11 Gorgeous Ways to Illuminate Your Closet (and Make Getting Dressed More Fun)

Make getting dressed an event—not just something you check off each morning—by upping the glamour in your dressing room with a glitzy chandelier. In this chic space, designer Phillip Thomas paired a sassy lip-covered wallpaper by Konstantin Kakanias for Templeton with a crystal fixture that glitters with each flick of the switch.

Take a hint from your kitchen and install a grouping of pendant lights in your closet for instant impact. This closet, designed by Bailey Austin, relies on a midcentury mod lucite and brass design from Jonathan Adler to add a pop of personality to the otherwise neutral space.

No one said the light in your closet had to be artificial! If it works with your architecture, consider incorporating a skylight into your closet space, like in the home of Joy Cho, seen here. Natural light will almost always be the most flattering and it will instantly make the room feel like an extension of your home—not a cold, dark cave.

When designer Betsy Wentz transformed this small guest room into a walk-in closet for a client, she focused on bouncing the light around the space by incorporating a stunning linear chandelier and reflective metallic wallpaper. The end result? A high-impact space where nobody—and we mean nobody—has a bad angle.

Have a beloved handbag collection or still hanging onto your wedding shoes? Highlight pieces with sentimental value by putting the spotlight on them—literally—in your closet. “Design around your most beautiful items— a jewelry wall, floating shoe shelves, bag cubbies,” says designer Amy Hirsch, who created this museum-worthy space. “It’ll be easier to relinquish things that aren’t as special.”

Like jewelry often finishes off an outfit, the right lighting fixture can add that extra little something to a space that totally makes it sing. Case in point: The stunning Sputnik-style design that tops off this walk-in from California Closets with true dramatic flair.

Make the most of a single figure in a snug space by using a mirror to reflect light throughout the room. In this "not-so-walk-in" closet designed by Dee Murphy, an oversized oval mirror bounces the light from an entry sconce around the petite closet for a little extra illumination.

If you have the chance to go completely custom with your closet, you can up the style factor by incorporating in-cabinet lighting into your display. Interested in a similar look but not starting from scratch? Score the bespoke feel (seen here in a closet by Sherry Hart and Jennifer Jones Condon in collaboration with California Closets) by installing slim battery-power puck lights where you could use a little extra glow.

Stylish light fixtures can be a great way to reinforce or mimic the feel of your existing wardrobe. In this space, designed by Elizabeth Georgantas, a Circa Lighting pendant adds some edge to a sleek collection of tailored blazers, knits, and leather accessories.

If you prefer your closet space to be a calm zone where you can unwind as you shed the day, swap bright overhead lighting for a pair of flattering sconces instead. Paired with the right palette—like in this baby blue room (Benjamin Moore's Santorini Blue) by designed Gideon Mendelson—they can add a soft and flattering glow that's very welcome at the end of a busy day.

Want to feel good about everything you put on? Pick a fixture that naturally diffuses light into a flattering glow, like the milky modern chandelier in this closet designed by Heather Hilliard. When paired with a barely-there camel paint (Monaco by C2 Paint), it's basically an IRL Insta-filter for your home.