I’ve done a lot of closets in my time, but usually I’m replacing the cheap metal racks with something more practical and frankly, usable.

This is the first time I’ve designed and installed closet systems in a new construction home.  Well, newly renovated at least.

This is a hone that I’ve done a lot for work on in the past and was called in by the client to design and install closet systems for five upstairs closets in her newly renovated second story.

See my prior posts for more on this beautiful home:

http://smallspacestyle.org/2011/12/03/toning-down-the-ingalls/

http://smallspacestyle.org/2012/04/01/1920s-etobicoke-two-story/

What made this project particularly challenging was that the home is actually a story and a half not a full two story, so the closets had sloped walls and/or ceilings. They were odd shapes and odd sizes and only one was what most people would consider “normal”.

In the design, I had to account for towel and linen storage, shoes and boots, purses, short and long hanging items and  sweaters and tops and I had to account for the odd shaped closets.

There are a lot of system on the market, but there are a few that I really like.

Easy Track http://www.easytrack.com/easytrack/ is a wall mounted system that is extremely versatile as is the similar system available through Home Depot from Martha Stewart http://www.marthastewartclosets.com/

The only problem with those systems for this project is that they are full height systems and wouldn’t fit in the closets due to the sloped walls and ceilings.

The best system I could find for this project was a system available through Solutions from SCHULTE http://www.marthastewartclosets.com/

Like the others, it is a wall mounted system but it is completely customizable and much more versatile and would work well with my odd shaped closets.

This first closet is in the master bedroom and has shelving for purses and sweaters and a four foot hanging rod for long clothing items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This closet is also in the master and has one shelf for smaller items and a low hanging rod for shorter clothing items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We decided to use the crawl space, which is also in the master bedroom, for shoes, so I installed a shoe storage rack system from Rubbermaid available at most big box stores  http://www.rubbermaid.com/Category/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?CatName=ClosetShelving&SubcatId=ConfigurationsClosetKits&Prod_ID=RP091160&Redirect=1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the guest room closet (the only normal closet), I was able to install two rows of shelves for sweaters and tops, a long rod for hanging items and a stack of shelvng “boxes” for towels and linens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best part about these systems is that you can change them over time as your needs change. You can simply add more rods, more shelves, some drawer units, whatever your needs dictate, simply and economically. No need to tear everything out and start again.

Before you begin ANY closet makeover, make sure you have a good handle on your needs so you don’t end up with too much of one thing and not enough of another and do a little research to see which system will best suit your needs and your home.