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Wardrobe ideas from the House & Garden archive
It's essential to have some well-designed clothes storage in a bedroom, no matter how much clothing or space you have and interior designer Alidad has mantra when it comes to wardrobes: 'there is no point in planning a wardrobe unless you know what you have to fit in it.' Wise words indeed – the first place to start when it comes to deciding on your wardrobe is a thorough stock take of everything that you want to put in there. Alidad continues, 'We often count a client's clothes so that we can make sure everything has its place. Hang relative items near each other - tops over trousers, shirts next to jackets. You'll need at least 60cm depth for hanging space and 50cm for shelves.'
Wardrobe ideas: what type is best?
If you have the space, a walk-in wardrobe can offer a true sense of luxury, and more hanging space and shelf space than any other type. Most of the interior designers on our pages recommend bespoke joinery for tailored storage, whether that is within a walk-in wardrobe or separate dressing room, or involves built-in wardrobes along one wall of a room or in an alcove.
Wardrobe ideas for a small room
In a small room mirrored wardrobes and those with sliding doors are helpful; mirrored wardrobes bounce light around the space and help the room to feel bigger, and those with sliding doors eliminate the need to leave space in front to open them. IKEA have some great options in this line, if you're buying off the shelf, and the interior storage is customisable.
Classic wardrobe ideas
In a period interior, we love an antique wardrobe, armoire or linen press, and you can find plenty of these in auction houses or online marketplaces for vintage and antique furniture. If you are looking for the best wardrobes and hanging rails on a budget (you should also check out our guide to the best wardrobe doors. There is a huge range of wardrobe options out there. All you need next is a full length mirror. The examples below are the best from the House & Garden archive.
MAY WE SUGGEST: Our pick of the best wardrobes and hanging rails
Wardrobe ideas from the H&G archive
Sarah Griggs1/57In a colourful and sophisticated terraced house in Chelsea by Studio Duggan the bespoke wardrobes in the bedroom are a nod to traditional, timeless design. The curtains in the place of panels is a sweet look that we're seeing more and more.
Boz Gagovski2/57With its charming period features and unparalleled location, interior designer Anna Hewitson has turned this unloved cottage into a beautiful family house. The wardrobes in the primary bedroom were made bespoke, with internal fabric by Chelsea Textiles in their ‘Carnation’ print. The lamp is from Oka with a Fermoie shade. The mirror is Pooky.
Simon Brown3/57By cleverly reconfiguring the space and adding in a harmonious blend of new and vintage furniture, Beata Heuman and her team offer a masterclass in enlivening an expansive London apartment. Here, the built-in wardrobes in the bedroom conceal the entrance through to the en suite space next door.
Michael Sinclair4/57Having previously been divided into flats, this 19th-century house in Hampstead has had a sense of harmony restored by Maria Speake of Retrouvius, with creative use of reclaimed materials and eclectic vintage pieces. The wardrobes were created from art-deco glass panels salvaged from Unilever House, linen upholstered panels and reclaimed iroko.
Mark Anthony Fox5/57In the guest bedroom of this Veere Grenney project, a VGA bespoke upholstered headboard is covered in Indhira by Pierre Frey. Walls are upholstered in VGA Prima Alpaca while the wardrobe is painted in Tarlatan by Paint & Paper Library. The wardrobe curtains are in Cupid by Chelsea Textiles.
Astrid Templier6/57Pandora Taylor ensured this south London home was full of colour, including in the master bedroom hallway, where she created a designated dressing space is ‘Bancha’ in high gloss from Farrow & Ball. The use of gloss paint allows light from the neighbouring rooms to bounce around the space and brighten it.
Boz Gagovski7/57Briefed to bring colour and functionality to this compact mansion flat off the Kings Road, decorator Daniel Slowik has carried out a clever reconfiguration of the space. The dressing room contains plenty of mirrored storage, and the variety of surfaces for the cupboards was to “avoid the somewhat claustrophobic feeling that rows of painted wood doors can have in such a space”.
Christopher Horwood8/57The team at Sims Hilditch have used natural materials and light colours to make a sanctuary of this seaside house. Bespoke wardrobes in the main bedroom are painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Ball Green’.
Christopher Horwood9/57The artist Natasha Mann has taken her paintbrush to every part of her London house, and the wardrobes in the master bedroom are just the same. The design is hand-painted by Natasha and gives them a truly bespoke look.
Michael Sinclair10/57In the bedroom of Benni Frowein's London flat, wardrobes are clad in a plain linen, with the ‘skirting board’ concealing in-built drawer storage for Benni's shoes.
