Organization plays a major role in classifying a closet as "the best."
Once upon a time, closets were filled with wire hangers, and clothes were simply hung with no regard to organization by color. That was then and this is now. The interest in closets as a true space, and clothes as an investment, has even given rise to companies exclusively devoted to products and services for closets. Whether your closet is in a Park Avenue apartment in New York, or a small bungalow in Idaho, incorporate design principles to make your closet its best. Does this Spark an idea?
Size and Structure
Most closets in homes are structured and categorized as either a walk-in closet or a reach-in closet. Walk-in closets are rectangular or square in shape with one or two doors. Reach-in closets are typically rectangular and have sliding, folding or French doors. A reach-in closest should be no less than 22-inches deep to accommodate hanging bulky clothes such as coats. The best way to maximize the efficiency of reach-in and walk-in closets is to incorporate closet organization units to achieve proper visibility and accessibility. Designing a customized reach-in or walk-in closet provides owners with the optimal opportunity to create a closet to best meet their needs.
Organization and Visibility
If there is one thing that separates the best closets from the worst, it's organization. The saying "a place for everything, and everything in its place" would describe the overall look of the best closets. Clothing is grouped by type. Pants hang with cuffs up. Ties hang on racks. Shoes are on shelves, not floors, and organized with either all toes or heels facing the front. Sweaters are on shelves, and never hangers. Clothes are arranged by color to easily select and coordinate an outfit.
Comfort and Accessibility
The best closets accommodate the dressing habits and storage requirements of the owner. Large, custom walk-in closets have chairs for sitting to put on shoes or even a television set. Custom closets have island units with shelves and drawers and wide flat top surfaces for laying out clothing. Wall-mounted steamers, irons and boards are at-the-reach for quick touch-ups. Poles with "grab hooks" are mounted on walls to easily reach summer hats or wool scarves, or there's a folding stepladder to reach items on top shelves.
Furnishing and Hardware
Wooden shelving units and dressing islands are seen in the very best closets. Some dressing islands have glass doors on the drawers for visibility of items. Many also include a jewelry drawer with velvet liners and areas for proper storage of rings, cuff links, pendants, watches and necklaces. Hangers are made of wood. Rods, end caps and hooks are made of durable steel, never plastic. Dressers are often placed inside the best walk-in closets instead of in the bedroom to keep clothing accessible and to increase space in the bedroom.
Lighting
The best closets are designed with lighting in mind. Natural sunlight via windows can reduce space and fade clothing. Fluorescent lighting, perhaps surprising to some, is actually the best choice. Incandescent bulbs can become a fire hazard, given the small space and proximity to flammable materials inside closets. Ceiling-mounted fluorescent lights eliminate these hazards. Halogen bulbs are an alternative.
Flooring
Flooring is an important consideration, especially in winter climates. While carpeting may seem like the automatic choice, vacuuming could prove cumbersome. Linoleum or hardwood can be swept to make cleaning and maintenance easy.
Tags: best closets, closet best, closets have, dressing islands, reach-in walk-in
