Get ideas for making your closet user-friendly, a key design element in a small space.
While closets are a great way to store clothing, linens and other home essentials, they can be a challenge in a small space. If you give some thought to how you can make the most out of the closet you have, you can have the storage you need and a space that feels warm and welcoming.
Removing closet doors is a great way to make a closet in a small space feel larger and give you easy access to the items being stored. Painting the back inside wall of the closet the same color as surrounding walls can add depth and make a room feel larger. Painting the back wall a bold color or using a wall covering with a pattern will add contrast and visual interest. Be aware removing doors means the contents of your closet are on display for everyone to see. Even a small-space closet needs a good system that keeps everything organized and neat.
“A wire shelf track system is the best use of space in a closet,” says ClosetMaid representative Lisa Engel. “You’re wasting the least amount of space on the material itself and you can see everything you have. If you want a semi-custom look, use a wood organizer for what you see and use every day but use a wire shelf track system for the higher part of your closet for seasonal items.”
Drapes are a nice alternative for homeowners who like an open closet but want the option to close things up when guests come over. Choose drapery that complements your small-space decor. Go for durable fabrics for high-traffic closets that are used often.
If you prefer a closet with doors, Engel says choose to bi-fold doors over dual sliding doors that block access to 50 percent of the contents inside your closet. A closet door can also be a way to add a nice design element to your small space, says designer Libby Langdon of Libby Interiors, Inc.
