Into the closet
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Stefanie Termini beside the reach-in closet designed for her soon-to-be baby girl. PHOTO: ROBERT BENSON FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
“At least half of what my clients are thinking about is ‘How good will this look?’ and ‘When I get it up on the internet, how many likes will I get?” says [closet advisor] Ms. Antonelli.
You just did: so let's see.
Stumped by the question of where else to spend their money, rich mommies move on to designer-closets for their precious children. From the WSJ:
Taking a cue from lavish walk-in closets off the master bedroom, builders and designers are increasingly creating luxury closets for their pint-size clients.
More kids are getting boutique-style shoe racks, designer wallpaper and velvet-lined jewelry drawers, as well as practical accessories like baskets for superhero storage and rods to hang clothes for playing dress-up.
Costs can range from $5,000 to $15,000 to create a smaller, more playful version of a high-end closet inside a child’s bedroom, says Lisa Adams, founder of LA Closet Design in Los Angeles. “They always look more whimsical,” she says. California Closets, a custom storage and design company, has seen a 30% increase in organizing kids spaces, which includes closets and toy storage, since 2015, according to the company.
To create a walk-in closet for teenagers Emma, 16, and Ceci, 19, designer Melanie Charlton tore down part of the laundry room in a four-bedroom condo in Manhattan’s Upper East Side neighborhood. The teens’ mom, Kristen Swenson, worked with the designer to install three handblown glass chandeliers and glass shelving at the very top so it’s easier for them to spot folded clothing. The closet has a mirrored wall and extra boutique-style shoe racks for an ever-expanding collection.
“It’s like decorating a room; everything is built-in and measured perfectly,” says Ms. Swenson, a 49-year-old stay-at-home mother. She declined to disclose the cost of her children’s closet, but Ms. Charlton, founder of New York-based Clos-ette, said children’s closets start at between $10,000 and $15,000. “It’s almost like a little master walk-in version of the parents,” says Ms. Charlton, who adds that high-end closet systems can increase home value once time to sell.
In her projects, Ms. Charlton sometimes uses chalkboard paint, on which children can write to-do lists or keep track of chores [hahahaha - Ed.]
