Closet Cues

Making Better Use of All Your Space

Your lifestyle will dictate your closet's order.

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It used to be closets were simply places to stash things we didn’t want cluttering our bedroom.
Out of sight. Out of mind. Behind closed doors.

Not any longer. You might say closets have come out of the closet.

As the average home has gotten larger, so, too, have closets. Now some homes sport closets large enough to dance the tango in. As people spend as much time designing their closet as they do their living room, closets have emerged as a showpiece in and of themselves with opulent glass doors through which to see your clothes, polished pear wood trim, ceramic and porcelain door knobs, rattan baskets and even chandeliers.

Just check out the window seats, telephones, temperature controls, hydraulic hangers that can be pulled down, roll-out baskets, dresser-drawer hutches, hidden portable laundry hampers and slide-out drawers with glass covers for folded shirts and jewelry trays.

There are wicker baskets, closets with solid woods and veneers. And there are spiral garment hangers, remote-controlled pop-up cabinets, slanted shoe racks, vanity mirrors, library ladders and tie butlers that can store up to 104 ties in a 7-inch space.

“People are building closets with beautiful custom cabinetry which includes dressers, mirrors, hanging space and storage,” says Susan Witman, of Susan Witman Interior Designs. “They have become beautiful and functional dressing areas off the bedroom and bathroom.”

One of the driving forces is the quest for personal order, which has turned closet organization systems into a $3 billion, and growing, business.

“Even a large closet is no good if you don’t know where everything is. People have realized that being organized is better than being unorganized,” says Terry Williams, who turned a custom cabinetry business into Sun Valley Closet Company.

“If you can’t find your favorite sweater, it can be very frustrating," adds Williams. “If you’ve got to pull 10 belts off a hook to get to the one you want, that’s very frustrating as well.

“A well-organized closet gives everything a place to be and, if everything is in its place, you can get in and out quickly and get on with what you need to do.”

Another factor driving the boom is the insistence on making use of every square inch of space in the house.

“With square footage being at a premium, we look at spaces in a different way. We want to make sure the space is as functional as possible. Single rods from which to hang all your clothes are no longer cost-effective,” says Witman.

And with the innovations available today, there’s no reason not to take advantage of every square inch of space. Make use of corners with corner rotating hangers that hold 20 to 30 pieces of clothing and spiral as they rotate. Add a drop ironing board or pressing table, or even a mirror, to a door. >>>