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Before and After: A “Barely Functional” Walk-in Closet Is Refreshed with Custom (and Fun) Features

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Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town…read more
published Mar 21, 2023
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Bare closet before adding organizing systems.
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Credit: Suki Kwon

When doing any kind of renovation in your home, it can be easy to think that DIY will be less expensive than professional work. Surprisingly, for this closet revamp, that wasn’t the case. 

Suki Kwon (@nunaratus) found this to be the exact opposite when she undertook the renovation of a walk-in closet in one of her rental properties. While a “cute walk-in closet” might not be an amenity that guests often search for, she explains that it just “didn’t spark any joy” and she couldn’t leave it as it was. It had “ubiquitous wire shelves that were just ugly and barely functional,” says Suki. And it felt messy despite having only a few essential items in there.

Determined to “maximize the space in style,” Suki began exploring how to go about revamping her closet, assuming that doing it herself would be the best, cheapest option. However, she was surprised to find out that that wouldn’t be true for her space. “I first looked at DIY and ready-made options but surprisingly they were not cheap,” she says. Suki wasn’t looking for any fancy built-ins, either — just a “plain white wardrobe system.” 

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Credit: Suki Kwon

In an unexpected turn of events, a custom closet was the most economical option. She worked with a custom closet company to bring her vision to life; however, there was a slight issue at the start. They kept pushing for a wrap-around closet, but Suki stayed firm in her vision — which she’s incredibly proud of. 

“I have looked at many layouts and opted for a single-sided walk-in closet,” says Suki. “I hung a full-length mirror in the middle to make the room larger and brighter, but also for functionality.” Suki pepped up the closet even more with some fun decor. “To help create a harmonious flow in the space, I picked the mirror, rug, hamper, and blankets that match the house color scheme in blue, green, white, and orange,” she says. 

For anyone looking to complete a similar closet glow-up, Suki says it’s best to measure your space before ordering anything. And when asked about her favorite part of the project, Suki’s response is one of a person who’s made her vision come to life without compromise: “I absolutely love everything about it.”

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