Miami Herald (Sunday)

Give your closet a glamorous upgrade

- BY CATHY HOBBS Tribune News Service Cathy Hobbs is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design and home staging expert with offices in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C. Contact her at info@cathyhobbs.com or at ww

Closets come in all shapes and sizes, but regardless of the size you are going to want to maximize space and organizati­on. Closets should be considered in the planning of a home, similar to a room.

The best place to start is with a floor plan and a clear understand­ing of how you want the closet to be used.

Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your closets.

1. Consider using a profession­al closet company. These companies have experts in maximizing every inch of usable space. Be sure to arrive with measuremen­ts in hand.

2. Include flexible built-ins. While built-ins help create a seamless look, if you use a system that can be moved from home to home or adjusted based on your needs — such as a modular configurat­ion — this will allow you to use your closet investment long term.

3. Try white. White will be a neutral selection that won’t clash with other finishes in the home.

4. Look for solid constructi­on. Closets in some instances undergo wear and tear, so you will want to make sure your selections will stand the test of time.

5. Consider your chothes. Create opportunit­ies for both longand short-hanging clothing. This will be especially important if your closet is shared with a partner.

6. Use thin, spacesavin­g hangers. Wooden hangers are often bulky and take up a lot of space.

7. Consider baskets and bins. These are great for organizing closets and making everything look neat and seamless.

8. Color coordinate your closet. Often it is helpful to have a system in which dark clothing is separate from lighter fabrics.

9. Have a shoe organizati­on plan. So often shoes organizati­on is an afterthoug­ht that impacts the utilizatio­n and appearance of a closet.

10. Find hidden storage. Look for opportunit­ies for hidden storage such as drawers and cabinets.

 ?? Design Recipes/TNS
Design Recipes/TNS ?? Identical mirrors hung in a grid makes an impressive statement in this living room.
Interestin­g wall art hung in a series creates drama and interest in this living space.
Design Recipes/TNS Design Recipes/TNS Identical mirrors hung in a grid makes an impressive statement in this living room. Interestin­g wall art hung in a series creates drama and interest in this living space.
 ?? Getty Images/iStockphot­o/A. Mihalis ?? Closets should be considered in the planning of a home, similar to a room.
Getty Images/iStockphot­o/A. Mihalis Closets should be considered in the planning of a home, similar to a room.
 ?? Getty Images/iStockphot­o/onurdongel ?? Custom built-ins help maximize the space in a walk-in closet.
Getty Images/iStockphot­o/onurdongel Custom built-ins help maximize the space in a walk-in closet.
 ?? Jodi Jacobson/Getty Images ?? A beautiful custom built closet makes for easy organizati­on.
Jodi Jacobson/Getty Images A beautiful custom built closet makes for easy organizati­on.

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