The purported biggest closet in the world features a spiral staircase, back-lit shelves and a Champagne bar. A little over-the-top? Definitely. But even the casual clothes horses among us are doing more with closets, turning what used to be simple storage spaces for clothes and accessories into treasured private rooms filled with functional elements and striking design details.
Photography provided by Assaf Ziv
Think soothing soundtracks that are motion-activated, art-festooned walls and sourced antique touches. From contemporary to baroque, one of the driving forces behind the closets craze, say designers, is the growing infatuation with personal organization — the so-called “Marie Kondo–ization” of our lives — as part of one’s personal hygiene and well-being practices. Another factor? The size of homeowners’ wardrobe and accessory collections. To simply fit in all those suits, dresses, bags and shoes, a person needs space — and a lot of it.
Photography provided by Assaf Ziv
Lack of space was the number one issue for Irina Lerman and her husband when they purchased a newly constructed home in Old Westbury, Connecticut. The couple loved almost everything about it except the dark wood floors, which they lightened, and the primary bedroom’s closet. “I’m a fashion lover,” she says. “And let’s put it this way — the original closet? It wasn’t enough.” Lerman ended up creating her dream closet in an unused space above the bedroom. Now, she climbs a staircase to access her closet, which was constructed to showcase her Chanel and Hermès handbag collection and Balenciaga evening gowns. There’s also a sitting area with furniture from Boca Do Lobo and a vintage Hermès table. “I can walk in and have time just for myself,” says Lerman.
When it comes to closets, no two are exactly alike, but they generally fall into two categories: those that are designed to display all of your treasured wares, like curios inside glass cabinets and on open shelves, and those that are designed to conceal all of your personal items behind closed doors and inside drawers and cabinetry.
Photography by Rob Grosse / Spacecrafting
Martha Dayton, principal designer and owner of Martha Dayton Design in Minneapolis, has worked with clients who fall into both categories. She explains, “Some people like things tucked away, neat and tidy. Others prefer easy access and the ability to see everything when they walk into their closet. It really depends on personal taste and style. And just because a client’s things are out in the open does not mean that they aren’t neat and tidy; it just means that they like more access and to be able to see everything. We really dial down on what is important to a client before designing for them — how do they live, what is their tolerance for organization, or lack thereof, do they like warmth or do they want something that is cleaner and more white?” Her team recently finished a closet with a center island that doubles as a lockable jewelry case and a handy packing station. “The backside of this island is normally closed, but we had extra heavy–duty hinges put on a panel that folds down so that they can lay their suitcase on it to pack,” she says.
Photography provided by Assaf Ziv
For a client reimagining a 5,000-square-foot apartment in New York City, owner, interior designer and creative director Assaf Ziv of ASBO Concept sourced antique wardrobes from France to create hidden closets. “The original idea she had was positioning her bed in the center of the primary room with two closets on each side of it,” says Ziv. “But that was not enough for her, so we created a wall behind the bed to add more space.” In the primary, the client keeps her knits, dresses and jackets, while her shoes and bags are stored in additional covered spaces created out of former bookshelves (some of which are lined with red velvet) in corridors outside of the room. “We also added secret doors, where there is an illusion of a wall, but when you open it, you have a closet,” says Ziv, who had some of the closets hand painted.
Photography by Rob Grosse/Spacecrafting
Artful details can make all the difference. Linda Engler, founder of Engler Studio in Eden Prairie, added caning to the closet doors for a client who wanted something classic but special for a wall of closets lining the corridor between the primary bedroom and bath. “Our client loves caning, so we incorporated this in the primary closet doors and on two chairs in the living room,” she says. A Jack-and-Jill closet Engler designed for another client included functional features like suitcase-packing stations and easy-access tech plugs. “We specifically tailored the design to their needs,” says Engler.
Ultimately, the greatest luxury may be having a closet that’s as customized to you as a bespoke suit or a couture dress. Size matters, but as they say, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.
