How Do I... Design an Efficient Walk-In Wardrobe?

Pardon the pun, but no one fancies a clothes-tastrophe when the wardrobe doors are opened. Taming a wardrobe seems easier said than done, but you’ll definitely have the upper hand with the right space-planning measures and by being in tune with your storage needs.

Location, location, location
Yes, location is everything when it come to carving out the right area for your wardrobe. Mark Yong of Ewins, a leading distributor of Raumplus, an innovative wardrobe system from Germany, weighs in on the common locations. He advises homeowners to think about where to position their wardrobe. He asks: “Should it be within the master bedroom or can one of the smaller bedrooms be converted into a walk-in wardrobe?”

After identifying the right location for your wardrobe, the next thing to figure out would be a suitable layout. Yong explains: “Depending on the layout of the bedroom, homeowners could consider room-in-a-room concepts where only a part of the room can be used.”

Layout planning
These room-in-a room concepts developed by Ewins showcase individual bedroom-wardrobe situations. One (concept) occupies 50 per cent of the bedroom and the other, 25 per cent. It all boils down to how much storage space you need and how much space can be allocated for sleeping or in-room entertainment.

If you are concerned that the 50 per cent rule will close the space in, Yong recommends clear tempered glass as the infill for the sliding doors. This see-through design pairs well with an open-concept wardrobe system where you can sweep over the contents of your closet at a glance.

Another layout suggested by Ewins is the L-shaped wardrobe. “Corners are good storage areas that are often otherwise wasted by bad space-planning,” states Yong. “A corner or L-shaped wardrobe helps reclaim neglected but precious real estate space in hard-to-reach corners.”

Browse wardrobes

Wardrobe inventory
Keeping stock of your wardrobe contents will determine how big a closet space to go for. “A personal inventory list detailing the items of clothing you need to store can help estimate the dimensions for different groups of clothing items,” explains Yong. “Based on the different groups of clothing outlined in the list, you need to ask yourself if you can maintain the good habit of putting clothing or accessories back to the planned segments in the wardrobe after use or a wash.”

“If it is a challenge to put things back where they belong, it may be prudent to include wardrobe accessories to simplify the organisation process”, he adds.

Accessibility to everyday staples
Clothes and accessories that you don on a daily to regular basis should be easily accessible. Store it in a prominent area or if space permits, have it placed at a frontal position so it’s easy for you to grab and go.

Arrange your bottoms by colour with a pull-out rack. With this designated rack, removing and storing your bottoms will be a fuss-free affair which beats storing or sifting through a folded pile.

Additionally, you can include organisation tools like pull-down clothing racks and pull-out wire baskets so that every item can be easily sorted out. “Customised dividers within the drawers can also facilitate the organisation of smaller items like socks, underwear, belts and jewellry,” adds Yong.

No one wants their clothes smelling like gym sneakers. For those who want a shoe shrine in their wardrobe, consider a glass showcase to give footwear pride of place and to keep the funky odours at bay.