Paul Massey11/57This wardrobe with hand-painted designs by The Charpoy founder Preneet Bart adds to the ‘floral explosion’ in the bedroom of Lisa Mehydene's Cotswold barn.
Paul Massey12/57Wallpaper carries over onto the freestanding wardrobe in Rosi de Ruig's house. Walls are covered in Flora Robert’s dusky pink ‘Camellia Petit’ for Hamilton Weston Wallpapers, matching lampshades by Rosi and a mirrored wardrobe balance a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe painted a rich blue and a red-and-white striped rug from Ikea.
Owen Gale13/57In Alice Palmer's nursery room, wardrobe doors are painted a minty green to complement the stripes in Farrow & Ball's ‘Foley Green’ on the ceiling.
Owen Gale14/57Georgina Cave of Cave Interior's London house has a subtle femininity and homely feel. Her bedroom is painted in Farrow & Ball's 'Setting Plaster' with woodwork in ‘Drop Cloth’, and her shoe cupboard is housed inside the former fireplace.
The sofa is recovered it in Tibor's 'Princess' bouclé.
Paul Massey15/57Existing wardrobes in this Victorian villa were extended and painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Ultra Marine Blue’, which complements the red fireplace tiles from Mosaic Factory.
Courtesy of Serena Eller16/57The wardrobe doors inside this contemporary pied-à-terre in Rome depict a landscape scene.
17/57A concealed wardrobe with a sliding door is perfect for smaller bedrooms, where traditional hinged doors can cause an obstruction to walkways. The lights are from Emery et Cie.
Paul Massey18/57Space is precious in Johnny Holland's Richmond mansion flat and every inch must be used effectively. A corner of the bedroom has been hived off to create a walk-in wardrobe which was then wallpapered with a tropical print and overlaid with a grid of wood panelling to lend depth.
Yuki Sugiura19/57When renovating her London house, Matilda Goad knew she wanted a lot of wardrobe space and something fitted. In order to make the space work, her husband's company, Blockhouse Build, completely moved the original bedroom door to allow an entire wall free for wardrobes. The cane panelled result were Matilda's own design and are painted in the same colour as the walls.
Sharyn Cairns20/57In this London house designed by Suzy Hoodless the sliding wardrobe doors of the children's rooms have been painted with a custom-designed mural. Click below for our favourite resources for a similar look.
Elsa Young22/57In Victoria von Westenholz's Battersea cottage, the bedroom has built-in wardrobes with pretty fabric panelling.
Alexander James23/57Interior designer Sarah Peake bought her west London flat three years ago, embarking on a full renovation of the space and decorating it in her signature modern, confident style. The wardrobes were custom built to Sarah's design, with handles from Chloe Alberry.
Rachel Whiting24/57This wardrobe from The Dormy House has been hand painted with Dulux paint by the artist Cressida Bell.
Christopher Horwood25/57What was once a nine bedroom bedsit has been transformed by Natasha Howard, the designer behind Instagram's 'Philamena', into an elegant and inviting family home. The dressing room, which leads off from the bedroom, continues the blue and white theme, with fitted wardrobes making the most of the space.
Paul Massey26/57These wardrobe fronts are a bespoke design by Peter Mikic Studios, featuring cracked lacquer in blue eggshell with brass accents. The blind is made from ‘Gru’ by Colony in the bronzo colourway.
27/57Fashion stylist Louise Roe looked to British Standard for the dressing room in her Georgian farmhouse. The company designed and installed two units, painted a glossy mulberry colour.
Simon Brown28/57A dream walk-in wardrobe in a London apartment designed by Hugh Henry. The dressing room was designed by Hugh and made by Orwells. It is lined in cedarwood with hand-finished bronze rails and knobs that pull out to become hooks. The antique hanging lamp is one of a pair found at Christopher Butterworth; its twin hangs in the main bathroom.
Ngoc Minh Ngo29/57In Long Island, the designer David Kleinberg built wardrobes that appear to be coming out of the walls, rather than the traditional building them into. The end result creates two nooks on either sides.
Paul Massey30/57A chest of drawers from a French flea market brings texture to the bedroom in Rachel Chudley's East London workshop, which is separated from the en-suite bathroom by a Crittall-inspired wooden partition. In the bathroom, a wardrobe with a mirrored front takes centre stage.
Paul Massey31/57The built-in cupboards in the main dressing room of this renovated Georgian farmhouse feature a laser-etched design of birds and foliage by fabric and surface designer Daniel Heath.
Maria Speake of Retrouvius restored the spirit of an unattractively extended Georgian farmhouse in the Chilterns by introducing modern and reclaimed industrial elements.
Michael Sinclair32/57Wardrobes are built into the walls, panelled and painted white in keeping with the rustic charm of this Oxfordshire cottage.
