I love this idea. I'm especially in love with the first photo!

p.s. ceiling. ;)

love the 5th pic...gorgeous....

Great. I love 3 and 4.

I've always loved open closets. These are really great examples.

No way would I be able to live with this. I'm not exactly an organizational master.

Is that Seinfeld's Puffy Shirt in the last one?

I have a big closet. However, I recently arranged my clothes by color and it looks so fantastic that I wish I could display it like this.

I like this idea, but my clothes are not beautiful or color coordinated enough to make me want to include them as a design element.

I can't do this for all my clothes, but I might try
something like #2, using only one or two hooks. that way I could get my longest dresses, the ones that make it impossible to use the space below them for anything, out of the way.
Good post.

I think in this context, with the white bedding, fixtures, and floor, it works. In most schemes, though, I think it would be an epic fail.

My initial thought when seeing this (and photo 1) was, "no way!" But I do like 3 and 4. I think my aversion to the first photo is that everything else is white, making the clothes stand out all the more. Photos 3 and 4 are nice, though the woman's shoes all over the floor wouldn't work for me. I'm with talisatu, though: My clothes aren't color-coordinated enough to be attractive. But I'm also with username26: Having a non-closet would definitely make me more aware of what I have.

I recently looked at an apartment for rent where the previous tenant had converted the bedroom closet to an office and moved the shelves and railing into the bedroom.
I don't think it matters how 'into' this look you might be on paper, no one wants to sleep in their closet. Suffice it to say I didn't take the apartment.

I don't see the point in accelerating color fading by exposing your whole wardrobe to sunlight every day. Dust is also another potential problem.

our current rental has a nice-sized closet, but the genius who built it didn't make it deep enough to actually close the doors with clothes in it! thus, we've removed the closet doors and for the most part, i don't mind the exposed look. however, 2 things to be aware of: 1) dust settles on the lesser-used items and 2) moths!!! we're already starting to get teensy holes in some of our clothes from pesky moths.

I don't get why AT is fixated on selling the idea of open closets...
...to me, an "amazing apartment" has sufficient closet space or enclosed wardrobes - Otherwise, it looks like you're camping out in a thrift shop.

♥

I'm WAY too distractable for open closets. Focus is not one of my strong points, and I'm learning that, the more I can keep things behind doors, the more efficient I am.

This works if your closet is edited by a photographer for a photo shoot. Otherwise, no way. My wardrobe has tons of different colors and shapes and accessories vary accordingly.

I do arrange my clothes by color however.

I feel the same way about this as I do about open kitchen storage: too much visual clutter. These photos are lovely, though.

I live in Arizona and all I can imagine is scorpions crawling in the clothes hanging above my head. Eek. Then again, I have an irrational fear of scoprions, though I haven't seen one in my current apartment...

When I lived in a tiny home I used the heck out of the over the door clothes hooks and "hid" many things behind the open doors. Not sure if I'd want everything in my wardrobe out all the time (thinking dust, fading) but I think it could work for those every day things that get washed often enough anyway. For t-shirts and jeans, wall hooks can actually be an option too - if they are attractive and items are hooked up with at least a bit of thought.

I like it, but would be restrained due to the degree of sun exposure. And smellofsawdust's problem could be my problem too. >.> If I had no real closet space though, I might make a setup like this (rather than acquiring a wardrobe) and rig up some colorful drapery to cover it/protect it from sunlight.

i did this:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/diy/yet-another-diy-closet-chain-branch-hangers-059493

but without the branch -- too earthy crunchy for me. i love it. all my clothes are grayscale, so they go well with the rest of my design scheme. and, yes, it makes me purge unnecessary items more often. best decision i've made in terms of organizing my room.

I love them all, really! Sure, an ideal apartment has a closet, but let's get real, not all of them do, especially for those of us living in SF, NY, or European cities. I love AT giving those of us with no closets great ideas like this. And it's a great excuse to pare down your possessions to only those you truly love.

I've owned two houses--including my current one--that had no closets, so I am used to open closets. I consider my bedroom to be off-limits to guests, so the appearance only has to please me; and I am not bothered by it. It helps to have all matching hangers. I group by type of clothing (slacks, tops, jackets, jeans, rugged wear, etc).

Clothes that are not worn often and vulnerable to fading or dust are simply stored in muslin garment bags.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Please don't do this!
I've done this before, cuz I thought it looked gorgeous! But after a few sunny summer months I could throw away ALL of my clothes, seeing as the sun bleached the right sides of every single piece of clothing I owned.
Burlap sacks from then on.
BEWARE! BEWAAAAAAARE!

I am in love with that GORGEOUS bedspread in picture one! OMG!!!

Have to say that the only change / upgrade I made to my new condo was to install 4 closets. Everything else is builder standard. I guess I know where my priorities are :)

all of those clothes will get sun-bleached unless it's a dark room...

I'm in complete agreement with Bennemans. If you have clothes that you care about, do not expose them this way. I have silk blouses, skirts and dresses that I keep in a closed closet. All my leather shoes and bags are also kept well away from the sun. I don't need unnecessary UV bleaching of my garments when I'm not wearing it, and seeing as my bedroom gets the full morning sun- no thank you! Not to mention the dust factor. My clothes are to adorn my person, not to act as decor for my room.

Looks pretty when styled in a magazine or blog, but not practical.

No closets doesn't mean open closets. There are these things called...Armoires.

Great in theory. In practice, unless you're exceedingly tidy AND all your clothes and accessories are gorgeous AND all look good together? No. Nice to look at, though.

@bepsf: the call of bohemian romance is apparently strong with AT. I know this is a site based on aesthetics, and maybe the fact that I can't completely discount practicality is just proof that I'm not a designer, but all I can think is a) my crap doesn't look like that and b) I'm too old to live like a broke college student!

It would work for me because I have three layers on my windows (vertical blinds, sheers, and sun-blocking drapes) and I close them all during the day to protect my carpet and bedding from the sun. I do, however, plan to make a dustcover.

it never really looks good....as was said earlier in the comments, it looks like "...camping out in a thrift shop."

I like my exposed closets as i can plan an outfit while still in bed and for the fact that i do purge and organise my clothes a lot. I also shop more mindfully. I do however tuck away my mismatched pyjamas and my fuzzy neon socks. My room doesnt get that much sun which is a good and bad thing and i make sure to pack away out of season clothes so they dont discolour from the sun.

Oh and the dust! The bedroom is by far the dustiest room of a house and the clothes will start to show this quickly if it's hanging out in the open.

where do i buy the industrial rolling racks?