Closets
Make it moody. Dark colors, sleek storage and upholstered leather cupboard doors give this dressing room and walk-in closet a cool, moody feel. A small sofa that fits into the window recess provides somewhere to sit to tie shoelaces, while floor-to-ceiling mirrors make the space feel bigger and let someone check an outfit before heading out.
Go for white and wood. Rather than the dark, moody feel that many windowless walk-ins have, this lovely wardrobe is a vision in white. Dark wood creates the storage structure and mirrored sides help to maximize the light, while crisp white shelves and drawers make the whole space feel open and the clothes easy to locate.
Be bold. If sleek storage and a restrained color scheme are not your style, make sure your walk-in reflects this. There is no rule that says serious storage needs to look sensible! So use bright paint on woodwork, add patterned carpet and include a decorative bench for a space that’s as personal as the clothes it houses.
Invest in a closet system. Even tiny closets benefit hugely from closet systems. They allow “a place for everything and everything in its place.” My personal favorite for quality, versatility and ease of installation (unfortunately, this is a totally uncompensated plug) is the Swedish closet system by Elfa, found at the Container Store. Added benefit: It’s easy to remove and take with you.
Open shelving plus unified containers. You can put just about any identical storage containers on open shelving — they’ll look fantastic and hold a lot. To make the most of your space, let your shelving go all the way to the ceiling, and measure before buying the containers to get the size exactly right. Details make all the difference between having a giant storage wall like this looking sleek versus looking shoddy — so consider how you will label your boxes before you get started, and keep your labeling system consistent. This homeowner paired white boxes with small instant photos of the shoes contained within for labels. You could also use a label maker, or write in neat handwriting on simple kraft paper tags.
Link it with black. This walk-in closet opens off an upstairs landing and is a dark, moody pause point between it and the white room beyond. Black woodwork is used throughout this house and crops up in this closet, too, where it’s teamed with statement lighting and a dark rug for mountains of inky style.
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