Wardrobe ideas – fashionable and comfortable space for your clothes

Last Updated on 29. November 2025 by Noremax

A large, functional and stylish wardrobe is a dream for most of us. No matter the size of the room, a wardrobe is always worth spending the space. Modern bedrooms are often designed in a minimal style. Therefore, storing loose items on top of wardrobes, is just not something we’d like to do. Because of this, it is very important to plan wardrobe storage carefully. It’s important to consider where it is placed as well as how it is fitted. If it is designed properly, it shouldn’t be an issue to store and organize all your clothing in a functional manner. Here we present, the ultimate guide to the perfect wardrobe!

Wardrobe ideas – where is it best placed?

Where you place your wardrobe depends on your personal needs and lifestyle. You need to consider where you need it the most. The best place to store clothes are obviously in a separate room – a so called, walk-in-closet. However, it is important that you have enough space to be able to move freely, get dressed, iron and store the clothing items of all household members. If there isn’t enough space to host a walk-in-closet, most wardrobes are place near the bathroom or bedroom. Think about it, it’s convenient since it where we usually get ready, and placing the wardrobe close by means you have everything close at hand. However, you should be aware of the privacy issue, if you place a wardrobe that stores several household members’ clothes in your bedroom. Then it will become a place that everyone regularly visits, and this can of course become a disadvantage.

Placing wardrobes by the entrance is another common solution, especially for apartments of all sizes. The hallway often hosts empty walls that are perfect to use as wardrobes and storage opportunities.

A really cool idea for a wardrobe and fitting room is to use an attic space as walk-in-closet. Arranging wardrobes, chests and cabinets from largest to smallest will enhance the shape of the space and make it look even cooler. To maximise the use of space, you can also store additional clothes, shoes and accessories in the space between the furniture and bevels.

Wardrobe equipment – how is a wardrobe optimally fitted?

You can find many wardrobe ideas online. They all show you how to arrange shelves, drawers, and bars. These are all different types of shelves and storing units that are very important to consider when designing the ideal wardrobe. Shelving systems placed further up along the walls are very functional as they provide the opportunity for you to hang long coats or maxi dresses comfortably. However, you should not forget or neglect drawers and containers as they allow you to store and hide more items than you might think.

It is also very important to consider how you should organize your storage opportunities. We suggest dedicating the space further up the wall to store beddings, blankets and stuff that you might not use every other day. Therefore, you should also consider storing the items you need more often (like socks) where they are easily accessed. Like on a reachable height and in user-friendly containers.

We highly suggest you invest in bars which will allow for your clothes to be hung instead of only folded away in drawers. For your convenience and for optimal use of space, you might want to consider investing in a pantograph – a hanger which lowers and guarantees easy access to the items hung. A pantograph moves downward and automatically returns to position after it’s used. Life hack!

Shelves

Sweaters and blouses that doesn’t require to be hung can be stored in piles on shelves. These shelves should have dimensions of approximately 45 x 30 cm to make it easy to store folded clothes. Don’t forget to place the items you use every day within sight, so that they are easy accessed. These shelves should, therefore, be mounted at a height of at least 90 cm from the floor.

It is also advised to find a space where you can store all your shoes in a row, instead of in a pile. We suggest dedicating a shelf for this sole purpose. To be able to store shoes effortlessly, we suggest the shelve should consists of measurements of at least 80 cm width. To be able to perfectly display your shoe collection, equipping the shelves with a two-level bar is a great solution.

The best solution to store underwear and accessories is drawers. Placing loose items in a drawer will make sure everything has its own place and stays organised. Add compartments into your drawers and it will become even more organised! To optimally store all of your items, the drawers should have a width of 60-65 cm and a depth of at least 12-15 cm.

What the ideal wardrobe equipment is, strictly depend on the user. A woman is generally more in need of being able to hang longer items, like dresses, as well as store smaller accessories, such as jewelry. A man on the other hand might need deeper shelves to be able to store his shirts and shoes, as well as hangers suitable to hang pants and ties.

