Closet Design

A good closet design is worth it's weight in gold. Not all closets are the same and each should be given some independent thought. This applies to all closets whether they are new construction, part of a renovation, or an existing closet that is about to have a face lift.

Properly organized closets with an effective closet design make your life easier. That is reason enough to start organizing all of your closets. With the proper organizational systems you can for once and for all know where everything is. You will no longer spend anguished mornings searching for your child's snowsuit on the day of first snow.

In my business, I tend to treat bedroom closets a bit differently than the closets located in other parts of the home. Even the lexicon is a bit different. A large closet in the bedroom is called a walk in closet. A large closet located in the kitchen is called a pantry.

If you have the luxury of planning your bedroom closets pre construction you can make a custom designed closet and include everything your heart desires. Have you always wanted special jewelery drawers? Or perhaps your closet could even include a dressing table. Look through some magazines or visit your friends houses to find interesting closet design ideas.

If designing your closet pre-construction, they first thing you need to decide is whether the closet will be a reach in closet or whether you have room for a walk in closet. Custom designed walk in closets will had a great deal of value to your house at re-sale. Accordingly, it might be wise to spend a bit more in initial construction to have a walk in closet. Also many walk in closets can also serve as entrance ways to the master en suite which is an added perk.

If you can afford the space you really should consider adding a walk in closet to the master bedroom. I have never had a client regret adding a walk in closet to the bedroom design but I have had many clients regret not including such a closet in their plans. Although including walk in closets in every bedroom would be a decadent treat it is not really necessary and would not increase the re sale value of the house as much as the master closet.

Another way to create value in your home is to create a pantry off of the kitchen. In my opinion, kitchen counters should be kept bare. Aside from a few simple things like a utensil crock completely empty kitchen counters have a better look. It's easier to keep stuff off your counter if you have a custom designed kitchen pantry. Kitchen pantries are my favorite type of closet to design and therefore I will devote an entire post to pantries in the coming weeks.

After considering bedroom closets and kitchen pantries, the remainder of a home's closets are generally found off of hallways. Although these closets tend to be smaller they are a very important part of the house storage system. In fact, I might even say that it is more important to properly organize small closets in order to make the most efficient use of a small space.

The considerations of designing an already existing closet are different. The foot print of the closet already exists and you must arrange the design to make the most effective use of an existent space. If you can only afford the time or money to organize one closet you should start with the front hall closet. Nothing is more frustrating that an over stuffed and poorly organized front hall closet. A good front hall closet design is critical as this is the closet that your family will likely use the most. Not only is the design lay out important but I suggest that you spend more on the closet hardware. This closet will be subject to more wear and tear than any other closet in your house. You will be happy that you spent a bit more and got good quality hinges and door runners. I grew up in a house that had a front hall closet door constantly off the track so i speak from experience.

Whatever closet you are thinking of designing or organizing the initial planning stages are crucial. If you feel at a loss in the planning stage consult with a professional closet consultant. Also great organizational ideas can be found on line of simply by walking the closet design aisles at Lowes or Home Depot or your local DIY store.

Take your closet design seriously and you will be glad that you did.