On the topic of closets....help! - YouLookFab Forum

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On the topic of closets....help!

Tammyb

We are repurposing a bedroom into a master bath and closet. It will be the only closet for our master bedroom, (so I have to share with hubby) and the dimensions are coming to 12x4. So it will be long and narrow and we will walk into it from the end, not the center. My question for YLF is--- is 4' too narrow? I think it's my on,y option to make the bathroom large enough for a soaking tub. (Yes, first world problems....). What do you think???

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18 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Gaylene

Veteran

It's probably as narrow as you can go, but it's not impossible to make it functional if you plan it out carefully. Here's a couple of pics for inspiration so you can enjoy that soaker tub.

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Diana

Veteran

I think it's workable - I've lived in several very old buildings with weird shaped and narrow closets and they're not ideal but you can make it work. Keep in mind that you need to block off at least the width of a standard hanger if you plan to have hanging bars along the long edge. I think this probably precludes putting anything deep on the other wall.

Also, definitely install good overhead lighting in there. My biggest beef with my current (pre-war building) closet is that there's no lighting and it's so dark in there, especially in the back.

rachylou

Veteran

That may be wider than my 100 yr old closet. So doable.

Astrid

Veteran

My first thought on the dimensions was - that's huge! But then we don't usually have walk in closets like this in Germany, we have furniture for storing clothing in the bedroom.

anne

Veteran

Yes fine! I think mine (which I share with DH) is no wider and is much shorter for sure. It does mean we don't do anything much on the wall that doesn't have the rack.

I do have chests of drawers in the main bedroom as well.

Glory

Veteran

I think it is workable. There is an online tool with one of the closet companies which you can use (free of charge) to design your closet organization system. It might be worth trying this to see if you can optimize your space and to see how it might work.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

My walk in is about four feet wide. We have a rod/shelf along the long side, and one going the other direction at the end (this shorter rod is the boyfriend's space). It's plenty of room for the two of us, in fact I have no coat closet here and I still have room for a lingerie chest in the closet. It's totally workable!

JAileen

Veteran

Hanging clothes take 24 inches. So that leaves you 24 inches to walk in and out. Will that work for you? If so, then no problem.

BrieN

Veteran

Do you take a lot of baths? You're in your closet everyday at least twice. Perhaps you can re-work that master bath a bit.

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

If this is your forever home, I'd think about aging in place. It might work now, but if you are mobility challenged? My mom has to use a small rolling cart to push her laundry basket from closet to washer. It keeps her independent and that's a good thing, but it wasn't in her plan.

A long narrow closet sounds like a turn off from a resale standpoint.

If you do it, do an excessive amount of lighting.

Look at Japanese ofuros, there are some awesome round ones that might help your bathroom footprint.

Liz

Veteran

Can you "practice" with your current closet? Measure out four feet from the back wall, and tape off that area, then only use that space when you're getting at your clothes. Are you OK or frustrated?

unfrumped

Veteran

It might feel confining. I would try to get a good feel for the layout. It akso depends on how much DH vs you. Men's suiting takes deeper space, etc.

Not sure what kind of tub you've picked but I did a remodel years ago and put in a " reader's tub" which is oversized and a larger shower , both of which impinged on closet dimension and now
I wish I had gone more compact. Partly because the larger sizes did not provide specific extra comfort as I had imagined and had drawbacks I fid not envision. So the closet maneuvering room woukd have added more QOL.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

The best piece of advice for anything living-space related I was given was "design placeXYZ for how you live". And that's my only mantra when thinking about big decisions.

Some questions to think about: which of the two spaces will be used more (frequently) on a daily basis, needs to be more practical/accessible, how easy will it be to keep the spaces tidy, etc.
Can you picture yourself walking every day in the narrow 12x4 space and feeling good?

Tammyb

thank you for all your feedback. so much food for thought! my architect is on vacation and my contractor can't start for a while anyway, so I have time to think. i am also going to try what liz suggested -- practice with my current closet. it'll take a little effort, but I think it can be managed for at least a few feet (not 12!)

Gaylene

Veteran

Unfrumped makes a good point about not assuming a larger tub is a more comfortable tub. We installed a large "soaker" tub in our master bath in our previous home that didn't get used more than a dozen times in two decades. Once it was filled with water, it became impossible to relax in that huge tub because I kept slipping downwards until my feet touched the other end and my head was almosT submerged. Getting out was also a tricky, as was reaching in and cleaning that sucker.

When I wanted a bath, i used a much smaller tub in the guest bathroom which had high sides, but was still easy to get in and out when filled with water. It also had an ergonomic back that made it perfect for relaxing, soaking, and reading. The smaller room was also cozier and warmer than the large master bath. Plus, the smaller tub took half the water to fill it to the top than did the larger tub. To use my grannie's phrase, that soaker was "All show and no go"!

Tammyb

Gaylene, that's hysterical-- all show and no go! I love that and know a few PEOPLE who coho be described that way.

Anonymous

I want one of those narrow deep Japanese soaking tubs where you can set the temperature. No one I know really uses a big tub..a waste of space and water. Actually my first choice is a sauna/shower. Warming and relaxing.

unfrumped

Veteran

We found that the larger shower with high ceiling in thaf area felt much colder and was not as steamy- cozy as a regular shower. Reader tub allowed full stretch but was not as comfortable for reading than being more upright, even using a tub pillow.
I do like having a tub bath opportunity but realized I could get the benefits with either a nearly regular tub or might want more of a deep sitting tub than a stretch out tub. Plus, both larger items are a heck of a lot more to clean and I practically have to step inside them to do so!
The reason to measure and think now is that with closets, sometimes even small dimension changes improve functionality such as 6 more inches of elbow room.