PROFILES
LISA ADAMS
Formulating The Perfect Closet Space | BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS
T
he creative force behind L.A. Closet Design, Lisa Adams empowers her clients to have the perfect closet space, creating captivating wardrobes with meticulous panache. Upscale Living spoke exclusively with her about what it takes to fashion a space that is stylish yet practical.
Lisa, tell us a bit about yourself. I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and now am based in Los Angeles, California. Aside from my passion for designing and closets, I love sports, traveling, and all things fashion. I love waking up to a cup of coffee and playing the New York Times’ games; on the weekends, you’ll find me running, playing tennis, golfing—and watching sports. Did you have an influence in your youth that shaped your career path? I’ve always loved the sciences — I actually had a past career as a chemist. For me, this influence really helps shape my approach to closets, as I exercise both parts of my brain. I get to tackle design challenges from a very analytical, methodical perspective, while creating beautiful, aspirational spaces for my clients. What made you decide to start your full-service luxury closet design firm, L.A. Closet Design in 2007. At the time, I was working on the operations side of a luxury kitchen and bath company. I really recognized that closets were not on the radar for many designers. It seemed like a niche market that could benefit from the same level of detail and discernment as other areas of the home. So I took the leap! What does your job entail? Ultimately, we are here to provide a service at the highest level. A lot of the job involves managing expectations, and relating to clients on a personal level, to best understand their needs. I always want to make sure the clients’ needs are met, and mitigate as much of the headache as possible throughout the construction process, as there are always lots of moving parts. I assume in your line of work, you have to be super organized? It certainly helps! In our line of work, every detail matters, and it takes a certain level of an innate Type A personality to make sure the design process is smooth and efficient. There surely is a transition to a fully functioning closet. I like to think good design can help anyone to be more organized. If you 48 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | AUG/SEPT 2023
can see everything in your closet, you’re likely to wear those otherwise forgotten pieces. And if everything has a home, you’ll be less likely to leave things out of place. How do you create good ‘traffic flow’ in a closet? It’s important for me to first understand the clients’ individual lifestyles. Am I designing for someone who travels frequently? What pieces are they going for in the closet on a daily basis? Are they dressing in the closet? Do they have a styling team who needs space to work? These are all questions that inform the way we want to move through the closet, and make decisions that allow easy access to the items we’re using most. We consider access to the master suite, laundry routines, tailoring — these processes are different in every household. How do you go about balancing the aesthetics and functionality of a closet? Our closets represent the marriage of function and aesthetics. I strive for them to be equally as beautiful as they are functional. Ultimately, all the decisions we reach are to make the space feel highly intentional, making the dressing process easier and more enjoyable. At the same time, I want it to be a space you enjoy, and it needs to complement your personal style. How do you solve / deal with overstuffed, cluttered and unorganized spaces? In a functioning closet, items should constantly be coming and going. If you haven’t worn something in a year, you could likely let it go. I encourage my clients to take stock and purge the items they’re no longer wearing, to make sure they can really access the items they love. If someone is just innately a little messy, we’ll often explore areas they can have items behind doors, to keep things looking tidy. And hoarders? Aside from purging, many of us are limited by the space in our closets, and real estate is at a premium. For anyone who has more clothing than they have space for, we can get creative with carving out space in the closet — triple hanging, hidden compartments, using every square inch of space. I also think rotating things out seasonally can help reclaim a lot of space for the items you’re currently wearing. You get to see what your clients have in their closets. Without disclosing their identity, have there been some enviable items you wish you had thought of buying for yourself?
