32 | Oregon Home stronger, sturdier system. “When he started out, my dad wanted to build a better way,” Karen says, “so he built from the floor up so that all of the weight is evenly distributed on the floor and not hanging on the wall. The systems are heavy, and once all the clothes and shoes are loaded in them, they can be as heavy as a refrigerator. You would not want to hang a fridge on your wall.” Closet Factory also offers extensive custom painting and staining that most others don’t. Unlike other closet companies that have limited selections, Closet Factory carries close to 70 different colors of melamine — the laminated particle board used in construction — and can use natural-wood panels that can be painted or stained to the client’s preference. The company, which uses 99% Oregon- and Washington-made materials, has its shop right behind the showroom in Tualatin, so everything is done locally, which also allows for a quick installation time of just a day or two. “We control the whole process from beginning to end,” Karen says. “Every point of contact that the client has along the way is an employee of Closet Factory.” Closet Factory’s process is custom, too. Prospective clients set up a free, in-home consultation with one of the company’s designers. The designer talks to the client about their needs, their style, their budget and other details before coming up with a design. Every space is different, and each has its own challenges and opportunities. The process also includes meticulous measuring and inventorying. Karen says every item of clothing and every pair of shoes gets measured or counted. Designers have to account for obstacles like outlets and sprinklers; in some cases, they’ll even measure the width of a client’s feet with their shoes on to make sure they design a shoe shelf that is just the right size. “We want to make sure we are maximizing the space so we can store all their items,” Karen says. “It really does take a lot of thoughtfulness. It’s a jigsaw puzzle mixed with sudoku and design, but we love that process. We are building it just for you.” closetfactory.com Closet Factory owners Chris and Karen McIlmoil help clients choose the perfect surfaces and hardware for their project from samples in their showroom.
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