags, and Matt bought her two more. The styles shown included two Betsey Johnson bags, a Kate Spade taxi handbag, and a colorful Coach handbag that arrived late. One of the Betsey Johnson bags was a “flowery, sparkly snail handbag.”

These are personality-led choices rather than a product comparison. The update gives the designers and the standout styles, but not prices, dimensions, durability information, or a recommendation about which bag suits a particular use. Its point is the contrast between a nearly completed, carefully finished closet island and the expressive accessories that would eventually go into the closet.

Also popular on Amazon
10Pcs Paint Brushes for Kids, Anezus Kids Paint Brushes Toddler Large Chubby Brushes Round and Flat Preschool Painting Brushes for Washable Paint Acrylic Paint
  • 【KIDS PAINT BRUSHES SET】Anezus paint brushes for kids come with 10 pcs paint brushes of 5pcs round paintbrushes and 5 flat paint brushes with colorful handles, good for the young artist to explore their creativity in painting and crafting
  • 【HIGH QUALITY PAINT BRUSHES FOR KIDS】These toddler paint brushes made of soft hog bristle, bright colored handles and rust proof ferrules. The bristles are firmly fixed in the kids paint brushes and no shedding. Each children paint brush measure 6 1/4 inches (16cm) in length and ferrules 1/2"(1.3cm) diameter, large enough for the little hand to grip and control
  • 【WIDE APPLICATIONS】With combination of round and flat craft paint brushes for kids, work great with washable paint, tempera paint and acrylic paint. Great for arts and craft, rock, leather, gesso and ceramic, or body, nail and face art painting.
  • 【EASY TO CLEAN 】After using paint brushes for acrylic, oil or watercolor painting, it’s very convenient to clean them with warm soapy water and reshape the paint brush tips. Keep these craft paint brushes clean and they last a long time.
  • 【GREAT GIFT IDEA】Perfect for students, teens, kids, children and painters of all levels. Wonderful gift idea for girls, boys and kids who love painting! These all-purpose paint brushes for kids are ideal for kids' school projects, birthday parties, painting parties, art parties, back to school supplies, classroom decoration and more.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What does this update reveal about the project?

The island’s final stage was a sequence of small tasks with a visible payoff: finish the fronts, conceal and smooth their exposed edges, attach the pieces, then prepare the cabinetry for paint. The shift to trimming each drawer section as a whole unit shaped the look, while edge banding remained the slowest part of getting that look ready for paint.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The handbags add a second kind of finishing touch. Once the sanding and dust cleanup were done, the closet could become a usable home for clothes, shoes, and bags—not just a construction project. The full progress and birthday update is available at Addicted 2 Decorating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why cover the edges of a plywood drawer front?

The plywood edge and the added trim can remain visible after the front is assembled. In this project, veneer edge banding was intended to conceal those exposed edges so the face could be finished as a cohesive surface.

Also popular on Amazon
162 Pcs Paint Brushes Bulk, Round Flat Tip Acrylic Paint Brushes Set for Kids Classroom Crafts Oil Watercolor Canvases Face Painting Touch Up
  • 【162-Piece Bulk Set | Dual Brush System】Maximize versatility with 81 flat brushes (0.59 inch edge for bold strokes) and 81 round brushes (0.39 inch tips for details) – 3X more tools than standard kits! Pre-sorted in labeled compartments for instant access during painting sessions. Ideal for art classrooms, mural projects, and multi-artist households.
  • 【Pro-Grade Durability | Zero Shedding Guarantee】 "Engineered with triple-crimped nylon bristles (43% higher resilience vs. standard) and aerospace aluminum ferrules tested for 10,000+ flex cycles. Lab-verified 0.01% shedding rate even with heavy impasto techniques – outperforms flimsy bristles in budget brushes."
  • 【Multi-Scenario Readiness | Event & Daily Use】 Optimized for: Thanksgiving/Christmas face designs classroom projects ceramic decorating fabric printing and model painting; Lightweight plastic handles each reduce hand fatigue during prolonged sessions
  • 【Effortless Maintenance | Long-Term Durability】 Clean with warm soapy water in 10 seconds; Reshape tips and air-dry vertically to preserve bristle integrity,After use, air-dry brushes thoroughly and store upright in the provided case to preserve bristle shape. The premium nylon filaments naturally regain their original form after each stroke. For cleaning, simply rinse in warm soapy water and gently reshape bristles with fingertips."
  • 【Multiple Application】These acrylic paint brushes can be applied for most occasions,such as:watercolor,oil, gouache paint,face paint, acrylic paint, suitable for Thanks Giving Day, Christimas, Halloween face and body painting, canvas painting, fabric, rock, miniature, model, ceramics, arts and crafts painting, etc.

Were the drawer fronts already attached in the progress update?

No. They were set in place to show their position, but still needed edge finishing and attachment. The island therefore looked close to its final form while remaining unfinished.

What was the standout novelty bag in the birthday haul?

One Betsey Johnson handbag was described as a “flowery, sparkly snail handbag.” The post also showed a Kate Spade taxi bag and a colorful Coach bag.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

When were clothes and shoes going into the closet?

Linauer planned to move them in after she finished sanding and cleaned up construction dust. The update presents that cleanup as the last preparation before the closet was put into use.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply. Prices as of November 14, 2026 10:04 pm GMT+0530.
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.