This Junk Closet Became the Most Magical “Secret Hideaway” with the Coolest Color Scheme

You know those storage spots in your home that don’t have a clear purpose so instead they just gather clutter? At Morgan’s (@olivebranchcottage) home outside of Nashville, there was a “catchall storage closet that collected junk” right off of her 2-year-old’s bedroom. And so, she decided to reimagine it for Fitz. “I wanted it to be a secret hideaway for my son where he could have fun playing and display his cars,” Morgan explains. “Added bonus: I got organized in the process!”

Circus tent stripes — a major design trend for 2026 — were the inspiration for the nook’s redesign. Initially, Morgan fell in love with a wallpaper that featured vertical stripes. However, it was over budget, and the textured walls would’ve made installation tricky. So, she opted for leftover paint (Sherwin-Williams’ “Blustery Sky”) and a whole lot of painter’s tape to get the job done.

After removing the closet doors and a shelf, Morgan painted the baseboards a bright red shade and painted the walls white as a base. “I used a laser level and painter’s tape to make the stripes, then painted over the tape with my blue paint,” she says. “Then, it was time to thrift! The storage shelves and art in the closet were all Goodwill finds. I bought a rug for a soft place to sit and play, as well as cloud lights from IKEA to add a little whimsy.” 

Fitz got in on the project, too, helping Morgan remove the tape to reveal the stripes. (“He thought it was so fun and laughed at the sound the tape made,” she says.) One of Fitz’s favorite activities is playing with his toy cars, so Morgan installed a shelf to display them. All of those cars add even more pops of color to the room.

In addition to playing with his toy cars, Morgan often hears Fitz “reading” to his stuffed animals in the nook. “During the design process, I was loving the bright colors and the warm glow from the lights,” Morgan shares. “But now my favorite thing hands-down is how Fitz says, ‘I play in my room now,’ and shuts the curtains to hide away. I could sit for hours and listen to him laughing and using his imagination in his play closet!”