In older homes, closets are at a premium. If there are any at all, they are tiny and often referred to as presses. The reason homes did not have closets is because closets were considered a room. Homeowners were taxed per room and most homeowners did not want to pay a "closet tax." Furthermore, people did not have that many clothes so closets were not essential. In the 1950s, post-World War II, all homes began to feature closets and the walk-in closet was introduced. Typically, the walk-in closet was entered from the master bedroom. Does this Spark an idea?
Width and Height
A walk-in closet can be any length but it should never be any less than 6 feet wide, notes Creativeclosets.com. The interior should be at least 7 feet in height although 8 feet or higher is preferable. A walk-in closet should have at least 10 feet of finished space, particularly if you are using some sort of cabinet, island or peninsula in the middle of the closet. If you want to hang clothing on opposite walls of your walk-in closet, the closet must be at least 6 feet wide, although 75 inches (or 6 feet, 3 inches) is preferable. When the closet is 6 feet wide, this accommodates clothing that sticks out by 2 feet on each side as well as provides a 2-foot walkway through the center of the closet, explains Homebuildinglessons.com.
Island or Peninsula
Stationing a peninsula or island in the center of your closet requires that the closet be at least 10 feet wide at a minimum. This will accommodate a 2-foot-wide island.
Doors
Pay attention to the location of walk-in closet doors and also determine the type of door that will work best. Does the door swing in or out? If it swings into the closet, is there room for the door? Will this eliminate wall space that could have been used for storage or shelving? You do not want to make poor use of the space in your walk-in closet.
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