The "Before"
The first time I laid eyes on the two little closets that were to hold all of our things, I began daydreaming of elaborate closet configurations and cubbies. A self-proclaimed clutter-phobe, I need everything to be tucked away neatly into its designated space.
While our wardrobe isn't all that extensive, it would seem that my boyfriend and I have clearly outgrown
the "pack light" ideology of our
backpacking days -- our limited closet space needed to
be utilized to the max.
What we started with was to me, a nightmare. I hated the hanging fabric shelving unit, (whose Velcro audibly threatened to release every time I came near it), and the warped-plastic-three-drawer-dresser that was impossible to both open and close.
We contacted two higher-end, franchise-type companies and three smaller companies, as well as looked into options from big box stores and of course, IKEA. Not being handy at all we wanted a custom installation, and chose Custom Closets By Design.
The "After"
The price was not outrageous and the same representative who spoke to us on the
phone, also provided the initial consultation, drew up the plans and then
did the installation. By going with a smaller company with less overhead, we saved almost 25% off of the highest quote we had received.
A consultation proved vital in turning otherwise wasted space into more storage -- a patch of wall became a row of hooks for our pajama bottoms, etc. (biggest pet peeve ever = clothing piles). With the future in mind, we added two additional hanging rods to the left hand side, allowing us to remove or move shelves as our wardrobes evolve, giving us two additional hanging areas or a different configuration of shelves.
In addition, we had the front hall closet done, with a dozen shoe cubbies and a double hang for our outdoorsy clothes.
Not going to lie, although I love white, I did toy with espresso or "chocolate pear" organizers to match the bed. And as for our sleek and modern sensibilities, we chose contemporary flat paneled doors and knobs and voilà!
Live and learn: builders generally will not let you opt out of having the metal wire racks installed, which is a shame, as I am sure dozens end up in the landfill as people choose custom. To avoid adding to the pile, ours were re-gifted to a relative's garage-organization project. If only now I could figure out how to rid myself of the mirrored closet
doors...
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By: Jennifer Myers
Have you considered custom closets? As a condo owner or otherwise?
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