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At home with Bingo Rimér  |  Elfa story

“Welcome to my man cave 2.0!”

After a breakup, celebrity photographer and media personality Bingo Rimér had long kept some of his clothes and possessions in moving boxes. Now, thanks to Elfa Décor’s new series, he has built an attractive, luxurious and functional walk-in-closet with space for suits, sneakers, glasses, caps and ADHD medication.

By Charlotta Flinkenberg  I  Photos Bingo Rimér   

Before and after

“The flexible system is outstanding and makes all the difference”

Sweden’s best-known photographer Bingo Rimér has had his eye on Elfa’s products ever since he was a child.  
“I have always been a big Elfa fan. My dad thought it was an exceptionally smart system, everything hang on the top track. He’s the one who introduced me to Elfa. For the past 20 years I’ve used Elfa systems in my photography studios, and whenever I’ve moved I’ve made sure to bring my shelving with me.”  

Initially Bingo associated the brand with practicality, functionality and high quality. Back then for him the main purpose of the storage system was to keep his photography accessories and other things that needed storing in order.  
“When I was introduced to Elfa’s new Décor system and its trendy design, it brought the aesthetic aspect to life for me, too. That was great – I got so fired up about the possibilities! That’s when my thoughts of a walk-in closet started to take hold.” 

Bingo has never had his own walk-in closet before, and admits that had Elfa’s planning experts not shown him the possibilities of the Décor solution, he would probably have gone for a more conventional storage system. 
“Like many other guys, I have under-prioritised the possibilities of having my own walk-in closet. Or, rather, they have been under-prioritised for me, as previous girlfriends have nabbed all the space.”  

quote sign

“Before Elfa’s systems were mainly about function for me, but herame to life, which was great!”

- Bingo -

Close-up of detail in Bingo's walk-in-closet[No text in field]

How did the planning of your grey walk-in closet go? 

“I have always had a very personal connection to my photography studio in Södermalm, Stockholm, which is the hub of my business. I had long dreamt of building a sort of ‘man cave 2.0’ there, where the focus was less on after parties and more on the modern man.”  

Bingo with his children

Could you define what “the modern man” means to you?

“A man who has in adulthood transformed into a responsible father of four, who cares about his health and does Swedish Classic sporting challenges, Iron Man, and similar. Who enjoys life but still looks after himself, who has grown more interested in what he wears and who has a need for order and structure.”

This definition fits Bingo to a tee. Having put his decadent party days behind him, he now lives a healthy family life with a focus on fitness and organic food. He lives in a house on an island in the Stockholm archipelago, but spends much of his time in his Södermalm photography studio. While training for his tough races, he installed a rowing machine and other exercise equipment in the studio, and also built a spa section with a sauna and kitchen. Bingo wanted to develop this concept, and a spacious walk-in closet was all that was needed to complete his man cave. 

What were your needs and requirements when your walk-in closet was being drawn up?

“A proper overview was my absolute requirement. I probably hadn’t considered how important that is when it comes to clothes and shoes before. I’ve always viewed myself as more of a creator, the person behind the camera. But when I need to be in front of the camera on TV4 discussing something, I have to pick out my clothes at home first. It makes it so much easier to see everything in a clear, structured way. The overview means I can put together an outfit in no time. As I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, I have come to understand how important order and tidiness are to me. I need to have everything in the same place, in designated drawers.” 

Storage for Bingos weekendbags

An impressive walk-in-closet

Although Bingo’s walk-in closet offers order and tidiness aplenty, the most distinctive thing about his man cave has to be its great atmosphere. Besides Elfa Décor’s clean design in sober grey tones with silver knobs, Bingo has had a light carpet fitted with underfloor heating, and spotlights in the ceiling. The lighting can change colour, depending on the desired ambiance. 
“Everyone is impressed and envious of my walk-in closet – men and women! Even kids like hanging out in here, because it’s so cosy. Whenever I have events in the studio, this is where people tend to congregate. It’s a space that people are drawn to.”  

Where space was concerned, Bingo needed the most room for his suits and blazers. The advantage of Elfa’s system is that the number of rods, drawers and hangers can be adapted to meet your needs. In addition, some features of the Décor series may be items you hadn’t previously considered but that make for nice, practical touches, such as mirrors and dividers.  
“I had never seen myself as a particularly vain person, but of course it’s great to have this mirror, so I can check how I look before leaving the wardrobe. By the mirror I have small wire shelves that I keep scents and other things on.”  

Have you become more interested in clothes since getting your Elfa Décor walk-in closet?

“On a scale of 1 to 10, I’m probably just above average, 7.5. I’d say I’ve started to see clothes in a new light. Nowadays I think in terms of material and function, and I’m more interested in classic, timeless garments. You get very spoilt for choice with a walk-in closet like this, as everything is so easy to find. Now I can’t imagine having it any other way. In the gliding drawers I keep my jewellery, glasses, socks, car keys and ADHD medication.”

What tips do you have for others who are planning to build a walk-in closet?

“Invest in a flexible system like this one! It’s outstanding and makes all the difference. For example, after it was installed I noticed that my blazers touched the top of the gliding drawers, so I needed to raise the brackets a smidgen. The same went for the bottom rack of shoes – I noticed that I have more shoes than I thought, and that there’s a difference between suit shoes, which are lower, and many sneakers, which come up higher. By adjusting the shoe racks by one or two notches, everything was more functional and tailor-made to me. Spaciousness is also important – I can pull out the gliding drawers and get space for four pairs of shoes per drawer.”  

 

"I would actually say that Elfa has made a
huge difference to my quality of life.” 

  

Bingo has also built a storage solution by Elfa in Classic Platinum, in which to keep his fitness wear and some photography equipment.  
“Since I separated from my ex, I’ve had parts of my life packed away in moving boxes for years. It’s been very messy, of course, and hard to find things. When it comes to Elfa I know that you’re paying for quality – these are solid, durable pieces. This storage system allows me to get things off of the floor, so it’s easier to clean and keep the place tidy."

Bingo’s tips for creating a man cave 2.0

  1. Invest in a flexible wardrobe solution that adapts to you and not the reverse.
  2. A grey colour provides an elegant, classic frame.
  3. Floors and ceilings are important to the overall feel: invest in a carpet and professional lighting. And ideally underfloor heating, where possible. 
  4. Sort your clothes by type and colour – that gives you a better overview. 
     

Need inspiration?

Check out tips and inspiration on how to plan your own spacious walk-in-closet.

Go to Walk-in-closet

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