I have never had one and have built several houses, but we are putting one in in our newest build. It will be with a window seat and blinds that will be closed most times. I just like the option of the light and fresh air, but most likely won't be used much.

It's usually a product of bad design because they defaulted and put a closet on an outside wall rather than using it properly as a buffer between rooms. A lot of the mill plans are more focused on the "builder cliché features" rather than actual end user utility.

The other thing to think about is the exterior elevation. I swear that sometimes the plans for the interior put rooms in places that don't best use the windows they planned for the exterior. Instead of putting a closet on an interior wall they put it on the exterior wall and then the exterior elevation calls for a window there or it would look Off.
In subdivisions and developments where there is an ARB the concern for the exterior elevation is paramount. We are being required to put 3 windows on the side of the garage - that is set on the back of the property and faces wooded green space, because the ARB felt it was too long an expanse of wall without windows.

My inspiration photo for my dream closet has a window seat. My closet will face wooded trees, so not really clothes fading light :). Our current home was built in 1936, so I have had a very small closet and am going to make up for it!

In our original plans we had 4 windows across the back on the shed roof. One in each room and one in each closet. The entire house was pretty much symmetrical. But the more I thought about it the only benefit would be if the power went out during the day you would have light in the closet to get dressed. Otherwise, its another hole that lets air exchange, increases heating and cooling, and to top it off we would loose storage space. No one sees the back of our house it faces our 40 acres and a wooded hill. So we did away with the closet windows. I saw a house once that had a hallway off of the closet with a window in it that had a table in it with a light. MAJOR wasted space all for the window to be seen on the exterior. In my opinion that particular brand new house was poorly thought out.

jen

We had a house with 2 windows in our master walk in closet and 1 window in another bedroom walk in closet. I loved airing those closets out and the natural light. But, closet space wasn't an issue in that house. So - I guess it just depends.

I remember some mansions in Newport, RI that have nice windows in the closets ... because that's where the lady's maid sat to do her sewing while the Miss was napping between clothing changes.

Looking at my "dream house" plan, most of the closets are on exterior walls, as buffers between bedrooms. I'll consider a small window just for natural light in the one that can't have a solatube.

Our master closet has a screened window. 2nd floor, indirect light, opens on to a courtyard, not overlooked and not required as a buffer. There has been no fading of clothes and I love the natural light when selecting items from the closet. Being able to have fresh air circulating our clothes for many months of the year is wonderful.

We've all paused over photographs of lovely light-filled dream closets with window seats, built-ins, and free-standing mirrors. Still, I vote no windows in the closet for several reasons:

- Natural sunlight does fade clothing.
- You want as much storage as possible in your closet; how many outfits could hang in the space required by a standard window?
- Closets are, as a previous poster commented, better placed in the interior of the house, where they can act as sound barriers.

If you're dead-set on a window, I'd suggest you make it small and place it close to the ceiling (so you could still have a rack of clothes under it). Also, I'd make it stained glass to limit the UV rays that'd make it through.

My own plan: My closet's going to be in the interior, so a window wouldn't even be an option, but I am going with motion-triggered lights so that when I walk in, I automatically can see where I'm going.

Motion triggered lights...brilliant.

I prefer no closets.

Duh...no windows in closets.

Another issue that isn't mentioned is the sheer size of closets. I've seen plans where the closet is bigger than my current master bedroom. Seems like an "island" in the closet with a chandelier is the latest trend to make it to the builder cliche must have book.

And really, a reach in closet is so much more space efficient as far as actual storage than a walk in closet! In any home trying to keep the footprint to a minimum, that walk in closet is the first thing that should be jettisoned. Doing a whole wall in a master with reach in closets and making it blend in to the wall and be unobtrusive rather than putting those godawful mirrored doors on it is a really smart and efficient use of space.

Green Designs, while I know you're right about walk-ins vs. reach-ins, and I know that math bears out the point, I don't care! I want a walk-in. It has more of a luxurious feel, and it's an item for which I'm willing to pay.

The worst of the worst, though, when it comes to usage of space is a too-small walk-in with clothes in an L-shape. That requires walking space, yet it doesn't have maximum storage space.

I purposefully put a high window in my master closet -- nothing to do with exterior look, rather, I like the natural light and the ability for fresh air flow.

About the sunlight and clothes fading: How long do y'all keep your clothes? My everyday clothes last maybe a year and the good, fancy pieces go in a clothes-bag anyways.
The washing machine fades my clothes magnitudes more than the sunlight (but then I have good windows and my closet windows face north and east and are shaded by a huge, mature, 100ft tall tree).

