Small spaces can be daunting. What can you possibly do in such a small space? The answer is: quite a lot if you are clever and creative in your design, and you make sure to maximise absolutely all the space available.
Aside from using the surface area to the fullest, there are also a lot of space-saving ideas within the wardrobe design that can give you more to work with.
So don’t be afraid of a compact bedroom; embrace the concept and challenge your creativity to come up with a completely unique idea so you can have a bespoke built-in wardrobe in a small space that will make anyone with the space for a free-standing wardrobe jealous.
Where To Start
Any small space will feel even more cramped if it isn’t organised well, so strategic placement of built-in wardrobes and cupboards is an important consideration.
Take a good look at the room and consider the flow of the room. You don’t want to place something right in the middle of an area and block the flow or traffic as doing so will only make the room feel more cluttered.
You also don’t want to build your new wardrobe in an area that will be difficult to get to. Awkward spaces can be reserved for items that are not frequently used. Also, it’s a good idea to avoid blocking any natural light as this will make the room feel even smaller and more cramped.
Clever use of glass and mirrors incorporated in your design will help to provide a feeling of light and space.
Don’t Be Afraid Of Angles
Sloping ceilings, alcoves and recesses, walls that meet at angles other than 90 degrees and oddly-shaped rooms can be challenging to try and decorate and furnish.
These nuances can be the ideal space for a custom-made wardrobe, because they cannot be used to accommodate any standard furniture which is dependent on rectangular or square spaces to fit into.
Built-in wardrobes in small spaces like these can hide these odd-shaped angles that often make a room feel smaller and less inviting than it actually is.
Embrace these angles and use them to your advantage. Design custom-made furniture that fits precisely in and around them, and then paint the wardrobes in the same colour as the walls and ceiling to create a sense of continuity and a single space, rather than lots of different aspects and angles.
This clever hack helps to blend the wardrobe into the walls whilst making use of dead space.
In loft rooms and rooms with sloping ceilings, you can often build units into the lower pitch of the roof, utilising storage in an otherwise unusable space. Utilise built-in drawers or search for pull-out, low-level hanging rails that are angled and designed for sloping spaces. These are ideal if you need more hanging space.
Consider Building Around Things
A wall with a window in it, especially in a small room, is often an unsuitable space for free-standing wardrobes, so think about how you can turn this area into a feature. Build all around the window frame and utilise the whole of the vertical space available without blocking any of the light.
Placing strategic lighting and spotlights will also help to highlight areas that might otherwise block the natural light flow into the room. Create an inviting window seat if the window is particularly low and the space underneath seems too small for any use. The seat can double up as a storage box also, as well as becoming an appealing feature in the room.
In a long, narrow room where you can fit the bed and not much else either side, consider building out the wall behind your bed and fitting wardrobes into it. You can also create a double-sided piece of furniture by having one side of the furniture doubling up as storage and a bedside table, while the other half can be used as a fully-featured wardrobe.
Always utilise the entire vertical space to maximise the storage availability.
Simple Solutions To Optimise Space
Fitted wardrobes are designed to fit seamlessly and precisely into the specific dimensions of the space you have available. They should look like they are part of the overall design of your room, not separate pieces of furniture packed together.
Instead of having traditional doors that open into the (already small) room, consider sliding doors, as they require no extra space to open. Also consider mirrored or glass-panelled doors, as this can help create an illusion of more space, and brighten up a darker room.
When designing your room, having open shelving can also create a lighter and more airy feel, and also help display some of your favourite items. If you have a lot of accessories to store like hats and scarves, then you could always build an over-door organiser, as this is a space that is very often overlooked as storage.
Shoe-racks are ideal for anyone who has a lot of shoes and wants to keep them organised, and they can work extremely well in a small room. Drawer dividers are another great invention for organisation, and are essential if you want to keep your space tidy and clutter-free.
Hanging rails and shelves can be hidden behind curtains, preventing the need for doors. It’s a good idea to keep as much floor space free as possible, and utilising under-bed storage will be key to this.
As you can see, the options for built-in wardrobes in small spaces are endless. With clever consideration and smart planning, even the smallest room can be transformed into a functional and inviting space.