Once upon a time in the not too distant past, a designer closet was only on the list of must-haves for homebuyers of very high-end homes. Today, that’s all changed, according to Megan Hall, owner of California Closets franchise in Las Vegas who recently opened a boutique at Downtown Summerlin and consults on closet design and construction for many homebuilders in the master-planned community of Summerlin® as well as for individual homeowners throughout the area.
“Homebuyers of all income levels are looking for closets that give them easier access to apparel, shoes and accessories, ensuring they see and take full advantage of everything they own,” said Hall. “Not only has custom closet organization become a ‘must-have,’ to keep your wardrobe organized, there are endless decorative options to make it your own,” she said.
According to Hall, mixed media that uses such materials as leather, unique metals and natural wood grains combine to create a closet that is on par with the detail of any other room in the house. “In an elegant contemporary-themed model for Toll Brothers’ Shadow Point neighborhood, we incorporated a blue leather wrapped shelf for colognes, seashells and framed photos above the dresser – all well-lit, of course. The lighting trend also includes statement chandeliers that give closets the look of an upscale retail boutique.”
The closet business is booming as homebuyers today place greater value on organization. Whether homebuyers are looking for functionality, aesthetics or both, closet designers can take relatively small spaces and exponentially enlarge them, turning them into places homebuyers embrace, instead of avoid. Trends include pull-out shelves that hold twice the number of shoes as traditional racks; double or even triple hanging spaces to maximize capacity and corners that accommodate shoe towers or other special hooks for belts and ties.
Drawers that line the walls of the closet are one of the hot new trends that add considerable capacity, and a built-in dresser island doubles as storage solution and staging area for larger closets.
According to Hall, as closets grow in functionality, some homebuyers prefer to keep design aesthetics inside the closet to a minimum, opting for an all-white, no frills look. “However, there is an equal number who prefer a design style that embodies their personality given how often they visit their closet and how central it is to their identity,” said Hall.
“The bottom line: there is a closet for everyone. From simple and clean to more ornate and stylized, closets come in all shapes and sizes for all budgets. Gone are the days when you had one or two choices for your closet. Take advantage of the options and systems out there to make it your own.”
