Closet design sources

[wghatcher]

The wife is wanting some home upgrades. While I will let the pros handle the bathroom remodel, I think I can create some custom closet solutions. Just in the initial planning now, but have a couple of questions to get me started.

1. Is their a closet design book anyone would recommend? I would like help with design / organizing as well as how to build.

2. Is there a good brand of closet supplies for the do it yourself projects? I am wanting to build something from wood / plywood that will look (I hope) higher end. So if there are some hardware kits / suppliers that will improve my success rate, that would be good to know.

Thanks,

Greg

 

[Jeff]

I'm guessing that you folks have a walk-in closet now and it needs a major makeover? :icon_scra Is their overhead lighting already in place? What are the dimensions?

Here's a starter with a design planner built in...

http://www.easyclosets.com/tips-ideas/2013/01/11/how-to-design-a-custom-closet/

 

[wghatcher]

Thanks Jeff. Our closet is about 7 Ft Deep and 12 Ft Wide. Lighting is in place. Not a perfect rectangle - one side loses about 30 inches or so. Did you order anything from easy closets or just use the design tool?

 

[Jeff]

Thanks Jeff. Our closet is about 7 Ft Deep and 12 Ft Wide. Lighting is in place. Not a perfect rectangle - one side loses about 30 incges or so. Did you order anything from easy closets or just use the design tool?[/QUOTE]

So it's a walk-in trapezoid with a single door or double doors on which side run(the 7 foot or 12 foot)?

https://www.mathopenref.com/trapezoid.html

I only found the weblink and design tool by searching Google "closet design" in response to your question this morning. So, zero, zilch, and nada.

 

[wghatcher]

The single door is on one of the 12 foot wide sides. To the right of the door you have the full 7 foot depth, and there is about 4 ft to the left that is about 30 inches shallower. I have tried some online tools and some easily adapt to the trapezoid shape.

 

[Jeff]

Greg,

If I understand, this is your closet footprint. I guess you and the wife have to decide how much hanging space and how much drawer space or other features that you need/want. You have about 69 square feet to work with, but the trapezoidal shape is awkward to work with.

​

 

[redknife]

I bought the Black and Decker’s “Build your own custom closets...”. It’s OK. Probably worth leafing through. You can order it used for a few bucks. I’d send you mine but it’s the Kindle version.
i was in a similar situation, and ultimately had a local closet company come and go in a day. They used a track system which aids speed, mounting strength, clean floor, and changability. You can do various versions of a french cleat yourself, but the unique part of these systems is the bracket on the panel back edge that allows a sheet good extending from the wall to mount 90 degrees to the track and hold a fair amount of weight. This is generally a minimalist look which may not match your aesthetic. Here is an example of a track system:http://www.easytrack.com
I think the website http://Houzz.com is helpful for inspiration. Search custom closets in photos.
When my wife and I looked, it became clear she didn’t like the floor to ceiling custom cabinets I was planning. She wanted minimal and functional so we went the other route.

 

[wghatcher]

Jeff: I was typing too fast this morning. When I said, some adapt to the trapezoid shape, I should have said some adapt to the irregular shape. Ours is not the trapezoid you show. The front and back long sides are parrallel. To the left of the door, the master bath bumps in about 30 inches or so making that side wall shorter, but still parrallel to the right side.

I did check out some of the online programs and felt that some easily adapted to the irregular shape and some did not. It is possbile that I can find all that I need from looking at these programs. Each of these is based on the products for that particular company, and I was wondering if there was something out there more for the do it yourself route.

 

[wghatcher]

Chris: That Easy Track does look interesting. It would be interested to see something like that for DIY. Buy the track and maybe some adapters to allow you to build your own units.

 

[Jeff]

Ours is not the trapezoid you show. The front and back long sides are parrallel. To the left of the door, the master bath bumps in about 30 inches or so making that side wall shorter, but still parrallel to the right side.

Maybe you should post a picture or a sketch of what you're talking about for that 30" offset on that left side wall. I don't mind redoing my SketchUp drawing but you've gotta be more specific about the actual shape and dimensions. You said...

and there is about 4 ft to the left that is about 30 inches shallower.

I am wanting to build something from wood / plywood that will look (I hope) higher end.

Putting the building something on the back burner for now? That's fine too.

