A well-designed walk-in closet is the gold standard of any luxury master suite. Some people dream of having one and wait for that perfect day to come when the dream comes true.
If you’re embracing a massive remodel to add a walk-in closet, or you are buying a new home that has one, you might feel overwhelmed by the blank slate. Yet it’s still the sort of thing that you want to get right the first time.
That’s why so many people who have been in this position before, have embraced a lot of these must-have walk-in closet features,
A Full-Length Mirror
Most people with a walk-in closet also use it as a dressing room. Adding a full-length mirror gives you a place to try on different outfits, and pair accessories at will. If you aren’t 100% comfortable with surrendering a section of wall for one, you might want to consider a framed mirror on a stand. They can be adjusted to let you view yourself from different angles.
High-Quality Lighting With Multiple Angles
No one’s dream walk-in closet has a single light bulb dangling from a wire with a pull chain. If you’re going to use your new closet as a dressing room, then you need to have the right light. This usually comes in the form of recessed lighting, which casts light down from the ceiling to bathe the entire walk-in closet with a soft glow. They’re flush to the ceiling and won’t rob you of any functional storage space on the upper shelves.
While you’re considering lighting options for your new walk-in closet, you might want to also take some time to consider LED lights. These light-emitting diodes can create directional light and are available in a wide array of colors. Perfect for accenting the ambiance of your walk-in closet, or perhaps casting a more focused light on a display area!
A Central Island
A lot of larger walk-in closets have a central island. It serves as both a display space as well as an area to lay things out. Great for setting up a series of accessories to find just the right pairing for your ensemble.
Many of these closet islands can also double as a functional dressers. Great for keeping loose clothing items and undergarments. You can also install drawer dividers to create a place to keep all your essential daily-wear jewelry items.
A Wall Safe
If you have some high-value jewelry items or other valuables that you don’t want to be at risk when you’re not home, then you might want to consider adding a safe to your walk-in closet. Professional installers can ensure that it can’t be removed, and it will give you a lot of peace of mind knowing that your prized possessions aren’t available for the taking when you’re on the go.
A Beverage Station
Beverage stations are all the rage these days. Even something as simple as a coffee pod maker can give you or your guests a flavorful hot drink, while you consider what you want to wear for the day. It’s a great way to multi-task your morning, without having to go down to the chaos waiting for you in the kitchen.
An Innovative Shoe System
Are you the kind of person who needs just the right pair of shoes for any occasion? If so, then you need to have a dedicated shoe storage area in your walk-in closet. It gives you a place to keep all your favorite pairs, while also letting you consider which shoes go best with your chosen outfit for the day.
This can come in several different forms, including shoe racks to keep your favorite daily wear pairs in check. For a larger shoe collection, you might want to turn to shoe cubbies with adjustable shelves. This lets you change the height and size of each cubby to match the pair you need to store there.
Valet Rods
It’s one thing to have the bulk of your wardrobe stored on hangers and rods that stretch from wall to wall. Yet there are times when you want to consider two or maybe even three outfits at one time. In a common scenario like this one, a pair or two of valet rods will let you keep choice outfits set aside where you can consider them at your leisure.
Another great way to use valet rods is to set up your weekly ensemble. You can take a little bit of extra time on a Sunday night to lay out five or six choice outfits. Then hang them all on the valet rods. This makes getting dressed on a busy weekday morning much faster. It also gives you a good excuse to disappear to your walk-in closet for a little “Me Time” each Sunday night.
A Fold-Down Ironing Board
An ironing board might not sound all that sexy, but it certainly comes in handy. Imagine finding the perfect outfit, only to realize that it’s gotten a wrinkle or two while waiting on the hanger.
Having a fold-down ironing board lets you wipe that wrinkle out at a moment’s notice. Most of them are built into small wall-mounted cabinets with tasteful doors that let them blend into your walk-in closet’s décor. This also gives you a great place to keep your iron and other ironing accessories without them being an eyesore.
In-Floor Heating
Most of the time when you’re in your walk-in closet, you’re going to be barefoot. In the summer this isn’t a big deal. But in the winter, cold weather can leave your floors chilly. If you want to go a step beyond laying down an area rug, one of the best ways to warm the floors and the rest of the walk-in closet is to have in-floor electric heating elements installed.
This is a series of electronic resistors that are installed like a net on the subfloor. Contractors then lay stylish tile over top of them. When you turn up the heater control the resistors warm the tile with comfortable heat that’s perfect for cold morning toes.
