-
Custom Closet Design: The Smarter Storage SolutionEverything you
need to know before starting your project
Contents Get Help: Four Types of People Who Can Make Your Closet
Dreams Come True Get it Right: Avoid the Seven Deadly Sins of
Walk-In Closet Design Get the Scoop: Seven Secrets No One Shares
About Custom Closet Systems Get Inspired : Easy-to-Miss Design
Details in Custom Closets
Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
-
Get Help
Four Types of People Who Can Make Your Closet Dreams Come TrueSo
you’re sick and tired of the mess that is your walk in closet.
Whether you’re looking for clothes for work – or worse yet – that
formal event where you’re trying valiantly to find those seldom
used jewelry and accessories, getting ready to go in a disorganized
closet can be a pain.
The challenge is who do you call to rid yourself of this closet
disaster. Who will not only “feel your pain” but is qualified to
evaluate your storage needs and make recommendations to make your
space work (and not make any “deadly” design mistakes you can’t fix
later)? Since you can’t call “Ghost Busters” here’s 4 types of
people who might be able to help:
1 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
-
The local “handyman”You could stop at your neighbor’s house who
is using a local handyman (who hopefully hasn’t turned into “Eldon
the Painter” from Murphy Brown fame). Maybe he can do the job…..
but what does he really know about closets?
Put the project on your spouses “honey do list”OK – the list is
a mile long already…but maybe they’ll get to this one pretty
soon….but what kind of product will they buy? Will the local home
center have options which work effectively and efficiently in your
space? Will there be a human being at the store that has any
concept about closets to help pick out the right things?
A finish carpenterThere are finish carpenters who do beautiful
woodwork. The challenge might be can you afford them? Are they
really experts on how to design and plan a closet? Would a wood
closet system be the best way to go?
A closet designer They have the specific expertise in closet
design – but will they have a system(s) to fit your budget?
2 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
1
2
3
4While you can call any of the 4 types above will they know how
to design the space to not make mistakes (or deadly sins) which you
can’t work around (or if you have to they will cost you money you
shouldn’t have to spend if the design was correct in the first
place)? The most likely type to get it right would be the closet
designer since they focus on this product specifically.
Knowing the 7 deadly sins can help you save money, improve
functionality and increase enjoyment of using your closet. Let’s
take a look at these 7 deadly sins.
-
Get it Right
How to Avoid the 7 Deadly Sins of Walk-In Closet Design
So you’re sick and tired of the mess that is your walk in
closet. Whether you’re looking for clothes for work – or worse yet
– that formal event where you’re trying valiantly to find those
seldom used jewelry and accessories, getting ready to go in a
disorganized closet can be a pain.
The challenge is who do you call to rid yourself of this closet
disaster. Who will not only “feel your pain” but is qualified to
evaluate your storage needs and make recommendations to make your
space work (and not make any “deadly” design mistakes you can’t fix
later)? Since you can’t call “Ghost Busters” here’s 4 types of
people who might be able to help:
3 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
-
I can’t open these closet drawers fullyAdding pull out drawers
and baskets to a custom closet design will dress up the space (and
provide cool ways to compartmentalize your jewelry, socks, watches
and clothing). Custom closets are the luxury features owners in
Dublin, Worthington, Upper Arlington or any nice neighborhood in
Columbus would love to have. With that being said if you put
drawers in the wrong place it can be disastrous. According to
custom closet designer Denise Butchko (a design expert with Butchko
and Company in Chicago IL) it’s best to place your drawer’s front
and center in the design. Center them on the door opening and
design other hanging spaces or shelves around them. Whatever you
do, don’t put them behind the closet door so the drawers and door
bang into one another.
Not “accounting” for shoe locationIn many existing closets there
is a rod along the top with a shelf above and shoes laying on the
floor in a disorganized mess. Why do your shoes need to be buried
on the “down low” – other than you don’t have a good system today
to get them off the ground? Moving shoes up is ergonomically better
and then you can visually see them. So don’t commit the deadly sins
of burying your shoes. Consider using closet accessories like a
shoe shelf or shoe cubby to keep everything available and
visible.
