How to Decorate a Walk in Closet: 14 Design Features You Should Include in Yours

If you’re struggling to figure out how to decorate a walk in closet at your place, this post is going to help. And the good news is this: you don’t have to be an interior designer to get it right. 

There are some decorative essentials your closet needs to take it to the next level, and I’m unveiling them all here for you. Below you’ll not only get inspiration images of some amazing walk in robes, but I’ll also talk you through how to implement the ideas.

By the end of this post I have every confidence you could be a professional closet designer in your own right 😉 The walk in robe image above is from our latest interior design project in Hampton if you want to see more of it and other rooms.

1. Full-Length Mirror

A full-length wall mirror is a necessary starting point. In fact, it should have been included as part of your joinery planning process, design and install.

Not only does a large mirror serve a functional purpose (you get to check yourself out in it every day!), but it’s the perfect way to break up a big run of potentially heavy-looking solid doors.  

If you didn’t get a chance to include a mirror in the original closet design, then a standalone mirror will work. Lean it or attach it to a blank section of wall in the walk in closet if you have one, or pop one on a blank wall in your bedroom nearby.

If you’re working with a small walk-in-robe and there are no blank walls to spare, install a vertical mirror inside one of the closet doors (where there’s the most lighting would be best).

2. Bench Seat or Ottoman

If you have a large walk space in the centre of your walk-in-robe or closet, this is the perfect location to put down a designer bench seat or ottoman. Here are some of our faves if you need. A bench seat or ottoman, like a mirror, does double duty in addressing both form and function.

Comfortable seating like this in the middle of the robe affords you a space to sit and put shoes on, while the fabric will add softness to the zone. There are so many hard surfaces in a walk in closet, so you really want to add in as many soft layers as you can so the space feels balanced. 

If you don’t have the extra space to put a bench seat in the middle of your robe, consider one built into the cabinetry on one of the walls. An upholstered seat cushion on top will make it a space you’ll use all the time.

3. Cushions and Throws

Sure, your walk in closet is a dressing room; a functional space that needs to address all of your storage needs. But, that’s not to say it can’t feel soft and sumptuous to be in.

In fact, if you really want to make it the closet of your dreams you should approach decorating it like any other room in your home. You want an effective colour scheme and plenty of soft textures.

This is where cushions and throws come into play. You want some of these on your bench seat or ottoman to add plush, luxurious vibes. 

Cushions are best reserved for bench seats that aren’t freestanding in the middle of the room. Think more built-in seats that have a back to them, otherwise you just have an awkward cushion sitting in the middle of the room.

Here’s where we buy cushions from for all of our interior design projects.

4. Statement Light

Every walk in closet needs a light fixture that makes a statement. It can be the focal point in the space and take the design next-level. You don’t even need high ceilings to pull this off either; it all comes down to the style of light you choose and the height of it.

If you’re blessed with tall ceilings, opt for a full drop-down pendant in the middle of the space. They’re great over bench seats or ottomans because they intentionally carve a walkway out around them.

If you’re walls are standard height and you need to walk underneath the light in question, choose something more ceiling-mounted.

If you have darker look cabinets, a pendant light will help illuminate the space. I’d also recommend strip lighting built into your cabinetry. This is so when you open doors or reach into open shelves or cubes, you can see things like pairs of shoes or beauty products without struggle.

5. Decorative Door Handles

People don’t really think to make a big deal of their closet door handles, but they should. They add personal style and flair to a robe whether it’s a small closet you’re working with or have ample space. And on a long wall of doors made from timber joinery, they break up the visual monotony. 

They’re also really easy to change up over the years. If your current closet is feeling a little drab, new handles will give it the little zjoosh it needs to feel brand new. It’s for this reason I’d not recommend spending a huge amount on door handles unless you plan to never update them.

The bonus of a style like rounded knobs is that they’re a great place to hang bags if your closet plans never allowed for a lot of internal hooks or hanging space.

6. Desk and Chair

This is another one of the closet design ideas that should have been included in your initial plans and robe installation; a desk zone you can use as a place to get ready (think daily routine stuff like makeup) or as a work zone (pop a laptop down and shop for more shoes!). 

If you design a desk with a small drawer in it, or install a shelf above it, this can be a good place to keep important documents in one convenient place. You don’t need a lot of space to include this design feature either. A horizontal desktop of about 80cm or 30 inches in width is enough.