Paul Massey33/57Having left his native Texas to be a lawyer in London, Brandon Schubert is now honing his craft as an interior designer. In his own flat, he has united an eclectic mix of furniture and art with hints of bold colour. In the bedroom, an antique Le Klint lamp with an original plastic shade stands on one of two Fifties Børge Mogensen teak and beech chests of drawers in front of Eighties posters bought in Cuba.
Owen Gale34/57The wardrobe in Charlie Casely-Hayford and Sophie Ashby's London flat was always going to take pride of place, as he is a fashion designer. They carved out space within their one bedroom flat for a walk-in done in dark wood and bright white.
35/57There are few wardrobe systems that beat the Ikea's 'Pax' range of wardrobes in terms of options for interior organisation and price. However if you are looking for something more decorative, the Swedish company Superfront offers a range of replacement surfaces, doors and handles are added during assembly, and can transform the look of the cupboard, with a huge range of colours and patterns on offer. The wardrobe doors shown here, in 'Marais', each measure 236 x 50cm and cost £230; the 'Holy Wafer' brass handles cost £14 each.
Best of the rest
Copper wire hangers, 20 x 42cm, £9 each, from Hay.
Armoire in off-white distressed finish (other finishes available), 225 x 138 x 50cm, £6,500, at Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam.
'Conran Dawkins Oak Valet', 126 x 50 x 50cm, £299 at Marks & Spencer.
Double 'Frey' armoire, available in various woods and finishes, 180 x 132 x 55cm, from £3,250 at Pinch.
Benjamin Edwards36/57With its clever use of luxurious textures and finishes, Irish interior designer Bryan O’Sullivan’s latest project – a London townhouse owned by longstanding clients – is a treat for the senses. In the dressing room, bespoke joinery designed by Bryan’s studio was clad in shagreen by Simon Orrell Designs.
Simon Upton37/57Interior designer Hugh Henry carefully renovated this eighteenth-century house into a new family home. Lois Allison, his assistant on the project, says, 'one of Hugh's great skills, is envisaging a room from the outset, and of course, there is his use of colour'. Hugh introduced modern colours into the historic house, and painted the dressing room in three different shades of blue from Sanderson.
Taken from the February 2015 issue of House & Garden.
Paul Massey38/57'We made the wardrobe by effectively putting up a false wall a coat's-width from the real wall, into which we inserted doors that we reclaimed from a dump,' says Kresse Wesling of eco-accessories company Elvis & Kresse. Kresse and her husband James's Bournemouth home was furnished almost entirely from reclaimed and reworked pieces. 'It was pretty difficult getting the doors all the same size, but sanding them down and watching the individual characteristics of the wood come out was satisfying work.'
James Macdonald39/57Interior designer Diana Sieff has made clever use of space in the attic of her converted Methodist chapel in Oxfordshire. When partitioning off the en-suite, a handy cupboard was built in to the dividing wall.
Jake Curtis40/57Interior designer Maurizio Pellizzoni of MPD London has utilised the space behind the bed in this room to create an unenclosed walk-in wardrobe. 'The mirror conceals double doors which lead to the bathroom,' he says. 'We left a 70cm gap between the back of the bed and the Poliform storage and hanging system, so there is space to walk around, and also for a retractable ladder that allows access to the top shelves. We curtained it off using a sheer fabric from de Le Cuona. This method creates a feeling of space, making the room feel lighter and less cluttered.'
Andreas Von Einsiedel41/57Two matching antique lacquered wardrobes sit perfectly within the bedroom of this old-fashioned English home in Hampshire.
Rachael Smith42/57In the London home of interior designer Bee Osborn of Osborn Interiors, traditional beading on the front of the joinery has been lifted and modernised by mirror panel. 'If you are using mirror it is important to build the joinery first, and cut the mirror to fit around the relief work,' says Bee. 'Wood applied over the top of mirror is often ill fitting, creating shadow behind. The proportions of paneled joinery are vital. Take inspiration from Georgian designs, which focused on balance and harmony.'
Ngoc Minh Ngo43/57A long burr elm dressing table lining one wall provides storage in this bedroom. 'It drives me crazy that so often in newbuilds everything is built-in, so I wanted something free-standing and moveable,' explains the designer Sophie Ashby.
The result is a quirky combination of two circular mirrors, a smattering of brass wall lights and a pair of leather pouffes, which exudes a modernist glamour - part Bond girl boudoir, part Seventies ski chalet.
Alexander James44/57The bed in Kim Wilkie's London flat sits opposite an Arts and Crafts period chest of drawers from antiques dealer Patch Rogers in Petworth, which is framed by Russian prints. This particular chest is attractive in itself while providing a practical range of drawer sizes and a top surface upon which to display ornaments such as the bowls pictured.
