STEP INTO
MY CLOSET
Elegant women
showcase
their
elegant closets
Written by ELLEN GRAY
Photography by KIMBERLY DAWN
Once upon a time there was a
room. It was dark, it was
narrow, and it was stuffed
to the brim with clothes,
accessories and bits of discarded items
too numerous to mention. That room
was called the closet, and its sole purpose
was to serve as the holding area
for items waiting to be retrieved from
its dim, crowded depths.
Enter the new age of elegance and
refinement. Step inside the doublewide
French doors to a slice of heaven — a bright, spacious, and, yes, dropdead
gorgeous room that is at once a
work of art and the keeper of the
wardrobe. When you think about it, a
woman’s closet may well be the most
important room in any home!
It’s no secret that most women crave
a fabulous closet, and who can blame
them? Just ask Mark Lestikow, owner of The Closet Factory, a 17-year-old company
that caters to the whims and
desires of homeowners seeking to create
or recreate a closet that will knock
the socks (or shoes or sweaters) off
anyone who steps inside. “The closet
has gone from being something nice to
something that women want,” he says. “Women spend a lot of money on their
clothes, and if they’re not organized or
they can’t find things, that’s a problem.
We see women who buy two or three of
the same item because they didn’t
know something similar was already in
their closet. Their shoes are still in the
boxes, so they don’t know what they
own. The goal is to get these women
organized and functioning.”
We stepped into the closets of three
well-known Denver women to learn how
they were able to design and create
havens that truly match their lifestyles
and needs. The beauty of it, Lestikow
says, is that a wonderful and usable closet
can be created from even a small
space. All it takes is the use of creative
lighting, wood finishes, glass and storage
and, voila, you too can have an artistic
masterpiece that is uniquely you.
AGATHA KESSLER
Developer
Agatha Kessler knows nice clothes,
and her exquisite taste is now incorporated
into her new home in the
Watermark. Her goal was to create an
environment that is both relaxing and beautiful and is equal to all the other rooms in her elegant
home. The space includes a dramatic vanity that serves as a
focal point in the closet, designed with custom crown molding,
fluted panels, mirrors and maple finishes. This room
truly is designed as a wow factor for the home and blends
into the entire area’s museum-like feel. The closet’s glass
door, chandeliers and subtle backlighting add to the drama
and functionality of the space.
DIANNE REEVES
Jazz singer
When you step into Dianne Reeves’ closet, you quicklyrealize that for this high-class entertainer, function is a vital
part of her fast-paced, nonstop lifestyle. The first lady of the
vocals knows she must look picture-perfect every time she
appears onstage. She converted her old closet into a shoe
showroom, where she can quickly and easily match her
shoes with her gowns and cut her packing time by two-thirds.
Now, her beautiful shoes have an exquisite venue that
Reeves can use to her advantage. And her English cottagestyle
closet affords a wonderfully cozy space that doubles as
a dressing area.
JAN NELSON
Broker
Realtor-on-the-go Jan Nelson wanted a closet that would
fit in with her busy lifestyle. Her previous closet system was
random and scattered and was not well suited to her day-today
life. She redesigned her closet to create a more functional
system that is clean, organized and pleasing to the eye. The
classic look contains a series of smaller reach-in closets that
hold her personal effects and provide a crisp display.
