The Closet Design Process: Two is Better Than One

I recently worked on a closet design project with a client who assured me that everything would be her decision. Her husband was involved with a very important project at work and would be working long hours. He would be too busy, and thus, be completely out of the loop during the closet renovation. Working with me was going to be her project.

When I met with her, we walked through the house measuring six closets including the master closet. She said that they were on a very tight budget. Since there was so much to design, I met with her again and showed her all of the designs and options available. She selected the clean, sharp look of white melamine to keep the cost down. After talking with her, she decided to start with the master closet, and to perhaps do the other closets at a later date when they had the funds.

While I was writing up the contract and completing the paperwork, her husband came home and was filled in on his wife’s decision. I showed him the plans, which he liked, but he asked if I had other closet finishes. He preferred the other colors more than the white color that his wife had chosen. He asked how much more it would be to upgrade to a woodgrain melamine.

We started talking about backing and adding more drawers for a complete closet system look and feel. He was surprised that we were not doing the other closets. He said to his wife, “Let’s do them all at the same time and get it over with.” We collaborated on picking the personalized options for all of the closets and moved forward with the project.

This was a very valuable lesson for me. It was much more productive to involve both people using the closet. The husband was thinking one way and the wife another. When they were both involved in the project, since they will both be using the closet, they got to agree on what it should look like. I want everyone to be as delighted with the end result as this couple was with theirs.

So if you share a home with someone, get them involved in the home improvement projects, if you can. It will make for a much more satisfying result. Who knows? You may ever get a more luxurious outcome.