The most memorable room inside a recently sold $10.5 million Paradise Valley estate wasn't the great room, the chef's kitchen or even the spa-inspired primary suite.
It was the closet.
More than a million dollars' worth of luxury fashion, fine watches and accessories turned an already impressive dressing room into the home's biggest conversation piece. Approximately 150 meticulously curated pieces, valued at an estimated $1.5 million, lined the shelves.
Listed and sold by Katrina Barrett, the Belgian Contemporary residence captivated with Venetian plaster, Calacatta Viola marble and panoramic mountain views. Yet it was this unexpected room that stole the show.
"We knew our approach to closet staging and styling had to transcend industry standards. It only made sense to have a little fun while showcasing timeless design, cohesive, impeccable natural materials, a restrained palette and a truly quiet-luxury aesthetic," says Lauren Pappo, co-founder of Atelier La Scala, a luxury house specializing in privately curated, Italian-crafted collections.
For Lauren, the collaboration was personal. Rossland Investment Group, the family-owned developer behind the home, is her family’s business, and she serves as one of its principals. That connection gave her a uniquely exciting point of entry into the closet project. Working alongside interior designer Kylie Wolfe of Wolfe Studios and Bryan Temen, her co-founder at Atelier La Scala, she helped create something rarely seen, even in our ultra-luxe real estate market. Instead of staging the space with folded sweaters and empty shelves, they transformed it into a designer boutique worthy of Fifth Avenue.
“This wasn't a closet built around recognizable labels. It was curated with some of the world's most coveted names in luxury fashion and horology. Loro Piana. Kiton. Ermenegildo Zegna. Audemars Piguet. Brunello Cucinelli, often called the ‘King of Cashmere,’” says Lauren.
Among the collection's most revered names was Patek Philippe, widely regarded as one of the world's most prestigious watchmakers and known for its famous philosophy: "You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation." Lauren also points to Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak as one of the most influential luxury sports watches ever created.
Among the first pieces to capture attention was a one-of-one men's overcoat by Kiton crafted entirely from 100 percent vicuña, often called the "Gold of the Incas." Considered the rarest and most valuable natural fiber in the world, vicuña can only be shorn every few years, making garments made from it extraordinarily scarce.
"The one-of-one coat carries an estimated value of $45,000, but its rarity is what makes it remarkable," Lauren shares. "Handcrafted in Arzano, Italy, it required more than 50 hours of work and over 1,800 individual handmade steps to complete."
Just steps away sat the collection's most valuable piece, a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A valued at approximately $145,000 on the secondary market. Long considered one of the world's most coveted watches, the Nautilus has become as much an investment as a timepiece. Nearby, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400ST, valued at approximately $45,000, added another icon of modern watchmaking.
The craftsmanship didn't stop there. An Ermenegildo Zegna cashmere and castorino jacket, valued at $17,500, paired luxurious cashmere with a waterproof beaver lining, proving exceptional craftsmanship can also be practical. A limited-edition Brunello Cucinelli Solomeo Coat, valued at $11,600 and crafted from 90 percent cashmere and 10 percent silk, reflected the same understated palette found throughout the home.
"It was also a signature design personally owned by Brunello Cucinelli himself," Lauren says.
Completing the collection was a Brunello Cucinelli gown valued at $10,995, bringing softness and movement through a paillette-embellished mohair and wool bodice flowing into a silk skirt.
Designer garments hung from authentic branded hangers. Jewelry rested on neutral linen display busts, while glass-topped drawers presented pocket squares, scarves, ties, belts, sunglasses and watches like collected objects. A moody pendant illuminated the floating Calacatta Viola marble vanity and custom backlit mirror, with deep painted oak millwork creating a rich backdrop. Together, the details ensured that “every piece is displayed the way it deserves to be seen,” notes Bryan Temen.
"While we anticipated individual pieces receiving reactions, surprisingly, the entire closet seemed to receive this response from nearly every visitor who explored the space. When each piece represents a portion of a carefully curated exhibition, people notice," says Lauren.
Buyers had the opportunity to purchase select wardrobe pieces, allowing the carefully curated lifestyle to continue long after closing.
"A closet of this caliber isn't consumption - it's a portfolio,” Bryan adds.
In a home filled with extraordinary architecture, it wasn't the marble, the mountain views or even the craftsmanship that visitors talked about most.
It was the closet.
katrinabarrett.com