 

[wghatcher]

Looks like the design tool at Easy Track was one of the online tools that i tried out. Hopefully, the image
below, gives you an idea of what I am talking about. Wall A is shorter than Wall C due to the master bath
bumping into that side of the closet.

Actually, this design tool was easier than some of the others in entering the non-rectangular shape. It is
probably not a bad tool to use for design. To correct myself, the long wall is actually 10Ft and not 12 ft as
mentioned earlier.

 

[wghatcher]

I found a reference to the 32 MM system on a festool users forum. I have a shelf pin drilling jig that is compatible, so that may be the way to go. I am thinking build the cases with combination of dominos and pocket screws, and use the 32 MM system for adjustable shelves and drawer slides. French cleats to hang in the closet. The tools mentioned above will be useful for planning an insperation.

 

[JimD]

My wife and I do not put shelves or drawers along the walls of a closet because we need the hanging space. Maybe she will change in her new closet but it has space for a small chest in the middle. But if you do not put shelves or drawers, it is just a choice between double hanging or single. All my stuff except a rain coat will fit double hanging and I put the rain coat in the coat closet. So mine is all double. It is only 7x3 feet so I have double hanging on the two 3 foot walls. On one side, I have a shelf on the top that wraps around the standing space in the middle. On the other end, the upper bar is about 2 inches from the ceiling and there are 3 small drawers between the two hanging bars. That works because I can easily touch a 8 foot ceiling (flat footed) so the upper bar is not an issue. I like having the three little drawers and give up no hanging space.

For your plan, I suggest you decide how much hanging, long and short, you need. That plus a decision on drawers/shelves will take you a long way down the path of design. I would assume you'd double up the hanging on at least one wall but which one is the question.

My closet is just flat stock screwed to the studs with cheap plastic circular holders screwed to them for a round wood rod. We had plenty. Shelves are recyled 1x12s. I had to buy a couple brackets for the ends of the shelf that do not go to a wall but hardware is minimal. The shelf and the brackets for the rods are caulked to the wall and painted the wall color. This setup is cheap, very strong, and I think it looks good.

You can also get particle board with melamine on it at the home center. Some have wood grained particle board. Particle board is not as strong as plywood and much weaker than boards but will work if adequately supported. It would also be durable and you wouldn't have to finish it. Closet kits have similar material.

 

[wghatcher]

Jim, Thanks for your feedback. Lots of good comments. We have added a mishmash of hanging organizers and containers to our current system which is also a mix of double and single hanging. This should give us a good feel for how much hanging and shelf/drawer space we need. I agree that we also need minimum long hanging space. I cannot touch the ceiling, but we currently have a small step stool for reaching items on the top shelf.

That makes me think of a closet we had on a recent vacation. There was a bar that you could use to pull down the top rod that also swung out as you pulled it down. Something like that might be cool.

 

[Bear Republic]

That makes me think of a closet we had on a recent vacation. There was a bar that you could use to pull down the top rod that also swung out as you pulled it down. Something like that might be cool.

That sounds very interesting, would definitely like to see if you end up with something like that

 

[JimD]

My U shaped upper shelf is on top of the 3.5 inch casing over the door so it is about 83.5 inches off the floor. I can put stuff on and off of it but if I want to see up there, I need a step stool too.

So my upper rod on that side is about 80 inches off the floor - you need to come down at least 2 inches from the ceiling or shelf. On the other side where I have the drawers in the middle, my upper rod is about 93 inches off the floor. That may be kind of extreme for most people but most of the time, I don't hold onto the hook of the hanger anyway, I hold the edge. So that gives you another few inches to put stuff on and off. Works for me. I don't want to get overly personal but I've had my underwear and socks in my closet for most of the last 20+ years. I find it saves a lot of jostling at the dresser in the morning.

Roughly 40 and 80 inches would be more normal. A few inches up or down from that should work for most people. For a single rod, about 60 inches seems to be the recommendation - possibly as high as 66 inches. But these need to consider your height, your wife's height, and your clothes. If she is short, her clothes are probably also shorter and both things say her rods should be lower. My wife is 5'9" but likes to argue she is practically as tall as me (I'm 6'2"). But her closet still needs rods lower than my 93 inch one, at least.

Here's a link to a rod that goes up and down: http://www.kitchensource.com/laundry/ha-1128.htm. It seems better suited to a house with high ceilings where you want to go three high with the hanging - but might work for a shorter person trying to get to the top bar.