Nearly every fashion enthusiast has dreamed about owning a luxurious, walk-in closet. Besides being a style statement, a walk-in closet is also a highly practical storage solution. The additional space offered by a custom, walk-in closet allows you to arrange through your things expertly so you can get ready or find things in the space without having to engage in a frantic search.
That said, at Holland’s Custom Cabinets we know from our more than 40 years of experience that designing a highly functional, walk-in closet to match your lifestyle and store all of your clothes, shoes, and other items can be a daunting task. As you look at ways to maximize available space for that custom, walk-in closet of your dreams, we thought it would be helpful to explore what they are and their major advantages and disadvantages.
A. What are Custom, Walk-In Closets?
As their name suggests, custom, walk-in closets are large wardrobes that you can walk into. They are the kings of closets designed to meet all of your storage needs and then some. You can turn any part of your house into a walk-in closet, be it a spare room or an awkward corner.
Usually, custom, walk-in closets come with cabinets, drawers, and other storage features tailored to your specific needs. Custom walk-in closets can also serve as changing and/or makeup rooms, so they are often built near bathrooms.
B. Reasons Why You Need a Custom Walk-In Closet
Custom walk-in closets come with plenty of benefits. Let’s take a look at a few:
- Privacy: One of the biggest benefits of a walk-in closet is privacy, especially if you have one for you and one for your partner, which is increasingly common these days. All you have to do is walk in and close the door. That way, you can get ready while your partner and/or children are busy with their morning routines in their own spaces.
- Added Storage: Walk-in closets provide extra storage space. You can add custom closet shelves, cabinets, drawers, and other storage features as you like. You can also take full advantage of vertical storage space. Many people install custom wall cabinets and shelves, adding as much vertical storage as possible.
- Easy To Clean and Organize: With a walk-in closet, say goodbye to dumping random junk in your closet! A walk-in closet allows you to organize all of your clothes, shoes, and accessories. With everything neatly arranged, you can clean every inch of your custom-built closet without having to move your clothes or accessories around or off the floor.
- Better Functionality: A well-organized, custom, walk-in closet offers great functionality and efficiency. You can attach it to the bathroom and equip it with accessories such as a hairdryer, mirror, and dressing table. That way, every morning you can get ready quickly after your shower.
- Increased Home Value: Adding a walk-in closet (or two) to your house helps increase resale value. The cost of adding a custom, walk-in closet is not as high as a kitchen remodel, but it feels just like adding an extra room/bedroom to your home—which surely can fetch a better resale value.
C. Cons of Custom Walk-In Closets
While walk-in custom closets offer several amazing benefits, they do come with a few shortfalls, which include:
- Higher Cost: As with anything that’s customized, building a custom, walk-in closet is more expensive than a standard wardrobe.
- Require More Space: Walk-in closets also take up more space. This is great if you need the additional storage, but gets wasted if you don’t need the extra room, or if you’re just going to dump things in it and not take advantage of the bonus organizational capacity it provides.
- Humidity and Dampness: This can be a concern if your walk-in is attached to your bathroom. Moisture from the bathroom can enter the closet, which may be an issue for clothes and accessories storage. Luckily, a qualified designer like Holland’s Custom Cabinets can design for proper ventilation and air flow to address the issue.
D. Tips for Choosing the Perfect Custom Walk-In Closet
If you are planning to add a walk-in closet to your home, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Consider Your Storage Needs: How big is your collection of clothing, shoes, and accessories? What other stuff might you store in there?
To answer these questions, make a list of things you want to keep in your closet. This list will go a long way in determining the layout and design of your walk-in closet. For example, if you want to store your watches and jewelry, you will need custom drawers. You can also add shelves, specialized hanging units, and mirrors, depending on your storage needs.
- Use the Space Wisely: The next step is to figure out how to optimize storage in the available space. As noted earlier, while you can turn practically any cramped corner or a spare room into a custom, walk-in closet, you also need to figure out how you will make the most of that space.
For a space that lacks square footage, going vertical is a great idea. Adding custom wall cabinets, shelves, drawers, hangers, and rods is a great way to utilize this space.
An expert designer like Holland’s Custom Cabinets can take a look at your available space and make recommendations for how you can use it best so you can fit and access everything you need.
- Focus On Functionality: We get that you want your custom, walk-in closet to make a style statement. That’s only natural. But don’t get carried away with form over function. After all, a closet without proper functionality is just another place to dump things. You want your walk-in closet to both look good as well as help you store things and help you get ready quickly.
In the end, it all comes down to what you think will work best for you. For example, custom, walk-in closets with open cabinets let you see and access all of your clothes and accessories at a glance. It’s fast and efficient.
But you also need to be super-organized when you have open cabinets. You can’t simply hide your clutter in open view storage spaces. If you tend to have clutter or rarely take the time to arrange your wardrobe, closed cabinets might be a better choice.
- Keep It Well-Lit and Ventilated: Lighting can make your closet look spacious. They can add to your closet’s décor and functionality. Most custom, walk-in closets feature track lighting and under-cabinet lighting. But you can also go with traditional overhead lights if needed.
Also, make sure there’s enough ventilation in the room. The last thing you want is to feel claustrophobic as you get ready for a busy day. Ventilation also protects your clothes and accessories from moisture-related damage.
Is A Custom, Walk-In Closet Right for You?
Walk-in closets are highly efficient and usually worth every penny (at least we think so!). If you are an organized person, a custom, walk-in closet tailored to your lifestyle is probably tops of your list for your new home or renovated space. Done correctly, a custom, walk-in closet helps you make use of every inch of available space on your way to a clutter-free home.
If you are interested in exploring custom, walk-in closets for your home, Holland’s Custom Cabinets in El Cajon can help with everything from designing, building, and installing custom closet cabinets to creating other storage solutions. Our designers can provide you with the best closet solutions tailored to your needs and budget.
For more information about customized closet services, contact us today or call us at (619) 443-6081 for a consultation.
