40 Creative Walk-In Closet Ideas From the AD Archive
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Whether you’ve recently streamlined your wardrobe or are a professional designer seeking fresh inspiration, AD's archive offers a curated collection of walk-in closet ideas that blend form with function. These creative dressing rooms span from New York to New Orleans, showcasing how expert organization can transform any space into a luxurious retreat. Featuring custom shelving, bespoke drawers, and unexpected touches like vintage shoe-display cabinets, these spaces prove that every garment and accessory deserves a designated home. Each design maximizes visual impact while working within compact footprints, demonstrating that smart storage can be both practical and beautiful.
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Prioritize joy
For the Napa Valley, California, home of two vintners and their children, Sally Breer and Jake Rodehuth-Harrison of ETC.etera created a space that feels jubilant from top to bottom. This is most evident in the mood-lifting walk-in closet, where Missoni wallpaper lines the ceiling and the shelving is painted blush pink.
Add Texture
For ballet icon Misty Copeland’s Upper West Side apartment, the walk-in closet makeover was the top priority. “I was nervous about that space,” designer Brigette Romanek admitted during AD’s tour of the home. The finished product, however, proves Romanek did stick the landing down to the details, including those storage boxes on the top shelves that perfectly match the white-gray tone of the rest of the build from California Closets. A bold chandelier and fluffy rug add dimension to the space.
Wallpaper the ceiling
Designer Justina Blakeney opted to envelop her dressing room in Jungalow wallpaper—the back of the cabinetry by California Closets included. Her home decor style perfectly meshes with her clothing, so naturally she left most of the storage open rather than adding cabinet doors to her walk-in closet design.
Add a scenic wallpaper
For many, the promise of joy that a walk-in closet brings comes hand in hand with the excitement surrounding its transformation. Why not channel that theme with a scenic wallpaper? As you can see in designer Isabel López-Quesada’s Madrid dressing room, which is lined with Zuber’s Isola Bella, it’s a wonderful option if you’re not convinced that your closet system is visually compelling enough for a space that should serve as the ultimate fashion inspiration.
Let rattan reign
Nothing is more satisfying for the type A’s amongst us than a completely cohesive space—and despite all that it may contain, a walk-in closet is no exception. Antiquaire Patrick Perrin’s Portugal vacation home is all about relaxation, which is fully reflected in the materials that designers Daniel Suduca and Thierry Mérillou chose for the interior. Closet storage is concealed with custom braided rattan panels on the doors, which tie in nicely with the homeowners’ impressive hat collection.
Try a monochrome moment
At Norah and Norman Stone’s San Francisco abode (decorated by Tiffany Vassilakis), Norah’s dressing room—decked out in mirrors and silver wallpaper—is all original. The light fixture is Venetian glass.
Pick a two-tone color palette
A color palette needn’t be entirely neutral to work as a fine backdrop for a packed closet. Working with interior designer Louise Kugelberg, fashion designer Stacey Bendet created a two-tone dream closet. The finished result has a personality of its own without pulling the focus away from her glorious clothes.
Let the closet match the clothes
The walls of Fiona Kotur’s Hong Kong dressing room—revamped by architectural designer Alexander Stuart—are sheathed in panels of hand-painted silk from a Shanghai workshop. The ottoman is upholstered in a Lee Jofa velvet, and the shelves hold a selection of handbags by Kotur.
Build color-blocked compartments
Building a closet space from scratch allows you to create as many cubbies, drawers, and other compartments as your heart desires. Though these compartments make organization a lot simpler, it’s wise to consider how they impact the vibe—why put function fully over fashion, especially in a closet? As seen here in artist Jorge Pardo’s Mexico home, color blocking your bevy of doors and drawers can make the space feel dynamic while still prioritizing storage.
Use natural materials
Hunter Douglas blinds shield a window in the primary suite’s dressing room at the Nashville home of designer Ray Booth and TV executive John Shea. The ceiling pendant and the Thomas O’Brien–designed lamps are from Circa Lighting. Wood furniture and other accents made with natural materials ground what could reasonably become a rather hectic space when getting dressed.
Prioritize symmetry to create a sense of order
A built-in wardrobe, flanked on either side by shoe shelves, makes for optimized storage that still feels fitting for the Georgian-style family home of designer Sophie Ashby.
Celebrate clean lines
In a Manhattan penthouse by MR Architecture + Decor, the meticulously organized closet crafted out of marine-grade plywood is a love letter to order, craftsmanship and minimalist beauty.
