Posted on Thu, Feb 23, 2012 @ 10:55 AM
A Custom Mud Room by Closet Factory with Cedar Backing
Many people wonder about the benefits of cedar. Some of the common questions people ask me is “What does it do?”, “Does it deter bugs?”, “Why should I have it?”, “Why does it lose its smell?”, and “Does it really work?”
Let me debunk some of the myths and tell you of the benefits. First, cedar DOES deter bugs that like to eat clothes. They do not like the smell so they do not want to be around it. You do not need cedar in the entire closet to deter bugs. As long as the aroma is prevalent in the space, you will not find any bugs. Strategically place cedar near the clothes you want to protect such as anything made out of wool. Put lining in the bottom of drawers, backing behind hanging sections or shelves or small sachets of cedar on a shelf or hanging near clothes.
Cedar DOES remove moisture in the air. For those that live in humid climates or near water, this is a great benefit. Too much moisture in a closet can cause mildew and ruin some of your garments.
Cedar DOES NOT lose its smell…ever. The smell does get less over time. However, to bring the smell back take a light grade sandpaper and run over it once. The smell will come right back out as if it was new. This only needs to be done once a year and your cedar will be very aromatic.
Cedar DOES NOT produce oil. If that was the case, oil from the cedar would rub on clothes and the cedar smell would be prevalent with whatever you wear. Cedar is aromatic which means the smell is only present when in the presence of cedar. Think of the cedar small as “in the air” only.
It is common to think that cedar is an endangered species of wood. However, cedar IS ecologically sound. Most cedar wood trees are grown in controlled forests with strict management codes governing harvesting and reforestation. You can feel really good about the use of cedar in any application of your home.
There are many myths about cedar, and hopefully I have debunked many of them. For those of you who love the look and smell of cedar, you can add it as an element to any closet and understand the care and benefits. The only question left to answer is how much cedar do you want?
Spaces Closet Factory can add cedar to:
- Specific closet sections: behind sweater shelving, backing, drawer bottoms, etc.
- A cabinet or hanging section of a closet or wall unit to help preserve behind coats and winter wear.
- We can even install cedar to walls or the client can before we install a custom closet unit.
- Installing cedar to the floor is popular in parts of the country with cold weather is common as it helps to absorb it.
For more information read this blog post:
Cedar Closets - 3 Ways To Add Cedar To Your Closet
Blog Author: Kathryn LaBarbera is the Executive Vice President of Closet Factory and with the company for more than 19 years.
Posted on Wed, Jun 29, 2011 @ 11:00 AM
Many people don’t realize that Closet Factory offers more than just custom closets. We pride ourselves in being the experts in organization solutions for your entire home! Here are some of the additional product lines we offer:
Home Office: Our home office cabinetry is custom made to transform your workspace into an organized environment to get your job done more efficiently. We do it all including hanging files, organize and hide wiring for numerous office electronics, and design and build the perfect desk space.
Wall Beds: Having made a huge comeback in recent years, wall beds are a smart way to turn a spare room into a bedroom, or for rooms with smaller square footage. Believe it or not our wall beds are very comfortable and are easily lifted back into place, opening up the rest of the room for additional living space.
Garage: Our newly expanded product line includes a wide variety of custom shelving, cabinetry, and workbenches along with rolling islands that are ideal for extra storage and counter space. Other new garage features include metal slat wall in a variety of colors to replace the traditional pegboard and specialized racks for storage of sports equipment.
Entertainment Centers: Do you have tons of movies, video games and consoles, and television equipment that are a disorganized mess in your family or media room? A custom entertainment center is a fantastic solution for not only organizing your media collection but a designer has the ability to create custom shelving and drawers to house and conceal everything.
Don’t wait! Request a free design consultation today with a professional closet designer. We have locations nationwide to serve you and we have been in business since 1983!
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Posted on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:36 PM
People in the business world can especially benefit from having a custom closet organizer. Whether you are a man or woman it allows you to keep your professional and casual wardrobe organized, protected, and stored in a way that makes the daily routine of getting ready for work a quick and efficient process. Check out what a professional wardrobe service had to say about the importance of dressing properly for business:
“Professional dress is critical in business. It is more than our public skin; it is a form of language. The way you package yourself sends a message about you, your skills, and your organization. It takes only a few seconds to form a first impression, and more than half of that first impression is based on appearance.” - Source: ProfessionalBusinessDress.com
With a built in custom closet by Closet Factory, we also offer a variety of custom closet accessories to keep your high-end suits, dress shoes, and undergarments organized and stored beautifully. We even have accessories, like a built in ironing board, valet rod, and laundry baskets for your daily dressing convenience. Contact a closet designer today to get you started on your path to wardrobe organization by requesting a free design consultation today.
