Are you thinking of remodeling your closet? Closet Factory and California Closets offer models that may suit your requirements. For this post, we researched the pros and cons of buying from these companies. Read on to get a thorough overview of both brands.
Closet Factory promotes a flexible floor-based closet model that offers more space. Their products are eco-friendly. However, the company offers a limited warranty on its products and lacks price guideline transparency.
On the other hand, California Closets offers a wall-mounted closet design that makes for faster installation. The company's 155 showrooms make it more accessible. It provides a comprehensive design process. Both companies have decades of experience and offer in-house and virtual consultations.
In this post, we'll go over the advantages and disadvantages of both closet manufacturers. We'll cover their design processes and the types of related products they offer. We'll also discuss models, warranties, and accessibility.
Closet Factory Pros and Cons
Closet Factory boasts more than 38 years of designing, producing, and installing closets and related products. The company started in Los Angeles, California, in 1983 and began providing franchise operations two years later.
Pros
Many locations: Closet Factory has 59 locations around the United States. It ranks fourth among the big-five closet producers in America.
Floor-based model: The company promotes a floor-based closet system that departs from the conventional wall-suspended model that most companies sell.
The key selling point of floor-based models is flexibility. It offers more space for adding sections within the closet. Such additions include shelving, baskets, and drawers. The model has more shelving depths since the framework has a better (more solid) foundation.
The floor-based model is also durable and adaptable. Closet Factory considers this model as one of its innovations.
Wood closet system: Closet Factory uses a variety of woods, including cherry, maple, white, and red oak. It also uses exotic and premium woods like rift-cut oak and African mahogany.
The panels and shelves are comprised of veneer on plywood. The systems also offer solid wood doors and drawers, on-lays, and embellishments for a richer look and feel.
The company provides in-house staining and painting services. It also offers a melamine hybrid with solid wood edges for those who need to stay within budget.
Full-service package: Closet Factory offers customers a full-service package deal, from design to production and installation. Expert designers deal with customer needs from the beginning.
Closet Factory maintains a high standard for using eco-friendly products. The company is a licensed, bonded professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers.
Custom products and services: Aside from the custom closets—the flagship product of the company—Closet Factory offers additional packages, including:
- Home office
- Garage storage
- Entertainment centers
- Kid spaces
- Laundry room
- Wall units
- Wine and pantry spaces
- Mudroom
- Home Library
Cons
Closet Factory offers floor-based closet systems, while most companies offer both hanging closet and floor-based models and a hybrid. There is no available information on Closet Factory's list of designer consultants.
Additionally, Closet Factory offers a limited warranty against manufacturing and installation defects.
California Closets Pros and Cons
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Founded in 1978, California Closets is the biggest closet producer in America. Neil Balter, the founder of California Closets, used an innovative design to redo his apartment closet when he was 17 and went on to establish a successful business.
As the oldest custom closet manufacturer in America, alongside Container Store, California Closets has more than 44 years of business experience. It has showrooms in 155 locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
Pros
Custom-designed solutions: California Closets employs 800 designer consultants nationwide. The company offers a custom closet organizer that has been going on for more than four decades, with budget match-up offers on four levels:
- Level 1: $1,000 starting price for a 6-foot area that covers $175-350 per linear foot
- Level 2: $3,000 starting price for a 6-foot area that covers $500-700 per linear foot
- Level 3: $5,000 starting price for a 6-foot area that covers $850-1500 per linear foot
- Level 4: $11,000 starting price for a 6-foot area that covers $850-1500 per linear foot
These levels offer more transparent pricing guidelines for customers to choose from.
Full-service package: California Closets offers in-house or virtual consultation. The designer will discuss the client's timeline, budget, and ideas before rendering a three-dimensional CAD rendering of the space. The final design will include the customer's choice of finishes, accents, accessories, and lighting.
California Closets provides a limited lifetime warranty. This warranty covers defects in materials and production of the installed product. However, the product must remain at the property and at the original place where the installation team did the work.
The company's composite wood doors and drawers use recycled or reclaimed wood fiber. These products are compliant with the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Accent doors, drawer inserts, and back panels with nature-based materials contain 40% recycled materials. These items are claimable at the end of their life cycle. California Closets provides a lifetime warranty with certain conditions.
Custom products and services: Aside from custom closets, the company offers the following custom packages:
- Bedrooms and living rooms
- Entryways, linen, and hall closets
- Laundry rooms
- Wine bars
- Work and commercial spaces
- Garages
- Custom cabinet finishes
- Closet accessories
- Closet organization
- Shelving and countertops
- Sliding doors
- Doors and drawers
Cons
California Closets only offers wall-mounted models. While the wall-mounted model makes it easier to clean and change flooring designs and structure, it is the sole option for customers.
Floor-Based Closets Vs. Floating Closet Models
The elements of a floor-mounted closet sit on the floor and use brackets to attach to the wall for durability. A wall-mounted or floating model floats above the floor and uses steel rails as attachments to the wall.
A wall-mounted/floating closet system is more affordable and easier to install. However, in terms of durability and flexibility, the floor-based system offers more depth in storage space and can hold more weight.
How To Maximize Your Closet Space
Whether you're considering a floating or floor-mounted closet for your home, here are some tips on how to maximize your space to make it more organized:
- Create an orderly flow: Pants and tops (blouses or shirts) are the most important since you wear them often. They should be immediately available once you enter your closet. Shoes and bags follow, and they should be near each other. Make sure seasonal clothes and accessories are stored somewhere else. Display what's in season for you to wear.
- Get rid of unwanted garments: Weed out any clothes that don't fit you anymore. This is a practical way to reduce clutter and save much-needed space.
- Use space-saving hangers: Opt for thin, matching hangers. This will save space and look aesthetically pleasing. It can help you organize your clothes according to category. You can create groups of winter and summer clothes, high-end and budget-friendly items, and arrange wearables according to size or color.
- Use labels: If you use baskets and bins to store belts, socks, books, towels, or sports equipment, make sure they're properly labeled. It makes finding them easy and more convenient, especially when you're in a hurry.
- Install mirrors: Mirrors create a feeling of depth. They can make a small space look larger and brighten your closet.
With these tips in mind, you can visualize the type of closet you want.
What Are Some Eco-Friendly Closet Design Materials?
Eco-friendly closet systems and related products must comply with international and U.S.-based agencies. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is one of the governing bodies that provide certification for eco-friendly products.
The California Resources Board (CARB) issues provisions dealing with airborne toxic control. The provisions apply to companies that produce plywood, particleboard, and fiberboard with no formaldehyde-based resins or ultra-low-emitting formaldehyde resins.
Studies show that formaldehyde causes cancer. In order for composite wood to comply, it should have a “No Added Formaldehyde” label.
Closet Factory complies with both regulations, while California Closets has a CARB certification.
In Closing
Closet Factory and California Closets both offer customized closet models to suit your tastes and budgets. Both manufacturers produce different closet systems. There are advantages and disadvantages to using each company.
While both companies have many years of experience, California Closets has more transparent price guidelines and boasts double the locations and designer consultants compared to Closet Factory.
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