Pick neutral shelving to spotlight a colorful collection
In a Manhattan apartment by Michael S. Smith and Peter Pennoyer Architects, the walk-in closet features custom-made shelving in a clean white that balances the many hues on display.
Add built-in seating
In the São Paulo home of architect and interior designer Sig Bergamin and his partner, architect Murilo Lomas, the dressing room is outfitted with a comfortable built-in bench ideal for trying on shoes or laying out clothing options.
Pick an accent light fixture
An antique French chandelier hangs in the closet of a New Orleans house by Lee Ledbetter, adding a sense of personality to the space. A large window offers a glimpse of the home’s charming locale.
Add mirrored doors
In a London home decorated by Francis Sultana, the primary bedroom’s closet—customized by Sultana—has a mix of both palladium-leaf and mirrored doors, plus a carpet by Fort Street Studio.
For a consistent wardrobe, emphasize uniformity
The walk-in closet design in a Beverly Hills home by Waldo Fernandez is particularly satisfying thanks to the uniformity of its contents. Pale pink wall-to-wall carpeting and a green footstool add pops of color to the otherwise neutral look.
Paint it a bold hue
Particularly in a closet filled with darker tones, a bright color can really sing. Farrow & Ball’s Rectory Red brightens the closet in designers Richard Lambertson and John Truex’s New York apartment. The 19th-century French apothecary cabinet was found in London.
Try wood paneling
The dressing room in a Florida home decorated by Furze Bard + Associates features an Ochre chandelier, a Boo Ritson photograph, and a Porta Romana sconce. Wood paneling creates a sense of sophistication.
Add wall-to-wall carpet
In the husband’s dressing room of a London mansion decorated by Haynes-Roberts, a 1950s Barovier & Toso chandelier complements a ’30s overmantel mirror. The custom-made packing table features nickel pulls and backplates by H. Theophile, and the silk carpet is by Beauvais. What could be more comfortable as you get dressed each day?
Channel your favorite boutiques
In architect Dax Miller and designer Alexandra Von Furstenberg’s Los Angeles home, which Miller renovated, Von Furstenberg’s closet features a boutique-like display, wherein lacquer cabinetry is accented with glass, white leather, and chrome. The Milo Baughman chair is upholstered in a Romo velvet.
Use every square inch
When you’re a globe-trotting Christian Dior PR executive, you have a shoe collection to prove it. Using slim shelving to maximize space, the dressing room in Mathilde Favier-Meyer’s Paris apartment contains more than 400 pairs.
Create distinct sections
In Western Colombia, the walk-in closet design found at the apartment of handbag designer Nancy Gonzalez includes floor-to-ceiling shelving for an extensive shoe collection, an area for handbags, and a separate zone for clothing. It was designed by Jean-Louis Deniot.
Create contrast
Bedroom closet ideas abound in this serene dressing area in the Nashville home of philanthropists Jennifer and Billy Frist. The Ray Booth–designed space features light fixtures by Charles Edwards. The contrasting light and dark areas usher you through and divvy up the space.
Separate the space with an island
A handblown glass chandelier by jGoodDesign accents a dressing area in the Manhattan residence of businessman Michael Hirtenstein and his wife, Christina. The island is made of rosewood and leather, and the shelves and closets are backed with gold mirrors. Amy Lau was responsible for the furnishings, and Thomas Juul-Hansen oversaw the home’s architectural design.
Activate unused space
In the 19th-century Brooklyn brownstone of jewelry designer Ippolita Rostagno, a gut renovation of the third story made way for the landing’s expanse of closets.
Make separate aisles to divide the space
Designer Mario Buatta went for “an open viewing arrangement” for the walk-in closet in Mariah Carey’s Manhattan home that AD toured back in 2001. The soft lighting and open rows of clothing give the space a refreshing vibe. The hooks for hangers on the end of each row are perfect for displaying one’s favorite pieces.
Pick a hue that complements your clothing collection
For the Malibu home of legendary singer Barbra Streisand, which AD toured back in 1993, a sophisticated dusty rose color was on call for a walk-in closet that houses numerous pink and red garments. The space included clear drawers and open shelves to store miscellaneous accessories, along with a complementary ottoman.
Match your fashion aesthetic with your interior design style
For Ralph Lauren’s own dressing room, a refined rugged look was in order. On display during AD’s 2004 visit to the Bedford, New York, home, an upholstered leather ottoman at the center tied into the plethora of riding boots Lauren keeps on hand.
