Dress Up Your Closet
The bedroom closet of my youth had dark wood, sliding, louvered doors that gathered incredible amounts of dust and popped out of their tracks at the slightest touch. There was no walking in—it was probably only about 2 feet deep. Every item of hanging clothing was tightly squeezed on a single rod, making it challenging to decipher whether it was a shirt, a skirt, or something else. And there were no shelves, just piles on the floor . . . more clothes, haphazard assortments of shoes, and I think some games or books, but who can tell because it was dark—so dark in there! It was a daily miracle that I could assemble an outfit, first by selecting something with coordinated colors and then releasing it from the vice grip of the adjacent hangers. One of the worst chores I could be assigned as a teen was to clean out my closet.
Today, I have twice as many clothes and probably three times (conservatively) the number of shoes, and my closet is a beautiful respite! Some days I don’t even want to leave my closet! Modern closets have come so far from those dark, cramped spaces that it’s almost an insult to even call them closets. They should be called dressing rooms. And while the size is probably the most noticeable difference, lighting must be a close runner-up.
When closets first began to evolve, it was amazing to just have a lightbulb in there. Finally, you could see items without the assistance of a flashlight. Colors became identifiable. Today, there is no limit to how you choose to light your closet. In fact, all the techniques you’ve learned from 1000Bulbs.com can and should be applied in your closet. If there is an opportunity to have a window or a skylight in your closet, that is, of course, the holy grail. As we have discussed before, natural daylight is the best type of light. Oftentimes though, closets are interior in the floorplan and natural light is not an option. However, combining ambient, accent, task, and even decorative lighting, you can achieve a beautiful space that can go toe-to-toe with any other room in your home or office.
An overhead source to provide ambient light should be the first consideration. Choose high CRI bulbs with a greater lumen output to see those colors pop. Any ceiling fixture will do, but feel free to express yourself with beautiful finishes or even a chandelier to luxe it up! Next, layer some eye-level task lighting in with some sconces or tape lights around the mirrors. Track fixtures are an ideal choice for a closet to direct accent lighting to your shoe wall (yes, I have a shoe wall!) or light up storage cubbies.
Many closets are now equipped with center islands, benches, counters, and chests of drawers. Flexible rope lights can be your best friend to subtly illuminate those corners and surfaces. You can even personalize further by choosing colored lights. Don’t forget to string a few under the toe kicks of the closet cabinetry—you don’t want scuffs on the shoe wall!
Dressing up your closet is a breeze with all of the available products on 1000Bulbs.com. Need some more suggestions? Give one of our friendly lighting experts a call today at 1-800-624-4488.