Here’s a bonus design tip accounting people might like. In
accounting you talk about FIFO (first goods in, first good out).
With shoe location use the same “accounting principle.” Place the
shoe storage as the first area inside your closet – since you put
on and take off your shoes as you enter your walk in closet (first
shoes in, first shoes off).
Failure to “space out” your dimensions You’re not designing a
hotel closet which is there for the use of many random people and
is seldom used. Your closet is all about you (and your significant
other) and the multitude of stuff you have. Think through how many
shirts and blouses you want to hang. How many sweaters do you need
to fit on these shelves? Allow about 1” for the shirts/blouses and
10 – 14” wide for the folded sweaters (depending on size). Taking
the time to inventory what you need to store can guide the decision
making process of how wide dimensionally you need to space apart
the vertical sections of your closet to effectively utilize
space.
The “standard” closet system is in the middle of the air vent or
access panelSo your husband went out and bought one of those
low-priced standardized closets from your local big box store (so
far, so good). He started installing and figured out the supports
go right through the middle of your access panel for your plumbing
in the adjoining room. What do you do now? Effective closet design
starts with a thoughtful game plan (and possibly different sized
sections between shelves and the vertical panel supports). Don’t
commit this closet design sin. Know where the obstructions are
before you buy a system, or get a closet designer who will design
around these hidden landmines.
4 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
1
2
3
4
-
5 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
Cutting corners in closet structure and designIn design and in
structure cutting corners (while cheaper for the contractor or
homeowner in the short run) can cost you the ability to have
useable space or result in a system which wants to pull away from
the wall. From a structure standpoint make sure if you use a wall
hung system it is properly tied into the studs with the right
anchors. For floor mounted cabinetry use cleats to tie in the
vertical shelf support to the walls. From a design perspective if
you have a “U shaped” design with shelving around the corners make
sure they are 24” to 30” deep – otherwise it will be difficult to
use this space for hanging or folded clothes in the corner.
Don’t plan as if you’re Gumby and can reach anywhereIf you’re
old enough do you remember the green rubbery toy (which had its own
show in the late 1950’s and 1960’s) which could stretch and reach
anywhere? Well – while I wish I had the flexibility of Gumby (maybe
I could get closer to this if I just attended those Yoga classes my
wife has been trying to get me to go to), I don’t have a
stretchable arm that can reach anywhere (and my guess you don’t
either). Given this fact we need to design closets to be thoughtful
about reaching the top shelf or top rod and storing the right items
up there. For the top shelf it’s usually best to keep lighter
things you don’t need to access often. If you’re vertically
challenged (or need the assistance of a wheelchair) consider adding
a pull down rod to bring clothes on upper rods down to meet
you.
Trying to fit 5 lbs. of S*** into a 10 lb. bag. The overdone
closet designWhen I was growing up my Dad used to say don’t try to
fit 10 lbs. of S*** (fill in the expletive here) into a 5 lb. bag.
Basically it’s possible to become so enamored with all the fun
“bells and whistles” of a new closet design (adding doors, drawers,
valet rods, jewelry boxes…the list can go on and on) you overdesign
the space. A clean, organized and effective life is often
simplicity in design (think about the IPhone and how easy it is to
learn this unit “on the fly” is an example of design
simplicity).
To ensure a cleaner, minimalist design first take an inventory
of all the items you have in your closet and determine what you’re
not really using and can give away. If you’re in Columbus Dress for
Success is a great organization that helps women who need clothing
for work you could donate your seldom used things to. Pare down
first, then think what storage components you need to keep things
nice and tidy for your new custom closet design (note a
Professional Organizer can also help you with this). After you’ve
streamlined the closet (and thought of items you might like to add
to the closet like jewelry or home office storage that’s in other
rooms) then you’re ready to do your design (and not overdesign)
your space.
5
6
7
While these 7 deadly sins of closet design might be scary, it’s
nice knowing you haven’t started your project yet.
