I like option 1. We have a pocket door to our water closet and it works really well. I would encourage you to put a small, high window in the water closet. Something 6' off the ground that's about 2' x 2'. Having natural light in there is really nice. I love my mater suite- but if I could do it all over again, I would have a master wing, with a hallway that has separate entrances to the bedroom, bathroom and closet so that you don't have to go through any one of them to get to another. Some example of when this would nice include:if DS is having a playdate, DH will lock the the bathroom when he showers. Then I'm locked out of my bathroom/ closet. Or he will lock the bedroom door to nap after being on call and then I'm locked out of the whole suite. He also wakes up around 5:45 and I wake up around 7:30. He walks through the bedroom to get to the closet and bathroom multiple times in the morning and it disturbs my sleep. Again, this is a matter of personal preference, but you could easily do this if you wanted to.

door frames are simply wood, which can be replaced--can you find a handyman to see if he can get you the 1.25" you need? Or shave down the bifold door? Or both? (curtains would annoy me unless I could have them on a quality drapery track, so they would pull all the way out of the way.) containerstore.com has a closet-planning service. http://www.containerstore.com/elfa/plan/index.jhtml You could probably use another product to finish off the plan.

will absolutely need gown hanging space, lots of shoes, room for tall boots (ideas?), purse storage, etc. Do you mean you have a lot of evening gowns that must be stored, or do you mean a hook to hang a night gown you're going to wear again? If you mean wear-again items, do you also need a place to hang worn-once workout clothes or jeans you're going to wear again before they're washed? Regardless, I say start by cleaning out what you haven't worn in a while, then inventory just how many "long items" and just how many "short items" you have ... then you can make an intelligent decision (rather than a guess) about how much space you need for hanging items. Shoes are space hogs in the closet, and 8x10 may not stretch as far as you need with "lots" of shoes. Things to consider: - You can get a shoe ottoman, which opens up and gives you a place to sit down and a place to store shoes inside. - You might take some of the shoes out of the closet and put them into a shoe storage item at the foot of your bed. - In so many online pictures, the homeowners use the back wall for shoes ... seems like a good idea. - As for tall boots, I'd plan to keep them under dresses ... and buy a couple dollar-store pool noodles to make them "stand up" and keep their shape. Why the double doors for a closet? Depending upon how your room is laid out, you might want your doors to open "out" into your bedroom so nothing's covering up your clothes in the room. Personally, I'm going with NO doors on my closet. Use height as much as you can. Yes. If you have high ceilings, you might look into handicapped pull-down bars. If you have the height, they'll allow you to have a third row of clothes ... way up top: For last minute touch ups my fold away ironing board could not live without it! See, this is why you have to consider your personal needs. I gave my ironing board to the Salvation Army a decade ago and haven't been sorry yet! We love having pullout valet bars in the closet especially when packing for a trip. Oh, I want valet bars! I almost always lay out my clothes the night before, and I know I'd use them. A pretty hook would do. I have an over-the-door hanger for this purpose right now, and it's okay, but it isn't pretty. Things I think you should consider: Do you intend to include drawers or shelves for your folded items ... or will you have a dresser outside the closet? Do you intend to keep a hamper in the closet? Do you need to set aside space in the closet for linens? Do you want a mirror in the room? This could go on the doors. The ceiling is a great place to bring in something decorative without wasting space. Don't forget good lighting. You might consider an automatic light, which would come on automatically when you enter the closet. On that subject, consider lighted hanging rods: What would you like to store in baskets? They're prefect for things that look messy even when they're folded neatly (like shorts, swim suits, or pajamas) ... whereas, things like jeans look neat when they're folded. Do consider picking up a bunch of matching hangers, and -- once your closet is perfect -- make a "one in, one out" rule. What accessories do you need to store? Do you wear lots of scarves, or do you want to store jewelry in the closet? Do you need to allot space for coats, or do you have a coat closet elsewhere in the house? If you're short, you might want to include a spot for a small stool. Finally, here's a website with lots of closets I find attractive: https://thehappyhousie.porch.com/20-incredible-small-walk-in-closet-ideas-makeovers/

That pic looks just like yours, with the cedar walls and wood floor. Love it when I can find a pic of something similar because it is so hard for me to envision possibilities without actually seeing it. I'm not sure if you need to stain the floors just yet. Perhaps live with it for 6 months and then evaluate. In the pic, there is a rug, too, and that looks pretty. I've read people mention lightbulbs in other posts as a way to brighten a space. I think the daylight bulbs are the brightest so those will help too. Another thought...on the shelves you could add a couple of cream colored canvas bins to break up the wood. Once the clothes are in the closet, maybe the cedar walls won't seem so "sauna-like." Have you decided how your going to hang your clothes? With that layout, you may be able to put in-season in the front part or most readily accessible area and out-of-season in the back.