By Displaysense's Lucy Eagland
A walk-in wardrobe sounds like a luxury, but it needn’t be expensive. Whether you have a small spare room to use as a dressing room or an existing space in your master bedroom, a walk-in wardrobe can be an affordable way to update your space. And creating an envious and stylish walk-in wardrobe may be easier than you think. We’ve explored how to create a walk-in wardrobe, from choosing the right fittings to making the best use of space on a budget.
Minimise clutter
Before designing your walk-in wardrobe, minimise clutter and let go of the clothes you no longer wear. Now is the perfect time to give your old clothes a new lease of life. So, decide what you want to keep, what can be donated or sold and what should be kept in storage. You can even take your clothes to a recycling point for money off some new items.
Measure the hanging space you need
Once you’ve cleared out unwanted clutter, work out how much space you need in your new walk-in wardrobe and the type of storage that’s best suited. To do this, start by laying out your clothes and measuring the lengths. Measuring your clothing will help you determine the number of single and double clothes rails you’ll need.
Sometimes closets will only have a single hanging rail at around eye level. But this can leave a huge amount of untapped space towards the ceiling. By adding a second tier of wall-mounted rails above, you can double your storage. If height is a problem, you can always hang your less used items nearer the top. The beauty of creating a walk-in wardrobe is that you can design it to suit your needs.
Make use of awkward spaces
If space is limited, make use of awkward angles and sloping ceilings. Unused corners are the ideal spot for a walk-in wardrobe. You’re not taking up valuable square footage that you could use for other furniture. In addition, building into low ceilings can open your space, making it feel lighter and brighter.
Utilise small nooks and doors
When creating a walk-in wardrobe with rails and shelving, you can end up with little nooks and empty space. When <a href="/collections/clothes-organisers">storing clothes</a>, use all available space for smaller items. Small nooks and doors are perfect for hanging belts, hats, and scarves. You could even hang tomorrow’s outfit on them. Doors are often forgotten storage areas, but an over the door organiser or rail are perfect for providing additional, much-needed storage.
Install practical, budget-friendly shelves
Depending on your clothing, you may have items that are better suited to being folded rather than hung. Adding or incorporating shelving into your walk-in wardrobe will give you additional space. This is easy to do with twin slot shelving systems as they allow you to personalise the layout to your needs.
If you often find that your floor space is cluttered with bags and shoes, then cube shelving can not only give you vertical space but separate and tidy your items too. Adding baskets or fabric boxes allows you to store smaller items together. If you have an extensive shoe collection, tiered shoe racks will help keep them tidy, safe from damage and enable you to spot the pair you want quickly.
Create a versatile space with clothes rails on wheels
Installing a fitted walk-in wardrobe won’t work for everyone. If your space needs to be more adaptable and versatile for a growing family or an upcoming house move, consider using a clothes rail on wheels. A portable rail is perfect for a small walk-in wardrobe, allowing you to move your clothes into a larger space anytime you need them. And you needn’t compromise on style, with a range of on-trend industrial clothes rails to create a stylish and functional space.
Categorise your clothes and accessories
Organisation is essential for a tidy and practical walk-in wardrobe. To create an organised design and layout, place your clothes and accessories into categories. You can do this by wardrobe location (i.e. rail or shelves), by the type of item (i.e. jeans or dresses), or by outfit. Arranging your clothes in outfit order will help you separate clothes by occasion and save you time planning your outfits.
Create a functional space with lighting
If you’re wondering how to create a walk-in wardrobe, you must get the right balance of style and function. There are so many choices for lighting, from pendant lights to LED spotlights and strip lights. Place lighting above your favourite collections to add drama and create a focal point in your walk-in wardrobe. But most importantly, make sure your clothes are illuminated to improve functionality and create a practical walk-in closet.
Don’t forget the finishing touches.
Matching clothes hangers are a stylish and practical finishing touch. Broken or mismatched hangers can damage your clothing, as well as look messy. Choose from various materials and colours to suit your style and budget, including wooden and velvet clothes hangers.
With these tips on creating a walk-in wardrobe, you'll be fully prepared for designing and building a new closet in your home. To kit out your new wardrobe, browse our wall-mounted clothes rails, storage and shelving collections.
