DREAM CLOSETS How to create the perfect wardrobe space

Whether it’s a Kondo-influenced need to create order, or celebrities

showing off their luxury closets, wardrobes are big news

‘With a spare bedroom or kids having flown the nest, this could be the ideal time to create your very own walk-in wardrobe and, if you have the funds, bespoke is the way to go. The best idea is to use part of an adjacent room – perhaps a larger bedroom next door. If you can afford to fully sacrifice a spare room, lay it out as a luxury dressing room, with the benefit of a window, seating and even a dressing table. It can always be converted back to a bedroom when you decide to sell,’ says Greg Toon, our space expert.

If poring over pics of the rich and famous’s walk-in wardrobes has left you green with closet envy (we blame Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw for moving in with Mr Big), it could be time to do something about it. You might not have racks of designer clothes or a stash of expensive handbags, but it’s still worth creating stylish storage and a tidy space for your belongings.

If you don’t have a whole room to spare to create a full-on walk-in wardrobe, get creative with what you do have. Steal some space from the footprint of your main bedroom – if it’s big enough – and create a galley-style ‘walk-along’ wardrobe behind a false wall (although this can end up looking clunky if it’s not designed well). Or simply upgrade an existing wardrobe and put every inch to good use by installing a combination of shelves, drawers and inserts, so everything is easy to see and accessible.

WARDROBE WORKOUT A beautiful, practical and functional dressing area could be as simple as a set of freestanding wardrobes grouped together in the corner of your bedroom. Kit them out individually with sliding drawers, long and short hanging spaces, pullout shoe racks and shelves for boxes, bags and hats, and you’ll be rivalling Carrie Bradshaw in no time

DOUBLE UP If you’re putting in an ensuite, then why not go the whole hog and share the space with a walk-in wardrobe? The sliding doors on this divine duo mean you won’t need to allow room for opening and closing doors, which is a useful option in small spaces