7 mistakes to avoid when designing a walk-in closet

They say that in art, there are no rules. While designing a walk-in closet may be an art, there are still some ground rules to consider. You have to remember that a walk-in closet isn’t just a showroom, but also a small functional space for trying on outfits.

You can be free to do whatever you wish with your space, so long as you don’t make certain mistakes. Here are seven mistakes to avoid when designing a walk-in closet.

1. Using poor lighting

A huge focus on storage and space layout often results in a tendency to skimp on other things. One of these things a homeowner may skimp on is proper walk-in closet lighting.

One of the reasons why lighting is critical for your walk-in closet is because you’d want to be able to properly see the color of your clothes. When it comes to creating your outfits, distinguishing between blue and navy blue is important.

Source: Closet Engineers

Additionally, your walk-in closet can also serve as an office, a make-up space, or your quiet sweet spot. You’d want proper lighting for these activities as well.

To design a walk-in closet, you may install LED strips to change the color of your lights, a dimmer so that you can adjust their intensity, and blinds to limit the sunlight coming through.

You may opt to put pin lights inside your closets so that you can see your clothes properly.

2. Luxury over efficiency

Above anything else, a walk-in closet should be an efficient use of space. It should also serve its purpose of providing you with a small quiet space to do your work. But oftentimes, in our pursuit of design, we often overlook function and practicality.

For example, you installed a chandelier in your little walk-in closet. However, it takes up so much space that it becomes a chore to walk around your closet. Or, you’ve made your walk-in closet so vibrant that it affects the way you perceive your outfit in the mirror.

You wouldn’t want to be making this walk-in closet design mistake. You’d want to design a walk-in closet with function in mind first, then comes the luxury. You don’t need to jump headfirst into a bear rug purchase.

3. No drawers

Your clothes aren’t just huge pieces consisting of jackets, shirts, and pants. You also have smaller, but just as significant pieces like underwear, socks, ties, and jewelry too. You wouldn’t want these sharing the same space as your bigger articles since they can easily get lost.

Drawers let you store and organize your different essentials. Ideally, your ties shouldn’t be sharing the same drawer as your socks and underwear. That goes double for your prized jewelry and your wedding ring. God help you if you lose that – yikes.

Drawers are a cost-effective way to store these smaller articles. It’s also crucial since you may have prized pieces that cost more than your entire closet. Design walk-in closets with drawers in mind, and spare the time (and money) searching for your smaller articles.

4. Not using an adjustable system

Your walk-in closet is a multi-purpose room that should be as versatile as your fashion taste. If you’ve recently sold the shirts you’ve outgrown, you may be left with a closet that contains a ton of empty space. Or, the lights in your closet may not properly emulate how you’d look at night city lighting.

To design a walk-in closet, there are a few adjustable systems you’d want installed:

• Lighting. With the proper light fixtures, you can adjust the color and the intensity of the walk-in closet’s lighting. This will allow you to tailor the lighting to whatever purpose the walk-in closet is serving at that moment (i.e., studying, trying on nightclothes, trying on day clothes, etc.)
• Shelving. You can use detachable and movable sections to create various spaces in your closets. Think of it like your refrigerator. This is helpful when you want to turn your shoe rack into a wardrobe for your jackets and shirts.

An adjustable system prevents frequent and costly remodeling, saving you a lot of time and money. Custom closets NYC contractors can create adjustable closets made to order for you.

5. Creating a cluttered space

If you’ve had the struggle of exerting physical effort to look through your closet, you know what I’m talking about. When your clothes are so cluttered in your little space, this results in a huge inconvenience when searching through clothes.

Source: Closet Engineers

This defeats the purpose of a walk-in closet. The very reason you have a walk-in closet is so that you have more convenience when it comes to looking for the right clothes.

How can you go about this? First, take an inventory of every clothing piece you own. Organize them by category, and then create a proper closet to fit them all. You also should be spreading your belongings evenly within the walk-in closet so that one area isn’t cluttered with clothes.

Here are some bedroom closet organizer ideas to prevent your wardrobe from cluttering

6. Not maximizing your space

When it comes to walk-in closets, space is key. You’d want to be storing your items strategically, but still, be able to walk into your closet to try on different outfits.

No matter how small your walk-in closet space is, even if it’s a four-square-meter space similar to a janitor’s closet, you can still make the most out of it. Here are ways you can maximize your space:

• Build closets that tower from the floor to the ceiling. Utilize the vertical space for your clothes, maximizing the area you can walk around in.
• Utilize open cabinets so that the swiveled door doesn’t cramp up the space you have. You’d still want drawers, though.
• Fold your clothes nicely or use a hanger, If your closet’s a literal laundry pile, that’s going to take up a lot of space.

If you’ve ever played Tetris before or packed your vacation needs so that they all fit into one bag, you should have an idea of what I’m talking about. Maximize your space, and you’ll have an easier time going through your belongings. It makes the most out of your little room too.

7. Not seeing a 3-D design beforehand

Not a sketch, not a concept design, not a blueprint – you’d want to see a 3D rendered design of your space. It’s one thing to visualize it in your head, but another thing entirely to see what it would look like before the project starts.

If you can whip up a 3D design for your closet, great. But even better if you can commission an architect to do the design. This will allow you to see how your walk-in closet would look with all the colors, shapes, and materials.

Think of it like reading a history book, compared to actually going back in time. Which would you prefer? Which method delivers a more accurate depiction?

Wrapping Up

There are no rules when it comes to art. But when you’re building a space for you and your clothes, there are certain don’ts to adhere to.

Don’t use poor lighting. You’d want to see your clothes when picking out what to wear. Don’t compromise efficiency for luxury. You also need drawers to organize your smaller articles of clothing, especially your prized jewelry. Use an adjustable system to adapt your closet to your changing wardrobe.

Maximize the space of your walk-in closet for efficient use of your closet. You wouldn’t want cluttered and messy clothes lying around. Finally, see a 3D design before even hammering a single nail.

Follow these hard don’ts and you are free to do whatever expressive radical design you wish into your walk-in closet.