Pick storage options based on your specific needs
Hanging rings provide a simple way to view one’s dress ties in this J. Randall Powers–designed walk-in closet (we can picture those very rings being similarly useful for a collection of scarves). The cabinet’s glass doors allow for a peek in at the wardrobe while still keeping tidy. Rather than using dividers in big drawers, smaller built-in versions add yet another storage option.
Cover it up with curtains
Designer Veere Grenney tented Nina Flohr’s closet and added curtains around the perimeter, allowing the Princess’s stuff to be disguised with a simple pull of the fabric. Though this may be a particularly intense custom build, it’s a wonderful lesson in asserting a walk-in closet’s status as a standalone room while still offering plenty of extra storage space.
Give it a ‘70s vibe
Why take up a wall with a full-length mirror if you can simply make your closet doors reflective? The design at Gabriel Hendifar and Jeremy Anderson’s apartment harnesses full-on ‘70s glam with a wall of mirrored doors, a mustard yellow rug, and a decadent lounge chair.
Keep it simple
An understated color scheme and layout can allow you to focus on what really matters: crafting the perfect look. Reimagined by decorating legend François Catroux, much of Princess Marie-Chantal’s historic Manhattan house is layered and ornate, but the walk-in closet was made quietly luxurious with a custom white sectional and white closet doors.
Add a vanity space
At this Connecticut Virginia Tupker project, closed storage allows for breathing room around the vanity—no extra large glam space in the primary bathroom needed!
Closed storage makes for a tidy small closet
Satisfying small walk-in closet ideas can be hard to come by. For confined spaces, the best move is often to conceal your storage—especially in the case of a layout like this Martin Brudnizki project, where the closet connects the bedroom to the bathroom, hiding the inevitably varied collection of clothing behind doors or other compartments can help maintain a luxe tone while ensuring easy access to one’s belongings. Bonus points for those upper cabinets!
Make it a lounge space
While most walk-in closets may prioritize maximizing storage space, the best move for true fashionistas might be to create a space somewhere between living room and closet. Devised by interior designer Benjamin Vandiver, the dressing room of LoveShackFancy founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen finds itself straddling these distinctions, with ample plush furniture in addition to the bursting clothing rack, allowing it to be used as a playroom for Hessel Cohen’s kids too.
Pick accent pieces with personality
While function might come first in walk-in closets, small accent pieces can add a major dose of personality. Such is the case in Lily Allen’s Billy Cotton–designed walk-in closet, which features a unique shell-encrusted mirror above the vanity.
Float a slim bench
As a fashion consultant, former Chanel ambassador, and one-time celebrity stylist, it’s only fitting that Caroline Sieber has a closet that is both stylish and ultra-functional in her London home. For walk-in closets with less square footage to spare, like Sieber’s, an armchair or settee might not be an option, but a slim bench can be a clever way of dividing the space and adding a place to perch when trying on shoes.
Install a dressing mirror
For the especially glamorous—like RuPaul in his Martyn Lawrence Bullard–designed home—a walk-in closet can’t possibly be complete without a dressing mirror. Whether you’re prepping for a gala or just fine-tuning the details of your office outfits, a trifold mirror is a handy addition.
Bring in a vintage vibe
As she approached her home reno with Reath Design, the walk-in closet was a top priority for homeowner Brynn Jones Saban, given her work as a vintage clothing dealer. Reath principal Frances Merrill leaned into her client’s love of early 20th-century design with wallpaper and vintage light fixtures.
FAQ
What should you include in a walk-in closet?
Start by identifying your wardrobe’s star players and design around them. If handbags are your statement pieces, create a prominent display where you can easily see your entire collection. Love vintage band tees but struggle to keep them organized? Install shallow drawers or open shelving that lets you stack and view each shirt at a glance.
Consider your daily routine when planning storage solutions. Frequent travelers might prioritize a dedicated packing station with a pull-out surface and nearby luggage storage. Those who work from home could benefit from a separate section for casual wear, keeping work attire distinct and easily accessible.
While everyone needs basics like hanging rods and shoe storage, the details—open shelving versus closed cabinets, built-in seating, or specialized compartments for jewelry—should reflect how you actually get dressed each day.
How should you lay out a small walk-in closet?
Resist the urge to maximize every inch of storage—you need room to actually use the space. Leave clearance for drawers and doors to open fully without hitting each other or blocking pathways. Consider including a bench or small seating area where you can sit to put on shoes or lay out tomorrow’s outfit. Think circulation, not just capacity. A cramped closet where you’re constantly maneuvering around obstacles defeats the purpose of organized storage.
