Design a wardrobe that will meet your needs

Whilst it’s an inclusion in almost every home these days, our wardrobes often underutilise their storage potential. Most will have a simple ‘shelf and rail’ system, which doesn’t always suit our needs. Having a custom designed wardrobe will not only look great, but also maximise the storage space available and ensure there is a place for everything. The following handy hints can assist you in designing your dream wardrobe, that is not only a beautiful addition to your home, but also functional for your lifestyle.

How’s it hanging?

Think about how you hang your clothes. It may sound weird, but everyone has his or her own routines and it can greatly affect how your wardrobe should be laid-out. If you hang your pants folded over, they will require less space than if you hang them from the tops. Perhaps you hang every item of clothing you own, or maybe you only hang suits and special event clothing. Determining what you hang in your wardrobe, and how you hang it is a crucial step in the planning phase of your new wardrobe.

Put your best foot forward.

Don’t forget about shoe storage! When planning your wardrobe, take into consideration how much room you’ll need for your fancy footwear. With options ranging from standard shelving, to elevated build methods that allow for shoes to be stored on the floor without interfering with the hanging clothes, and elegant angled shoe shelving with chrome guards, there’s bound to be a solution to your shoe storage struggles.

Time to reflect.

Add mirrors but be careful about placement. Mirrors will help make your wardrobe feel larger, or in the case of built in robes, mirrored doors will make the room feel larger, but be mindful of placement as it can have disastrous effects. Take a moment to think about what could be reflecting in the mirror from a range of angles. Do you want your mirror reflecting the toilet of your open ensuite, or to be staring at your own reflection first thing in the morning, glorious bed hair and all? In the instance of built-in robes, also be mindful that sometimes less is more. Whilst mirrored doors can play a huge part in adding light to a right, and giving the perception of more space, it will also reflect any mess that’s visible.

Double Trouble.

Depending on your needs, you can greatly increase your available storage space by raising the height of your hanging rail to as high as you can reach (we recommend about 2100mm off the floor). As a rule, most builders install the hanging rail at 1800mm from the floor, which although allows for comfortable access, doesn’t quite allow enough room to double up on the hanging, whereas a top rail at 2100mm allows you to fit double hanging rails comfortably, without clothes being cramped at the bottom.

A professional wardrobe designer can provide you with many ideas on how to best use the space you have in a way that suits your needs as well as ensuring that your new wardrobe is going to complement your existing décor. When planning your new wardrobe, you also need consider what material will best suit your needs, as well as your budget, so enlisting the services of a professional can ensure your new wardrobe is a beautifully functional addition to your home.