Go Inside Monique Lhuillier's Stunning Closet in Her L.A. Home

By Andrea Cheng
Updated Sep 08, 2015 @ 1:30 pm
Credit: Rachel Bujalski

Monique Lhuillier is responsible for whipping up breathtaking bridal creations and equally breathtaking ready-to-wear designs that pretty much double as red carpet regulars at this point. And her runways are no different (she once transformed her set into a larger-than-life jewelry box). And so when we got the opportunity to peek inside her newly renovated closet in Los Angeles, we can't say were all too surprise that it was as beautiful as any one of her show sets. In fact, "jewelry box" was how she described it.

"I moved into my house 10 years ago, and my closet was the only room in the house that I hadn't changed or decorated," she tells InStyle. "I always dreamed for a more organized, a more beautiful space that reflected the rest of my house. You don’t realize how much time you spend in your closet, and I wanted to be in a beautiful and efficient space."

RELATED: My Life in 10 Seconds: Monique Lhuillier

She envisioned a world of serene gray (one of her favorite colors: "it's neutral, calming, serene, clean") with beautiful textures and lighting. And she made it happen with the help of designer Lisa Adams, transforming her 260-square-feet walk-in closet into a space lined with plush carpeting and wood-paneled walls in a bespoke shade of gray (that ties in with the rest of her house). She installed a custom Waterford chandelier dripping in smoky ombré crystals, equipped hanging rods with LED lights, created hooks for boots and purses, and built a three-way mirror. And for the finishing touch, she worked with a local Los Angeles artist Azadeh Shladovsky to customize two ottoman poofs that serve as pieces of art.

Basically, the closet has Monique Lhuillier's design DNA imprinted all over it. "It's a joy to be in my closet," she says. "It's my kids' favorite place to hang out it; it's become an inviting atmosphere."

What about her husband? "That's one of the reasons we've been happily married for 20 years," she laughs. "We don't share a closet."

From the rows shoes to neat boot hooks, get design inspo from Lhuillier's closet, ahead.

PHOTOS: Take a Tour of Monique Lhuillier's Los Angeles Closet

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The Closet

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"I moved into my house 10 years ago, and my closet was the only room in the house that I hadn't changed or decorated," Lhuillier says. "I always dreamed for a more organized, a more beautiful space that reflected the rest of my house." She painted the closet a custom gray—one of her favorite shades because "it's neutral, calming, serene, clean, and clothes stand out against gray."

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The Ottomans

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"I worked with a local artist in Los Angeles Azadeh Shladovsky to customize these," she says. "I had been a fan of her work for years and I finally found a place for them. They weigh a ton, they're a piece of art, and they're whimsical at the same time."

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The Chandelier

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"The chandelier is from my lighting collection," Lhuillier says of her custom Waterford. "Iit in custom shades of gray with a few clear crystals. It has a beautiful smoky effect—it's like a dripping necklace."

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The Three-Way Mirror

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"I built in a three-way mirror, so I could stand on either side of the closet and see every angle," she says.

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Shelves of Shoes

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"I arrange boots on the bottom because they need more height, then running shoes, then flats, and the rest are my heels," she says. "I like to organize by color—it's more soothing to the eye and it's easier to find something when it's arranged by tones." 

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The Boot Rack

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"My boots go on the bottom because they need more height," she says. Those boot hooks? Genius.

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The Shelves

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"To maximize space, especially when you have limited space, build the closet all the way up to the ceiling," she says. "Don't stop the woodwork—utilize every space. I keep boxes of pictures up there and shoe bags."

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The Organization Strategy

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"I organize by occasion, then clothing type, and then color," Lhuillier says. "It's important to get uniform hangers for the entire closet. Mismatched hangers is a distracting element that you can easily eliminate, so you can focus on your clothes."

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Clothes That Bring Joy

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"When was my closet was under renovation, it was an opportunity to edit and reexamine all my clothes," Lhuillier says. "This is one of my favorite dresses from my earlier collections—more than eight years ago—this one will always stay."

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The Jewelry Display

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"This was a way to organize all my everyday jewelry," she says. "And it has a glass top, so you can see all the jewelry, watches, everything, all at the same time." 

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Everything Serves a Purpose

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"Everything in this closet is about organization," she says. "There's not one drawer that doesn't have an organizational component. Everything is compartmentalized."

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The Sunglasses Drawer

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"The last thing I put on are my sunglasses," she says. "This way I don't need to open individual cases to see my sunglasses. I can just grab and go."

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On Getting Dressed

Credit: Rachel Bujalski

"The whole concept revolved around the idea of being able to stand in front of the closet and see everything in one glance," she says. "Whether I start with a dress or with a shoe and work backwards. It makes getting dressed so much easier. It saves so much time."

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By Andrea Cheng