6 Custom Closet Design Tips That You Need To Know

There are a lot of elements you can play with when creating a custom closet — design, color, function, materials used, number of baskets, etc.

In order to maximize the design aspect of a custom closet, there are six custom closet design tips you should keep in mind.

1. Design Your Walk-In Closet From The Center

The perimeter of your walk-in closet is easy to conceptualize — it will usually be lined with closets. With this in mind, design from the center. The center is the immediate attraction of any room, and your walk-in closet is no different. Design from the center, then work your way out towards the walls.

Perhaps you’d like to put an island at the center and top it with a majestic centerpiece. Or, you’d want your most prized clothes to be featured at the center. Or, you want it empty for maximum walking space.

Keeping this design principle in mind will allow you to much easier create your custom walk-in closet.

2. Design A Custom Closet With Wardrobe In Mind

What’s the use of designing a custom closet if it doesn’t function like a custom closet? Your clothing needs are unique to you. Your custom closet should be tailored to those needs.

Perhaps you have a lot of summer dresses? It would help if you had height-focused shelving to store these tall dresses. You can also use a long garment bag for dresses that will also help protect your dresses from moisture and dust.

Do you have over 30 pairs of shoes? Have a huge rack dedicated to shoes, and organize them by formality or color.

What’s your height? If you built a closet that towers to the ceiling, would you be able to reach the top shelf?

Is there a most-prized item that you want to have the spotlight on?

Take note of what you need, and design your closet around these needs. These will allow you to better perceive the needed dimensions, functions, and design of your closet.

3. Be Flexible

Just like your ever-expanding wardrobe, your walk-in closet should be able to adapt to your changing clothing needs. It’s the best way to maximize usability out of your walk-in closet.

Here are some ways to make your walk-in closet more flexible:

• Invest in a modular design. One cost-efficient way to do this is with adjustable shelving such as an extendable and retractable closet rod, movable shelf dividers, an adjustable panel, etc. This allows you the option to configure the sections within your wardrobe closet.
• Use LED lights or hybrid lights. Lighting is an important aspect of closet design. The luxury to change light colors is an appreciated one when trying on outfits—more on lighting later in this article.
• Use neutral or unsaturated colors for your closet. Your clothes should be the highlight, not the closet itself.

Follow these steps, and your dream closet will be a stylish and functional one. There are other ways to create a flexible storage space which we’ll go into detail on throughout this article.

4. Optimize Your Closet Space

Optimizing your space doesn’t necessarily mean making more closet space. It could also mean making the most use of what space you already have.

The earlier-mentioned tips on flexibility and designing from the center should already optimize your space. Here are more detailed tips on maximizing space:

• Take an inventory of all your clothing items before building your custom closet. You wouldn’t want to build a closet that doesn’t fit your wardrobe.
• Small chairs or stools are little pieces of furniture that don’t take up much space. However, they provide some much-needed seating when trying on outfits.
• When you’re low on walking space, opt for open shelving. The absence of a door maximizes the space by eliminating the inconvenience of an opened door.
• Eliminate dead space on your wall with hooks and tie racks — or racks that can double as coat and jacket hangers, hat hangers, belt racks, etc.
• Add a full-body mirror. A mirror can be mounted on any dead space on your wall. The mirror doesn’t have to be wide, thus making it an efficient use of space.

Apply all the steps above, plus store your clothes properly.

5. Focus On The Lighting

Lighting is an important item to consider but an often overlooked one. Most would design closet lighting like the rest of their house — fixed and consisting only of a single color.

However, with walk-in closets, you’d want to be a bit more flexible with your lighting, considering that trying on clothes is best observed under various lighting conditions. (i.e., summer clothes in natural daylight; nightgowns and dresses in the evening light)

Here are some things to have in your walk-in closet.

• LED lights that can change into any color you desire.
• Hybrid lights that can switch between daylight and warm light.
• A glass window with curtains or blinds to let in natural light
• A dimmer to adjust the intensity of lighting, just like blinds and curtains do to sunlight.

You’d also want pin lights within your closet storage just above the clothes. You’d want to be able to see your clothes too, not just the outfit you’re wearing.

But with all this in mind, keep all your room’s light switches properly placed next to your door.

6. Include Organizers And Inserts For Your Accessories

All your dresses, hats, bracelets, rings, etc., should have a place. But your accessories should also be sectioned off from other accessory categories, just like shirts are from pants. That’s where organizers and inserts come in.

The smaller items in your wardrobe need sections dedicated to them. This organization is better than throwing all your handkerchiefs, socks, and jewelry into one huge pile. Closet organizers NJ services can help create these custom compartments for you.

Organizers are the drawers and shelves that section your accessories from one another. Inserts, on the other hand, are basically organizers within your organizers. They’re sections within a drawer that separate black socks from white socks, gold from silver, underwear from handkerchiefs, etc.

7. Consider Adding Islands Or Benches

If you have enough space in your walk-in closet, add islands and benches to your space. An island, whether in the kitchen or a walk-in closet, provides a nice floor layout but also some much-needed functionality to a room. It makes a lot of use of the dead floor space.

Here are some things your closet island can be:

• A jewelry and accessories drawer. You can dedicate your island to your prized watches, glasses, ties, pearls, etc.
• Your work desk. You can double your walk-in closet as your office and vice versa.
• Your shoe rack to store your pairs of shoes and sandals.
• A place for storing smaller items such as underwear and socks.
• A hamper.

Benches are pretty straightforward — they’re places you can sit. Their compactness makes them perfect for mini walk-in closets.

With a spacey room, having somewhere to sit doubles that room as a rest area, a work area, or a lounge area. It also makes it easier to try shoes off your rack.

Wrapping Up

Here are key custom closet design tips to note of:

Design from the center, making it easier to conceptualize a design. Take note of your wardrobe needs so you can create a closet specifically suited to your lifestyle. The design should be flexible, accommodating wild changes in wardrobe choice. Optimize your space by adding small but key pieces for your custom closet.

Have optimal lighting in your closet to perceive outfits in various settings. Put in organizers and inserts to give your smaller pieces of clothing a place. It’s not just your pants, coats, and jackets that need a place. If there’s enough space, add an island or a bench. These room centerpieces give your floor a nice layout.

Follow these steps, and your closet will be worth all the inches of space it utilizes.