Heh heh my stepdad and husband did my closet. I got a nice hardwood kit and turned an entire room into a walk-in closet. It looks awesome, if I weren't privacy conscious, I would post pictures. It definitely cost less than 7 grand.
Any guy or guys who can install kitchen cabinets or have carpentry experience should be able to install the system for you.
Why don't you purchase a wooden kit and then contact a kitchen installer or a contractor?
Here's what I think you may spend if you do an entire walk-in closet:
1. Paint - You can pick the paint you want, I recommend eggshell and I used a no-primer paint from home-depot. for a 10X14 room, maybe $50 bucks. If you don't want to paint, you can hire a college student or something for another $50.
2. Light fixtures - Beautiful lighting. New fixtures and professional installation. $600
3. Wooden closet System - $700
4. Closet System Installation - $700 ( I bet you can get it for cheaper). It should only take a few hours. Call up and tell them that you will buy the system, and they just need to install it. Just leave room for the other furniture. I think you'll need some other furniture other than just the racks that come with your system.
5. Wooden chest of drawers, Shoe storage Chest, Mirror - To match the racks. $1000
6. Bench or Chaise - Someplace really adorable to sit while trying on shoes. $500
7. Window Treatments - Bragging about my awesome silk drapes. The closet is one of my favorite rooms! Nice curtains are worth the price. $300
8. Rug - $1500
That's only $5400, and if you can deal with a non-oriental rug, or less expensive curtains and furniture, you can probably get it done for $3000 or less. My closet doesn't have that wall-of-cubbies look, since I have an armoire, mirror and chest that we made space for during the installation. Personally, because of the hardwood, I think it looks better. Best of luck. I really hope you can do it.
I love pix, so even though I can't post personal ones, here are some pix that may inspire you:
http://homebuilding.thefuntimesguide...in-closet.jpeg
Below is nice, but IMO all your furniture doesn't have to exactly match as long as the woods are in the same color-family. Personally, I think a vintage chest or something would look better than the kitchen-island looking thingy in the pic below:
http://www.closettailors.com/home-st...walk-in-lg.jpg
Below, instead of the built-in drawers, I used an armoire. I had an armoire already, and my dad just made the top of the shelving matched the top height-wise.
http://www.calstuff.com/wp-content/u...n-closet-3.jpg
IMO this one looks a little too "built-in" and presswood, but the colors are sweet:
http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2008/...8b58866f1c.jpg
Pretty, but notice how there's never any space for boots. Who doesn't have boots? What do people do who have those thigh-high boots. BTW, I got separate racks for my long boots:
http://www.solidwoodclosets.com/prod...s_espresso.jpg
The woman annoys me, but look how HOT her closet is!
http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2008/...73149537ed.jpg
LOL
http://rightbank.files.wordpress.com...l_lyons_10.jpg
Have fun, and I hope you end up with a wonderful closet for less than $7000.