Restore a feeling of calm to your bedroom’s storage space by customizing the layout of your walk-in closet.

Restore a feeling of calm to your bedroom’s storage space by customizing the layout of your walk-in closet. An organized walk-in closet can give your life a sense of order, as it’s where you get dressed and ready for your day as well as where you decompress to get ready for bed at night. You should be able to walk into your closet and find peace in the way everything flows together in harmony, creating a quiet place where you can find what you need to escape from the holiday madness, if only for a few minutes. The best way to achieve this effect, of course, is to have your closet custom-built to fit your needs as well as your tastes.

Your Walk-in Closet Layout Should Make Life Easier

First, make it functional. Your closet’s layout should give you easy access to the items you use most often. That means keeping the things you use daily front and center.

• Place shelves, valet rods and drawers in eye-level or lower areas where you can access your favorite items. Positioning these custom features near the door can give the closet an open feel.

• Get the most out of the space above hanging areas with shelving that can hold items or folded clothing.

• Hide dirty clothes in a built-in, chrome laundry hamper with removable liners. Position them under a shelf or drawer for maximum coverage.

• Cluster similar items, such as belts or scarves, with adjustable hanging rods that double your storage space.

• Organize your favorite jewelry with trays and dividers that keep necklaces untangled and rings easy to put on and take off.

• Anchor the space with a focal point, such as a built-in dresser or hutch. It can also be used to divide your closet into sections for items by type or season.

• Maximize corner space by adding rods or hooks to hang long dresses, skirts, coats or robes.

• Install tall storage systems that fully utilize the closet’s vertical area. Include adjustable shelves that allow you to customize shelf height to match the items you are storing.

• Designate open shelving by the door to gain easy access to your favorite pairs of shoes. Display shoes with slanted shoe shelves.

• Use the space up high as longer-term storage for items you use less frequently, such as extra blankets or seasonal apparel.

Traditional Touches Add Warmth

Nothing’s more comfortable than what is familiar. By adding traditional, time-tested details and furnishings to your walk-in closet, you give the space a warm, cozy feeling. And this can be a wonderful feeling, especially at the end of a cold, dark winter’s day.

• Rest your eyes on a stained-wood finish. Enjoy the timeless warmth of a wood finish, especially if the other surfaces in the room are wood.

• Add older-looking hardware. You don’t have to use actual antique knobs and pulls to get the same beautiful, classic look. Use antiqued bronze hardware that looks older but is built to last.

• Make it symmetrical. If the traditional look you’re going for is colonial, try featuring symmetry, angles, and simple lines. A symmetrical flow is reminiscent of the colonial style popular around the local Metro DC area.

Comfort and Calm Everywhere You Look

Your walk-in closet is still a part of your house, and should be included in your bedroom’s overall design. That means applying to the closet the same tips that make your room comfortable and calm.

• Add knitted materials wherever you can, such as knitted blankets or textured pillows. If a knitted sweater makes you feel warm, it will remind you of that warmth, when hanging in your closet.

• Blend books with warm tones. The closet is a good place for extra books, or ones you don’t read often enough to keep on the bookshelf but still cannot part with. Mixing these books with wood shelving gives a comforting look.

• Include a little leather. Adding a leather accent piece offers a rich texture often found in traditional design.

• Adorn your dresser or bureau with family photos. A quick glimpse of your loved ones can be a morning inspirational perk-up.

Functionality and Cozy Details Make Your Walk-in a Haven

No matter how cold it gets this winter, how much snow piles up, or how hectic the morning commute becomes, you can count on your organized closet to be a refuge from the storm. By giving you quick access to the things you need in both the morning and evening, you will arrive on-time and get to bed earlier. Enhancing your walk-in closet layout makes your life more organized—and that’s a form of self-care we all need.

Do you need help adding an organized center to your winter routine? Let us design a custom layout for your walk-in closet. To get started, schedule your free design consultation today.

Lead image credit: Flickr user terren in Virginia (CC BY 2.0)