Wire Shelving to Custom: The Fraleys' Pantry & Master Closet Makeover

The problem: builder-grade wire shelving

Almost every new build comes with contractor-installed wire shelving. It's cheap, it's fast to hang, and it's the first thing homeowners want gone. Wire racks sag under the weight of pantry cans and folded sweaters, small items tip over or fall through the gaps, and those angled support brackets eat up the space where you'd actually want to store things. The Fraleys were done fighting theirs — they wanted a real system that used every inch and looked like it belonged in the house.

The pantry: from wire racks to a custom corner system

The before photo says it all — a few tiers of wire shelving that couldn't hold much and left the corners and lower walls almost useless. We removed all of it, prepped the walls, and built a floor-to-ceiling custom pantry that wraps the corner with fully adjustable shelves. Now the same little room holds the whole family's groceries, small appliances, cookbooks and overflow — with room to spare and nothing lost at the back.

The difference in usable storage space is dramatic: taller sections for cereal boxes and the InstantPot, shorter runs for cans and jars, and continuous corner shelving that turns dead space into prime real estate. Just as important, it finally looks like part of the home instead of a utility rack.

The master closet: a true walk-in

The master closet had the same story: single wire rods crammed to the brim, clothes puddling on the floor, and no home for shoes or folded items. We designed a full walk-in closet system with double-hang sections to double the hanging capacity, built-in drawers, adjustable shelving, and a dedicated shoe wall. Everything the Fraleys owned finally fit — with breathing room — and the space reads calm and boutique instead of chaotic.

Wire shelving is designed to be cheap and fast. A custom system is designed around your life — and it shows the moment you open the door.

Built to last: only the best 3/4-inch furniture board

Here's the part you can't see in a photo but feel every day. We build our closets and pantries from only the best 3/4-inch furniture board — thick, dense, and rigid. That extra thickness is why our shelves stay flat and dead-level under a full load of canned goods or a stack of denim, year after year, with no sagging or bowing. Thinner 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch shelving (and, of course, wire) simply can't do that.

Solid 3/4-inch shelves also give you a flat, stable surface that wipes clean, edges that resist chips and dings, and a finished, built-in look that reads like fine cabinetry. It's the single biggest reason a custom system outlasts and outperforms the wire racks it replaces.

The payoff: more storage, better looks, zero regret

Two rooms, one weekend of installation, and a completely different home to live in. The Fraleys went from wrestling with builder wire shelving to a pantry and master closet that hold far more, stay organized on their own, and look like a custom feature of the house. That's the combination we chase on every project — real gains in storage space paired with the kind of aesthetics that make you want to leave the door open.

Curious what a project like this costs? See our full custom closet & pantry cost guide, or compare your options in our closet systems comparison. The same 3/4-inch craftsmanship goes into every closet, pantry, garage and home office we build.

Ready to ditch your wire shelving?

If a contractor left you with wire shelving you can't stand, we'd love to help. Bring us your pantry, closet or whole home and we'll design custom storage around the way you actually live. Your in-home design consultation is free — and you'll see a photorealistic layout and an honest price before you commit. We're family-owned and proud to serve Nashville and all of Middle Tennessee.