Custom Closet Cabinet Ideas - 7 Things You Need To Consider

Do you have a spacious walk-in closet? Consider yourself one of the lucky Phoenix homeowners then. A typical closet in any tract home is anything but exciting, and chances are do not properly fit your needs. While over-sized closets may not be a feature of your home to boast about, the way you use it can be!

The unimpressionable two rods and a shelf may be able to make due for a children’s closet with little variation in style or length of the clothing, however for a master bedroom or guest room it carries no bragging rights.

Designing a custom closet is not an easy task. It takes time to take into account the items that you store or wish you had room to store in it, and create an efficient and organized layout to fit the needs of your space. As in any remodel project, the key to success is in the planning phase. Here are a few guidelines to ponder while waiting to meet with your designer.

1. What are the dimensions of your clothes?

   Though this sounds like a mindless question to answer, it can be tricky. Think about the different types of clothes that you have, such as …

   Shirts	Blouses
   Sweaters	Jeans
   Slacks	Coats
   Sundresses	Elegant Dresses
   Pencil Skirts	Business Suit

   Then think about their widths and lengths. While heavy winter coats will consume more width than your business shirts, a coat can require up to 68” of vertical space. Pants and jeans can vary depending on whether you prefer to hang them by their ankle or waistline versus folded in half. Do you like the idea of being able to fold up your seasonal clothing, like sweaters to be put away?

   Closet cabinets typically range between 14 inches to 24 inches in depth, which can make a substantial difference in the design of your space. While most clothing will fit inside of a 24-inch deep area, it’s important to know your needs in order to get the most out of your available square footage. Depending on the layout, if 24 inch depth is not needed, it could allow room for additional cabinets or other cabinetry features. You and your designer will be using this valuable insight to base your new closet around.

2. Include enough double and single hang sections in your cabinetry.

   Now that you’ve taken into account the size of your clothes above, take the time to do a quick inventory count of each style. Will you need more single-hang sections for lengthy attire? Do you have more blouses than dresses? Do you hang your pants vertically by the waistband or folded? Determining how many single-hang and double-hang sections are needed will be based on your collection of clothing and preference of hanging. Folded pants, blouses and shirts can be put into double-hang sections meaning a section with an upper and a lower rod. Long dresses, skirts and coats, as well as pants hung vertically will need to be in single hang sections for ample upright space.

   If you are not one that has a lot of longer attire, sticking with mainly (or all) double-hang sections will help maximize your available storage area.

3. Add a cabinet island, if space permits.

   If you’ve been combing magazines or Pinterest for ideas for your dream closet, you’ve likely seen many spacious closets with a kitchen-like island in them. Base cabinets for storage and a stunning countertop make the perfect prep area for getting ready for your day. Talk to your general contractor to see if including electric capabilities into your closet island are do-able.

   Having a 36-inch walkway around your island is ideal, however you can get away with 30-inch if you are willing to compromise your clearance space. Keep in mind though, you do need to consider whether you will be putting any pull-out drawers in your island that will encroach your walkway as well.

4. Seating options.

   If available space in not a worry, adding cabinetry that doubles as seating is a benefit to your closet. While being a convenient space to sit while putting shoes on or buttoning your shirt, it also provides additional storage compartments or drawers for items you want kept out of sight. This type of seating can be designed to fit up against an unused wall in your closet (or bedroom), alongside the island or underneath a window.

5. Beware of corners.

   When thinking of dark corners that are hard to reach in, most commonly you resonate it with kitchen cabinetry right? Corners are tricky in any room of your home, with no exception to closets. You’ll want to be mindful to utilize as much of the space in your closet as possible without creating dead space that goes unused. Corner shelving, rotating racks or pull-outs will allow you to do just that. Clothes, purses, ties, shoes and/or luggage can be housed seamlessly in the corner of a proper cabinet design.

   Open shelving that overlaps a cabinet panel on an adjacent wall can be acceptable if there simply is not room for a corner cabinet. While it may not be easy to access or ideal, this solution does not waste any valuable space in your closet and can create the perfect spot for storing seasonal items like winter boots or clothing that are not used all year round.

6. Shoe storage.

   Including plenty of shoe storage in your closet is only half the battle. The other half is making sure that your shelves, cubbies or rotating rack are large enough to house YOUR shoes. A pair of women’s shoes or heels can take up anywhere from 5 to 10-inches in width, while men’s shoes can be more. As a general rule of thumb to follow, your designer will factor anywhere from 7 to 12-inches of shelving space per pair. Flip flops and/or sandals are more petite, whereas boots can be much taller than everything else in your shoe collection. Even up to 17-inches tall for knee high boots.

7. Time to accessorize.

   From custom drawers to hooks and pull-outs, there are numerous accessories that you can include in your custom closet design to help keep you organized. No more trying to stack purses, ties, belts or jewelry on a shallow shelf or tucked away in an over-sized cubby for them to get tangled or lost. When meeting with your designer, be sure to mention these types of items that you need specialty storage for.

While a closet remodel may not be at the top of your remodeling list for your home, often times it goes hand-in-hand with your bathroom remodel. As one of the leading bathroom remodeling companies in Phoenix, TWD has built an extensive portfolio of stunning remodels that are inclusive of various other improvement needs such as closets, flooring, cabinetry, and miscellaneous repairs that are needed throughout the home. Contracting with a full-service company like TWD to perform all of the home improvement projects on your home simultaneously carries many benefits. From utilizing available labor on the site all at once to maximizing efficiencies, thus saving on drive time of additional trips and additional schedule days to perform work at another time. If this has got you thinking about remodeling your home, then there’s only one company to call. TWD. Since 1996.