Your clothes only last a year? Admittedly I don't put much effort into being on the cutting edge of fashion, but I have a fair number classic pieces I've had for more than decade. I will sometimes buy something that is trendy and only lasts a season or two, but generally I get 5+ years out of most clothes.

I have never had a window in a closet, and we aren't building a closet with a window now either (all of the closets are reach-in or interior spaces). I have never felt the need to bring fresh air into my closet, but maybe I just don't know what I'm missing.

Anyone that spends money on clothes that don't last a year isn't buying good enough quality or is doing something wrong with their care. I have plenty of classic clothes that are over 20 years old, like a couple of wool blazers and skirts and my riding boots. Even my plain nothing grunge around the house T shirts last at least 5 years. I've got some from events I attended that are 10 years old. And I don't get much fading from washing either, and I don't even have a front loader to be more gentle on them. Of course, they are all stored away from any UV exposure and cleaned and put away each season properly.

we have two clerestory windows in the master closer to let in some indirect light and it helps to get more natural light into the room without privacy issues or adding much heat.

Red_lover- LOL! For a minute, I pictured little hooks hanging on the bedroom walls. Then I thought, no you'd have something much more ingenious in mind...like a bedroom converted into a closet :)
{{gwi:1433878}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

I'm thinking about putting a window in the closet and having the window seat opposite french doors into the bedroom. But, the areas opposite the window would be for closed storage, so it wouldn't hurt any clothes, shoes...or a few of the more breakable Christmas decorations, which will probably end up in their, as well....

I vote for windows in the closets (all if possible) and chandeliers. :) It's something I actually looked for when we were house shopping.

Truly, I don't think there is any room except a linen closet should be without a window if possible. Sunshine just makes me feel more cheerful throughout the day... and the closet is usually one of your first "stops." But I'd never put a master closet window at the front of the house... at least without curtains or something. My eyes are bad though, so maybe that's why I feel that way?

LL: that closet is dreamy.... I might steal your window seat idea!

LL-I was thinking the same thing - how does RedLover do it with no closets...huh?!?! :)

Our old house had a closet window - up high - NO uv coating, did not vent and it most certainly DID fade our clothes (which I keep mine until they are just about falling apart and sometimes wish they didn't last so long so I could do some shopping without guilt) - ooops sorry for the little therapy session there.

Our new house master closet will also have a window in it but it vents and is connected to our master bath and laundry room so I am hoping it will be a positive. It's a good quality energy efficient window and hopefully will not produce the fading effects of our last. It does face front but we are on a wooded lot with much privacy and will likely have a light filtering blind on it for privacy as well as just to be SURE it doesn't fade our clothes. Trade offs I guess.

So I was the "Master Suite" hostess for a fundraiser housewalk, in an amazing house. This was an actual house occupied by an actual family. The "Hers" closet had two, count 'em, two, windows, on opposite walls. It had a door to stairs leading down to the first floor, I think it was near the service/garage area. It was outfitted with an island, a chandelier, a 3-way mirror, a window seat, and a TV. The entire suite had 6 TVs (I seem to recall 7, but now I can't think where the 7th would be).

I, on the other hand, have an 8-foot reach-in with, ugh, bypass sliding doors. The light pull-string is right in the middle where the doors overlap.

I love my walk in...it's interior and no window. I had the electrician put in a lot of light though so I can tell the difference between navy and black. It also has a built-in bench to sit on and a cubby underneath. The walk in keeps wall space in the bedroom at a maximum vs. a reach in. There is a vent in the closet so fresh air is not a problem.

If you really want daylight but no direct sunlight in an interior walk-in closet, you might think about a solatube. We have one in our laundry and one in our dressing room and they do bring in lots of natural daylight and are reasonably energy efficient vs. say a skylight.

Some of you seem to be missing the point that if a closet occupies an exterior wall with a window, where does that leave the more desirable room? Without a window. Or without the opportunity for two windows.

Outside wall space is precious on these giant wide and deep homes. There isn't a lot of it compared to the volume of space they enclose. Taking those precious outside walls and giving their location to a closet or utility room is bassackwards design. It's designing without understanding the correct priorities and the consequences of making decisions about the exterior appearance and interior floorplan independent of each other.

I think if your home is large enough a window in the closet isn't a bad thing. Natural light is the best for color coordination when searching for an outfit and stuffy closets can be aired out with an open window on a nice day. No amount of forced air filtration or fans will beat good clean outdoor air. Provided you don't live in a smog filled city. As far as the sun fading clothes. You all have heard of blinds, window shades or curtains right?