Help with closet design

shiny

Hi all -- have been absent for awhile due to traveling and renovation. We're half way through the reno and all my clothes are packed up except my active summer wardrobe (which basically fits in two suitcases). I'm loathe to buy any new clothes, even for Fall, until the renovation is over, so it's been good for me to stay off YLF and temptation.

Meanwhile we are at closet design phase and I'd love love love to get your feedback on these preliminary designs!! What am I missing?

Two closets are being designed, one for me (pic 1 & 2) and one for DH (pic 3). We absolutely need separate closets as we learned long ago that is the secret to marital harmony.

DH will get the reach-in closet (pic 3) though the closet designer is trying to convince me to take it instead. I'm getting the under-the-eaves closet (pic 1 & 2). Yes it's a weird space but I'm much shorter than DH so it's workable for me -- and way more space than I had in the last place. Note, I will also have a dresser in the bedroom.

As I mentioned these are preliminary drawings so there's time to tweak away... I already know I want to add a valet bar, and we need his-and-hers laundry baskets somewhere.

Look forward to your input!!

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7 years ago

General

12 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

shiny

Veteran

Some more details:

My Closet

6 Drawers – 8 inches tall, 20 inches deep, 30 inches wide .... I'm thinking sweaters and jeans and tee shirts as I don't like to hang them... note, there is no room really to hang stuff on this back wall, we tried that scenario and it leaves no room to walk in. Plus I need....

Dedicated space for 36 pairs of shoes and 6 pairs of boots ... probably ample, if you consider a bootie a shoe

12 inches of hang space at 65 inches tall ...........I'm only 60 inches tall so this would be for maxi dresses/full length -- not sure I need that much and it bothers me that these would be right by the door/most easily accessible. But I can't get around the weird shape of the closet... nor can I move the door.

18 inches of hang space at 51 inches tall ... this is also making use of the angled wall space, it would be a place for hanging dresses, pants and trousers I guess? Note, I don't wear pants and trousers all that much... but I do wear and own a lot of dresses

2 feet of hang space at 39 inches tall ... this would be for tops... I don't like that it's in the back of the closet but I guess I can make it work.

4 feet of hang space at 45 inches tall... this (marked as wall B on pic 1) would be for blazers and coats. This is where I've had them hanging since we moved in, so I know this amount of space will work just fine.

Extra shelf space above some hanging and underneath slanted ceiling for purses, folded clothing, etc

Plus a stand-alone dresser in the bedroom... for underwear, lingerie, pj's, socks, jewelry and the like.

DH's Closet

4 Drawers – 8 inches tall, 20 inches deep, 36 inches wide
11.5 feet of short hanging space
15 pair of shoes accessible in the front of the shelf area, space in back for additional pairs (may have to turn sideways to fit)
Additional shelf space above the two double hanging sections (we may nix these shelves and instead just put in a piece of art).

7 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

I hang just about everything, including jeans on hangers that stack so I can't comment on drawer dimensions. But have you folded stuff so that you know that 20x30 will work for what you have?

Have you worked out lighting so that you know that all, including those distant corners, will be well lit?

What about belts, jewelry, scarves, and other accessories?

Will you swap out non-seasonal clothing, like your casual maxi dresses for the long fancy ones you wear during the holiday season?

I agree that under the eaves is a better solution for us shorties!

7 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Great questions Donna!

have you folded stuff so that you know that 20x30 will work for what you have?
I've learned the power of the Konmari fold ... which is amazing space saver... but good point and I will double check/measure this one.

Have you worked out lighting so that you know that all, including those distant corners, will be well lit?
Yes we've got that covered, I think...

What about belts, jewelry, scarves, and other accessories?
I wear (and own) very little belts, so not too concerned here. I do own a ton of scarves, and was thinking they could hang on the back of the closet door. Jewelry.... needs a place. Could go in closet or stand-alone dresser, I think, but yes... I need a place for necklaces.

Will you swap out non-seasonal clothing, like your casual maxi dresses for the long fancy ones you wear during the holiday season?
Didn't want to complicate my post, but we do have another (not so accessible, as it's over the elevator shaft, so requires me to use a step ladder to access) closet which we intend to eventually line in cedar, and use for non-seasonal clothing storage ... we've been calling it the "tux and kilt closet." I assume my formal wear stuff could go in there, eventually (right now it's filled with boxes pending renovation completion).

That said I would still really like to minimize seasonal swapping as much as possible -- in our last place, that was a frequent PITA project. If it's just a matter of twice a year swapping summer maxis for winter holiday/formal... that's doable... however, should these items be the most easily accessible near the closet door?

7 years ago

kkards

Veteran

re height requirements...have you thought about pull down closet rods? i've seen them used so that you can get twice the usable hanging space. also seen this type of pant hanging thing--i've thought about using it for sweaters instead....

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7 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

Do you have other storage? I was wondering about storing luggage.

