When a new project looms on the horizon, I love taking an exhaustive deep dive into the creative possibilities whether they are fantasy-lovel or frugal. You? Two winters ago, smack dab in the middle of a renovation of our bedroom and bath, we addressed the closet. Not a hopeless space (although the doorswing hits the bedroom entry door…ugh), but creative walk-in closet ideas were needed. See how we reimagined it and find custom walk-in closets to inspire.
Inspo for Creative Walk-in Closet Ideas
We improved our bedroom’s walk-in closet by capturing vertical space, providing concealed storage (Modular Closets), upgrading the lighting, and adding a much needed aesthetic boost.
Let’s explore inspiring designs that may help you with your own schemes.
Treat the Closet Like a Room
It’s all true what the pros will tell you: if you address the closet/dressing room as if it is a room, you’ll keep it organized and it will add daily value. Look at this fantasy example:
If you have the space or can steal some from adjacent rooms, what a prospect to add beautiful lighting, create a boutique atmosphere, and customize the space you’ll use every single day as a beautiful room. And there are colors beyond white for a truly custom space…
The beautiful tranquil tone above seems reminiscent of Farrow & Ball Parma Gray.
Custom Paint Color Ideas
Isn’t it interesting that most of us see this as a blue, but blue is nowhere in the name?
Here’s another closet accented with a bright blue, and it’s important to make decisions about wall colors BEFORE installation begins.
I kept the backdrop neutral in my own closet with walls painted Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray.
And did you notice we added beadboard paneling to our closet’s back wall? Subtle texture and a bit more design customization without much fuss.
What? You don’t have that kind of square footage seen here in your closet? Most of us don’t. I’m not suggesting second mortgages and additions! Filter this inspiration creatively.
Incorporate Your Favorite Storage Options
Notice how like items are grouped together in this next fantasy space. And would you ever hang a piece of art on vertical storage or place a favorite chandelier in the closet?
What about carpet and flooring for the space? Also, think about your personal preferences for shoe storage. Are little individual cubbies calling?
See? There are all sorts of details to collect even from the most fantasy of bespoke projects.
Diary of Our Own DIY Customized Walk-in Closet
Here’s that clunky, unfortunate door situation in our bedroom to which I referred:
Spoiler alert. We didn’t change this area structurally. It would have caused a domino effect we were not prepared to tackle at a time we were fully gutting the bath and remodeling the sitting area! This is where we were in 2023 on the bath reno:
So many major details to address in our bedroom suite that we could have easily scratched the idea of improving the closet. Below you can see the pocket door to the bath and the construction happening in the sitting room near the bath:
Doesn’t everybody have a seven window-ed sitting room situation to rectify in their second floor turret?
Oy. I was tasked with reconfiguring the sitting area to distinguish it from the sleeping area not for aesthetics, but because climate control was compromised by nine windows in the space. I also designed a wall with arched door (for an exterior door) to control light from the windows.
Oh the angles and quirky design of this suite! We knew the renovation would challenge us in this fussy house, but it all definitely has aged us too!
On the Road to a Customized Closet
Here’s where we began:
My closet-office-dressing area turned out so well, we turned to Modular Closets again for the bedroom’s closet. We needed solutions for practical matters such as shoe storage. The existing custom shoe shelf actually didn’t work with its strange slope. (Strictly for stilettos? Not sure, but it didn’t suit my husband’s shoes.)
I like vertical storage for shoes.
We also needed to upgrade lighting from an industrial-grade ceiling light.
I add chandeliers to closets and pantries when I can.
BTW. I happily sold this Victorian dresser from my former closet which didn’t make the cut in our custom closet plan to a wonderful young couple.
Hello Lovely’s DIY Customized Walk-in
I wouldn’t change a thing! I love the combination of white towers and shelves with natural woven baskets and lidded storage containers.
It really helps to know yourself well and be acquainted with your particular organizational style.
Since I need clutter hidden, this guided decisions and keeps the aesthetic calm and lovely.
It’s pleasant, airy, and looks as organized and tidy today as it did at completion. 🙂 This is definitely a favorite DIY since it isn’t about fluff or trends. We assessed our needs, made a plan, and created a custom plan to deliver ease every single day.
Joyfully Compose a Custom Walk-in Closet Wish List
Have fun with the inspiration phase and dreaming because if DIY is in your future, the fun only lasts just so long!
Keep your eyes on the prize and know you are in good company. After the many renovations we have undertaken, I have learned it will all work out in the end. No need to freak out. BUT I’LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW: I WON’T BE THE FRIEND SAYING “ENJOY THE PROCESS.”
Have a sense of humor (won’t be hard with funny hiccups along the way) and have faith the completion will be lovely, but never feel pressured to “enjoy” laborious days of chaos as a real life DIYer. Sometimes folks get carried away needing to see beauty in every layer of life. We’re allowed to see the shadow side of things too. You’ll move forward through all the snags. But no need to beat yourself up for frustrations or needed breaks to regroup.
Inspiring Closet Designs
We will start with my favorite bespoke closet with armoire storage and Pyne Hollyhock wallpaper. Designed by Katie Rosenfeld for herself, it is within her renovated 1920s Tudor:
I’ll simply never get over the details and beauty! Even if you borrow just one detail (for example, the wallpapered statement wall), you’re off to a grand start.
Armoire style storage in a customized walk-in closet or even within the bedroom proper? Someday you shall be mine!
Not sure when I discovered Katie Rosenfeld’s work, but you’ll get a sense of her personality in her youTube series:
That closet she created! It is actually the “her” closet. Even though most of us are not blessed with natural light from a window in the closet, I can imagine wallpaper and the reflective glass mirror elevating the view.
Here’s a modern room sized closet office with a wallpapered statement wall:
As I browsed beautiful closet inspiration, certain bespoke designs like this one spoke to me (John Lewis of Hungerford):
While our closet wasn’t customized with handcrafted design, you can still tweak a modular semi-custom design to make it unique.
LED lit shelves are dreamy if you can add them.
Lighting truly is a powerful design element to help a closet feel more like a boutique!
Notable Walk-in Closet Design Elements
Do you admire rollouts for storage? Mirrored doors to bounce that light around? Gentle colors:
Here’s another style of rollouts with sections for keeping like things together:
Even the simplest modular designs can live large:
Remember that a mirror may be able to give you a similar effect as a window.
Do closets sell houses in 2025? You can distinguish your home with customization…especially if most of the competing homes are builder-grade specials.
You may remember that before we moved into the Georgian, we began renovations, and my big idea for a quirky small bedroom was a CLOSET DRESSING ROOM that could still function as a bedroom.
Pretty Closet Organization Inspo
Oh the possibilities when your budget is unlimited!
Right? But if nothing else, we can take away color palette inspiration from these fantasy closets.
Need proof that just a little tweak and turning down the busy-factor will make a HUGE difference in closet storage appearance?
Since wallpaper is totally popular again, why not use a little in a closet for a happy pop of color and personality?
Find more closet organization ideas HERE.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Thanks for shopping RIGHT HERE to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!
Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
