Your dream closet could be right around the corner, but it takes some work to get there. When you’re beginning to design the luxurious closet, you first need to take careful account of what you have, what you need, and how you want to store it. Then you need to nail down the layout and consider stealing space from other rooms to maximize your storage space. Finally, your dream closet needs some dream finishes! Bring on the fun lighting, the brass hardware, and that marble storage island!
Determining Your Storage Needs: What to Store & How to Store It
The thing about closets is the items you store are going to fill any space you have, so before launching into the design of a closet, take a pause, analyze what you have and how you want to store it. At Laurel Design Collective, we start by talking with our clients about their precise needs and how they want their space to feel and function.
Analyze Your Clothes Collection
How many clothes do you have? A lot? A bunch? That’s not exactly a helpful metric. Before starting a closet design, it’s important to create a detailed spreadsheet (yes, a spreadsheet!!) outlining your current collection. That means dialing it your storage needs to the linear foot. So if you have hanging shirts – how many linear feet? If you store bags on shelves: how many feet of shelves do they take up? Take a linear foot measurement of the following:
- Shirts
- Pants
- Short Dresses
- Long Dresses
- Short Jackets
- Long Jackets
- Purses & Bags
- Anything else you hang: belts, scarfs, etc
For your items in drawers, it’s a good idea to break your measurements up into a few sections:
- Shallow Drawers (usually undergarments, accessories, etc)
- Medium Depth Drawers (shirts, etc)
- Deep Drawers (pants, sweaters, etc)
Now that you have your measurements, it’s important to determine how you want your collection to grow. Are you a one item in, one item out person? Or are you constantly growing your collection, on the hunt for the next statement piece. If you want to have extra space, where do you want it? Drawer space? Hanging space? And by what percent do you want to be able to grow? 20%? 50% or maybe 200%. Add this info as a note on your spreadsheet. Your design team will need this information to design your dream closet.
Determine Your Preferred Methods
Now, if you like hanging your jeans or storing your sweaters in boxes or rolling your belts and putting them into shallow drawers, this is important information. Make a list of the categories of clothes you have in your spreadsheet and note how you prefer to have them stored. Maybe you currently store them one way, but want to explore a different method. If you have special occasion clothes that you want behind doors (solid or glass), be sure to call that out. Some of our clients (especially those with pets) like to have all their clothing behind doors. Note that!
If you switch your clothing collection out seasonally, twice or even 4 times a year, be sure to note this. In the off season, how do you prefer your clothing stored. Or in your new closet, do you want to have your entire closet on view? This is all crucial information to have before even starting on the design of the closet!
Carving Out the Space: Finding Room for a Luxurious Closet and Creating the Vibes
Sometimes finding closet space takes a creative solution. Bloggers Chris & Julia Marcum found space for a closet by nixing a gallery space that looked down over a living space. By enclosing it, they created a room that did not previously exist that had plenty of space for their dream closet.
Finding Space
You or your design team will need to find the space for your new luxurious closet. It may mean thinking creatively or it might mean losing space in a bedroom for more closet storage or it might require adding on to your home. Ultimately, your closet is a highly functional space you will be utilizing every single day. At Laurel Design Collective, we always recommend investing in the spaces you use most.
Creating a Beautiful, Luxurious Closet
The final part of any closet design is incorporating design details to make the room shine! That may mean luxury materials like marble, wood, brass, and tile. You will probably want some furniture for a vanity area or an ottoman to sit on while you put on your shoes. Storage can be gorgeous with the additions of mirrors, islands, and other elements that create that luxury feel.
Designing Your Dream Closet
Ready for your dream closet to come to life? Give us a holler at Laurel Design Collective and start the design process today!
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