Not too long ago I was in a stunning Colonial home in northern Westchester. I was there to interview the homeowner for a local magazine. Practically the moment I walked through the front door, I confessed what a huge fan I was of her home’s architectural era. She graciously offered a tour around the house. Additions had been made to the original structure over time, including a new wing recently built by the current homeowner. I anticipated the killer kitchen and the luxury baths, but it was the new clothes closet that really took my breath away. It was the size of a bedroom and opulently filled with fine wood cabinetry, Berber carpet, and a stunning chandelier.
In addition to scads of shelving, there was a richly upholstered bench and two cozy chairs to take a rest, and an entire wall was given over to a collection of designer shoes and handbags displayed behind glass. Shirts, dresses, coats and jackets hung from polished wood rails. There was a full length mirror. In one corner, there was a bar.
Ha, ha, my hostess said. I do love entertaining my closest friends here. It’s like a secret club.
Where are your husband’s clothes, I asked.
Oh, she replied. He has his own closet.
If you think about it, closets are among the most important spaces in your home. It’s where we keep our stuff, including our most precious stuff, which is why if you’re designing a new closet, consider both the form and function.
Even the most basic closet can be improved with a good organization system. There are some great ones out there you might even be able to install yourself if you’re good with your hands and clever with reading directions. I am good at neither! I advise if you want the job to come out well, contact a HomeSquare professional. They can install a custom system and will do any necessary carpentry work that should be done prior to installing a system in your closet, plus any finishing work to complete the job. And trust me, there’s always some carpentry work that needs to be done.
What if you have the opportunity to create a closet from scratch? If you’re an empty nester you might have an under-utilized bedroom that would function much better for you as a closet. If you’re adding onto your house, consider your optimal closet(s).
Key elements to a great closet are easy. You’ll need plenty of room for drawers and shelves and hanging rods and something cozy underfoot. Great lighting is critical as closets rarely have natural light. You’ll also want a tucked-away place for treasured items and space to seasonally rotate your wardrobe. Moving beyond the basics, you’ll want to splurge on nice hardware. If there’s room for a standing mirror, go for it. Valet hooks, which can easily be found in any home goods store are a nice touch and great for hanging dressing gowns and nightwear.
Before I forget, a word about closet doors. There are lots of options, possibly an overabundance of options, which can make choosing hard. Closet doors come in a variety of distinctive styles: hinged doors, bifold doors, sliding doors, French doors, and even fun and funky farmhouse barn doors that slide open and shut on a rail.
More interested in renovation than replacement? Traditional sliding closet doors can be converted into hinge doors without too many complications. Give a facelift to old-school slatted bifold doors by swapping out the slats for cane webbing. Feeling in the mood for a deep-dive into pure Hollywood glam? Mirrored closet doors are the highest form of boudoir glamor.
Let’s not forget those “other closet” spaces, namely hall closets, linen closets, the good old fashioned broom closet. Here’s a simple upgrade to a more functional closet for a HomeSquare client in Greenwich, CT. From dysfunctional catch-all to more usable kitchen shelving space.
Utility closets can be elevated from the practical and mundane by attractive, functional lighting and a smidgeon of design ingenuity. Shelving, hooks, attention to details like phone charging stations or child-and-pet friendly cubbies can really make a difference.
Last but not least, paint your closet walls in a color you love. Be bold and go for that teal blue or deep-sea green or even wallpaper! Small spaces gain depth and volume treated with a richly hued paint. Remember your closet isn’t just the place where your clothes live. Remember my interview subject with the bar in her closet who called it her favorite room to entertain in.
Eve Marx
Eve Marx is a national journalist and book author. Follow her reflections on home design and interior style on Instagram at the hashtag #funkybeachhouseseasideror.