How do you fit a wardrobe in a small room?

Small wardrobes for small bedrooms

Original Rustic double wardrobe | @holcombedreaminteriors

The first thing you’ll need to think about is the size. Will the wardrobe actually fit in your small bedroom? While it might be tempting to try a 3-door wardrobe, the reality is that it’ll overwhelm the space you have, making it – rather than the bed – the focal point of the room. Instead, choose furniture that’s appropriately sized for the space it will be living in.

A double wardrobe still provides plenty of hanging space, and choosing ones with drawers means you have more room to store your jumpers, jeans or linens without using up precious hanging space. But make sure you leave enough space! You’ll need around 20cm at the front of your chosen wardrobe to allow for opening the doors and manoeuvring around it. For more info on optimal bedroom layouts, take a look at our bedroom measurement guide.

Use the whole wardrobe

Romsey wardrobe | @insideours

We all know that wardrobes provide indispensable, hidden storage. But why not make the most of the extra storage created on the outside of the piece? Above it, next to it, the sides, maximise the space you’ve gained! The top of a wardrobe comes as a ready-made shelf, perfect for ornaments or your favourite rattan storage boxes. Why not pop a floor-standing plant pot or wicker basket next to the wardrobe to fill with spare accessories – your options are endless.

Where should you put a wardrobe in a bedroom?

Make the most of alcoves

Parquet wardrobe | @mypetitenewbuild

Many older properties feature bedroom alcoves around a chimney breast, some may be fortunate enough to still have a beautiful fireplace fitted! Alcoves offer an amazing opportunity to squeeze in those often cumbersome wardrobes, especially in a bedroom lacking space. Fit one into one side of the chimney breast, while creating a sense of balance and symmetry with another furniture piece, such as a chest of drawers or dressing table, on the other side.

Make sure to measure up the space so the wardrobe slots seamlessly into its surrounding walls. If you’re working with a period property, remember that walls tend not to be perfectly straight. Take measurements from several parts of the wall to ensure it will fit all the way along.

Build-in a wardrobe

Madeline mirror | @layered.home

If you’re worried that a wardrobe may make your space feel cluttered and claustrophobic, a built-in wardrobe offers a beautifully sleek alternative. Whether you fill available alcoves or make use of a vacant wall, these floor-to-ceiling bedroom additions can actually make your room feel more spacious. What’s more, it means that your favourite furniture pieces can take centre stage, whether it be your bed, dressing table, chest of drawers, or bedside tables.

Make sure to paint the new fixture the same colour as your bedroom walls so that they blend seamlessly into the background, making the room feel bigger.

Best wardrobe designs for small bedrooms

Blend your wardrobe in

Brompton wardrobe | Brompton tallboy | @a_house_and_its_chows

When dealing with smaller bedrooms, we can’t create space, but we can certainly create the illusion of space. A great way to achieve this is by matching your wardrobe colour to your walls, allowing them to almost dissolve into their surroundings. This premise is the same regardless of wall colour. While some may shy away from using darker furniture in a darker room, it can actually create a beautiful cocooning effect, perfect for a deep night’s sleep.

Make a statement

Parquet double wardrobe | @jlg-designs

If your wardrobe needs to sit at an awkward angle or you’re struggling to find a piece that matches your existing colour palette, why not make a statement? Give your bedroom an instant wow factor with a stylish and eye-catching wardrobe option. If it has to take up floor space in a small room, make sure it’s worth the square footage! We love how the detail of the Parquet range provides an interesting edge to any bedroom. Its decorative style, intriguing mid-century modern characteristics, and rich warmth from its honey hue make for a beautifully unique wardrobe, no matter your existing decor.

The wardrobe alternative

Canterbury bed | Canterbury bedside table | Canterbury tallboy | @mrsh_at_bears_cottage

While wardrobes offer ample storage space for bedrooms, they may not suit every home spatially. Tallboys, with their narrow and space-saving design, provide an excellent alternative. Their slim profile allows them to fit easily alongside other bedroom furniture, such as dressing tables and much-needed bedside tables.

You should now be ready to kit out your small bedroom with the perfect wardrobe design! Head over to our wardrobe collections to find a stylish two door piece, or gain some more tips for styling small homes here. Don’t forget to show us your style on Instagram, tag us, or use #OakFurnitureland #GrowYourHome.

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So how do you design your bedroom layout? At Oak Furnitureland, we’ve rounded up the main things for you to consider when measuring up your bedroom for new or existing furniture.

