DC’s Logan Circle neighborhood is a hot real estate market. A walk-in closet with luxurious custom features can help your listing stay competitive.

I’ve mentioned once or twice that Logan Circle is a hot area of DC to call home. It’s even hotter for real estate. Homes average less than 10 days on the market, and one recently listed two-bedroom penthouse only made it five days before being snapped up.

When you see numbers like that, you might ask, “Why is Logan Circle so popular?” In addition to reasons I’ve touched on previously, many of the homes going on the market here offer features that are extremely attractive to buyers, who tend to look for move-in ready listings that won’t require any work. These features include attractive closets, which are often a huge selling point for homes.

You might not be looking to sell your home right now, but a custom closet is an investment that could very well pay for itself when you decide that the time has come. Below are a few popular design ideas that will serve you (and your walk-in) well.

A Center Closet Island

When I’m working with clients on custom closet layouts, they’re often inclined to stick with wall units that contain a mixture of shelving and hanging rods. It’s obviously great to have those features, but to make your closet shine, I always recommend a center island. Most Logan Circle homes have the space, and this particular feature makes getting ready so much easier, on top of giving you additional storage space via drawers or cabinets down below.

This is the piece that will give your closet the “wow” factor that many buyers are looking for in a home, making your listing a memorable tour and a quick sell.

Upgraded Lighting

Have you ever noticed that when a room is light-filled and bright, it feels bigger? The same notion applies to your closet. Since most closets lack windows for natural light, LED lighting can help brighten the room so that it feels more spacious.

Some people might argue that the lighting systems already integrated into their closets are perfectly adequate. While this is sometimes true, additional LED lights still have an impact, making it much easier to see all the way to the back of individual shelves and drawers.

Attractive Shoe Storage

If, like me, you really love your shoes, you probably like to use shelves for storage whenever possible, as this helps show off your collection. But a few customizations will improve this system and impress homebuyers.

First, I’d suggest upgrading to angled shelves. These are more user-friendly since you don’t have to reach back as far to get what you need. Since we shoe-enthusiasts generally use shelves to store footwear of varying heights, I’d also recommend making your shelves adjustable. This lets you clearly see each pair and helps showcase your collection.

Clients are sometimes worried that shoes won’t stay put on angled shelves, but with a shoe fence at the bottom of each shelf, everything will stay nicely secured—an organizational detail that will help impress homebuyers.

Visually Distinct Details

Little things, like an attractive finish coupled with matching hardware, can also make a difference. One of the benefits of custom design is that you can choose a style that matches the rest of your home, giving your house that carefully planned “magazine photo shoot” feel.

Adding cabinet doors is another easy upgrade with tons of visual impact. Even for the most organized person in the world, there’s something about closed cabinets. They help you visualize how you’d split up your wardrobe and what special items you’d reserve for your cabinet space. Any feature that can get buyers thinking about settling in like this is a definite plus.

When you start to consider moving, costs can quickly add up. Investing in a custom closet now means it’s one less thing you have to worry about fixing up once you prepare to sell. Plus, until you reach that point, you get to reap the benefits of having a customized space. To figure out the best way to maximize your closet (and your return on investment), you’re welcome to get in touch for a free design consultation.

Lead image credit: Flickr user Elvert Barnes (CC BY 2.0)