The secret’s out: closets are in and the bigger the better

At a home currently under construction in the hills above the famous Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, designer Kirk Nix is overseeing his workmen as they hollow out room for a closet that will accommodate the owner’s 1,000-plus Chanel bags. In a special alcove that can only be accessed with her fingerprint, she will store her prized crocodile Birkin bags.

In Oklahoma, Nix is building a 3,200 square foot closet for a male client that is twice the size of that of the woman of the house – and will provide enough room to house a collection of 5,000 ties.

Closer to home, at a house in Guangzhou, Hong Kong designer Clifton Leung furnished a 1,000 sq ft closet to resemble the clothing store of the home’s owner.

Elaborate, spacious closets have become among the most sought-after features in new homes, with existing properties being revamped to accommodate larger spaces for storing clothes. In fact, some architects say that they have been asked to scale down the size of a master bedroom in order to increase the allotment for closet space.

And it is not necessarily just because people have more dresses, shoes and suits to store. Closets are also being adapted to become lounge spaces of sorts, featuring comfy seating, espresso machines and small refrigerators holding bottles of Chardonnay.