How to plan a wardrobe in a small bedroom

We get Mumbai based interior designer Rakeshh Jeswaani to highlight the dos and don’ts of planning a wardrobe

Storing clothes in a sorted manner is a dilemma we face very often. After all, you can never have enough garments to wear, but a wardrobe bursting at the helm is also quite a problem. So how do you accommodate everything in the small space you have? Interior designer Rakeshh Jeswaani spells out the essentials of planning a wardrobe:

· Size
For an average 200 sq ft bedroom, a wardrobe with a foot print of two ft by six ft is ideal. Have the wardrobes made as tall as possible, preferably up to the ceiling, so that the space above can be used to store luggage or other items which are not used regularly.

· Negotiating space in the wardrobe
Make sure hanging rods are six and a half ft - seven ft from the floor. An 18 inches to 24 inches door width is ideal. Hanging length should be planned based on the items that will be kept in that wardrobe. For instance, shirts and jackets require a certain length, whereas long outfits require a larger area. If possible plan a light within the wardrobe, which comes on automatically when you open the shutters.

· Kinds of doors
The most convenient are openable shutters as their locking systems are more secure. However, if space in front of the wardrobe is too tight, then sliding shutters are ideal.

· Utilising corner spaces
If you have an L-shaped wardrobe, corner space is best utilised by giving complete access from any one side. The most practical use of a corner is hanging rods, as clothes can be pushed in one corner and pulled out when required. It is best to plan open shelving at the bottom and not drawers.

· Visual relief
Put a mirror on the front of the wardrobe shutters so that it visually opens-up the space.

· Use the doors as well
On the inside of the shutters, plan various storage options such as racks for ties and belts or small fitted shelves for perfume bottles.

· Mistakes to avoid
At the bottom, after leaving a skirting of about three inches, build a large drawer. A lot of people leave an open shelf here, but it is inconvenient to use. Another common error is placing the hanging rod much higher to maximise space but this proves problematic on a daily basis.

Try and incorporate lights in your wardrobe itself for ease of getting dressed. If your wardrobe is in a corner, try extending it all the way so that it covers the entire space. This way you can utilise maximum space to store things.

Instead of drawers, think of having multiple shelves where you can stack things one above the other. Reserve maximum area for the space to hang clothes. You can even use the empty space above your wardrobe to stash shoe boxes, pillows, etc.

Extend your wardrobe right up to the ceiling for extra storage space. In the higher sections, you can store things you don’t need daily. Also, to make the wardrobe seem like an extension of the room, you can paint it the same colour as the rest of the space.