It’s hard to tell where the current walk-in closet design revival had its origin, but we’re willing to wager that Sex in the City’s Carrie Bradshaw had at least a small part to play in the hundreds of aspirational custom closet ideas that pop up on our Pinterest walls. Everyone wants one and homeowners who didn’t have custom-built closets before, want it now. They are looking at every nook and cranny in a different light – reimagining them as awe-inspiring walk-in closets. Suddenly any under-utilized basement or broom cupboard hold endless design possibilities.
Converting these spare spaces into awesome ones can be challenging, however. So, we’ve put together this handy checklist to help you make the most of your home’s new asset.
1. Create a Focal
Although this isn’t necessarily the most important thing to consider when getting custom closet ideas, it’s certainly the most fun. When you take a careful look at the walk-in closet designs that grab your attention, you’ll notice that they all seem to have something really striking that immediately makes you go, “wow!”
Focal pieces can be anything, but area rugs or chandeliers are often used as those are two things that instantly add personality without taking up any additional space in an area where every inch counts.
Another good idea if you’re low on space or want to keep your closet design simple, is to feature the sassy vintage hat you bought on impulse, a pretty scarf, or your most prized bag or pair of high heels. Highlight it with good accent lighting just to make sure that it catches the eye. Showing off your favorite purchases is a popular feature technique commonly seen in fashion bloggers’ walk-in cupboards.
For those designing a walk-in closet with a little more space to spare, a luxurious island or eye-catching wallpaper in a strategic place is sure to give it the wow-factor.
2. Highlight Your Style With Great Lighting
There’s certainly nothing “wow” about a dark and dingy broom cupboard, so make sure that you highlight your great taste in clothes with excellent lighting. While natural light is a bonus, many walk-ins make use of artificial lighting instead.
Artificial light, when used correctly, can bathe a walk-in closet in a glamorous, warm hue that says, “try something on and strut your stuff!”. Artificial light should be employed as both ambient lighting for a general glow and accent lighting for specific areas, leaving no dimly-lit corners.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when considering the lighting in your walk-in:
- Recessed LED downlights are great to ensure an even lighting level around the room.
- Make sure that there is sufficient light on shelves and rails as well to make it easy to find items.
- Always use warm white light (2700k – 3000k) to ensure that most accurate color rendering of your clothes.
3. Keep Things Simple With Color Coding
While this may be a bit extreme for some, color-coded cupboards are easy on the eye and assists in keeping things super organized. For this reason, you’ll see most wow-factor walk-in cupboards harmoniously color coded with whites, greys, and blacks separated from colors. For an added touch, brights can be stacked neatly in their respective color groups, or organized along the color spectrum.
4. A Place For Everything, And Everything In Its Place
We can all agree that there’s nothing sexy about a mess! A walk-in cupboard with piles of untidy garments, heaps of accessories, and where loose items are strewn across the floor, is not a good place to prepare for the day ahead.
An untidy closet is usually the result of not having enough space for everything. Luckily, there are numerous organizers around to help keep your closet uncluttered. Have fun with some pretty storage boxes that compliment your walk-in cupboard design. They are perfect for organizing unsightly odds and ends and keeping piles tidy. Utilize any open wall space or the back of the door with hooks and rails for accessories and belts. Here are some great closet organizing ideas for keeping tight cupboard spaces orderly.
Sometimes, a little too much space can also result in a messy, unimpressive walk-in closet. If you’re lucky enough to have this dilemma, then it’s important to declutter on a regular basis and make good use of your ample space. Have a look at these fabulous walk-in closet design ideas for large spaces.
5. Beautiful Design
Finally, and most importantly, the design is everything. You can spot a well thought-out, harmonious design immediately. That must be the starting point for any “wow” walk-in cupboard. Apart from looking great, a good design will be intuitive and practical as well. It must allow ease-of-use, comfortable movement and access to everything. It could mean the difference between getting dressed in a serene, inspired room; and being frustrated because you’re not able to find something.
Here are some gorgeous custom walk-in cupboards to give you more design ideas that are every bit as user-friendly as they are impressive. You can also chat with one of our very talented online interior designers about the walk-in cupboard you have in mind. With the correct design and a little help, any extra space large enough to step into can become an inspired walk-in cupboard that allows you to start the day on the right, and perfectly dressed, foot.
By Decorilla Interior Design Writer, Germarie Bruwer
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