-
6 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
Get the Scoop
7 Secrets No One Shares About Custom Closet Design
All closet systems are basically the same,” the confident woman
said to me. “They are just a bunch of white shelves stacked on top
of one another.”
As a designer and owner of a custom closet business in Columbus
and Cleveland Ohio hearing this was like nails on a chalkboard for
me. When I stopped to think about it – I can see how at first
glance, closets can look pretty generic. Many are white, have a
bunch of shelves, some closet rods and a maybe a few drawers and
drawer fronts thrown in. But are all custom closet systems really
the same? Do closet designers, organizers and contractors offer
generic products and services?
Let’s take a peak at 7 little known secrets about premium closet
systems and perform a “political fact checker” (since we’re in
election season) to get to the bottom of this “seemingly” generic
product.
-
You get more room with a laminate closet than a wood closetWhen
you look closely at the ¾” thick supports between closet sections
in a laminate closet you’ll only see one support board. If you look
at a wood closet you’ll see 2 boards are needed between sections.
With each section you’re gaining ¾” of space with a laminate system
(and you don’t have to worry about warping or bugs which can be a
problem with wood).
Interactive 3D design programs helps you see the spaceDo two
dimensional floor plans confuse you? Is it hard to visualize how
much space you’ll really have? When someone does a two dimensional
penciled sketch of a closet it’s hard for to know what your closet
will really look like. This fact doesn’t change whether you live in
Upper Arlington, Westerville, Powell Ohio or Phoenix Arizona!
If you’re like me you don’t “see” in 2D – you see in 3D. What’s
cool is there are now 3D modeling and closet design tools. You can
add or subtract shelving, drawers or rods together with the closet
designer right in your home. In addition, you can actually add
“clothes” to the sections to see how far a double hanging section
will overlap the drawers below. Being able to do “real-time”
modeling is not only cool, it’s practical to ensure you get the
custom design which fits your needs.
Check out the “inside” of the drawers to see what they’re really
made ofDrawers are an excellent compliment for a premium closet
design. Did you know you can actually store 3x more clothing in a
drawer than hanging them up? This is a key stat if your closet –
like most people’s – is too tight already. But just like people,
drawers can look good on the outside – but once you open and close
them a few times their “façade” may not live up their performance
(do you have any particle board “furniture” gathering dust in your
basement for this reason?).
Since you’re opening and closing drawers CONSTANTLY you’ll want
to make sure they are equipped to stand up to the rigors of your
husband and kids (and if your kids are like mine – TLC and
furniture don’t go hand in hand!).
How can you make your drawers stand up to the abuse? One sound
way is to use dovetail style drawer boxes. A dovetail drawer uses a
locking joint designed with a wedge shaped channel cut into the
wood which interlocks one piece of the drawer to another. This
shape is more resistant to force vs. a lesser cost drawer which is
screwed, stapled or mitered together.
How deep is your love ... er, I mean your shelvesOne way some
cheaper closets system companies cut corners is by giving you less
product (but not in an obvious way). Insist on 14” deep shelving
for your closet (vs. the shallower 12” which some companies use).
14” shelving provides more depth for your sweaters, pants or larger
men’s shoes so they won’t hang over the edge.
7 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
1
2
3
4
-
5
6
7
Not all closet systems are white ... and it’s easy to price
colors and wood grain textureImagine your excited to buy a new car
and you drive into the dealership and every car on the lot is
white. The cheesy salesperson tells you that’s why their cars are
so cheap is because they only make them in white! You buy the car
(because it’s cheaper) and then park in the airport parking lot
where every other car is white (wow – you might be there forever
finding your car!).
Just like not all cars are white, not all closet systems are
white either – and not just in the super-fancy closets owned by
“stars” like Khloe Kardashian either. You can choose to match your
closet to the color of your custom woodwork or to the furniture in
an adjacent bedroom or bathroom. This will create not only a
functional closet – but one which shows off your clothes, suits and
shoes. Adding color and wood grain textures generally only adds 5
to 10% to the cost of the project.
