Custom Closets for Kids & Teens

We generally recommend 14 inches for pantry shelves, the same depth as in a closet. On deeper shelves, items at the back are harder to find and tend to be forgotten. Deeper pantry storage can be built when a design calls for it.

In most walk-in closets, 14 inches is the depth we recommend. Deeper shelves take floor space, which makes the closet harder to move around in, and items at the back become harder to see and reach. Where a design calls for it, one part of the closet can be deeper, such as a hutch with 20 inch deep drawers, while the rest stays at 14 inches.

A 14 inch deep shelf suits shoe storage in most closets. Shoes sit front to back in a single row, and 14 inches fits the majority of shoe sizes without the toe or heel passing the edge. On a 12 inch shelf, many shoes pass over the front.

We generally recommend 14 inches for folded clothes. Sweaters, shirts and jeans fit in a single row with the fold facing forward, so each stack can be seen and lifted out without moving another. On a 12 inch shelf most folded items pass over the front edge, and on a deeper shelf a hidden second row tends to form at the back.

The depth we build most closet shelving to is 14 inches. It holds folded clothes and the majority of shoe sizes in a single visible row, works for hanging as well, and is the depth most closet hardware is made for. A 12 inch depth is generally suitable for hanging only, and 16 inches adds little storage over 14.