Designing the Best Walk-in Closet for Your Master Suite

As you search among house plans for your dream home, you are likely on the lookout for home plans that have a walk-in closet or closets attached to the master suite. After all, what’s a master suite without walk-in storage, right? But having a walk-in closet in your home plan is one thing; having the right closet is another.

Designing the best walk-in closet – which meets all of your needs – for your master bedroom is the perfect way to clear away all of your clutter behind closed doors. Whether you’re creating separate his and her closets or you’re combining all of your clothing in one well-designed space, read on to discover our top tips for decorating and organizing the space. Then go ahead and search for great home plans with walk-in closets!

Measure up

You can’t begin to actually design your walk-in closet before you have taken accurate measurements of the space that you wish to build it in – or once your house plan is built. Think about how much space you need and ensure that you have enough room to hang your clothes without them trailing over the rails.

Be clever with space

if you don't already have a walk-in closet incorporated in your home plan – or your existing home – you will have to find space for it. Rather than placing your closet against a flat wall and taking up valuable space in the floor plan, consider if there are any "dead areas" in your home into which you can place a new closet. Think about building under the eaves, in an alcove, or into the space underneath a staircase near your bedroom to maximize on space.

Prioritize hanging space

It’s easy enough to add extra chests of drawers into your bedroom, so you should give priority to space for hanging garments within your closet. Separate sections for long and short items are ideal, and it’s a good idea to get super organized and create different areas for dresses, shirts and trousers.

Look to the kitchen for inspiration

Modern kitchens have plenty of clever storage solutions that you can utilize in your closet design. Imitate a pull-out larder for shoe storage, and use long flat drawers for undergarments or T-shirts.

Utilize all wall space

The beauty of a walk-in closet is that you aren’t confined to just one wall. No matter how deep your closet is, make use of the side walls and even the back of the door to maximize on space. Small accessories such as jewelry, bags, and scarves can easily be hung from pegs or placed on small shelves.

Consider the person with whom you are sharing the closet

If you are creating a closet to share with a partner, think about how you want to separate your garments from theirs and how much space you wish to allocate for your own items. You’ll likely find it easier to locate your garments if you split the closet down the center and allocate different sections of the floor plan for your clothes and theirs.

Don’t just concentrate on eye level

Place the items that you will be using the most in the most visible view points and most accessible spaces, but don’t neglect spaces toward the ceiling and the floor. Use these often-forgotten areas to store away out of season clothes or seldom-used garments.

Don’t forget lighting

Your walk-in closet needs to be well lit so that you can easily find what you are looking for, but there are several considerations that you may not be immediately aware of. Try to avoid windows inside your closet space, as permanent exposure to sunlight can fade fabrics. Be wary of incandescent bulbs which can get extremely hot and could be a fire hazard if garments are placed too close to them. And ensure that any overhead lighting is placed in between where you will be standing and the contents of your closet, to avoid casting shadows and allowing for the best light.

Protect delicate fabrics from moths

Perhaps consider creating a section that allows for large garment bags that you can keep sealed to protect susceptible fabrics from being eaten by moths.

Think about what you own

If you have a lot of dresses to fit into your closet, ensure that you have a wide enough section for them to fit into. Likewise, if you own a lot of knitwear, design your closet to include enough shelf space to neatly fold them away. Your closet should be designed around your specific needs.

Visit the hardware store

It’s not all about rails and shelves, there’s plenty of items that you could hang up on hooks to make the most out of awkward spaces and to display a selection of your favorite garments.

Use matching hangers

Your closet will instantly feel neater and more organized if you keep all of your hangers uniform. Opt for good quality wooden options that won’t splinter or simple white plastic hangers for a clean aesthetic.

Don’t forget to consider the doors

Your closet doors shouldn’t be an afterthought. Ensure that they fit in with the rest of the room into which your closet opens and that there is room for them to open fully, allowing full access to your new closet. Consider placing a full-length mirror on the inside of one door to allow you to try things on while inside the closet.

Note: the lead photo illustrating a walk-in closet off a master bathroom is from a 3-bedroom, 2-1/2-bath Southern Ranch home plan. For more information, click here (House Plan #141-1072)