For more wardrobe tips check out this blog post:
Build an Interchangeable Wardrobe With A Men’s Closet Organizer
Posted on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 @ 11:25 AM
So it’s time to start considering what your organization options are for your garage. For some, the decision is easy to hand over the garage and it’s contents to a professional garage designer, while others like to mull around the options and examine for themselves just what they think they need.
We of course work with both types of personalities however it is for the second type mentioned that we created our Garage Organization Preperation Guide! This free guide is available for download and use was created to help you get a handle on what types of items you need organization for as well as, how much storage you will need.
The garage is one area of the home that frequently houses a great deal of built up stuff that one doesn’t know what to do with in the house. Therefore it becomes the recipient of all kinds of clutter that in some cases has sat for months or years in piles against the walls.
To help begin this process, download the guide start making notes that later can be handed to your Closet Factory designer to polish off for your garage storage plan. Another option is to skip the guide and set a free design consultation with one of our nationwide location. The choice is entirely yours!
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Posted on Tue, Jun 21, 2011 @ 10:33 AM
Because our name is Closet Factory some people do not realize that we design more than closets. We actually design custom storage systems for the whole house. This includes pantries.
These days a desirable feature to include in a walk in pantry design is wine racks. First you should understand that our custom storage systems are built-ins. Because of this we have some nice options that free standing or organizer racks do not.
My 4 favorite built-in wine rack options are:
- Floating wine bottle racks are actually anchored into the cabinets but look like the bottles are sitting in the air. This is not only convenient but also a sophisticated look that could also be used in a bar area or a kitchen cabinet with glass doors in front. A great feature besides the style is how easy it is to read the labels.
- Lattice racks do require some hidden trim pieces to secure the racks to the cabinetry boxes. This is a very traditional look but also works in a modern style walk in pantry when the wood rack is combined with some metal accents. In this application each wine bottle has it’s own little cubby. One disadvantage however is the inability to read the labels easily when placed up high.
- Scalloped stained or painted wine racks are another favorite. They allow the bottles to lie neatly in place on a shelf with the label facing up. This is a favorite in Northern California where wine drinking and sampling is part of the Napa influence that comes along with the region.
- A mixture is also popular. Some like the look of a combination of racks and it can be practical as well. Lattice can hold a large number of bottles and in limited space but as I mentioned the labels are not easy to read when stored up high. So often they are combined with one of the other organizer racks such as scallops for everyday wine pairing. This option not only works well but also adds interest to the pantry design.
For more information check out the Wine Rooms and Pantry sections of our website! Like what you see? Don't forget to request a Free Design Consultation and let a Closet Factory designer create a design that not only looks great but keeps everything organized!
Posted on Sun, Jun 19, 2011 @ 11:00 AM
Believe it or not there are some older homes that do not include a closet in some of the bedrooms. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Something you should know about Closet Factory is that we are in the problem solving business! So, for those of you with a bedroom that lacks a reach in or walk in closet, your storage solution might actually be a design visit away. Of course there is also the lengthy and costly remodeling option.
We call this option “create a closet.” For some it can be as simple as some nicely constructed cabinets with rods and shelving inside. For others it may be some creative framing with wood or melamine material that we will attach sliding glass or mirror doors too. The right option really depends on the style of the home, furnishings in the room, what needs to be stored in the closet and your budget.
If you are in this situation than before you hire a contractor to do some remodeling and start pulling permits contact us to evaluate the possibilities for your bedroom closet. Closet Factory has developed all types of closet solutions that do not require messy construction and will not get into the cost or inconvenience that construction does.
Since we work in wood as well as laminates we offer a large variety of custom looks. We even custom stain and paint. Contact us for your free in-home design consultation to explore the right solution for your room without a built in closet.
Posted on Thu, Jun 16, 2011 @ 10:00 AM
Help, my closet is overflowing with stuff! For some opening the door to their closet can be a stressful and frustrating experience. Some tell themselves every time they open the closet door that they will do something about the frightening mess they face daily. For us here at Closet Factory, this is a common complaint we help people tackle. Here’s some advice from Denny Stotlemyer, co-owner of Closet Factory DC that he gave to Home & Design Magazine several years ago. Interestingly, this advice is still appropriate today.
To help clients get started on any organizational project, Stotlemyer recommends that they find additional space in which to store seasonal and infrequently used items. In deciding what to get rid of, the rule of thumb in the clothes closet is: Store the stuff you haven’t worn for a year, space permitting. If you haven’t worn an item for two years, throw it out or donate it. Stotlemyer goes on to say, “Closet Factory will come in and design the space for what you have, with a little room for growth.”
But what to do with the clothing you absolutely won’t donate or get rid of? Sometimes an organization plan for closets can involve several closets or even another area, such as the garage, to properly accomplish a clutter buster storage plan.
Seasonal or seldom worn clothing can be moved out of the way and into another closet or into garage storage cabinets. This frees up the space in one’s main closet to handle current fashion and clothing one needs to comfortably access on a daily basis.
