Guides · Closets
Closet design guide
How to plan a closet around what you own — hanging lengths, drawer depths, light and finishes — whether it is a walk-in dressing room or a wall of wardrobes.
Illustrative interior
01Start with an inventory
A closet design guide that counts before it draws
A closet fails when it is planned around a catalog instead of a wardrobe. This closet design guide starts where a good designer does: by counting long dresses and coats, shirts and jackets, folded knitwear, shoes and bags, then giving each its own kind of space.
Our first in-depth article is a collection of walk-in closet ideas, from galley closets to dressing rooms with an island. When you want to see systems and finishes, visit walk-in closets and built-in wardrobes.
02Closet types
Which kind of closet suits the room
- Reach-in closet
- Storage behind doors in a shallow recess; best for guest rooms, hallways and children's rooms.
- Built-in wardrobe
- Floor-to-ceiling units on one wall. Hinged doors need clear floor in front; sliding doors do not.
- Walk-in closet
- A small room of its own that needs an aisle as well as storage; see walk-in closet ideas for the widths.
- Dressing room
- A walk-in with a seat, a full-length mirror and often an island of drawers; the most floor area and the most lighting.
- Shared closet
- Plan each person's side separately: the mix of long hanging, shelves and drawers rarely matches.
03What makes a closet work
Details that keep a closet organized
Light where you look
LED strips in shelves and rails, switched by sensors, show true colors at the moment you choose.
Drawers with inserts
Dividers for watches, jewelry and belts stop small things from drifting into piles.
Doors that suit the room
Hinged, sliding or open — the space in front of a wardrobe decides, not fashion.
Finishes that match
Fronts and interiors that echo your kitchen or bedroom make a closet feel built in, not bought.
Planning a closet alongside the rest of the house
Closets are often planned last, after the budget has gone to the kitchen and bathroom. We suggest drawing them at the same time. Fronts, interiors and handles can then share a palette with the kitchen, lighting can be wired once, and a single floor can run from bedroom into closet without a threshold.
04Wardrobe or walk-in?
Not every bedroom needs a walk-in closet
A walk-in closet uses floor area for circulation. In many Los Angeles bedrooms, a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe on one wall stores as much and leaves the room larger. Draw both options before deciding.
Lighting and accessories make either choice feel generous — see our page on closet lighting and accessories for the details we plan in.
Light, air and sun
Clothes keep best in a closet that is dark when closed, dry and ventilated. Plan LED lighting that switches off with the doors, leave a small gap or vent so air can move, and keep hanging out of direct sun from any window, because sunlight fades fabrics. In older Los Angeles houses, check a closet on an exterior wall for damp before it is lined with cabinets. Cedar blocks or lavender sachets help keep moths away from wool.
What should I measure before planning a closet?
Should closet finishes match the kitchen?
Can NOVAHAUS design a closet and a kitchen together?
Keep exploring
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Consultation
Plan your project with a NOVAHAUS designer
Bring a floor plan, a photo or simply an idea. We will walk the showroom with you, talk through layout, materials and budget, and map out the next steps.