Meet the Woman With the Biggest Closet In America
One of the biggest complaints all women seem to have: Not enough closet space. This isn’t a problem for Houston, Texas based entrepreneur and philanthropist Theresa Roemer, who built a 3,000 square foot, three-story closet fantasy closet in her home, the kind of space that would make most women drop to their knees (which they usually do when they see it).
“I’ve always had beautiful closets, whether it was ten by ten or 3,000 square feet,” Roemer told us. “I’ve always thought that a closet is direct reflection of you…most people think of a closet as ugly, a place to just cram things into, and I’m the total opposite. I’m a firm believer that if I don’t see it, I won’t wear it.”
“I planned the closet around the way I dress,” Roemer shared of the space, which cost around $500,000 to create. “The third floor is where my hats and furs are, the second floor is the main floor of the closet, the family room, where I drink champagne and do my makeup, and where my shoes and clothes are, and the first floor is where the best action is, where I grab the right purse on my way out.” As far as how she’s organized her massive collection of clothes and accessories, she said, “You can see everything, nothing is hidden, everything is behind glass doors, and color coded.”
Even considering the massive size of the closet (around three times the size of the average apartment in the U.S.) Roemer doesn’t think she’ll ever be totally satisfied. “I don’t know why with me my closets keep getting bigger, and bigger,” she joked. “Now, when I look at the closet, it doesn’t look so big to me. Sometimes, I’ll say, ‘I could knock down this wall.’”
Above all, the closet is an accessories lovers’ dream. “I’m a huge Hermès fan. All of my best all of my girlfriends have a thing. I have one Gucci friend, another who is totally into Chanel purses, and I always gravitate towards Hermès.” (Fun fact, Roemer owns over 60 Birkin bags.)
“Another one of my favorites is Christian Louboutin,” Roemer said. “I have over 75 pairs. I went to dinner one night with him, and I told him that, and he couldn’t believe it. Then I showed him the photos.” As far as Roemer’s first big purchase? “Growing up I didn’t have much money, and Louis Vuitton was my first big purchase. For years I saved and saved and bought a clutch, and it felt like buying a house. I didn’t wear it much to keep it very pristine, and I still prize it.”
Not surprisingly, women have strong reactions when they see Roemer’s closet for the first time. “Mouths falls open from the minute people make an entrance, everybody’s jaw drops,” Roemer shared with a laugh. It’s that kind of reaction that has inspired her to use the space to host fundraising events in her closet, including an upcoming benefit for the American Cancer Society.
As far as what Roemer’s husband thinks about her prized space, she shared, “He just rolls his eyes, yet when company comes over, the closet is the first thing he wants to show off. He jokes that his closet is a two by four in comparison. It’s really bigger than an average size bedroom, but he says his looks like a two by four.”
Roemer’s advice to women, no matter how much closet space they have to work with: “No matter if you have a closet with bi-fold doors, or a walk-in, your closet can still be gorgeous and functional, and not a total mess. It doesn’t have to look like the laundry room.”
Click through the gallery above for a tour of Roemer’s fantasy closet.