What’s nice is the 3D design software can price the closet in
white and then instantly re-price this same closet with any of a
multitude of colors or wood-grain textured finishes! Don’t settle
for white – unless you really want to keep costs as low as
possible.
Your “vertical challenge” does not have to be a disadvantageDo
you ever wish you were taller and didn’t have to get your husband
or your grown son to reach things off the top shelf (I’m sure my
wife Rose can relate to this – although she is determined enough to
get most anything without assistance!). With a custom closet there
are fun and functional ways to “expand your reach” (as they might
say in marketing) and enjoy the full use of your closet (even the
areas at the top). Here’s 3 ideas to make this happen:
IDEA 1 In a shallow 24” deep reach in closet one trick is to put
a narrower shelf on the top (12” deep vs. the 14” for the rest of
the shelving) for storage of lighter items like pillows, blankets
and sleeping bags. This shallower top shelf makes it simple to
hoist these items above your head and get them to the top
shelf.
IDEA 2 Add a pull down rod to bring clothes on the top shelf to
you in a double-hung design.
IDEA 3 This one is way cool. If you have a taller ceiling and a
larger budget. Put in a rolling or hook style ladder. Ladders can
help you add shelving at the top of a custom design to use the
volume at the top. This can be an effective (and cool idea) for
vaulted ceilings in suburban luxury homes in Powell or Westerville
Ohio or loft style industrial apartments like those in Victorian
Village, German Village or Italian Village in Columbus.
You don’t want to “cut corners” you want to “use corners”Whether
it’s a kitchen or a closet design corners can be a pain. How do you
get the most out of these spaces? One fun and functional idea is to
use angled corner shelves. These shelves will provide you with a
lot of depth for your favorite sweaters, bulky pillows or blankets
and they provide a stylish
Just like with people you’ve got to look past a closets “façade”
and dig deeper to educate yourself to get the best custom closet
value for your money!
8 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
-
Get Inspired
Easy-to-Miss Design Details in Custom Closet Systems
The most amazing thing about well-designed custom closet systems
is many features are not obvious at all. Just like in any effective
design the system just works. It’s simple for you to enjoy with
minimal effort. Many of the celebrity and uber-wealthy custom
closet systems you see on Pinterest and Instagram are wonderful to
look at – but what really matters on a day to day basis is, Does
your closet work for you? Is it a pain to find your shoes in the
morning? Are your clothes jammed together on a closet rod and are
practically begging you (if they could talk) for more space? Is
your closet system as inflexible as your husband asking for
directions when your lost and the GPS doesn’t recognize the street
address?
Simplicity makes design beautiful. I definitely related to this
statement a couple of years ago. I needed to create a conference
call on my IPhone (and had never done it before). I was able to
figure out how to do it “on the fly!” This “UX” (user experience)
made me realize how slick Apple’s IPhone design is. To this day, I
still have no idea
9 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
-
10 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
It’s designed specifically for you!There is no such thing as a
one-size-fits-all perfectly designed closet. All that matters is a
closet design which works for you and your husband, significant
other etc. How can you get this perfectly designed closet to fit
your needs? In short, this path—like all paths of personal
discovery—begins with questions. A closet design professional can
lead you through the process about your space and ask questions you
may not have considered? Some of these questions can include:
What items are you not storing in your closet today you’d like
to include? What’s frustrating you about your closet? How might
your storage needs change in the next few years? Would you like
your closets to match your trim or furniture style in an adjoining
room?
It offers hidden ergonomic benefitsIs the top shelf of your
reach in closet impossible to use because it’s too deep to stick
anything up there? Do you struggle bending down to find your shoes
off the bottom of the closet floor because they’re buried under
layers of clothing?
The reality is original closets in your home are not “designed”
in the first place. This important space you use every day isn’t
thought of as a room at all by home builders. It’s basically the
“Rodney Dangerfield” space of your home—it gets no respect
(thought) and they put as little money into it as possible. What
most builders do is put the cheapest wire closets or fiberboard
shelf and pole system they can get away with. The problem is these
cheap systems not only don’t fit all your clothes – but they aren’t
designed around you, your height or mobility.
