Fashion Week is in full swing and that has us thinking a lot about clothing — specifically the way we all store clothing in our homes. The number and size of closets is always a consideration when viewing potential homes and they can often make or break your choice on whether to move in.
Having a large walk-in closet (more like a dressing room) is a fantasy shared by many people — myself included. A large closet is the one room that, no matter who you live with, you can make entirely your own. If you want to have hot pink walls, carpet and upholstery — you totally can because it's your domain.
Large, dream-inducing closets are an extension of their occupant and the drool worthy wardrobe inside. Turn a bookshelf into a giant shoe storage show piece featured on a prominent wall. Pay attention to prominent and repeat colors in your wardrobe and use those as the wall color or accessories to tie the space together. Add a chandelier — why? why not?
These closets don't happen everyday, so when it's your chance to go crazy in your closet — don't hold back because fashion never does!
Images: 1. Marks and Frantz 2. Domino, 3. Rue Magazine, 4. Elle Decor, 5. Houzz
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I really like the first one, where as normally I'd go for the bright and airy kinds. Makes me want to paint mine a nice rich dark color.
I use the Ikea EXPEDIT book to store my heels. My closet isn't big enough to hold it so we have dubbed it the "Shoe Wall". It makes me happy :)
To Muesli: The first one is from sex and the city by the way :)
I always loved Carrie's closet.
Ugh I'm so obsessed with closets it's a sickness!Mine is a dark peacock blue with a black chandelier.
If I had a room like that I would never leave. I guess I could convert the guest room?
I absolutely love my closet. I love the window so I can open it if it gets musty. There is more hanging space behind the camera angle. We had just moved in when this picture was taken but it still needs work. I'm getting pull-out shoe shelves under the cubbies and I'm on the lookout for a cheap dresser that I can paint. Oh yeah, and I need to go shopping. Need more clothes.
My closet
Oh, you can't see the window, duh, but it's above the telephone chair, which makes a great seat for putting on shoes.
I thought that first one looked familiar.
Le pant. Le sigh.
I love my closet! I have a high boy dresser on one side with a glass lamp, perfume tray, and painting on top of it. My great-grandmother's chair is in there as well as a fun painting. On the other wall is where I hang clothes. Not bad for a 4 x 7 room. Oh, and I took the bifold doors off and hung sheer curtains instead.
One of the things that sold me on my house was the amazing closet - the house is a 1400 sq ft 1930s bungalow, but the prior owner transformed the attic into a great master suite, complete with huge closet. This picture only shows about half of it and was taken right after I moved in - I've since gotten inexpensive matching wooden hangers to replace the plastic ones and put up some art. I still want to paint it, and maybe wallpaper the ceiling.
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i392/hlg222/closet1.jpg
Uh. Talk about excess.
We just moved to a farm house from 1891 and I have been blessed with a huge walk-through closet that leads to a sunken bedroom. The closet is currently a pale purple-y color, but the closet resembles the first so much that I think I should paint it that blue color!
What sold me on my coop apt - despite the fact that it was a coop apt - was the fact that there was not just one, but 2 walk in closets of roughly 300 cubic feet each. That is HUGE for NYC standards. I even dreamed about taking the wall out between the 2, to expand it slightly and turn it into a single WIC with dressing area. Those plans are now on hold, but I am taking one of the closets and designating it as a bag and shoe closet. It's silly, but makes me very happy.
A girl can dream right?!?!?! I'm "pinning" to my dream home board!
the first one, isn't that carrie bradshaw's closet? :)
Jessica D - what a great idea.....i might just have to steal it! :)
Yes, Carrie's closet... but there is no way the closet is actually that long - based on the rest of the apartment!
I've been dreaming of a spacious closet since my last visit to IKEA. I don't really need the space yet, but I loved the idea of having a giant mirror and a comfy ottoman in the center of the room that I can sit on as I think about what to wear...a chandelier is always a plus in my mind.
To outerrichmond, go for it! I found mine in the scratch and dent for $99!
Nope. I don't really like big closets. I prefer my small closet and dressers so I'm not hoarding away things I'll never wear or use.
However, I would love to be able to paint the inside of my closet another color to give it a unique vibe. I'll probably go black when I can.
Well, I guess we're far enough past the recession that extravagance isn't frowned on anymore. Or are we? Why do people need a gigantic bookshelf's worth of shoes, anyway? It costs a fortune to fill a closet like one of these.
