What Is a Custom Walk-In Closet System?
A custom walk-in closet is cabinetry designed around what you own and how you dress. Long hang for coats and dresses, double hang for shirts and trousers, drawers for folded items, a shoe wall, and somewhere to put tomorrow's outfit. We design every closet in CAD from a wardrobe inventory, then build the panels and drawers in our shop.
This page covers walk-ins and dressing rooms in houses. For reach-ins and small walk-ins in condo suites, where panels have to fit a freight elevator, see condo closet systems.
Types of Walk-In Closets
Small walk-ins (6 by 6 feet)
One or two walls of hanging and shelving with a drawer tower. A painted finish keeps the cost near $5,000-$7,500.
Medium walk-ins (8 by 8 feet)
Three walls with LED rods, a shoe section and a drawer tower. Our most common scope.
Dressing rooms with islands
A converted bedroom with a central drawer island, mirrored towers and seating. This is the Lawrence Park case study.
Attic and sloped-ceiling closets
Stepped rod and drawer heights that follow the slope, templated with a laser.
Walk-In Closet Pricing
| Scope | Typical size | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Small walk-in, painted panels | 6 x 6 ft | $5,000-$7,500 |
| Medium walk-in, LED rods + drawers | 8 x 8 ft | $8,000-$12,000 |
| Dressing room with drawer island | 10 x 10 ft+ | $12,000-$18,000 |
Drawer count, wood species and lighting move the price within each band.
Count before you design
We ask how many shirts, suits, dresses and pairs of shoes each person owns. The answer decides rod lengths and drawer counts, and it is why our closets do not run out of space in a year.
When Should You Upgrade a Closet?
If shelves are sagging, rods are bending, or you keep clothes in a dresser in another room because the closet is full, it is time. A walk-in upgrade often happens with a primary ensuite renovation, when we also build the bathroom vanity.
Common Closet Problems We Fix
Sagging melamine shelves
Fixed with shop-built panels and proper shelf spans.
Dark corners
Fixed with LED rods and shelf lighting.
Drawers that stick
Fixed with Blum Legrabox runners. See hardware selection + install for retrofits on existing units.
How to Measure Your Wardrobe Before a Design Visit
The fastest way to a closet that works is a count. For each person, count long-hang items (dresses, coats, long trousers on clips), short-hang items (shirts, blazers, folded trousers), folded items that live on shelves or in drawers, pairs of shoes and boots, and accessories such as belts, ties, bags and jewellery. Add 20% for growth.
Rough guide for rod length: about 1 inch of rod per shirt and 2 inches per coat. A person with 60 shirts and 10 coats needs roughly 80 inches of short and long hang combined. Double hang doubles the capacity of a wall, which is why we use it wherever ceiling height allows.
Layout Rules We Follow
Keep walkways clear
Allow at least 36 inches between hanging on opposite walls, and 42 inches if there is a drawer island in the middle.
Put drawers at reach height
Top drawers on an island should sit at counter height, around 36 inches, so you can see into them without bending.
Light the back of the closet
LED rods and shelf lights matter most on deep walls, where dark colours disappear.
Store seasonal items up high
Shelves above 84 inches suit off-season items. A Rev-A-Shelf pull-down rod brings high hang within reach.
Caring for a Custom Closet
Painted panels wipe clean with a damp cloth. Drawer runners need no lubrication. LED rods are low-heat and long-life; if one fails, the strip unclips and replaces without removing the rod. Blum hinges on doors adjust with a screwdriver if the house settles.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Closet Company
- Are the panels shop-finished, or raw melamine on cam locks?
- How do you set rod heights and drawer counts?
- Can you light the closet, and who wires it?
- Will the system fit my sloped ceiling or uneven walls?
- What warranty covers panels, drawers and hardware?
Walk-In Closets Across the GTA
House walk-ins and dressing rooms are most common in Lawrence Park, Hoggs Hollow and Bedford Park, attic closets in Riverdale and Leslieville semis, and large primary closets in Oakville, Markham and Richmond Hill. Condo reach-ins are covered on our condo closet systems page. Every closet comes from the same shop as our custom cabinets in Toronto.
