Closet design ideas
The looks
8 directions for a closet, from warm walnut to matte black. Each is a starting point, and every door, finish and pull can change.
Walnut and brass
Book-matched walnut doors, long brass pulls and shelves lit from within. The look most people picture when they say dressing room.
White lacquer and glass
High-gloss white with clear glass doors and polished nickel. It throws light around a closet that has no window of its own.
Deep teal painted shaker
A five-piece shaker door in a deep teal, with antique brass knobs and walnut shelving to warm it. Color without fuss.
Smoked oak and black metal
Smoked oak panels, thin black frames and bronze-tinted glass. Moody and quiet, for a closet that feels like a lounge.
Cream French country
Raised panels, a full crown and aged brass latches in a soft cream. At home in an older house with trim to match.
Navy and white oak
Navy drawers below and white oak above, so the heavy color sits low and the room stays light at eye level.
Boutique display
Glass shelves, lit cubbies for bags and a velvet-lined jewelry drawer, laid out the way a good shop shows its best pieces.
Matte black and walnut
Matte black cases, walnut drawer fronts and a leather-wrapped rod. Strong lines for a closet with a modern house around it.
These are design illustrations of each look, not photographs of finished projects.
Mixing looks
Most rooms end up somewhere between two of these: the walnut shelving of one with the painted doors of another, or the lighting of the boutique display in a quieter cabinet. Cream French country tends to suit an older house in Belle Meade or near Franklin’s Main Street; matte black and walnut sits well in the newer houses of Westhaven and Brentwood. That is what the design visit is for. Bring the ones you like of these 8 and we will draw a closet that takes the best of each, built for your room and the way you use it.
Answers
Questions about closet looks
Can I mix two closet looks?
Yes. Most closets end up taking something from more than one look: walnut shelving with painted doors, or boutique lighting in a quieter cabinet. Bring the looks you like to the consultation and we will draw a single room that holds them together.
What color should a walk-in closet be?
A walk-in with no window usually wants light cabinetry or glass to keep it bright, while a closet with good daylight can carry walnut, smoked oak or a deep painted color. We look at the light in the room before we suggest a finish.
Are glass closet doors a good idea?
Glass doors suit the pieces you want to see and keep free of dust: bags, shoes, folded knitwear. They need good lighting behind them; for everyday clothes, solid doors or open hanging is easier to live with, and most closets use a mix.
What hardware goes with a walnut closet?
Brass is the classic partner for walnut, warm against warm; matte black reads more modern, and polished nickel brightens it. We choose pulls with the door style, because a long bar pull and a small knob change a room as much as the wood does.