Many may think that a mirror is one of the most basic design elements that a wardrobe should fit. But sadly, there often is no space for it. However, if you do have space to spare and want to add a mirror (even if it’s just hung of the doors of the wardrobe), we highly recommend you go for it. A reflective surface doesn’t only make the room feel more spacious, but it will also give the entire room a completely new look!

A pouffe or an armchair will also generate exclusivity to your wardrobe! If you’re not sold on the fact that it will make you feel as though you walk into a luxurious fitting room for Chanel, adding a chair to your walk-in-closet also comes with a few practical advantages. It’s a place to sit and for support, as well as an unloading surface to throw all your clothes on. Just admit it, we all do it. Add a fluffy carpet and you will be transported into a princess’ fitting room!

If you’ve made arrangements to have a walk-in-closet, do not forget to consider air flow and ventilation. Installing a ventilation grill in plasterboard is a great solution. Considering air flow is important to make sure all your clothing will stay fresh and free of smell. However, if your walk-in-closet have windows, you won’t need to pay extra attention to ventilation as the window solves this issue. Although, if you do have windows in your walk-in closet, installing blinds and curtains might be useful to make sure your clothes won’t get sun bleached. Textiles and garment also generate elegance to the interior and add the finish touch.

Moreover, if you have a lot of space, you should also install an ironing board in the wardrobe.

Please be aware that the equipment listed is for basic and general items. It’s worth considering to adjust the wardrobe ideas presented in this article, to your personal needs and wants.

Wardrobe in a small bedroom

Even within small bedroom designs, you can find useful wardrobe ideas. One of the most cheap and easy ways to separate a wardrobe from the general bedroom space is to hide it behind a folding screen or curtain. An interesting and new trend is to simply place your bed away from the walls and create space between the bed and the wardrobe. Try adding a tall, upholstered headboard to separate the spaces further and give your ordinary bed a more fashionable look.

Another wardrobe trend is to add built-in-wardrobes around the bed. This design will free up some space and generates a very elegant and classy look. No wonder it has become one of the most popular trends of the 2020’s!

Lighting

One thing you need to consider with wardrobe and walk-in-closet designs, is lighting. Sure, ergonomics and functionality are the number one priority but don’t forget about lighting. The ideal wardrobe should have just the right light source – not too bright and not too dark. If your walk-in-closet is large enough to host a pendant and a few spotlights, this is absolutely ideal! However, if it is not spacious enough, halogen lights placed in cornices or adjustable spotlights that accentuate the interior of the wardrobe, are sufficient.

To support the main light source and help guide you in the search for the perfect outfit, it might be worth adding an additional light source that will illuminate the entire interior. For example, LED-strips, battery-powered self-adhesive lamps, or lighting mounted in bars on hangers are great choices!

Wardrobe ideas – The colour of the walls

When designing a wardrobe or walk-in-closet, it is advised to go for white or neutral, calm colours for the walls. An alternative is to use materials in similar colours – like blond timber, or stone. This type of interior design will allow your clothes to become the heroes of the space. Or you can go the other way and paint your walls in complete darkness. But remember what we said about lighting.

If you’re seeking an industrial styles walk-in-closet – dark colours, steel and other metals are great choices. Dark shelves made out of metal, arranged in an asymmetrical pattern of shelves, bars and drawers will give the space a raw, modern and interesting design. Placed against a black background and it is a definite win. The open spaces make the clothes become pieces of art. Just make sure to keep it organised, to that it doesn’t become cluttered.

Built-in wardrobes vs. freestanding — professional comparison

When designing a functional and visually balanced wardrobe space, one of the most crucial decisions is choosing between a built-in wardrobe and a freestanding one. Although both options serve the same general purpose, they differ significantly in performance, longevity, flexibility and aesthetic impact — which makes the choice far more strategic than it may seem at first glance.

