I've gathered my most popular posts so that you can enjoy them once again. If you are new to the blog, enjoy these new and inspired ideas for 2011.
Enjoy and Happy New Year!
1 My original closets and the 9-foot glass doors and panels.
2 I had some of my clothes in plastic containers, but most were hanging in the dining room.
3 A closer look at the doors.
4 The original hanging rods were useless, as none of my suits fit.
5 The two closets were so small and felt unusable.
6 The doors shut in the hallway leading to my bedroom.
7 That shelf above the rods was not big enough.
8 Lighting inside the space was minimal.
9 I wanted it all ripped out!
10 California Closet designer Carolyn Musher walks me through the showroom.
11 She explains the closet system and storage options.
12 Carolyn, Anthony Santelli (MSL Home Editor), and I talk through the apartment plans and how to reconfigure the closet space.
13 Drawer organizing ideas.
14 A lighter finish option.
15 I opened every drawer in that showroom!
16 I thought I wanted a dark finish - or should I go light?
17 Ginny Snook Scott, another California Closets designer, starts to measure my ties.
18 And my shirts.
19 She and Danielle (yet another designer) take full inventory.
20 More measuring - I love it.
21 I think they needed a calculator at one point.
22 So thorough.
23 Poor things. Still going!
24 And going!
25 Now onto my shoes.
26 More calculations.
27 I am so impressed.
28 But will it ever end?
29 Summer shirts.
30 They needed a break, poor dears.
31 Now measuring the shoe closet.
32 More ties.
33 More ties.
34 More shirts.
35 I must admit, it's all a bit embarrassing to be living out of plastic containers.
Have you all seen the February issue of Martha Stewart Living? It includes the latest column on my closet, and has tons of design, organization and storage ideas.
I have been so eager to share it with you but had to wait until the print version hit the newsstand. Now that it's all out in the open, I can give you a serious behind-the-scenes tour of how I got from the original two spaces to one big, more usable space with a separate shoe closet (glorious). I adore it and, as you well know, I now have a space to put my clothes away (see previous post with images of my clothing on rolling racks in the dining room).
Step one: I shopped around. I went to various closet companies and talked with design specialists about options. This included how to combine two smaller spaces into one more practical space; whether or not the finished closet should keep the doors; where I should build shelves, drawers, hanging racks, etc.; what finishes and colors are available; and, finally, the actual cost.
I looked at a high-end Italian line and a very inexpensive off-the-shelf company. The first seemed too extravagant with a lead time of 4-6 months after initial consultations that took a few weeks. The lesser expensive line did not allow for a built-to-fit scenario, which would ultimately be more space saving.
When I met with California Closets, the company seemed able to meet all my needs: build a beautiful closet, in a timely manner, with storage options that would fit my personal needs, and not put me in serious debt. When a company rep comes to your house, counts up all of your suits, ties, pants, shirts, sweaters, shoes, and socks (and measures each one) in order to build you the right sized layout, you know you are in good hands, Oh and did I mention they installed in 2 days. Pretty nice!
Kevin Sharkey 
From: Sarah from LA | 12/29/10 at 3:28 am
Kevin there is many a gal who is jealous of your closet. You have impeccable taste! Cheers to the New Year from your favorite caller (lampshade question monogram lover girl)