DesignLiving

Closets by Design

In Design, Living on

Look into someone’s closet and you discover the personality of the resident in the house, condo, or apartment. This truth applies to large dressing room type closets, and to the smallest of closets in traditional, older homes. Knowingly or not, we are all designers of our closets. Let’s explore this rather blunt assertion and the underlying perspective a bit more. Let’s discover some of the fundamental elements of closets by design.

Most people dream of having a large designed walk-in closet.  But how large is the right large? Are there specific fit-outs and features that today’s designed closets should have? Why are walk-in closets or dressing room closets so desirable today? Let’s take a deep dive into what is probably today’s most desirable designed closet.

Trends in Closets by Design

The trend in today’s design closets represents a shift from storing clothing to the dressing room. Today’s dressing room has a few distinct features:

Closets are transforming into luxurious dressing rooms. Complete with furniture style storage and sitting options.

There is a definite trend to have full “his” and “her” walk-in closets.  Architects and designers will tell you that buyers place so much value on walk-in closets that they are willing to shrink the bedroom size a bit to accommodate bigger bathrooms and closets. It appears that today’s consumers do want to take the time to dress carefully in their very own closets.

This is interesting against the backdrop of increasingly less complex clothing needs. For many, it used to be common to have a full wardrobe for work – suites for men and women, alongside “smart casual” clothes and plain casual clothes, exercise gear, etc. So less clothing but more space to select the clothing is the call of the day.

Well-organized clothing and visually well-presented clothing are the two big factors in closets. Fortunately, today’s closets and closet systems provide a wide variety of functionality and style.

Fit-Out Options for Closets

Closet systems used to be inexpensive wire rack type of systems on the one hand, and custom-designed closets on the other.  Fortunately, today there is a wide range of in-between options from a variety of online sources for closet systems. Basically, closet systems are modular in nature. This means working with standard sizes is a huge money saver. Many companies offer some design support as well. This is a good way to figure out the closet by design cost for your particular closet size. All around this may be a good way to figure out the right closet set up for your walk-in and old-fashion, hanging closets.

There are two fit-out details that are very different between the genders.  Women love a chandelier in their closets. The chandelier appears to give their closet a “living” over “storing” quality. Men, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about chandeliers but for them, a stool or bench is top on their wish list to put on socks and shoes. Both are super simple fit-out DIY elements with big pay-offs.

Luxury Touch In Closets Done DIY

Most European-style closet systems fall into the category of luxury closets by design. Beautiful, built-in cabinets with fancy drawer systems.  Glass doors for some cabinets are common.  And then there is one more super cool fit-out option – LED light strips or even LED-lit shelves. This is perhaps the one fit-out design feature that turns an ordinary closet into a fancy closet by design. And here is one tip: Installing LED lighting strips is actually a great DIY installation. See how  Smart Home Solver reviews lighting. Smart Home Solver is one of the series on SHGLiving.  Reed has you covered so you will buy the right materials.

LED-lit clothes bars in the closet give you just the right amount of accent lighting where you want it most.

Sabine Schoenberg of SHG Living’s SabinesNewHouse reveals that one of her go-to upscale closet features today is the LED lit hanging rod. Haefele, the German hardware fit-out company makes a great one.  This is one trick to create a truly upscale look in your closet.

Given the interest in closet design in his and her walk-in closets, these features are important elements in creating value in today’s homes.  They place right next to the right kitchen design features. Buyers want closets by design and they are willing to pay for upscale closet spaces. Is it something you desire? Watch the shows on SHGLiving for inspiration, products, and hands-on guidance for your closet installations.