It's very possible to have great style on a few well-chosen pieces. And easier to afford better quality if you don't have to buy two dozen sweaters, 10 dresses, and an assortment of shoes and boots every winter.
Why do people constantly feel the need to criticize the way other people choose to live their lives?
I also have a lot of carefully chosen items that I have had and used for years. Some expensive, some not. I wear them all, I can afford them, and I like having a pretty closet to put them in. I don't really think it's anyone's business to judge what I choose to spend my money on.
Yes, point taken, sorry for the judgmental tone.
It's just that I'm really, honestly bothered by all the materialism I see in our society these days, and so much of it lately seems to center on fashion and celebrities. You see Louboutin shoes everywhere on tv and elsewhere, but really, who can afford $800 for a pair of 5-inch spike heels, especially when you have to also spend who-knows-how-much on an outfit and handbag to match? Kim Kardashian had what, a $5 million wedding, and everyone wants to buy the outfits she wears, and pays attention to all the obnoxious things on her registry?
I see gigantic closets like this and I wonder about people who aren't happy unless they have gigantic, expensive wardrobes to match. I've known quite a few people who are completely obsessed by clothes and shopping, and drool over closets like these. That kind of obsessions seems very shallow to me.
Which is not to say there's anything wrong with liking pretty things. I was thinking more about the more extreme end of closet-envy.
On a post not long ago, I saw that someone had a dressing room and home office combined. I think that is a great use of space. Although I prefer a small, well-made, well utilized wardrobe these days, I do like the option of having lots of room for each item, so that I know what I have, and having space to try things on and create new outfits out of the limited pieces that I own (covet).
My closet is full of clothes I acquired while traveling, thrift shopping, funky little shops and then just plain old Target and other cheap shops. On any given day I may be working, working in the garden (I'm doing my own landscaping), painting or going out in public where I'd like to look presentable. And for shoes, I'm a big fan of sneakers, so not really expensive, but I have quite a few pairs, some boots, sandals, etc . . . It all adds up to a lot of clothes. A large closet helps keep them neat and organized.
I think these examples are mostly really dressing rooms, not so much closets. There IS a difference.
I have a walk-in that is maybe 5 feet wide and 8 feet long, or thereabouts. I have double wire shelf/hanging rod sections on the left hand side (t-shirts, tank tops, vests and other short tops on the top tier, long sleeved shirts (touching the floor) on the bottom tier, folded slacks on the lower shelf, miscellaneous storage on the top shelf...
I have a long mirror on the back wall facing the door. My laundry basket sits in front as a hamper.
On the right hand side, I have one short section of the wire shelf/hanging rod for long things like bathrobes, pant suits, and my few long dresses (in case the Queen invites me to dinner... HA!) That's in the back. I have a narrow console table filling out that wall to the door. I collect costume jewelry, so the jewelry boxes sit on the table. Suitcases are stored underneath it. The little section of wall behind the door when the door is open has some wall hung necktie racks holding my necklaces, and some art. I have a smaller mirror over the console as well.
There is (since I'm petite) just barely enough room between the console and the clothes to use the space to change in if I feel the urge. It's very space efficient and works great for me, and the closet is about the same size as one I had in a rental in the past -- so it's even apartment compatible!
I would love the Carrie closet or Jenna Lyon's (#2) room but I just have a regular closet. I have been the same size for over 10 years. I have a lot of clothes and I love fashion. It would make me happy to be able to see my clothes/shoes/bags in place that really makes them look even better.
"I see gigantic closets like this and I wonder about people who aren't happy unless they have gigantic, expensive wardrobes to match. I've known quite a few people who are completely obsessed by clothes and shopping, and drool over closets like these. That kind of obsessions seems very shallow to me." These kinds of comments really annoy me. I like designer clothes and I like beautiful things. Often designer clothes are beautiful things. I make enough money/save up to buy it. That makes me no more shallow than some who spends tons of money on A/V equipment, MCM furniture, skis or multiple vacations to the same Mexico resort to have margaritas each year. Have you been to the Alexander McQueen exhibit or the Bata shoe museum? Fashion is quite most similar to interior design, architecture and furniture. It has to have creativity, design and function.
The jeaousy and envy that comes out with the posts about super nice home tours, nice walk in closets or other nice, beautiful art or furnishings, is just pathetic! Why do we have to judge other people negatively just because they chose to spend more money than you would for a particular item? Aren't we all here to celebrate style, taste, and beautiful things in our environment?