Designing a his and hers master closet can be a struggle for many couples. Howdo you make one space look both masculine and feminine at the same time? How do you address the different storage needs?
When I took on the design for the Principal Suite for the Seasonal Living Designer Showhouse, I was presented with one very large space that was designated as the closet. It was one blank slate – a rectangle with a corner window. A lot was learned along the process – it was a lot of trial and error. When I first looked at the blank space, I had no idea how I was going to come up with one cohesive walk in master closet that both parties would be happy with.
But with a little bit of ingenuity and 15 sponsors, it was definitely possible. These are the things that really helped the master closet to take shape:
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN DESIGNING A HIS AND HERS MASTER CLOSET
- Incorporate a freestanding island
- Build up instead of out.
- Mix your finishes
- Use mirrors
- Make it a living space with rugs and seating
- Use free standing furniture instead of built-in cabinetry
Incorporate a Freestanding Closet Island
If you working with a large space, it is a no-brainer to incorporate a freestanding closet island. In this case, the space was so large that we were able to incorporate TWO freestanding islands – a his and hers.
We took advantage of the custom capabilities of Robin Baron Designs and chose her Chloe Dresser. The size was then adjusted to form a free standing island. On one side it was painted a rich blue and on the other side we chose a more feminine blush. For the countertop on the “His” side we chose Dekton Kira as the earthy tones with grey veining are suitable for a more masculine feel. The George Kovacs Alluria 8-Light Foyer is a masculine light fixture with a midcentury modern edge.
For the countertops on the “Her” side, we went all out with a semi-precious amethyst slab from Cosentino’s Prexury collection. I was going for a super luxurious closet with center island for her, and an amethyst countertop is as luxurious as it gets! The antique glass and Venetian silver finish of the Niermann Weeks Monaco chandelier brings just the right amount of sparkle up above.
Build Up Instead of Out
When space is at a premium, it is important to use every inch of space wisely. Think of building up instead of out, especially if you have higher ceilings. You can always incorporate a rolling ladder as we did for the wardrobe area of our walk in master closet.
We built the center storage straight up to the ceiling. There is ample storage up top for handbags and everything is easily accessible via a rolling library ladder. Down below is hanger space. On the opposite side of the wardrobe, there is even space for the LG Styler. For those of you unfamiliar with the LG Styler, it steams, refreshes, and sanitizes everything from the most delicate silk blouse to your kid’s stuffed teddy bear!
The central floor to ceiling wardrobe acted as the neutral zone that divided the his and hers sides of the closet. Below, see the floor plan of how the room is divided.
Mix Your Finishes
There is no reason to use just one finish in a space. Limiting yourself to just one finish is so 2020. It’s 2021, so mix up your finishes. Mixing your finishes makes for a more dynamic space, as long as you select finishes that complement and don’t clash with one another.
We chose Sherwin-Williams’ 2021 Color of the Year, Urbane Bronze as the wall color, and all the finishes we chose worked in beautifully with the rich, brown tone on the wall.
For the rugs, we chose two rugs from Jaipur Living that really could have been interchangeable. But it was the other colors that we mixed them with that made them look more feminine or masculine. Can you tell which one goes on the his side and which one goes on the hers side?
Use Mirrors
Nothing makes a space feel larger than a mirror. Instead of using just one mirror, how about using several? That’s what we did in our his and hers master closet. On the empty space above the long dresser, we used several mirrors – an entire gallery wall of mirrors. Instead of the “hall of mirrors” we had the “wall of mirrors” We used a variety of round mirrors from our favorite mirror vendors, Howard Elliott and Global Views. Together they create a stunning accent wall.
For the wall on the opposite end of the room, we used a 3 way mirror, which we custom designed based off of Howard Elliott’s Detroit Mirror. After all, Howard Elliott can customize most of the mirrors in their line, so they are an important resource to have! Every walk in closet needs a 3 way mirror and now you know where you can have one custom made.
Make Your Closet a Living Space
If you have space, break up the monotony of all the storage within the walk in closet with some comfortable seating. We have a his and hers version – on either side of the room. Every man needs a recliner, and Stressless makes a recliner that is both good looking and comfortable. An added bonus is the power feature. I can picture my husband hiding out in the closet, relaxing in his Stressless Wing Power Recliner to work on his fantasy sports lineup.
On the opposite side of the room we outfitted the “hers” side of the closet with a faux shearling Instyle swivel chair from Miranda Kerr’s new collection for Universal Furniture.
Opt for Freestanding Furniture Instead of Built In Cabinetry
I always love a flexible space where you can move things around if you get tired of it. This is one of the reasons that I chose to use freestanding armoires and etagères instead of built in cabinetry. On the “His” side of the closet I chose the Ensemble Wardrobe from Universal Furniture. The dark-stained wood was perfect for a more masculine feel. On the “Hers” side of the closet, I chose the more feminine counterpart to the Ensemble Wardrobe, the Peony Wardrobe. How’s that for a his and hers master closet?
Instead of a continuous row of armoires, we mixed in etageres on either side of the his and hers shoe closets to break up the visual space.
If you are dreaming up a his and hers master closet or even an island for a master closet, be sure to check out the Seasonal Living Designer Showhouse virtual tour. Roaming around the space in the virtual tour will really give you a sense of the space and what you can do with it.
Be sure to check out the master bedroom and exterior terrace that I also designed for the Seasonal Living Designer Showhouse. This his and hers master closet is just one of the spaces that make up the Principal Suite – the entire 2nd floor that we designed.
To tour all our spaces as well as the entire 20,000 Sq. ft. home, take the virtual tour. It is free and doesn’t require an email address to access. Just click HERE and then flip to page 23 and click on the arrow in the center of the page, and you’re in the house. Enjoy!
SHOP THE LOOK
Some of the products used in the closet of the Principal Suite of the Seasonal Living Designer Showhouse that are shoppable through onlline resources. Note that these are affiliate links and that we receive a small commission for featuring the products and this helps us to continue to bring valuable content to our readers. Fabric, materials, and product of a more custom nature can also be purchased but through a designer or authorized retailer. You can always contact us at sales@cozystylishchic.com should you need assistance.