On top of the desk you can include all sorts of decorative elements like stationery, fresh flowers or a divine candle (more on candles below for you).

7. Sheer Curtains

If your closet space has been blessed with natural light beaming into it from a nearby window, you’re one of the lucky ones. Natural light in a closet really takes it from mere robe to dream dressing area. But of course, then comes the conundrum of what to dress the windows with.

A sheer curtain is our top pick here at TLC Interiors. They add softness, luxury and work no matter your design style. There’s nothing quite like an entire wall of closet joinery being balance out by a wall of sheer curtain. Of course, you’ll need a roller blind underneath your sheer to address privacy.

8. Artwork or Photo Frames

Personalisation is key when it comes to decorating a walk in closet, and so art or photos are a good idea here. Sure you want a dream closet with all the storage solutions and a proper organization system, but you want it to feel uniquely yours.

If you have a little wall space to spare, pop up one or two photos in chic, thin black frames (I find black and white photos work better over colour), or one tasteful artwork that carries over the look and feel you’ve got going on in your master bedroom. 

You only need a bit of space for an idea like this, but it makes such a positive impact. 

Here’s where to get affordable art online if you need some help.

9. Decorative Boxes

To prevent your walk in closet feeling chaotic and messy, it’s all about smart closet storage. So on open shelves or cube sections (like above), you want to have things like decorative boxes that can hold smaller items.

You don’t want an open section of shelving cluttered with watches, sunglasses and jewellery. Select some nice glass boxes with lids on them and put these everyday items inside. This gives you easy access to them when you’re getting ready of a morning, but still keeps everything in order.

Glass boxes are a great way to bring interest and contrast to all the timber joinery, as is our next decorative idea.

10. Storage Baskets

One should never overlook the importance of a good storage basket when considering how to decorate a walk in closet. 

They’re amazing at the bottom on your closet to hold things like blankets, throws, pillows and other bulkier overflow storage items. And they’re also a great idea on upper shelves to hold junk you don’t want on display. 

I know I’ve mentioned this a thousand times already, but let me say it again: a bedroom closet needs different materials playing together. It can’t all be timber on timber. And so a good storage basket will give you textural variance against wood shelves, all while delivering more storage space. 

11. Chic Clothes Hangers

There’s no point in decorating your walk in closet and making it look pretty if you have ugly wire clothes hangers ruining the vibe. Remember the famous movie line: “noooo wire hangersssss”.

If you have exposed closet systems (no doors on the front) where you’ll see all the clothes hanging up, bad hangers is the first thing you’ll notice.

If you have enough space to do so, consider a thicker clothes hanger that spaces out your clothing a bit more and gives the look of luxury.

If you don’t have much space and need to cram in a lot of clothing, at least choose one consistent hanger (timber or plastic is always better than wire) and carry it across the entire closet.

12. Area Rugs

While many of us are working with a smaller space closet, you may still be able to fit an area rug in the middle of the zone to give it some decorative flair. A stylish rug will warm up the closet floor and can often make a little room feel bigger. 

Placing a rug under an ottoman in the middle of the closet, with a pendant light installed over the top, also works to give the space a sense of order; it carves out a walkway around the zone and allows you to have something soft underfoot while you admire how well your closet functions. 

Here’s our top tips on choosing the right rug for any room at home.

13. Hats, Shoes and Bags

Depending on the kind of shelves you have, it’s a good idea to display some special fashion moments on and in them. Cube shelving in the middle of your walk in robe or closet is prime real estate for things like your fave handbags, shoes, hats or anything else you want to showcase. 

Sure, you’re likely to have shoe racks behind your closet doors, but what makes the space uniquely yours will be that amazing pair of heels you put out on display. 

14. Candles or a Diffuser

Last but not least when it comes to how to decorate a walk in closet, is scent. You know, a nice fragrance dancing around the space that doesn’t overwhelm too much but gives off a pleasant aroma. 

Of all the closet ideas here people often forget this one, but it’s important. We want the visual to be nice, and the functionality to be amazing, but the nose needs to be rewarded too.

Here’s our list of the top candle brands we source from for our interior design projects.

Are you undertaking a closet makeover? Or perhaps you’ve just moved into a new home with a stunning walk in robe. Let me know if these tips and inspiration images have given you some ideas to make your closet a winner in the comments section below.

This post includes images and/or videos of Metricon display homes and events, reproduced with permission.  © Metricon Homes Pty Ltd 2021.