To find out how one of our designer specialists will improve your clutter situation contact us today for a free design consultation.
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Posted on Wed, Jun 15, 2011 @ 09:00 AM
High End Home Entertainment Center In Our Exclusive Shaker Style
“The kitchen is the heart of the home.” Have you ever heard of this phrase? For many modern households the new heart of the home has shifted from the kitchen to the home entertainment center. In fact, many newer house designs have a kitchen directly adjacent to the family room making both the heart of the home.
Sometimes referred to as a media room or family room, the home entertainment center area should be comfortable enough for loved ones to spend time together for a movie night, watching a popular television sitcom like Modern Family, rooting for your favorite sports team, or even playing an inactive game on Wii.
Over the years we have learned that our customers were having a hard time finding an entertainment wall unit because most on the market are not designed to accommodate all their personal and special storage needs. Movie, music and game enthusiasts with lots of electronics find value in having a custom home entertainment center unit because it allows for easy organization and gives the appearance of a built in wall unit that designed to match the interior space of the home.
As technology has changed from colleting records to cassette tapes, VHSs to CDs, and now DVDs to High Definition Blue-ray discs, a good media library can become quite extensive. Not to mention the money invested in a quality HD flat screen TV or if you have kids or are a "gamer" yourself, the Xbox, PlayStation and Wii game collection could also be quite large not to mention all the controls and consoles taking up additional space. Many of our clients have such an extensive collection of entertainment technology and equipment that wires were everywhere and games and discs are easily disorganized. They found that a custom entertainment center was in fact the best storage solution for them. It’s an easy and efficient way to store and organize any type of media collection in drawers and shelving and store game, satellite TV, DVD and Blu-ray consoles behind cabinetry with zero wires in site. Some clients even opt for keeping the TV behind a pull out cabinet door to create a camouflaged and symmetrical wall unit appearance.
Protect your investment! Closet Factory is able to design around the storage needs of your collection of media by manufacturing and installing your custom design Here are some additional benefits of having a custom home entertainment center wall unit installed in your home:
- They create a stunning focal point in the room
- All media is concealed in shelving and drawers and cabinets
- Dozens of colors and materials to choose from
- Lifetime Guarantee
Our professional Closet Factory design experts will create the custom designed media storage solution that looks and blends perfectly with the rest of the room. For more information visit our Entertainment Centers section check out these similar posts:
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Posted on Fri, Jun 03, 2011 @ 10:38 AM
Many people don't realize that our design consultations include organization solutions for every aspect of the design. A common complaint we receive is how to keep messy drawers organized. One easy solution is drawer dividers. They come in many configurations depending on what will be stored in the drawer or drawers. For many a benefit and value of having drawer dividers is not clear until they have one or several in their drawer.
Another organization tip is to get items that should be hung or folded on shelves out of drawers, such as sweaters and jeans. Drawers are the perfect solution to store smaller garments and accessories in. Big bulky items belong folded on shelves or in a cabinet.
If you have a busy lifestyle and are constantly on the go, a once neat and organized drawer can quickly become a disorganized mess without an organizer system in place. For women we suggest keeping smaller and delicate items like lingerie and camisoles sectioned off in drawer dividers. Men prefer dividers for dress socks, undergarments, ties, and small accessories. This is also a great way to go a step further and color coordinate the drawer contents. Keep like items together so they are easily to find but section off by color. Again a Closet Factory designer will assist in detailing this if you so desire.
One of our client's favorite Closet Factory organization solutions is having custom-sized drawer dividers installed in their drawers. They allow you to have as many or as few drawer sections as needed to keep the contents flawlessly organized.
Drawer dividers are available in acrylic, melamine, and wood veneer materials. Check out these images:
Drawer Dividers Keep Lingerie And Camisoles Organized For Women
Drawer Dividers Keep Dress Socks and Undergarments Organized For Men
Visit the Accessories section of our Closet Factory website for addition information of our line of closet organizer solutions. Let a professional closet designer create an organized system of drawer dividers to keep your clothing neat and organized in your custom closet by requesting a free design consultation!
Posted on Mon, May 23, 2011 @ 02:46 PM
Tie and Belt racks are one of the most popular custom closet accessories, and is a simple organization solution when developing a man's closet system. Without proper storage fine silk ties and leather belts can become disorganized, tangled, or get creased and even permanently damaged.
These convenience racks take up minimal space in the closet and provide maximum storage and convenience. These racks also make it easier to organize belts by color, style, or even frequently of use. Depending on the size of your belt and tie collection a designer will help create a closet storage system that works for you.
Belt Rack
Tie Rack
The racks slide out with ease, making the task of tie and belt selection more convenient! Whether the collection of garment accessories is small or large, Closet Factory has the closet storage system solution for you. Request a free design consultation today by filling out our form.
Visit the Accessories section of our website for more information about the wide variety of product options for your custom closet organizer and home.
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