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All guides and toolsIn short
- Choose sliding when an open shutter would hit the bed, door or desk.
- Hinged wardrobes cost less and show everything at once if you have the space.
- Plan the inside from what you own: long hanging, short hanging, drawers and a loft.
When sliding wardrobes make sense
If an open hinged shutter would hit the bed, a door or a study chair, sliding is the way to go. Sliding shutters also suit large mirror or glass panels and give a clean, modern look. They need good quality tracks and about 50 to 75 mm of extra depth.
When hinged wardrobes make sense
Hinged shutters let you see the whole wardrobe at once, cost less, have no tracks to maintain and suit rooms with enough clearance in front. They also work better when the wardrobe has many internal sections of different widths.
What matters more: the inside
Most wardrobe frustration comes from the interior. Plan it around what you own:
- Long hanging for dresses, kurtas and coats
- Double hanging rows for shirts and trousers
- Drawers for folded clothes and accessories
- Saree and dupatta pull outs
- A loft for suitcases and seasonal items
- A small locker and lighting inside
Depth and size
About 600 mm depth suits hanging clothes. Shallower 450 mm sections work for folded clothes and shoes in tight rooms. Keep shutters under about 600 mm wide for hinged doors so they do not sag.
Sliding vs hinged at a glance
| Sliding | Hinged | |
|---|---|---|
| Space in front | About 2 ft is enough | Needs 2.5 ft or more |
| Access | Half the wardrobe at a time | Whole wardrobe at once |
| Cost | Usually a little higher | Usually lower |
| Maintenance | Tracks need cleaning | Hinges need occasional adjustment |
| Looks | Seamless, large panels, mirrors | Classic, more design freedom |
Shutter finishes that work in bedrooms
- Matt laminate: practical, fingerprint friendly
- Fluted or grooved panels: adds texture without colour
- Mirror or tinted glass: makes small rooms feel bigger
- Fabric or leather inlay: softer, hotel like feel
- Veneer: warm and natural, best in larger rooms
Lights and accessories worth adding
Sensor lights that switch on when a shutter opens make a huge difference at night. Pull out trouser racks, tie and belt organisers, a jewellery drawer with a velvet tray, and a tilt out laundry basket are small additions that change how the wardrobe feels every day.
Designer tip: Put a mirror inside one shutter if there is no room for a full length mirror elsewhere.
Lofts done right
Lofts add a lot of storage but are hard to reach. Keep them for suitcases, seasonal clothes and festival items, use shutters that match the wardrobe below, and keep a folding step stool nearby.
Planning the inside of a wardrobe
| Section | Typical height | For |
|---|---|---|
| Long hanging | about 1500 mm | Dresses, kurtas, coats, sarees on hangers |
| Short hanging | about 900 to 1000 mm | Shirts, jackets, trousers folded on hangers |
| Shelves | 300 to 350 mm apart | Folded clothes, T shirts, bedsheets |
| Drawers | 150 to 250 mm | Innerwear, accessories, locker |
| Loft | 600 mm or more | Suitcases, seasonal and festival items |
Measure what you actually own. Count shirts, sarees, shoes and bags, and plan sections for each. A wardrobe designed from a real inventory almost always holds more than one designed from a standard template.
Couples sharing a wardrobe
Split the wardrobe by person rather than by item type, give each person their own long and short hanging, and put shared items such as bedsheets and towels in the middle section or loft. Avoid putting the most used section behind the bed side where one person always has to reach across.
Walk in wardrobes in apartments
A small room or a deep corner of 5 x 6 feet can become a walk in wardrobe with open hanging on two sides and drawers in between. Keep lighting bright and even, add a full length mirror and a small seat, and ventilate the space well so clothes do not smell musty in the monsoon.
Want us to design it for you?
If you would rather have a designer handle it, we offer wardrobe design, bedroom interior design, 3 bhk interior design, with AI renders of your own rooms before any work starts. We work across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, including interior designers in Andheri, interior designers in Kandivali, interior designers in Chembur, and take projects in other major cities.
Related guides: Modular kitchen layouts, Plywood vs HDHMR vs MDF, Monsoon proof interiors.
Free tool: Bed and Wardrobe Fit Checker
Written by
The Arch Interior Design Studio team
An interior design studio in Mumbai that plans homes room by room and shows clients realistic renders before anything is built.
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