How we determine the best custom closet layout.

We look at several elements of each client’s home depending on the closet or space we are remodeling. Existing furniture or cabinets in the room provide a starting point in the design process. For example, if we are redesigning a bedroom closet, we would look at the bathroom vanity and bedroom furniture to coordinate the general look of the organization system. If the budget allows, we like to match the colors of existing décor, though gray or white home organization systems are always popular choices.

How much hanging space is needed for shorter items, such as shirts and blouses?
How much space is needed to hang longer items like dresses?
Does the client hang their pants from the cuff, or fold them over a hanger?
How many pairs of shoes does the client own?
How much shelf space is needed to store folded clothes?
Does the client currently use a dresser, and do they want to transition all of their clothing to the closet?

The client may not have all of the answers to these questions, so in many cases, we will actually measure the space and count the items currently occupying it.

Custom Closets

After we determine how the space will be used, we begin to plan the overall layout of the space. One important factor we consider is whether the client is left-handed or right-handed. This small detail plays a large role in the design of closet spaces. Lefties and righties hang their clothes differently, so we place the hanging areas accordingly in order to make it easier to access their clothing.

We also consider seasonal rotation when planning the layout. Some homeowners prefer to keep seasonal items, such as sweaters and turtlenecks, in their wardrobe at all times. Other homeowners use a different closet to store seasonal clothing, moving the in-season items to their main closet when the weather changes. These small preferences make a difference in the overall design of the space.

Finally, we account for budget when designing a custom closet system. The budget will determine everything from the materials used to build shelving to the types of accessories we can install to maximize the utility of the space. Obviously, if a homeowner only wants to spend $3,000 on a custom closet storage system, we don’t want to plan an $8,000 design. We determine the homeowner’s budget during the initial planning stage to make our design process all the more efficient.

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