It’s a question that Chris McKenry loves to ask in response to a sentiment often expressed by potential clients. “When I meet with an individual who is considering a closet organizing system, they invariably say, ‘well, after all, it’s just a closet, no one will see it but me, and I’m not really looking to impress anyone.’ I’m always ready with my response, which is this: Don’t you want to feel good, to impress yourself? Aren’t you worth it?”
“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever,” wrote Keats and this certainly applies to Chris’s organizing systems. There is a beauty in each organizer he designs, and a joy that comes with it. “There’s a peace of mind that comes with being organized,” he says. “It’s much more than putting things where they can be found later. It’s feeling that your life is organized, and in good order.”
Chris’s process is a simple one. Whether it’s your closet, office, pantry, garage—or, for that matter, just about any space in your home—Chris takes you from concept to completion. He’ll walk through your needs during a custom design consultation where he’ll get to fully understand your goals, measure your space, and assess your storage requirements. “My background as a professional organizer enables me to really pay attention to the details,” says Chris, “and to ask the right questions so the finished product brings a feeling of peace to the home. I apply my skills and passion for design and decorating with the goal of creating a design that is as stylish as it is functional.” He’ll then show you his concept as a 3D rendering. “The 3D rendering is a great tool because it enables the client to really visualize their new space. If they’d like some aspect changed, the rendering helps them see exactly what that change would look like.”
Designing and organizing aren’t Chris’s only passions. “I feel very strongly about giving back to the community,” Chris says, “and about being an active participant in my industry.” For starters, McKenry’s closets are manufactured in Sevierville by Inspiration Home, supporting the East Tennessee business community. He is a member of the Home Builders Association and active in the Knoxville Interior Design Society. “It’s involvement in these associations, and industry conferences, that keep me on top of my game.” Last year, he won “Designer of the Year” in the IDS national competition for the primary closet he designed for the Alzheimer’s Tennessee Home and Garden Tour. While he is proud of many achievements, Chris is particularly proud of the Career Closet program at his alma mater, Carson Newman University. Thanks to clothing donations made thru Closets by McKenry, student have “access to professional and business casual attire, at no charge, for career fairs, Interviews, and the workplace.” He also serves on the board of Positively Living, a non-profit organization that provides healthcare to those living with HIV, support for drug abuse and homelessness.
Contemplating getting your life a bit better organized? Stop by Chris’s showroom on Center Park Drive. There you’ll discover for yourself that a thing of beauty is, indeed, a joy for ever.
201 Center Park Dr., Suite 1070
Knoxville, TN 37922
(865) 249-6382
closetsbymckenry.com