7 years ago

shiny

Veteran

JAlleen, yes, I need a convenient-to-access space in the closet for my carry on bag, since I travel every other week. If you look, there's space for it - between wall D and E... the bag will block the shoe shelves on wall E, but the idea here is to rotate shoes so out-of-season shoes or occasional shoes would go there.

As for larger luggage that I only occasionally use for longer trips, and DH's luggage, that's going to go into the kilt-and-tuxedo closet. Which is enormous -- it's just not that easy to access as I need a step stool to step up into it. We debated about adding steps into it but we'd have lost some space in the linen closet, so I nixed that plan. I think this closet is going to work best for seasonal, long-term clothing storage and long-term storage of other items we don't want in a basement.

And there's a nice size closet in the guest bedroom -- but I really want to try and leave that as empty as possible for "guests" -- in quotes because that will include our adult boomerang children for a year or two while they are getting on their feet in the workforce.

Clothing aside, we are building a nice sized walk-in pantry off the kitchen, there will be ample cabinetry in the dining room, and an entryway closet. We also have a storage unit in the basement, but that's for xmas decorations and beach furniture and tools and things like that.

7 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I guess what I'm trying to decide is whether I need the staggered heights on wall E... or whether I'm better off keeping this section similar height (like on wall B)? This is what the closet has now (but just wire shelving) and there's really only a small handful of things (summer maxis) that hang too long. Would it make more sense to maybe fold the maxi's over a hanger? Or even fold them up in a drawer? If I was ever to invest in a full length formal gown, that would be stored in the tux-and-kilt closet not in here. If I didn't stagger the heights then I'd have room for shelves for things like hand bags, hats, etc.

kkards, I don't think I need anything like that, though it is creative. None of the heights in this closet are too high for me to reach. On the contrary, it's built for someone only 5' tall. One of the reasons I think I prefer it to the reach-in closet we are designing for DH: I'd have a hard time reaching the items on the top bar in that one, but he won't have a problem with it!

7 years ago

Tina

Veteran

I like your idea of combining the 12" of 65" tall bar with the next size down. It seems it would be more efficient space wise.
Exciting! I love anything to do with organizing. A very well designed space.

7 years ago

Vix

Veteran

Hi Shiny --

This looks like heaven to me [tiny-old-house-closet person]! I took some quick measurements of my clothing since we're close in height and in terms of the rods obviously you'll have quite a bit of space at the bottom of the current design (or you could lower rods and use shelf space to the ceiling). If you keep as-is you could consider adding some adjustable shelving...one can cram a lot into ~ 6-10 inches.

If resale's not a concern I'd probably keep the 12" as-is and use that for maxidresses and pants. Or shrink to 6" if you only have a couple of md's.

While it looks lovely, I'd probably shift the design a bit to 2 compartments, splitting the height difference between the low and medium rods. I think that would give the average woman plenty of room to mix pants and dresses/blouses and you a little more room for dresses.

Other thought is to insert a tall skinny lingerie cabinet after 12" rod. Personally, I'd love having dedicated drawers for bras, underwear, socks, tights instead of having them share space in stupid divider boxes that are never really the right size but maybe your bedroom dresser will be like a store's with lovely compartments everywhere!

Enjoy, so exciting to be close to improved form and function.

7 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Vix, I love your ideas! And yes, as a former old-house, tiny closet person, this may not be my dream closet but it's way more than I had before, so I am happy! I think for a first draft the designer got pretty creative making better use of every inch of space.

I think I'm now leaning towards splitting the difference as you suggest, but you've given me another idea: maybe a tall skinny cabinet which could store jewelry? Hmmmm...

I will say that for last several months I've liked to use that corner of the closet, since it's closest to the door, to stage for packing for a trip: but I think I'll have space for a pull out valet bar that will serve the same purpose and work even better. It's just nice to have a small section where I can pull things out and put them together while I'm deciding what to pack.

I forgot to mention also that I will probably rotate my coats -- in past few months, I've had ALL my coats along wall B, plus blazers and other toppers. Puffers take up a lot of room. Probably makes more sense to move them into tux-kilt closet during off season. This could then give me space for maxi dresses too... if perhaps I raise the bar on that wall instead?

Come to think of it, do I even need 65 inch hanging space? I'm only 60" tall. A maxi for a 5' foot tall person can't be that long....

Oh and I forgot: on wall B there is an access door that goes to an attic crawlspace. We can't cover that up permanently, but it is another good spot to stash things like luggage, or perhaps a free-standing laundry basket.

7 years ago

Joy

Veteran

Your closet sounds wonderful. We have just moved to a house with the first walk-in closet we have ever had. Most of the closet is sections with two levels to hang things. I am having to rethink my old reach-in one rod closet system of hanging everything by color, then item type. This worked out so well. These 2-level sections are not working the same way. Also, have you considered having some sort of seat in the closet so that you can sit to put on boots and shoes?

7 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Mirror? Hat storage? And do you really only have 36 pairs of shoes? Hehe...

7 years ago

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