Where to put your bed

Burleigh bed | Burleigh wardrobe | Burleigh bedside table

The largest, and most important, piece of furniture in your room, the bed is without a doubt the first thing you should consider in your arrangement. Typically, bedrooms are laid out with the foot end of the bed closest to the door, and the head in the middle of the opposing wall. But you also need to take lighting into consideration. Adapt this configuration to wake up with the sun, particularly if you have a good view.

If you’re someone who likes to curl up in the evenings and watch TV from your bed, you may also want to think about how your bed matches up. If it makes more sense to have your bed close to the door, ensure that you have enough space to open and close it, as well as a clear passageway through the room. Remember that you will be entering the room probably multiple times a day; make sure that you give yourself a welcoming entrance!

If you’re working with a smaller room, there’s nothing to say that you can’t push one side of the bed against the wall to save space. Ensure that you don’t clutter other furniture too close to the free side of the bed, or at the foot of the bed, to avoid a jumbled look or a hectic sleeping environment.

How to arrange your bedside tables

Shay bed | Shay bedside table | @aheidistylehome

Bedside tables are the real heroes of your bedroom furniture. Not only do they complete the look, they are an essential part of your daily routine. The home of your lamp, where you charge your phone, and where you store your important easy-to-access belongings, they are a bedroom staple.

As a rule of thumb, your bedside table should stand at approximately the same height as your mattress, for optimum practicality and style. It should also sit no deeper than 60cm so as not to obstruct movement in and out of bed.

Have fun with the styling of your bedside tables; choose the same range as your bed for a cohesive style, or mix and match for a more playful look. Choose options with drawers or cupboards depending on your favoured usage and accessorise with your favourite lighting looks.

Where you should place your wardrobe

A wardrobe is a staple storage piece in any bedroom, particularly if you’re working with a small room.

When it comes to the arrangement of your wardrobe, it’s all about the surrounding space. Find a tidy alcove or corner to tuck your wardrobe away, but ensure that you’ve left enough room for the doors and drawers to fully open. And don’t forget about your browsing space!

You may also want to think about where the wardrobe is in relation to other features such as the mirror, to ease your getting ready routine.

How to organise additional storage

Brindle blanket box

With the three main bedroom furniture pieces in tow, it’s time to think about other necessary furniture for your space. How much storage will you need, and how will this fit? Think about the shape of your room. It might be worth tracing the measurements of your room on a piece of paper, or alternatively using masking tape or cardboard to map out the placement of this furniture around your bed, bedside table and wardrobe.

There are so many storage solutions of several shapes and sizes to choose from. Lacking space for a traditional chest of drawers? Consider a tall boy to tuck into a small corner, or even a blanket box at the foot of the bed.

If your bedroom is more spacious, why not take a look at bigger, statement pieces such as large chest of drawer options and storage cabinets? Whatever the size of your bedroom, there’s nothing worse than a cluttered space, both for its styling as well as your wellbeing. Tidy as much as you can away in handy storage solutions, and maintain your precious floorspace.

Practical features: desks and dressing tables

Parquet console table | Parquet wardrobe | @the_one_with_the_green_door

Traditionally a bedroom has been the place to sleep and keep your clothes, but as with every room of the home, this is continually evolving. What other roles does your bedroom play in your life?

While a dressing table in the window may be the dream for many, is it just a waste of space? If you typically get ready in the bathroom, it might not be a necessary feature.

With many people increasingly working from home, your room may also be the home for your study or work. Consider a window setting for an optimal working environment, but make sure to measure up your desk to ensure you have enough room to move a chair in and out.

Getting furniture into your bedroom

Before going ahead and making any purchases, it’s important to remember how the furniture will make its way to your bedroom. When measuring up your furniture for placement, make a note and compare this to every entrance way needed to get the piece in the room. What doors will it need to get through, and at what angle? Ensure that you’ve taken horizontal measurements to make absolutely sure it will fit.

Will it need to go up the stairs or down a tight hallway? Make sure you have enough clearance height, as well as wiggle room around banisters. Don’t forget anything external to your property too; if your building has a lift, measure both the door as well as the inside of the lift itself.

Before you go and choose pieces that will fit your desired spaces, take a moment to also consider how best to optimise the shape of your room. If the shape of your room is relatively irregular, for example, you may want to think about using rounder furniture to soften edges, such as a round table or soft armchair.

You should now be ready to get creative with the configurement of your bedroom! Browse our bedroom furniture collection to find the perfect pieces for your sleep sanctuary.

Lead image: Brompton range | @a_house_and_its_chows

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