By Amy Savage and Elizabeth Erin Designs
In a world where office attire has morphed into sweatpants and slippers, we have become strangers in our own closets. That means it’s the perfect time to go through your closet and see what items are serving you and your personal style. While going through your closet, it is so important to look at the overall design of it as well.
An easy trick to make your closet feel more luxury is to start with a blank slate. The main color of your closet should be white to truly let your clothes do the talking, and not the walls. If you have the opportunity to remodel your closet, we highly suggest thinking about how to make the space fulfill its purposes overall and what your clothing needs are. Do you need more hanging space? Or do you need more drawers because you don’t have room for a dresser in your bedroom? These are great questions to think about before you remodel your closet. Built in hampers can also be a great addition for functionality and design.
Good lighting is essential in a well designed, luxury closet. An easy solution to poor lighting is to switch all the light bulbs in the closet to Daylight bulbs. We recommend 3,500 to 4,000 Kelvin bulbs to give the best lighting. Another inexpensive, easy tip to implement in your space that makes a big design difference is to make sure all your hangers are the same – either in color or style. This will make the whole space more visually appealing and cohesive. Adding a mirror inside your closet will also help to brighten it and add function.
When it comes to the contents of your closet, we enlisted the help of Amy Savage, a Color Analysis and Style consultant with House of Colour, USA. Here are some of her best tips and tricks to curating the perfect closet to fit you and your natural beauty.
“I began my consultancy in the fall of 2020, and I absolutely love helping people know the colors and styles that are best! After the color and style analysis process, the work begins to determine what items stay and which need to go. There are several methods that exist, and they are all good! But as with most things…the most difficult part is starting!
To do a closet purge, cleanse, refresh—reset—you just need you and a block of time. Start with an hour and see how far you can go. If your goal is to create a seasonal capsule wardrobe, then begin by separating and properly storing clothing that is not going to be used. As we head towards summer, items such as cashmere sweaters and winter coats, can be dry cleaned. If you have had your colors and style analysis with House of Colour, this is where you are going to sort also by color and style. We recommend the items you keep be good quality, and fit well. Don’t save it because you are going to lose weight—if it isn’t serving you well right now, let it go, and find something that fits well. Also, If they don’t reflect the real you and are not your color—then it’s time to put it in a pile to be donated. My rule is: if I don’t miss it, get it altered, or love it—it gets donated. I take a bag to donate about every 3 months.
From here, I recommend putting together a capsule wardrobe for the season you are in and shopping for gaps. Last summer I just had my style analysis, right after my color analysis. I bought very basic things at first, but as my style is developing and I am getting a better eye for what looks best to suit my color, style, and lifestyle—the items from last year will be put in a pile and replaced with pieces I love.
If you have not had your color and style analysis—get that on your to-do list! But until then, sort out the clothing by season, then fit, and pay attention to the last time you wore something (or are the tags still on???). If it has been over a year since you even just tried it on, or if it just never makes it out of the door—it should be donated. Head out and shop at the beginning of the season, and find good foundational pieces, pieces with interest, and great accessories. We want your closet to be versatile, and fit your lifestyle well. You can find out more information on color and style at www.hocdesmoines.com and www.houseofcolour.com. Happy organizing!”
For no matter what your style, have fun and enjoy the process! If you enjoyed this blog check out this blog on jewel tone color trends for 2021 CLICK HERE. If you want more information on our residential design services, visit our website CLICK HERE. If you have a topic you would like us to cover in a future blog, please email us at office@elizabetherindesigns.com and let us know how we can help you! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with all the latest tips. Have a great week!
