12 Ways to a Celeb-Style Closet (Well, Almost)
Closet tips: Sorting, planning, lighting and styling make "What to Wear?" easier to answer
Becky Harris
20 January 2022
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Does figuring out what to wear bum you out because your closet is such a mess? Do you drool with envy over Christian Louboutin collections set up on custom shoe racks and across from colour coded wardrobes? Even if you’re working with a small closet, you can take inspiration from the closets you see in celebrity home features. Here’s how to spiff up your closet with style.
Gratuitous inspiration shot! This closet is larger than most of our homes, but elements of it can inspire you on the journey to your dream closet. Some of the images below will make you say “Yeah, I can do that with my tiny closet,” while others will leave you saying, “Get real, Becky!”
1. Clear everything out and sort it into four piles: Keep, Repair, Donate, Toss
If you have a closet that’s only big enough to store one season’s worth of wardrobe at a time, sort your “keep” pile and set aside the offseason items to store elsewhere. Toss anything that has ever made you feel fat into the “donate” pile without hesitation.
Tip: Closet designer Lisa Adams recommends keeping a permanent “donate” container in the closet, so the moment after you try something on and realise you never want to wear it again, you can toss it in and forget about it.
If you have a closet that’s only big enough to store one season’s worth of wardrobe at a time, sort your “keep” pile and set aside the offseason items to store elsewhere. Toss anything that has ever made you feel fat into the “donate” pile without hesitation.
Tip: Closet designer Lisa Adams recommends keeping a permanent “donate” container in the closet, so the moment after you try something on and realise you never want to wear it again, you can toss it in and forget about it.
2. While it’s empty, take a look at what you need to store and the space you have
A trip to to your favourite home decor store for some racks, baskets or drawer units may be in order.
A trip to to your favourite home decor store for some racks, baskets or drawer units may be in order.
3. Glam up your lighting
Chances are, you’ve got a bulb light or a really boring flush-mount ceiling fixture. Here recessed lighting was used. If you have room, replace it with a small chandelier, a jazzier flush-mount or a drum pendant.
Chances are, you’ve got a bulb light or a really boring flush-mount ceiling fixture. Here recessed lighting was used. If you have room, replace it with a small chandelier, a jazzier flush-mount or a drum pendant.
I found a chandelier on sale and replaced the depressing light in my closet, and it makes me feel like a star. Just be sure to check with an electrician to make sure the lighting you choose is safe and meets safety codes.
4. Add a full-length mirror
If you have a walk-in, there’s no better way to try on ensembles and see how they look.
If you have a walk-in, there’s no better way to try on ensembles and see how they look.
5. Consider a rug
This will keep the dust bunnies at bay, as long as you keep it vacuumed. In a small closet, 2’ x 3’ mats will do.
Find an interior designer to design your dream closet
This will keep the dust bunnies at bay, as long as you keep it vacuumed. In a small closet, 2’ x 3’ mats will do.
Find an interior designer to design your dream closet
6. Hang some inspirational art
I like to hang my favourite covers of style icons from Bazaar and Vogue magazine covers (for instance, Natalie Portman wearing Audrey Hepburn’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” LBD on the cover of Bazaar) in inexpensive frames from the drugstore. Another good idea is to buy a book of Manolo Blahnik’s shoe drawings and cut out your favorites to frame.
I like to hang my favourite covers of style icons from Bazaar and Vogue magazine covers (for instance, Natalie Portman wearing Audrey Hepburn’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” LBD on the cover of Bazaar) in inexpensive frames from the drugstore. Another good idea is to buy a book of Manolo Blahnik’s shoe drawings and cut out your favorites to frame.
7. Wallpaper the closet
Even if you have a tiny closet, wallpapering the back wall provides a delightful surprise when you shove the clothes aside. It’s also a great way to use up that extra roll you may have left over from another project.
Even if you have a tiny closet, wallpapering the back wall provides a delightful surprise when you shove the clothes aside. It’s also a great way to use up that extra roll you may have left over from another project.
If you don’t have the patience for wallpapering, paint the inside of the closet a fun but impractical colour you’ve always liked, like lavender or turquoise.
8. Banish wire hangers
Most dry cleaners are more than happy to recycle them for you. If you’re short on space, Home Goods usually has thin hangers covered in fabric that are a major improvement over wire or plastic.
Most dry cleaners are more than happy to recycle them for you. If you’re short on space, Home Goods usually has thin hangers covered in fabric that are a major improvement over wire or plastic.
9. Sort your clothes by type, then by colour, and arrange them from lightest to darkest
Now you’ll have a good idea of how much space is left for accessories.
Now you’ll have a good idea of how much space is left for accessories.
10. Corral your scarves, belts, socks, unmentionables, and flip-flops in matching baskets or boxes
Label each one and stack them.
Label each one and stack them.
Speaking of flip-flops, many professional closet organisers swear by these boxes that store and display shoes. Stacking them saves on space without requiring one of those over-the-door, pocket shoe organisers that made Carrie Bradshaw gasp in horror.
11. Devise a system for keeping your jewellery organised and accessible
One way is by using decorative hooks for necklaces and bracelets.
One way is by using decorative hooks for necklaces and bracelets.
Another way is to use a bulletin board or framed screen, which will also accommodate earrings.
12. You’re almost done. Now tackle the door
Give it a fresh coat of paint and a special knob. Glass knobs are always a glamorous choice. If you still have the DIY fever at this point, trim out the door with paint and add a door knocker.
See more closet door ideas
Give it a fresh coat of paint and a special knob. Glass knobs are always a glamorous choice. If you still have the DIY fever at this point, trim out the door with paint and add a door knocker.
See more closet door ideas
Still don’t have enough room? If you’re a shoe lover like me, you won’t mind putting them on display in your room with something like this storage system from Ballard Designs. I like to do this with purses.
A portable wardrobe like this one will house your off-season threads, freeing up room in the closet for better organisation and styling.
Look closely: This isn’t a walk-in. It’s simply the end of a room that can be curtained off when necessary. If your closet is overflowing or your significant other is moving in, you may need a solution like this one.
Read more:
What to Learn From Dream Closets15 Most Popular Closet Solutions on Houzz
Tell us:
Which ideas did you like best? And what’s your closet hack? Tell us in Comments.
Read more:
What to Learn From Dream Closets15 Most Popular Closet Solutions on Houzz
Tell us:
Which ideas did you like best? And what’s your closet hack? Tell us in Comments.
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Wordings,
You might think of using a shelf that can hold shoes that are in a lot of these pictures, just little squares and then turn it on its side so that each yoga mat has its own square and they will be sticking straight up regardless of how many you take out. Either that or you can have one made for you that goes along with the picture in your mind :)