Deal with closet envy now: 10 ideas for stylish walk-in wardrobes

This apartment in California’s Presidio Heights, designed by Nicole Hollis, takes the walk-in wardrobe concept to new heights. Hollis chose to find a way to champion one impressive collection, with stained-oak shelving that stretches all the way to the ceiling and a chaise longue beneath the window, perfectly placed for admiring the immaculate rows of shoes. nicolehollis.com

As self-confessed art deco aficionados, it’s no wonder that Emil Humbert and Christophe Poyet, the founding partners of Humbert & Poyet, decided to zhuzh up their Apartment Turenne with luxe gold accents. In this interconnected sleeping and dressing area, a statement gold column brings out the shine of other opulent details, including the ‘Olympia’ floor lamp by Franco Albini. humbertpoyet.com

A glossy epoxy-resin floor, custom cupboards illuminated with LED strips and a white island give this dressing room a clean, bright aesthetic akin to a beauty salon or a high-end changing room. Designed by American interior-design studio Hines Collective, the closet-cum-dressing area was converted from a spare bedroom– an example of how dead space can be transformed into something practical and beautiful. hinescollective.com

Banda Design Studio’s generous walk-in dressing room is as much a space to get ready for the day as it is a location for moments of quiet, inward reflection. It’s all considered neutral tones and natural materials, from the honey-hued cane cupboards to the solid-oak parquet flooring and vintage Pierre Jeanneret chair, the ultimate perch on which to sit and gather your thoughts. bandaproperty.com

As with any smaller room in the house, a walk-in wardrobe is the perfect opportunity to go wild with pattern, texture or colour (or all three, depending on your fancy). The architectural-design practice Hypnos’s take in this Saint-Germain apartment is a case in point. Here, the studio really leant into the theme of retro Italian glamour, with a leopard-print carpet, dragon-shaped cupboard handles from Etsy and brown paint by Sikkens. The hero piece is a vintage 1970s crimson-lacquered chest of drawers, which Hypnos founder Will McGrath sourced from a store in Brussels. hypnosxp.com

With its red chest of drawers, ceiling painted in Dulux’s ‘Velvet Cushion’ and russet carpet, this room at 19 Waterloo Street by Australian studio SJB is a masterclass in using one bold colour throughout a room. The warming shade makes the space feel like a cocoon, while the mirror plays a double role as both a place for residents to check their outfits and a design tool to help create the illusion of more space. sjb.com.au

As this crimson-leather ‘Barcelona’ daybed by Mies van der Rohe proves, furniture in a dressing room can serve many purposes: somewhere to arrange your outfit, a place for putting on shoes, or even a spot to peruse copies of ELLE Decoration. Designer Annalisa Mauri offset the bold red shade with calming closet doors covered in Inkiostro Bianco wallpaper. annalisamauri.it

Described by interior designer Camille Thomas as ‘not only a storage solution but a central, fluid and private space that enhances the main bedroom suite’, this walk-in closet shows how to combine premium solutions such as bespoke lacquered shelves and oak-parquet flooring with affordable high-street details (note the grey storage baskets from Ikea) for an authentic look. Plaster painted in an electric Yves Klein blue from Ressource Peintures completes the look. camillethomas.fr

Sandwiched between an ensuite bathroom and main bedroom in a house in Melbourne, this is a transitional space well suited to the transformative ritual of dressing and undressing. It’s grounded by a dark-metal island, which, together with the textured-limestone panels and custom stained-oak-veneer wardrobe, conjures a moody feel. studio-11-11.com

Architect and designer Héctor Ruiz Velázquez partially concealed a minimalist walk-in wardrobe behind undulating slats that snake through to the adjoining bedroom of this Madrid house. The wooden partition, which was produced by the Spanish wardrobe and panel specialist Alvic, is a spacious yet intimate solution for those who want a little privacy when getting changed. ruizvelazquez.com