When my husband and I bought our first apartment, one of the things we were most excited about was that we had a lot more closet space than we were used to (“A lot,” of course, is a relative term, since we live in New York City).
The only problem was that the two main closets—the small walk-in closet in the master bedroom and the built-in closet in the second bedroom—were going to need a makeover if we wanted to make the most of the space.
When we moved in, I emptied the master bedroom closet of all the clothes, bags, and shoes hanging in it (below). And (surprisingly!) there was barely any room left for Matt’s stuff. The closet had two hanging rods and no shelves, so all our stuff was piled up in a messy pile.
Before I installed my custom-made closets, my clothes and accessories were crammed into that space.
We decided to start looking into custom closet options, and to be honest, I knew nothing about them. Our previous apartment was a rental. And our “custom closet” option was a cheap Closetmaid shelving unit ordered from Amazon. (But they worked!).
Since we already had our own home, we were ready to invest in a higher-end, more permanent solution—something we would always have and that would ultimately increase the value of our home in the future.
California Closets Review
I started researching custom closet companies to see how much they cost, how long the process took, and what options we had in New York City. I had heard of California Closets, so I reached out to them to learn more.
Ultimately, after comparing prices, we decided on California Closets for a few reasons, which I’ll explain in this post.
Below is a full review of my experience, along with information on how the process works, how much California Closets costs, and whether I think custom closets are worth it.
How does the design consult work?
There’s a form on the California Closets website that you can fill out for a free design consultation. They offer in-person consultations (although I think it depends on your location), but you can also schedule a virtual consultation. To schedule a consultation, you just need to fill out your name, email address, phone number, and zip code.
I honestly thought there was some requirement, like leaving a deposit for the in-home consultation, but I was wrong. It’s actually 100% free, and they didn’t pressure me at all, which I really appreciated.
The design consultant was pretty quick to respond to schedule the consultation. She explained what to expect via email.
- The consultation will last approximately an hour.
- After discussing the spaces, the consultant will take measurements.
- Then you will sit down and design the space together in real time.
My consultant’s name was Kim, and she was amazing. (I highly recommend her if you live in the New York area.)
Reach-In Closet Rendering
Master Walk-In Closet Rendering
When she arrived, we sat down and discussed the different designs, fixtures, accessories, etc. She was very clear about how my choices would affect the overall cost of the project (we’ll get to that later).
I walked her through each space and told her what I had in mind. She gave me suggestions on what was possible, what wasn’t, and what options I had to make the most of the space.
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What is the design process like?
During my consultation, Kim took a few measurements, entered them into her computer program, and voila. Within 10 minutes, she had a 3D mockup of two closets.
I was honestly amazed because I had no idea I could see possible designs so quickly. It was so exciting to see the closet come to life in real time. I literally took 100 photos and videos of her laptop screen as she made minor adjustments and changes so I could send them to my husband, who was away that day.
3D Design of Reach-In Closet
3D Design of Master Walk-In Closet
He was incredibly thorough and meticulous throughout the entire process, which I really appreciated. It gave me confidence that I was in good hands.
Once we were both happy with the design, he started doing the math to give me an approximate price…
What is the average price of California Closets?
During my research into custom closets, I kept wondering: how much does a typical closet in California cost? I found a BHG (Better Homes & Gardens) article that said typical systems range from $1,500 to $5,000, but the article didn’t go into much detail, so I really had no idea what to expect.
Now I realize that there really is no “average” price because it varies so much. it depends on the space, the product you choose, the design you choose, your desired level of detail with custom storage, your desired accessories, and even where you live. There are literally hundreds of different options and combinations.
How much did California Closets cost me?
I’m not going to sugarcoat it; it wasn’t cheap.
Even though my closets aren’t huge, I was pretty specific about my “must-haves.”
SECOND BEDROOM CLOSET COST:
I decided to turn our second bedroom/office built-in closet into a “beauty closet” that included a hanging rod, five shelves, a combination of glass and white wood shelves, and a mirrored back panel. We chose the same white wood material as the main closet, plus chrome hardware.
Including materials and installation, this closet cost $2,585.
MASTER CLOSET COST:
I wanted white wood, chrome hardware, two soft-close jewelry drawers, dozens of shoe compartments, double hanging rods, multiple adjustable shelves for shoes and bags, and a pull-out belt and tie rack.
Including materials and installation, the cabinet cost $3,640.
We also installed CB2 floating shelves, as well as this acrylic rack for my sunglasses (which I found on Amazon). It’s actually designed to be used as a nail salon.
After I got the quote, I went over everything with Kim, and we discussed various things we could remove or change to reduce the cost. But in the end, I didn’t want to give up anything, so we decided to keep the design as it was.
[Note: California Closets offered me a partnership discount that brought the price down a bit, but overall we ended up spending about $5,200.]
I would say that if you have a specific budget, it’s a good idea to discuss it with your consultant beforehand so they can guide you and help you keep the price down.
What is the installation process like?
After signing the contract, we had to make a 50% deposit to secure the installation date. We were told that the lead time would be 6 to 8 weeks. I’m not sure if this is standard practice in all cases or if it was specific to our location/dates.
The day before our installation, California Closets scheduled a “scratch and paint” day, during which someone came to (literally) completely dismantle the closet, fill it, and paint it in preparation for installation.
This service is voluntary (and has an additional fee) as some people prefer it to be managed by the building maintenance/supervision staff. To prepare, we simply had to empty the entire closet before they arrived.
The next day, a two-person team came to install. And it was much faster than I expected. All in all, I think they were there for about three to four hours.
When everything was finished, my design consultant, Kim, called to check in and make sure we were happy, and we were.
About a month later, after we had put everything back in the closets and had been living in them for a while, we decided to add a second hanging rod in the bedroom to hold more clothes. (We initially rejected the idea because I thought I would need more space for long dresses.)
I also decided to add jewelry trays to the shelves. So the team set up an appointment to send a technician out to do the setup. Those additions cost an additional $355.
Are custom closets worth it?
Now that it’s all said and done, I definitely think buying custom cabinets was worth it. Not only are they beautiful, but they’ve also helped us optimize our space.
And I have no doubt that when we’re ready to sell our home, having custom closets will definitely help increase its value.
There’s no denying that closets are expensive. This was a huge step forward for us, especially considering that the last closet system we had in our rental cost $100 and we installed it ourselves.
Could we have saved money with a cheaper option? Sure. But I’m a big believer in the principle of “you get what you pay for,” and in this case, I think we did just that.
California Closets Before and After
Master Before
Master After
Beauty Closet Before
Beauty Closet After
