Dreaming of extremely cool closets
Luxury home aficionados and voyeurs know that walk-in closets are a given in any modern or updated high-end property. Many mansions and penthouses have closets larger than the footprint of entire apartments rented by the non-rich-and-famous (ahem).
That said, two of the most coveted closets are improbably located in apartments in New York City, where even decent-sized closets are rare. One of these closets belongs to Mariah Carey, who showed it off on the reality TV show “MTV Cribs.” It is really more ostentatious wardrobe room than closet, with monogrammed marble and gold-leaf floors, and row upon row of clothes racks.
The other famous New York closet is fictional but has been re-created. Carrie Bradshaw’s oft-admired closet on “Sex and the City” did not represent the norm — as with many other aspects of the show — but a Long Island businessman did make it a reality. He hired the movie’s set-design team to replicate the character’s upgraded closet from the movie for his wife, to the tune of $175,000. The closet was made from a 400-square-foot guest bedroom and can accommodate more than 400 pairs of shoes, plus drawers for sunglasses.
The following collection of extreme closets, from Luxury Portfolio International, doesn’t include any New York City examples, but it does offer some marvelous spaces to hang your clothes. (Prices given are for the houses.)
Location: Chicago, Illinois
For sale: $2.15 million
Beds / Baths: 3 / 4
Square Footage: 3,980
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This closet appropriately belongs to an interior designer. |
Built in 1928, this inviting Gold Coast condo in the Beaux Arts Astor-Banks building in Chicago is the home of interior designer and daytime television host Nate Berkus — and it shows in the impeccable décor. Berkus preserved the metal St. Charles kitchen cabinets and Samuel Marx paneling of this space, but upgraded to new hardwood floors, a rehabbed bath, new appliances, and more. The walk-in closet, with its Prussian blue shelving and drawers, is not the largest in this collection — it’s probably the smallest — but it is one of the most tasteful.
Location: Beverly Hills, California
For sale: $13.5 million
Beds / Baths: 6 / 9
Square Footage: 10,000
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Christina Aguilera's love of pink inspired this closet. |
This pink Mediterranean-style mansion was once the home of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, and their three kids. In 2007, Christina Aguilera bought the house for $11.5 million and moved in with her then-husband music executive Jordan Bratman. They completely overhauled the décor, and Aguilera was featured in InStyle magazine posing in one of her two closets (the one shown here) on a pink ladder against a pink wall of shoe and boot shelves. This closet opens into a dressing-room-style vanity table. Following the couple’s split, she put the home on the market last year, and it remains on the market today.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Price: $9.95 million
Beds / Baths: 5 / 6
Square Footage: 10,000
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This closet has a frosted-glass entryway. |
This contemporary Brentwood architectural concrete and glass mansion has gallery-like high ceilings, dual offices, and a two-story library. The huge walk-in closet has a dramatic, modern frosted-glass entryway.
Location: University Park, Texas
For sale: 6.5 million
Beds / Baths: 5 / 6.5
Square Footage: 8,696
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The closet includes shelving for plenty of cowboy boots. |
This house, built in 2007, almost looks like a converted warehouse from outside. Highlights include an underground garage, marble floors and fireplaces, and a geothermal HVAC system. The master bedroom has his and hers baths, along with this enormous closet with high ceilings. The closet has shelving for shoes and cowboy boots, as well as overhead storage for hats and out-of-season clothing.
Location: Los Angeles, California
For sale: $22.5 million
Beds / Baths: 5 / 8
Square Footage: 10,000
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This is one of two walk-in closets in the master suite. |
This East Gate Bel Air Mediterranean mansion is known as Mi Patria. It was built in 1929 but has been renovated to include all the expected features of today, including a gourmet kitchen and a gym. The spacious walk-in closet shown here is just one of two serving the master suite. It is paneled in masculine dark wood (both are made from unspecified rare woods, according to the listing), with a center marble-topped island serving as a built-in dresser.