Taken from the November 2015 issue of House & Garden.
Sarah Hogan45/57Designer Jane Taylor has ingeniously incorporated storage into her small bedroom in Chelsea. Wardrobes and cupboards are concealed behind panelling made by Sympatico Joinery, which is painted in Zoffany's 'White Clay', from £41 for 2.5 litres of emulsion. Shallow cubbyholes in the panelling next to the bed function as bedside tables.
Taken from the March 2016 issue of House & Garden.
46/57In the bedroom of interior designer Jane Taylor's London flat, smart panelling conceals walls of wardrobes and cupboards: a perfect solution for a small room.
Jake Curtis47/57Facing fitted wardrobes are the perfect way to use hallway space efficiently. These were painted in a blue-green gloss mixed by interior designer Adam Bray. 'I love gloss walls - they really do bounce the light about,' says Adam. 'But it is rare to get a client who will agree to them.' The carpet, designed to look like antelope hide, is from Capitol Carpets of Chelsea.
Taken from the October 2015 issue of House & Garden.
Simon Brown48/57Having previously lived in a converted nightclub, Edo Mapelli Mozzi has downsized to a flat housed within one spacious room of a Victorian house in west London. The dressing room is lit by wall lights of different sizes and styles, and their light is reflected by the large mirror mounted on the left hand wall. To provide himself with a large dressing room and space for his books, Mozzi extended the mezzanine of his living room to create a dressing room that is hidden behind a wall, upon which hangs a huge Nick Knight photograph.
Lucas Allen49/57A well organised walk in wardrobe doesn't have to be a huge fuss to execute. This neat set up in the New York home of architects Ann Fairfax and Richard Simmons uses wicker baskets to separate out small items, wall mounted tie racks and an upward-folding cupboard door which doubles as a surface.
50/57This double height wardrobe, designed by Emily Todhunter of Todhunter Earle for a house in West London, has a secret. Disguised among the doors are the entrances to twin bathrooms and a dressing room.
Paul Massey51/57Walk-in wardrobe, meets spare bedroom. Designer Paolo Moschino has created a cosy cabin-bed at the end of the dressing room in this house in Cornwall, which has storage underneath for the client's shoe collection.
Alexander James52/57'Separate storage space can be a real marriage saver,' says Bunny Turner of Turner Pocock who in her own London bedroom has used twin wardrobes from Oka (£1,630 each). 'More and more frequently our clients request separate dressing rooms, which take on very individual characteristics. Generally we design these ourselves, then work with a cabinetmaker. John Elbert Furniture Works and Armstrong Vinton come highly recommended.'
Paul Massey53/57Low, gabled ceilings can be a nightmare when trying to find a place for a wardrobe. The smart idea is to adapt the storage to the space. In this chalet by Todhunter Earle, shelves with storage boxes act as drawers (try Muji for similar), while a rail for clothes is concealed behind a curtain (Jim Lawrence is our go to for good value curtain poles and hardwear). Simple but effective.
54/57If your house already has built-in wardrobes that are lacking in decorative clout, remember there is scope for customisation.
In designer Mark Gillette's flat in Machester, he has covered the doors in a textured grey fabric, and replaced the handles with something more decorative, for a bespoke look.
If you're in the mood for some DIY and want to do something similar, take the doors off the hinges and secure the fabric at the back with either tacks or a staple gun.
Lucas Allen55/57Interior designer Hugh Leslie transformed his nineteenth-century Chelsea studio into an airy, harmonious space. In the bedroom, he introduced some handsome joinery not least a cupboard-cum-drawer unit (left) which provides ample storage above and below, making the most of the gabled space.
Think about the posotioning of large pieces of furniture like drawers - here he has tucked them behind the door to save space.
Lucas Allen56/57Located on a plot of farmland on the Atlantic coast of Long Island, interior designer Veere Grenney has created an interior which is country living with a strong city accent.
Wardrobes are unobtrusively set in to a wall of matchboard panelling, allowing the pieces by some of the Twentieth-century's finest craftsmen - including a Gio Ponti chair and Terence Robsjohn-Gibbings tables - to take center stage.
57/57Fantastically simple storage frames the door of this bedroom designed by Jonathan Tuckey. We're big advocates of the curtained clothes rail - pretty, cheap and easy to update should you fancy a change. No space for drawers? Storage boxes like these work just as well for smaller or folded items of clothing. Ikea and Muji have a pretty comprehensive selection.
A trunk, like that at the foot of the bed, can also be a good place to store off-season clothes if your wardrobe is bursting at the seams.
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