Trendy storage spaces

Designing wardrobes can be a fun exercise when done with a little bit of creativity & lots of practicality.

With functionality being the order of the day, everything in home decor seems to focus on nothing but functionality. Not surprising, since life in a city home means managing with as little space as possible, and as few furnishings as possible.

When such is the case, can wardrobes be far behind? Not at all. For, wardrobes are essential storage spaces for any home, without which we wouldn’t know what to do with our well-chosen clothes and accessories. Of course, there was a time when we would put all our clothes and other everyday essentials in huge cane baskets or trunks and shove them conveniently under the cot. 

There were also those tall, grey steel almirahs that creaked every time they opened. However, they are passe now. They have conveniently made way for designer wardrobes that are a part and parcel of every bedroom now. Such storage cabinets are not only functional, but add a touch of glamour to the room too, mirroring your taste for artistic decor.

Come to think of it, shopping for wardrobes is no mean task, considering the various options available. First of all, decide whether you want a built-in wardrobe or a custom designed one. While built-in wardrobes give you a lot of storage space, custom-designed ones make optimum use of the space available to create a storage space that can only introduce a ‘wow’ element in the bedroom.

Kind of material

Once you have decided on the type of wardrobe you want in your home, decide on the material you want it in. Wood would be the best bet, though. Wooden wardrobes are an all-time favourite. They never go out of style. To add to the list of advantages of wooden wardrobes, they are strong and durable too. 

While choosing wood to make wardrobes from, it is best to go in for teak or rosewood as they last for life. Though they may prove to be expensive, they are worth every penny, for, wardrobes made of cheap wood will crumble from inside in no time due to frequent termite attacks, forcing you to invest on them all over again. 

Next in line comes the finish. When it comes to deciding on the finish of the wooden wardrobes, the overall theme of the room should be borne in mind. The finish we decide to give our wardrobes should ultimately add to the aesthetics of the room. Hand-painted designs on wood with decorative scrolls and edgings can be based on the theme of your decor. 

If the room has an ethnic decor, then wardrobes can have carvings in them, finished with the polish of one’s choice. If the theme is contemporary, then a matte finish will just be right for that much-desired stylish look. Whatever the finish, there’s no disputing the fact that wood lends that touch of class to the decor of the room. 

Several other wardrobe beautifying options available include glass doors, mirrors, decorative motifs, and designer handles and knobs. While glass doors lend a surreal effect to the room, mirrors create an illusion of space, making the room look much bigger than it really is. In short, such wardrobes make the room look imaginative and stunning.

This is not all. There’s much more you can do with your wardrobes. Even the type of doors you choose for your wardrobes adds to the glamour of the room. The choices available are also aplenty — from doorless and sliding door wardrobes to walk-in wardrobes. 

However, the choice of the door should essentially be dictated by the size of the room. If space is not a major constraint, then there’s nothing like walk-in wardrobes. Just walk-in, pick up the attire of your choice, match it with appropriate footwear and you are ready to take on the world! Unfortunately, city homes do not offer such luxury to many of us, forcing us to plan wardrobe closets in the minimum space available, often running from ceiling to floor. 

Space constraints

Further, if the bedroom is spacious, then wardrobes with double doors that can be opened wide would be ideal. Such wardrobes not only afford easy access to their contents, but also facilitate better organisation. However, if the room is not spacious enough, then sliding doors are the best options available. They look fashionable too.

Talking from personal experience, it would be great to design the shelves of the wardrobes according to our needs. Care should be taken to ensure that it is able to hold all your clothes and accessories efficiently. There’s nothing like the wardrobes should have three slabs for us to arrange our clothes, and nothing else. 

In fact, women’s wardrobe should ideally be designed differently from that of men, because the needs are different. However, hanging rails, units for belts and ties, adjustable shelves, easy-to-operate drawers, separate compartments for accessories, shoe-racks — a wardrobe should have all these and more. And, never ever let the carpenter decide what your wardrobe should look like, for, nobody knows your storage needs better than you.

And, of course, children’s wardrobe should be designed differently, for their storage needs are much different from that of adults. So, list out your requirements before you meet the carpenter and get your wardrobe custom-made to suit your needs. After all, we don’t get our wardrobes done every now and then.

Careful planning in the initial stages can go a long way in making our experience with our wardrobes a pleasant one.