Our Guide To Choosing The Right Wardrobe

Wardrobes are essentially a must have when it comes to bedroom furniture. Often housing the bulk of your clothes and depending on their design, your shoes, hats and other accessories such as ties and scarves too. 

For many, the dream is probably a walk in wardrobe, with all the space you’d ever need for all your clothes and accessories. However, a more cost effective solution is often what most of us are seeking and there’s plenty of wardrobe designs out there that provide an amazing amount of organised storage space for your belongings. 

But how to choose the perfect wardrobe? And what do you need to consider to make sure your wardrobe purchase ticks all your boxes? Read on to discover our step by step guide when it comes to choosing the right wardrobe.

Measure Your Space

First of all, you need to know just how much space is available to you, so you know how large you can go, when it comes to the size of your new wardrobe. Understanding this measurement helps to filter down your search and the choices available to you, streamlining your search for a new wardrobe. So grab your tape measure and let's get to work measuring your space. 

Wardrobe Location & Style

First of all you need to determine where exactly it is that your new wardrobe is going to go in your bedroom.

If you’re opting for a fitted wardrobe (or a large wardrobe that mimics the fitted wardrobe style) then you’ll need to measure the alcove or space where the wardrobe will be situated.Whereas with a traditional wardrobe, you’ll need to measure the desired space where you want to place it. 

Emden Range

Measure Height & Width

You’ll need to measure from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall (or however far out you want your wardrobe to go). It’s also important to measure from skirting board to skirting board (or once again as far out as you want your wardrobe to go) because if it’s not a truly fitted wardrobe, it won’t be able to be placed fully flush to the wall. 

Measure The Depth

Next up, you’ll need to measure the depth of the space where your new wardrobe will be situated as you don’t want to block any ‘walkways’ in your bedroom or not be able to open your new wardrobe’s doors. So measure from the wall where the back of your wardrobe will be, to how far out you’d like the wardrobe to be situated. Remember to take into account the space needed to open your wardrobe doors.

Consider Other Furniture

It’s important to consider any other furniture items in the room too, from existing furniture to any potential future purchases you have in mind.

That’s why it’s a great idea to plan out your bedroom space entirely using a pencil and paper. There’s no need for it to look like it could be hung in the Louvre, just a rough sketch using different shapes to represent your wardrobe and other furniture is more than sufficient.

You just need to measure your entire bedroom space and any furniture items within to make sure the measurements of everything are correct. It’s a bigger job, but we definitely think it’s worth it if you’re planning on revamping your bedroom beyond just a new wardrobe. 

Think About What You Need To Store

There’s a lot of versatility these days when it comes to wardrobes, from the traditional style featuring a rail for clothes on coat hangers to wardrobes that offer a one stop storage solution when it comes to your clothes with shelves, drawers and clothing rails. Which one is right for you, comes down to what you wear and where you intend to store it.

If you’re someone who wears a lot of shirts or dresses, you’ll need more rail space to hang them up to avoid creases, whereas if you have more jeans and t-shirts, more drawer space would probably be more suitable. A good, balanced mix of the two (or three) is probably suitable for most, but it’s important to ensure your chosen wardrobe has the right storage space you need.

Choose Your Style

There’s plenty of wardrobe styles and designs to choose from and various aspects to consider when choosing the right wardrobe for you. We’ve previously mentioned how you need to consider what you’re looking to store, as this will dictate what type of wardrobe you’ll be looking for. However you’ll also want to consider the finish of the wardrobe too, ensuring that it matches your bedroom furniture and overall decor style. 

When it comes to the most popular styles of wardrobes on the market, there’s a wide choice to pick from…

Ernie Range

Sliding Door Wardrobes

Sliding door wardrobes are a really great space saving solution as they eliminate the need for extra space in front of the wardrobe for the doors to open out. Instead, the doors slide horizontally along a rail and are a real contemporary solution.

Perfect for rooms with limited space, but a fantastic looking solution no matter the room size, sliding door wardrobes are available in a variety of finishes and often have the option of a mirror (or two) to be included on the door or as part of the wardrobe finish itself. 

Our Ernie Range offers hanging rails, shelving space and sliding doors with a mirror finish on one of the doors. They’re a great choice for people who need a combination of different storage space solutions.

Traditional Wardrobes

Probably still the most common wardrobe style in use, the traditional wardrobe design usually features a hanging rail for clothes which is accessed via two vertical doors. 

Usually crafted from solid wood, with metal or wood handles, these wardrobes look fantastic and are perfect if the storage space they offer is all you need and the design matches your bedroom’s style. 

Diver Wardrobe

Wardrobe With Drawers

Wardrobes featuring drawers have increasingly become a more desired option, providing additional storage space to house t-shirts, jeans and underwear etc. 

By housing all (or a lot) of your clothes in one place, it makes it easier for you to decide what you want to wear that day and then find it quickly too. They’re a really versatile choice that offer a one stop storage solution.

There’s plenty of designs to choose from, some of which incorporate one or two handy drawers, perfect for folded items to larger wardrobes that have the space to offer as many drawers as a chest of drawers!

Mirrored Wardrobe

Wardrobes with mirrors open up your space and are super handy when you’re trying on outfits and getting ready to go out. They’re often available in two types of designs, one where the mirror is attached to the wardrobe door, taking up a smaller dimension than the door itself or the door is finished with a mirror layer, turning the entire door into one big mirror. 

Mirrored wardrobes add a real touch of luxury to your bedroom and can help to reflect light and brighten it up too. Plus, with the integrated mirror, it could also help to de-clutter your bedroom space a little more, removing the need for a separate mirror in the room.

Emden Range

Built In Wardrobes

These fitted wardrobes look lovely and are a fantastic option. However, more often than not, they do cost a fair bit more money than freestanding wardrobes, so aren’t always the best option for those on a budget. But, if you have the budget and want to make the most of your space, a built in wardrobe could be an excellent choice, especially if you can take advantage of a truly bespoke option and design it yourself. 

The Choice Is Yours

Choosing the right wardrobe for you all comes down to the space available, what you want to store in your wardrobe and the particular style that takes your fancy (and whether it can accommodate your clothing items). 

As long as you measure your space accurately and take the time to truly think about what you want to store in your wardrobe, you’re sure to make the right choice. Here at GB Beds, we have a great selection of wardrobes to choose from in our bedroom furniture range so whether you’re looking for a wardrobe with sliding doors or one with mirrored doors, we have the wardrobe for you.