Wardrobe
Frequently Asked Questions
At least 55–60 cm inside, so clothes on hangers hang freely without brushing the doors. Shallower wardrobes of 35–45 cm use front-facing pull-out rails or shelves instead, which suit folded clothes better than coats. Check the internal depth, not just the external measurement, before buying. Allow a little extra in front for the doors' thickness.
Sliding doors need no swing space, which suits compact bedrooms, but only one side opens at a time. Hinged doors reveal the whole interior at once; allow the door width plus about 30 cm in front. If the wardrobe faces a bed, sliding doors usually make the room easier to move around.
Freestanding wardrobes cost less, need no installation and move with you. Fitted wardrobes use every centimetre from floor to ceiling but stay with the house. In period homes with uneven walls and for renters, freestanding is usually the better choice; in an awkward alcove, fitted makes the most of the space.
Allow around 150 cm of drop for long dresses and coats and 90–100 cm for shirts and jackets, which lets two rails stack in a double-hanging section. Most adults need at least 100 cm of rail each. If most of your clothes are folded, a wardrobe with shelves and drawers inside may be more useful than extra rail.
Check the tilt height, which is the diagonal of the wardrobe's side panel, as well as its height. Flat-pack wardrobes are built lying down and stood up, so the diagonal must clear the ceiling. Allow for coving, light fittings and skirting boards, and fix the wardrobe to the wall once it is in place.
A mix of hanging rail, shelves and drawers suits most wardrobes. Double hanging rails double the space for shirts and jackets, shelves hold knitwear without stretching it, and internal drawers keep smaller items dust-free. Look at interior photographs and dimensions, since two wardrobes of the same size can store very different amounts.































































































