Before designing a custom wardrobe, decide who will use it, what you need to store and how many shoes it must hold. Then consider extras such as valet rods, your plans for the home, your style, lighting, dead space and materials. Walking through finished closets in a showroom helps you settle these choices.
- Decide who will use the closet first, because two users usually means two separate zones.
- List what you store, since hanging clothes, folded items, shoes and small accessories each need different space.
- Plan lighting early: most closets have no windows, so overhead and shelf-mounted LED light do the work.
- Custom pieces such as corner units and extra tall cabinetry can put awkward dead space to use.
- Walking through finished closets in a showroom is the clearest way to settle on a style.
Once you decide you are ready to design your Divine Full Custom closet, it can be easy to rush the process. Materials, finishes, and features are all exciting to look at. However, choosing from these options will quickly become overwhelming when you don’t have specific parameters in place. Having a guideline will help you navigate your closet upgrade and make informed decisions. Asking these ten questions before designing your Divine Full Custom wardrobe will provide much-needed clarity.
1. Who will be using the closet?
It is important to know who will use the closet and how they will use it. This will help you have direction when making decisions about how the design should look. If only one person will use the closet, then it can be a single design across the entire closet. If two people will use the closet, then it's common to split the closet into two separate zones. That way, two people can use the closet at the same time without getting into each other’s way. Depending on the individuals, one person may need more space than the other. Alternatively, the closet may be used by multiple people if it is in a guest room. The design for this type of custom closet needs to work for whoever is staying.
2. What type of storage do I need?
Once you know who will use the closet, the next step is to decide what will go in the closet. This is crucial for deciding what type of storage is necessary for your custom design. Some people have more folded items, while others have more hanging items. As a general rule, it is good to have a combination of both. For some, long hanging space is a must. For others, they can maximize the available space by having a double hanging rod setup for shorter items. Shelves are useful for folded items that shouldn’t be hung, shoes, and large accessories. Finally, having a few drawers can be the final custom touch for organizing small items. A shallow drawer with an organized tray is perfect for organizing sunglasses, watches, belts, jewelry, and other small items. Deeper drawers are also helpful for organizing folded clothes. Sweaters, underwear, and socks can all go in these drawers. While drawers are helpful, they do take up a lot of space. The design team at Divine Design Center can help balance the different types of storage for the greatest closet functionality.
3. How many shoes do I own?
It is time to take your shoes off the floor and organize them. A luxury custom closet from Divine Full Custom will have shoe shelves. This will bring your shoes up closer to eye level. Your closet floor will stay clean and clutter free. How many shoes you own will dictate how many shelves are necessary or if another storage solution will work. Then there are the types of shoes you own. For example, sneakers and dress shoes take up a certain amount of space, while high heels require more height for storage. Then there are boots that require even more height for proper storage. In addition, if two people are using the closet, there will need to be enough space for everyone’s shoes. This often requires two different shoe storage spaces.
4. Do I want luxury additions?
Your Divine Full Custom closet is a luxury design. Because it is completely custom, you are free to add as many or as few luxury additions and features as you want. These small touches are what elevate a standard closet into a luxury one. Perhaps you need valet rods that extend out. These are perfect for hanging clothes that you have pulled from the closet. You could hang an outfit that you intend to wear. Or perhaps you pick out several outfits that you plan to pack in your luggage for a trip. A small espresso maker creates a wonderful aromatic experience and gives you a small pick-me-up as you get ready in the morning. A vanity setup creates a custom space for getting ready with cosmetics. Speakers set the mood while getting ready. Custom lighting can also set the mood and create a unique visual effect.
5. What are your future home plans?
If you recently bought or built your home, you probably do not intend to sell or move anytime soon. In this situation, focusing on finishes and features that appeal to you the most is more beneficial. Your closet can address your unique needs, thereby increasing its functionality for your daily life. However, if you plan to sell your home soon, it would be more beneficial to consider what buyers are looking for. Upgraded luxury closets can have a positive impact on home value. However, that is only if the upgrade enhances the closet. The designers at Divine Design Center can help homeowners make strategic design choices to ensure their closet is both personal and real estate market friendly.
6. What is my style aesthetic?
Answering this question can be difficult for homeowners unfamiliar with each design style's features and elements. This is when the 8,000-square-foot lifestyle showroom becomes vital. Homeowners can visit the showroom and walk through finished design samples. They can point out features and finishes they love or hate as they do so. Their designer will make a note of these and determine what the homeowner’s style aesthetic is. Divine Full Custom closets are fully customized. So no matter what style the homeowner prefers, their Divine Full Custom closet will reflect it. Some popular design style aesthetics include traditional, transitional, contemporary, and modern.
