5 Essential Design Tips For A Stylish & Organised Walk-In Wardrobe

modern walk-in wardrobe — *Shaker walk-in wardrobe in white, from £2000,* *Sharps.*

While a large walk-in wardrobe for most is quite the luxury, if you do have the space (or if you are happy to forgo a spare room for maximum clothing storage), it’s a good idea to consider the layout and how to design it first in order to make the most of the designated dressing area. From covering clothes rails with curtains made from deadstock fabric to utilising every inch of wall space for storage, these five design tips will help you create a stylish (yet practical) walk-in wardrobe at home.

Personalise it

Walk-in wardrobes should be fun, exciting spaces that reflect your style as much as the clothes, shoes and accessories within them. If your dress sense is confident, colourful and bold, do not be afraid to paste the room in a heavily patterned wallpaper or paint it in a statement shade. As the room will be broken up with rails of clothing, wardrobes and shoe storage, strong colours or repetitive motifs will act as a backdrop and will not feel overpowering or dominate the space.

*Interiors writer* *Lisa Dawson* *wallpapered her walk-in wardrobe in a green wallpaper by* *Little Greene. She also painted the full-length mirror and shelving in a complementary olive shade.*

Alternatively, use a punchy fabric to divide and layer the room. If you want to hide clothing rails, add curtains on a ceiling track to conceal them. Or, if you want to partition your dressing area off from your bedroom without the clunkiness of a separating door, a curtain on a suspended rail softly divides the areas without them feeling completely disconnected.

wardrobe curtain — *A softly divided off area from the bedroom in* *Colours Of Arley* *fabric, Poppy & Sweetheart Stripe, £75pm.*

Make the most of awkward areas or angles

If you have angled ceilings, boxed-in pipes or other slanted areas, work around them to make sure that every inch of wall-to-ceiling space is utilised for smaller accessory storage. You may need to get a joiner in to create a bespoke design, but, within these crooked corners, you can create a space to categorise and store smaller items such as belts, sunglasses and jewellery.

angled ceiling wardrobe storage — *Sliding doors in cashmere and glass from* *Sharps.*

Compartmentalise & organise

In order to stop your walk-in wardrobe from quickly becoming cluttered and messy, plan out the space you have available and purchase transparent storage boxes that you can see through to categorise and compartmentalise everyday items such as hats and handbags. Use removable stick-on hooks on the back of wardrobe doors for hanging shoe holders, or to drape necklaces and scarves. For bulky items that you don’t want on show, decorative wicker or woven baskets look attractive and are large enough to hold towels and blankets.

wardrobe organisation — *ORTHEX SmartStore Classic Storage from £7.50, via* *John Lewis & Partners.*

Position mirrors wisely

Mirrors are a must for any dressing area, but they can also be used to reflect and bounce around light and create the illusion of more space. Position your full-length or dressing table mirrors opposite any windows or adjacent to the entrance area, allowing the mirror to absorb natural light.

Remember to add seating

Even if your walk-in wardrobe is compact, it is important to at least add in a small stool to allow you to try on shoes or temporarily place unworn items of clothing. Invest in a simple bench that allows light and air to travel around it and doesn't feel too bulky within the room, or choose a seat that also contains storage to hold essential dressing items like shoe polish and lint rollers.