Whether you are building a home or remodeling, the decision to install a proper closet—one that maximizes space, ease of use, and is actually designed for the clothes or items it is storing—can have more of an impact on your daily routine than you might initially realize.
Just as architecture provides structure to the lifestyle you live in your home, an organizational system brings structure to the way you manage your belongings—hence the importance of ensuring that the design is tailored to your specific needs. Leaving the closet as an afterthought or trying to make a one-size-fits-all system work often leads to frustration, wasted space, and a lack of functionality.
In this blog, we review why a fully custom closet designed by a closet design company offers better value than pre-made closet materials, as well as superior functionality and long-term durability.
Unique Space Requirements
Around half of the closets that we outfit are standard dimensions with standard ceilings. However, the other half often have features that give us a good challenge to work through and make a custom design from a closet design company necessary for maximizing storage space. These features include things like slanted ceilings, very high ceilings, irregular shapes, windows, access spaces for attics and crawl spaces, and plumbing or electrical infrastructure.
When we walk into closets that have unique dimensions or features, we often see a hodgepodge of pre-made closet materials that have been fit here and there to try to maximize space, and while often the homeowner gave it a “good college try,” as the saying goes, it just isn’t cutting it.
Unique Storage Requirements
Most Steamboat Springs homeowners have unique storage needs that most people in other parts of the country don’t have. Our climate is harsher, layering is a necessity, and I’m sure I’m not the only one with two sock drawers. We need room in our mudrooms and entryways for regular winter coats as well as our “it’s in the negatives” winter coats. And it’s not like we can put all the winter clothes away in the attic (if you have one) for summer, since it isn’t unusual for it to hit below freezing in early June or late August.
We’ve been in the business of solving Steamboat Springs storage solutions for 20 years. We’ve designed and installed thousands of closets, garages, and mudrooms for active outdoor enthusiasts, with too many pairs of cowboy boots, snow boots, and too much gear. Whatever your unique storage challenge, there is a good chance that one of our closet designers has already encountered it and already designed the solution!
A Custom Closet Design Matches the Value and Aesthetics of Your Home
Your closet should complement the overall style and value of your home. Our custom closet designers focus on creating a space that not only meets your storage needs but also matches the aesthetics of the interior design. Currently, there is no pre-made closet product that matches the quality of most of the homes in our community. Even if a pre-made option looks good at first, the lower-quality materials used in these systems tend to warp, chip, or wear down over time, and end up looking cheap.
What Do We Mean When We Say “Custom” Closet?
Our process starts with an in-home design consultation, where one of our closet designers comes to your home, takes measurements, and creates a design for your closet that is based on your desires, requirements, and any special features or restrictions of your space.
We often create several options—a more streamlined version and then one with bells and whistles. But even our more paired-back designs are customized to your space and feature our high-quality, cabinet-grade materials, which won’t warp and are backed by a lifetime guarantee. Our product is milled in Canada and manufactured for your order. You simply won’t find this level of quality in a pre-made closet product. You also won’t find it at every custom closet design company either, so it’s important to do your research.
Everything in your closet will be custom manufactured and then cut as necessary onsite, to ensure that everything is installed properly and the space is used as efficiently as possible. Our team of installers takes a lot of pride in their craftsmanship.
One of the many benefits of going with a custom closet design company is that you finish with a beautiful, functional product that is exactly what you need and is built to last.
Our Closet Designers Are Here to Help
A custom closet is far more than just a storage solution—it’s an investment in your home’s functionality, aesthetics, and value. By choosing a custom closet, you ensure that every inch of your space is utilized and that the built-ins are built to last. No matter what your storage challenge is, our team of closet designers is here to create a system that works for you. Sign up for a free design consultation or call us at 970-846-7588.
Innovative Closet Features You Didn’t Know You Needed
When it comes to closet design, we are always looking for innovative and fun ways to maximize storage space, display treasured items, and make maintaining the organization of your space a breeze. It’s often not until someone calls in a custom closet design company that they realize all the tailored options that exist that can transform a standard closet into a highly functional, personalized storage solution. In this blog, we review 9 innovative closet features that both our closet designers and customers love.
Pull-Out Shoe Racks
While we often install shoe shelves for larger hiking and snow boots, we love the space-saving offered by pull-out shoe racks. Perfect for sneakers and summer shoes—flats, heels, Chacos, and sandals. Rather than having your flip-flops take up 8” of shelf space, one pull-out shoe rack can fit 12 pairs of shoes!
Built-In Charging Stations – Docking Drawers
While not always thought of when designing a closet, having a docking drawer is a game-changer when it comes to keeping everything charged and organized. Just take your smartwatch off, open the drawer, and plug it in. It also has the added benefit of allowing you to keep all your tech in the closet and not in the bedroom, where it can distract from a good night’s rest.
Customizable Drawers and Dividers
Drawer dividers save us from ourselves, and that’s why we love them here at Mountain Sky! Storing smaller items like jewelry, accessories, and socks in a drawer can easily turn into a chaotic mess. Drawer dividers solve this problem by giving every item a dedicated spot.
Pull-Down Hanging Rods
If you have high ceilings in your closet, pull-down hanging rods are a must! These rods allow us to create triple hanging spaces—three tiers of hanging at 36” each, stacked on top of each other. The upper tier is great for out-of-season clothes or dress clothes that don’t get worn that often. These rods feature a vertical pole that, when pulled down, lowers the entire rod of hanging items to a height that’s easily accessible.
Integrated & Hidden Hampers
Our custom closet designers always take laundry baskets and hampers into consideration in our designs. One of our favorite ways to do that is through hamper drawers. Integrated into your closet design, these drawers open to reveal a cloth or metal basket and then easily slide out of sight when not in use. We also offer cloth hamper bags mounted on drawer glides that allow you to stow and sort dirty laundry in your closet with ease.
Pull-Out Pants Racks
These racks, designed with individual slots for each pair of pants, hold up to 17 pairs. They slide out of the closet, making it easier to see and access your pants than if they were stacked on a shelf. Hanging pants this way not only maximizes space but also helps keep slacks and trousers wrinkle-free.
Integrated Lighting Systems
A well-lit closet not only makes it easier to find things, it is also a show-stopper—an added touch that is both functional and luxurious. We often incorporate a small strip of LED lighting above the countertop, which serves as a perfect night light or a soft, non-disruptive light for those early mornings when you need to get ready without waking your partner. We can also put lighting throughout the closet, on the top shelf of materials, running vertically down partitions, and even in lighted glass shelves for special items.
Hidden Jewelry Drawers
For jewelry and other valuables, we love the discretion and convenience of drawer safes. These safes are built into the drawer and have a drawer front that matches the rest of the closet. They only open a couple of inches to reveal a pin pad where you input your unique code to fully unlock the drawer. This allows you to keep your favorite pieces organized, protected, and out of sight.
Pull-Out Ironing Boards
Am I the only one who squints and figures that the shirt is “not that wrinkly” instead of lugging out the ironing board? While it would be nice if we ironed right after the shirt came out of the dryer or planned our outfits the day before, our built-in pull-out ironing boards are the perfect solution to a shirt that needs a last-minute press. The ironing board tucks neatly into a drawer—no need to get the ironing board from another room or find a space in your room to put a tabletop one. With just a quick pull-out, you can easily smooth out wrinkles without any hassle, keeping your closet space neat and your mornings stress-free.
Contact Us for a Free, In-House Closet Design Consultation!
By incorporating some of these thoughtful details into your space, our closet designers can help you transform your closet into a space that is fully functional and best suited to your needs. To get started on the design process sign up for a free in-house design consultation.