A closet is a personal space and must be designed thoughtfully. Whether you live in the beautiful Western Main Line or anywhere else in New Jersey, custom closet designs are an affordable way to transform a room into a beautifully curated space for your clothing, shoes, accessories and shoes.
Start with a list of your closet wishes and design from there. Your wish list should include your preferred materials, accessories and style.
1. Drawers
When you have your clothing stacked on open shelves it can look sloppy. It’s hard to get to your clothes (which means you’re wearing whatever’s closest) and keeping it looking neat is a constant challenge. Adding drawers to your closet design will make getting dressed a breeze and keep your closet tidier.
Closet drawers don’t just look great – they can store 2 to 3 times as much clothing as clothes on hangers. They also eliminate the need for a dresser in the bedroom, which frees up valuable space and makes your room look bigger. Drawers can also have doors to add a stylish, finished appearance to your custom closet system.
We’re not saying to forego open shelving – it’s the best place for some of your items like dresses, pants and jeans. But we do recommend that you incorporate a mix of both open shelving and drawers to give you maximum flexibility and the ability to easily find your belongings.
If you choose to go with drawers in your custom closet system make sure that they’re the right size for the items you want to store in them. Socks and underwear are ideal for 5″ high drawers, casual leggings, yoga pants, t-shirts and jeans fit nicely in 8″ high drawers while bulky sweaters can live comfortably in 12″ high drawers.
Once you’ve sorted out the sizes of your drawers plan to organize them to avoid the jumble-aya that is so common in many closets. Drawer dividers are man and woman’s best friend for separating jewelry, socks, underwear and other small items. They help you see exactly what you have at a glance and can be fine-tuned to your specific needs with bins for smaller items or clear acrylic sock or tie organizers. This helps you avoid having to dig through the jumble-aya to find what you need and will help prevent stray items from finding their way out of your drawers and into other parts of your house.
2. Shelves
When it comes to shelving there are many options from which to choose. Shelves can be custom made to suit your closet design and are ideal for storing folded clothes, shoes, accessories and more. Shelves are also the perfect place to display your favorite pieces of jewelry, hats or other items. Many home organization companies offer shelves, drawers and closet components that are either wall-mounted or floor-standing. These can be combined in any way to create a functional and organized custom closet.
When designing your closet it is important to take inventory of your clothing and accessories. This will give you a better idea of what type and size storage space is needed. For example, shirts and blouses require 9 to 15 inches of linear space when folded, while coats need up to 68 inches. Taking this information into consideration will help you plan your closet and ensure you have adequate storage space for all your clothes.
Using open shelves in your closet is another option that can add a sleek and modern look to your custom storage system. Floating and glass shelves open up the space and make it feel larger. They can be adorned with leather to add an element of luxury or even frosted to keep your items hidden but still accessible.
If your current closet feels like you’re pushing through a field of clothes as you enter it is time to update the layout. Replacing hanging rods with shelving is an easy and effective way to make your closet more user-friendly. Shelving is a great place to store folded sweaters, blouses and t-shirts and can be designed with dividers for shoes.
Shelving is a great place to add a pop of color or pattern to your custom closet. This doesn’t have to be done across the entire closet system and can easily be implemented on the front edges of shelves and divider sections or on the insides of drawers.
Adding a lower hanging rod is a simple way to add extra space for pants in your closet. Alternatively, you could use a pullout pant rack that folds into the wall. Women often need extra space for handbags, shoes and other accessories. This can be accomplished with custom-designed shelving or with a variety of store-bought organizers, such as tie, belt and jewellery cabinets and shelves.
3. Hanging Rods
Whether you’re struggling to make your reach-in closet work or want to turn a corner walk-in into a showplace closet, hanging solutions can make all the difference. From simple double hang to tiered rods, mobile rods, custom hooks and more, there’s a closet solution for every type of garment.
Use Different Sizes of Hangers
It may seem obvious but using the right size hanger for each category of clothes can be a game changer. Putting shirts on one hanger and pants on another doesn’t just save space; it ensures blouses don’t droop or lose shape while pant buttons stay fastened. The same applies to robes, dresses and other long garments.
Avoid Intersecting Hanger Rods – If you’ve got two hanger rods running perpendicular to each other, you create a dead area that’s hard to see and access. It’s better to have a single rod that runs the length of your closet and shelving on the perpendicular section, or even better, turn that deep return into its own hanging and storage section (more on this strategy in Closet Strategy 11).
Don’t Waste Space with a Curved Corner Rod – A curved or L-shaped rod isn’t as effective as shelves in this area as some manufacturers claim – the hangers bump into each other. Instead, convert that area into a storage section and add shelves to accommodate long garments or a combination of shorter and longer hang items.
Invest in a Valet Rod – A retractable valet rod is the perfect place to hold dry cleaning or outfits you’ve planned the night before. It also keeps ties and scarves off the floor, which prevents creases and improves longevity.
If your closet has lots of flat items like sweaters and t-shirts, custom shoe racks or drawers with dividers are an easy and elegant solution. Drawers or cabinets with tilt-out laundry hampers are also ideal for maintaining folded clothing without wrinkling. And of course, a full-length mirror and pull-out ironing board are must-haves for anyone that needs to look put together before heading out the door!
4. Closet Organization
If you’re fighting your way through a field of clothes upon entering your closet, consider how an organized custom closet could change that. Instead of hanging clothes confining you, free up space with shelves for folded clothing, cubbies for shoes and accessories, bins for belts and scarves and cabinets to store clothing and linens in a room that truly feels like a closet.
Your custom closet designer can assist you with selecting an array of decorative styles, door and drawer styles and hardware finishes to complement your existing décor or make a dramatic new statement. From rich wood grains and traditional laminates to luxurious Italia, you’ll find the finish that reflects your unique style.
You’ll find the ultimate closet organization for your walk-in closet, reach-in closet and utility closet with floor-to-ceiling storage. Cabinets, shelves, drawers and hooks are incorporated to meet all of your storage needs in a design that fits perfectly into your space. Custom shelving is ideal for storing shoes, folded clothing and accessories while cubbies can hold everything from hats and cleats to books and sports equipment. You can even have specialty items like tie racks, ironing boards, valet rods and shoe trays incorporated into your tailored closet design.
With the help of a professional, you can turn your closet into a room that’s a pleasure to use rather than a chaotic nightmare. You’ll love getting ready each day in a beautiful and functional wardrobe room that truly reflects your personal style. And with a variety of finishing touches, you can transform your reach-in closet into a luxurious dressing room. Think of adding a mirror, pull-out laundry hampers, or an espresso machine to complete your dream closet. If you’re interested in learning more about what’s possible in a customized closet system, contact The Tailored Closet today to arrange an in-home, in-store or online consultation. You’ll appreciate the time and attention your closet organizer specialist invests in creating a custom solution for your home. And, the result will be a closet that you’ll love to use for years to come.