Custom closet designs have changed all this. You no longer need
your shoes buried on the floor. Better design elevates your shoes
where you can see them and pair them with your work or casual
outfit without having to invest time finding (and bending over) to
get them.
Another ergonomic problem (especially to those who are
“vertically challenged”) is reaching the top shelf of your closet
(whether it’s a reach in or walk in closet). Since most reach in
closets don’t have a lot of depth (24” is standard) using the top
shelf can be tough. To make this simpler you can now use a product
called a “reach vertical” where the top shelf isn’t as deep as the
lower shelves. This way you can use every inch of your space.
Another idea is to have your clothes “come to you.” This can be
accomplished with either a manual pull down closet rod or even a
motorized assembly (I saw this cool feature at this year’s Kitchen
and Bath Industry Show).
1
2
on how to do a conference call from my office phone (which of
course I barely use because almost all my calls happen through my
IPhone anyway). It’s kind of starting to feel like Apple has made
me dependent on them (bummer – ha! ha!). Getting back to custom
closet design. While having a design, which looks fantastic is nice
– it’s useless if the custom closet doesn’t work well for your
ability to store (and find) dresses, shoes, blouses, handbags,
jewelry and even underwear quickly so you can get to work (or a
special Columbus Opera event) on time. If you want to get your
design right the first time pay attention to these 5 non-obvious
custom closet design facts.
-
11 Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290
5
4
It’s more than “incrementally” better than what you haveClosets
should be able to change with you or your family’s needs. If you
have a young daughter (newborn to 6 years old), you can get more
effective use of space by using a triple hanging sections (because
her clothes are shorter). When she gets older this triple hang
strategy doesn’t work because now her clothes will be too long.
With pre-manufactured custom closets, you’ll have increment holes
on the side so you can adjust your shelves and rods and go from 3
sections of hanging space to 2 sections of hanging space by simply
moving the adjustable shelving and rods down.
What’s cool is you don’t need a service call from a custom
closet company to do this either. Does your current closet have any
ability for you to adjust it to your needs?
Most aren’t made of real wood – and that’s a good thing!Real
wood is appealing. The graining, texture and ability to repaint can
be draws. The challenge with real wood is there are few custom
closet systems which are cost effectively designed for this
purpose. If you want a real wood closet, you’ll either hire a
carpenter (who is not knowledgeable about closet design) or you’ll
have to buy a more expensive system with wood veneer and/or wood
door and drawer fronts.
What’s nice today is you can create this real wood look without
the concern over high costs. Laminate closet designs give you the
look of real wood at a fraction of the price. They provide more
strength, can hold more clothes and are adjustable (see fact #3
above). Laminate systems today are widely used and better on your
pocketbook.
Custom closets can be designed for the “minimalist” or the
“maximalist” (not sure that’s a word!)Design styles are as varied
as our personalities. Some people are looking for clean, minimalist
and lower cost. Others want fancy trim, expressive design features
and creating a wow experience by entering their closet. With custom
closet design systems, you can have your cake – and eat it too – no
matter what type of “cake” you like.
For the minimalist, you’ll want to look into contemporary wall
hung closets with clean lines. You can keep it functional – but
also craft your own sense of design style.
For the “maximalist” you can build out your closet with
decorative fluting, base and crown molding which can make even the
most experience of trim carpenters envious. Add in features like
fancy jewelry trays or pull out mirrors for the ultimate luxe
space.
While excellent design (whether it’s a closet or an IPhone) is
something we all know when we experience it, it may not be obvious
with a casual glance. What you will love is how an effective custom
closet design will make your life easier and less stressful (you’ll
be able to find your clothes and shoes). If your Columbus or
Cleveland closet is a struggle today give us a call or request a
Free 3D closet design to take the hassle out of your space.
3
-
Innovate Home Org 614 545 6888 or 216 658 1290