A built-in wardrobe is the most effective way to maximise every centimetre of available space. By being constructed wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling, it integrates seamlessly into the architecture and provides the highest storage capacity. Built-ins eliminate dead zones above, beneath or beside the furniture, creating a clean visual line and dramatically improving organisation. They also offer full customisation: interior modules, pantographs, LED rails, shoe drawers, jewellery compartments or laundry sorting systems can be tailored precisely to your lifestyle. For small rooms, sloped ceilings or irregular wall shapes, built-ins are often the only option that ensures ergonomic use. However, this level of integration means that built-in wardrobes represent a long-term investment — they require precise measurement, professional installation and cannot be easily moved once completed.

Freestanding wardrobes, on the other hand, offer mobility and immediate placement. They are ideal for rented apartments, temporary living situations or interiors where a high degree of flexibility is required. They allow you to change layouts, reorganise rooms or move the furniture without renovation work. Freestanding models also come in a wide range of styles and can become a deliberate design feature — from traditional wooden armoires to minimalist Scandinavian forms. Their limitation lies in reduced storage capacity, visible gaps around the furniture and restricted internal organisation compared to modular built-ins. For users who require highly structured storage — especially for large collections of clothing, footwear or accessories — freestanding units often feel insufficient.

In professional practice, interior designers frequently combine both approaches. A built-in wardrobe may define the main functional storage zone, while a freestanding piece acts as an accent element or seasonal overflow. The choice ultimately depends on your long-term needs, architectural conditions and your preference for either flexibility or maximum efficiency.

Micro wardrobe hacks — designing storage in very small rooms

Designing a wardrobe space for a small bedroom or compact apartment is one of the most challenging tasks in interior planning — but with the right strategies, even the tiniest footprint can become surprisingly efficient. Micro wardrobe design focuses on verticality, multifunctionality and clever use of architectural features to create a system that feels tailored, not compromised.

The first principle is to use vertical height as aggressively as possible. Cabinets built up to the ceiling eliminate visual clutter and significantly increase capacity. Upper sections can be reserved for seasonal clothing, spare bedding or rarely used accessories. Slim pull-down pantographs allow users to access high-hung garments without the need for a ladder, making full-height wardrobes genuinely practical even in tight rooms.

Depth is another key factor. In very small rooms, full-size wardrobes may not be feasible, but shallow built-ins (25–35 cm) can still function perfectly with front-facing hangers, narrow shelving or sliding drawers. These “compact-depth wardrobes” are increasingly popular in Scandinavian apartments where every centimetre matters. Similarly, unused niches — such as alcoves, chimney breasts or gaps beside doors — can be transformed into efficient micro-storage zones with custom shelving or mini-wardrobes.

Sliding doors are almost always superior to hinged ones in micro rooms, as they do not require clearance space. Mirror-front doors serve a dual purpose: they visually enlarge the room and provide essential functionality without taking up extra space. For bedrooms with slanted ceilings, triangular shelving or custom-fitted drawers under the slope maximise awkward geometry that would otherwise remain wasted.

Organisation inside the wardrobe is equally crucial. Vertical dividers, pull-out baskets, modular boxes and stackable trays help maintain order and reduce visual chaos. Lighting also plays a transformative role — LED strips with motion sensors ensure visibility without adding bulk, making the space feel premium and easier to use.

Shifting the bed slightly off the wall, using an upholstered headboard as a separator, or placing a compact wardrobe behind curtains are discreet ways of creating additional storage without shrinking the room visually. Micro wardrobe planning is all about balancing ergonomics with aesthetics — and thoughtful small-space solutions often lead to the most creative and satisfying wardrobe designs.

We hope that this article about wardrobe ideas have inspired you to design your dream closet. If you liked our tips and tricks, please check out our other articles about kitchen with black cabinets and kitchen with gray cabinets.