15 Closets that Put Carrie Bradshaw to Shame

Doesn't this look like the French version of Carrie Bradshaw's closet? Whereas Carrie's Fifth Avenue wardrobe was sleek and clean, this Parisian-style apartment is outrageously chic. We can't get over the egg-and-dart molding and cut-glass knobs on the doors, not to mention that gathered silver vanity skirt. Cap it all off with a Lucite ottoman and curly sheepskin topper, and you've got the most glam off-screen closet around. Consider us totalement amoureux.

Proof that you don't need a sprawling Fifth Avenue apartment to carve out a jewel of a closet, this small but mighty storage spot features shoes and bags that climb the walls from floor to ceiling. Another wall ushers in luxury with tufted baby blue satin panels accented with rhinestone buttons. A capiz shell chandelier, baroque French mirror, and glass doorknob vault the little closet into seriously sparkly territory.

This sleek space shows off the splendors of specialized storage. Shirts and pants on hangers stack two rows high behind frosted-glass doors so you can just make out what's inside, while tall, solid doors keep the closet clutter-free. Open shelves showcase pretty purses and silk scarves above a sneaky tilt-out hamper, while a Lucite chair and sheepskin rug drape the closet in luxury.

Although it might look like one of those costly storage systems, this closet's shelves and hanging rods were actually built by the contractor during a whole-house remodel, so no extra measuring was required. Lavender paint washes everything with a wink. The girly color makes the space so much flirtier, while a collection of midcentury vases marches across the top shelf (because even closets deserve some decoration.)

So richly decorated that you'll linger after picking out clothes, this spacious dressing area invites you to sit and stay awhile. The cushion-crowned island upholstered in sumptuous beige velvet and ambient lighting in the shoe compartment add richness to the room. Everything else is concealed behind doors and drawers so nothing intrudes on your cozy closet zen.

A closet with no doors? That's only for the extraordinarily tidy and the brave -- but look how handsome it is! This closet practically dares us to gaze around the room in admiration. Check out its double-decker design, crystal chandelier, corset-like ottoman detail, and burgundy velvet hangers. Whew! Is it just us, or is this debonair closet more than a little luxurious?

This kitchen-size closet straddles that tricky line between feminine and masculine and manages to crush both. Rich cherry cabinetry with clean lines and traditional form? Check. An ultraglam mirrored vanity fit snugly into a mint-green alcove? Check. Double sinks so two people can brush their teeth at the same time? You got it. The dressing room leaves plenty of room for two people to compose the day's ensembles without getting in the other's way. Looks like one key to a happy marriage just might be a well-designed closet.

Why hide dresses, bags, and scarves when you can totally show them off, even when you're not traipsing around town in them? Check out this clever idea where vintage dresses and macrame handbags climb (and beautify) the walls. Super-serviceable bags and clothing are kept within arm's reach so they can be worn and loved with abandon.

Never underestimate the power of an oversize mirror to transform a room -- or, this case, a closet. Although placing a mirror in a closet isn't a groundbreaking design idea, most mirrors are slim, slight models that seem to recede into the background -- but not this one. With its arched top and intricate carving, this mirror can't be missed and gives the closet major character. A languid settee is an ideal spot for stacking clean, folded laundry before it returns to the drawers or for sinking into to slip off high heels at the end of the day.

It should come as no surprise that the most functional, fabulous closets don't emerge fully formed with the wave of a wand. Every T-shirt, belt, dress, and shoe is measured and slotted into a plan so that everything has a place. In this spacious closet, all of the hanging clothes are tucked into cupboards of varying widths and heights. Folded items congregate in the hefty wooden island whose modern knobs contrast the closet's traditional paneling.

This colossal space is more like the dressing room in an upscale boutique than a mere closet. It makes exceptional use of its large square footage, reserving the walls for items on hangers and the center dresser for all things folded. And that crystal chandelier! Just imagine how enchanting the rest of the home must be.

This sizable space subscribes to the notion that clothes and shoes look tidiest when tucked behind closed doors. Rather than looking at rack after rack of (possibly not very organized) shirts and shoes, your gaze can rest calmly on clean-white cabinets and drawers. And there are plenty of them so that every last garment (and then some) has a place. Savvy additions include a dresser with a mounted mirror, an overhead skylight that drenches the room in flattering light, and a pair of wooden benches perfect for packing a suitcase.

Arranged more like your favorite little frock shop than a home-based closet, this spacious knockout tucks away scads of stuff but still seems serene by flipping conventional closet wisdom in a few brilliant ways. Low-level cubbies replace traditional wall-mount rods. And select hanging items face forward, as they would in a store, so that go-to bags or jackets are easy to grab as you run out the door. Plus, instead of putting folded gear in drawers or on open shelves, it's all stacked behind glass doors, much like in a kitchen. Here's to swiping storage savvy from elsewhere and stashing it in the closet!

Scooting a dresser into the closet is a smidge of storage smarts that needs to catch on in a major way. Not only does it put drawers right where you need them, but it also provides a flat surface at just-right jewelry-donning, mirror-gazing, lipstick-swiping height. Elegant metallic wallpaper adhered to the inside wall provides a pop of pattern. We also love that this snug space utilizes even the tiniest crevices for storage, including areas near the ceiling and on the floor. 

Double-decker hanging rods, an entire wall of shoes, and a swatch of wall set aside for a window and a bench -- this isn't just a walk-in closet; it's a come-in-and-have-a-seat, maybe-read-a-book-while-you're-here closet. We especially adore the dangling chandelier and the small stool -- little luxuries that boost a room from bare-bones to bodacious.