7. How can I add more light?
One of the most common requests the design team receives at Divine Design Center is to increase the amount of light. Closets tend to lack windows, resulting in a lack of natural light. This means that artificial light is the sole source of light. If there is a lack of lighting, the closet is dark. A dark closet is hard to see in, making it hard to find what you are looking for or accurately see the items once you have found them. Poor lighting results in you wearing navy blue when you think you picked out black. Or not noticing the stain on the white shirt you put on.
Adding more light is simple when designing a Divine Full Custom closet. Our designers do more than just add light fixtures, though. Divine Full Custom closets address light and shadows for an attractive design. Overhead lighting in the ceiling creates plenty of ambient light. LED lighting mounted on the shelving creates more focused light for the items on the shelves.
8. How can Divine Full Custom resolve the dead space?
A common challenge that plagues closets is dead space. This is the awkward space in a corner that you can never figure out what to do with. Or it could be the space high up in the closet that you can’t quite reach. Because Divine Full Custom wardrobes are custom closet designs, you can finally utilize this dead space. The design team at Divine Design Center works with homeowners to identify the dead spaces. They then use the vast network of resources to create a custom design that addresses the dead space. Divine Full Custom designs are handmade closets, making it possible to build custom wardrobe pieces that can make use of the dead space, from corner units to extra tall cabinetry.
9. What materials are available for my wardrobe?
When designing your Divine Full Custom wardrobe, you have a variety of materials available to you. Using multiple materials is a classic feature of luxury and high-end closet designs. The design team at Divine Design Center uses a unique combination of materials in Divine Full Custom wardrobes. Wood options include species such as walnut and oak. These luxury woods feature rich colors and a depth of grain that is stunning. In addition to wood, Divine Full Custom cabinets use steel, porcelain, glass, lacquers, and stone.
10. Can I see closet samples?
Yes! You can see several design examples when you visit the lifestyle showroom that Divine Design Center has on the Boston waterfront. This lets you walk through sample rooms to get a feel for different design styles, materials, and aesthetics. Open the cabinets, pull out the drawers, and stand in front of the sample closet. This is the best way to determine what you prefer and what you don’t. Get inspired by the possibilities. If you have never remodeled a closet, you may not know what is available to you. Walking through the showroom will introduce you to the innovations that Divine Full Custom can offer in your custom closet.
Design Your Divine Full Custom Closet
Asking the right questions before designing your custom closet will make the process smoother. Divine Full Custom closets have a vast array of materials, finishes, accessories, and designs available. The combinations and options are limitless. Our design team at Divine Design Center stays up to date on the latest Divine Full Custom innovations. Our first step in any closet design project is to listen to the client. This is crucial to understanding the answers to these and many other questions.
- Closets shared by two people are commonly split into two zones so both can use them at once.
- A mix of hanging space, shelves and drawers suits most wardrobes, though drawers take up a lot of room.
- High heels and boots need more height than sneakers or dress shoes.
- If you plan to sell soon, weigh what buyers look for alongside your own preferences.
- Overhead lighting provides ambient light, while LED lighting on shelves gives focused light.
- Custom corner units and extra tall cabinetry can use space a standard closet leaves empty.
Frequently asked questions
How should I design a closet that two people will share?
Start by deciding who will use the closet and how. When two people share it, it is common to split the closet into two separate zones so you can both get ready at the same time without getting in each other's way. One person may need more space than the other, and shoes often need two separate storage areas.
Should a custom closet have more drawers or more hanging space?
It depends on what you own. Most closets work best with a mix of hanging and folded storage. Long hanging space suits some wardrobes, while double rods make the most of space for shorter items. Shelves hold folded pieces, shoes and larger accessories, and shallow drawers with trays keep watches, belts and jewelry in order. Drawers take up a lot of space, so balance them carefully.
How do you add more light to a closet without windows?
Most closets have no windows, so artificial light does all the work. Overhead lighting in the ceiling provides plenty of ambient light, while LED lighting mounted on the shelving gives focused light on the items you store. Good lighting also handles shadows, which helps you tell navy from black and notice a mark on a white shirt before you put it on.
Can I see custom closets before I decide on a design?
Yes. At the Divine Design Center showroom on the Boston waterfront, you can walk through sample rooms, open cabinets, pull out drawers and stand in front of finished closets. Your designer notes the features and finishes you love or dislike as you go, which helps define your style, from traditional and transitional to contemporary or modern.
