How to Design a Walk-In Wardrobe

Having a well organized walk in closet or wardrobe can make your busy life much easier! Different elements are very much a personal preference when designing your space.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Graph paper

Instructions

1. Take complete measurements of the space that will be your walk in wardrobe or closet. Include the height of the ceilings as well. Note any electrical fixtures or outlets.

2. When determining your design incorporate your personal preferences. Do you need a lot of space for folded clothing items? How many long dresses do you have? Do you need more space for hanging shirts, tops, and pants? What about tilted shelving for shoes? Do you prefer hooks for bags, robes, etc? Do you want to include drawers and eliminate having a dresser in your bedroom? Do you need a bench to sit on while dressing? You can use this for storage as well. By mixing up these different elements you will be able to design a space that fits your needs.

3. Extra high shelving and hard to reach corners comes in handy for storing those seldom worn items. Remember to leave ample area around light fixtures to prevent fire hazards. 18" is usually code.

4. Using your graph paper outline your useable space and then start adding shelving and rod units. Remember to allow for doors if they open into the space. Many designers are eliminating closet doors as they take up valuable space and opting for either pocket doors or a decorative curtain.

5. Once you have your design decided on you are ready to start building! You may tackle this on your own or by a professional carpenter. With the new closet shelving units available in the home do-it-yourself centers it's not a bad job to do on your own.

Tips & Warnings

• You might want to include a built in ironing center into your wardrobe.

• Make sure you leave space for a laundry hamper.

• New homes are now including a washer and dryer in the master suite closets!

• If designing for a married couple take this into consideration so that you can allow for his and hers spaces.