A good wardrobe starts with an inventory, not a mood board: metres of long and short hanging, pairs of shoes, folded piles, bags and the things you reach for every morning. This guide works through walk-in versus built-in, the dimensions that matter, drawers, lighting and finishes, for Perth bedrooms of every size.
Count what you own first. A built-in uses a wall you already have and costs less; a walk-in needs at least 1.5 m of clear width to be better than a built-in. Plan double hanging for shirts, one long-hanging bay per person, drawers for folded items and a lit, ventilated interior. Custom sizing is what makes the difference in older Perth homes with tall ceilings and odd corners.
Begin With What You Actually Own
Set aside time to list the clothing, shoes and accessories the wardrobe needs to hold. Separate short hanging from long garments, folded pieces from those that crease, and daily essentials from occasional wear. Measure the longest coat, the largest bag and the hangers you actually use. Photographs of the contents help turn a broad wish for more storage into a useful design brief.
For a shared wardrobe, make two inventories. Different routines deserve different arrangements, including separate areas for someone dressing early or returning late. Equal widths are only useful when they reflect the contents.
The Numbers Most People Don't Realise They Need
- Hanging: measure garments on their hangers, including their depth, drop and comfortable spacing along a rail.
- Folded shelves: measure your preferred stacks and plan divisions that keep them visible without becoming precariously tall.
- Drawers: work from usable internal dimensions, allowing for runners, dividers and the way you fold clothing.
- Shoes: measure actual pairs and boots; shelf spacing should reflect their height and how you reach them.
Walk-In or Built-In?
A walk-in wardrobe can create a pleasant dressing space and separate storage from the bedroom. Its value depends on what remains after circulation is allowed for. Compare usable hanging, shelves and drawers across both options, rather than comparing floor area alone.
Look at the whole bedroom plan: the bed, windows, bathroom entrance and places to sit or put down a bag. A wardrobe should support these relationships without crowding them.
In a walk-in, test the space with drawers extended and clothes hanging, including their depth beyond the cabinet. Consider whether two people will dress together and whether seated access is needed. A plan can appear generous while concealing a difficult junction between opposing drawers, a door swing and the route to the ensuite.
Try a simple full-size test before approving an unfamiliar arrangement. Mark the cabinet fronts on the floor, place a chair where you might sit to dress and check the proposed drawer reach. Include door handles, skirting and anything that projects into the room. Think about changing seasons too: bedding, luggage and occasional clothing may need a different home from everyday items. Recording those decisions makes the internal layout easier to assess than a drawing showing only empty shelves and rails.
The Built-In Advantage
A built-in can make good use of a bedroom wall while keeping the contents behind a coherent run of doors. Its interior can include considered lighting, drawers and accessories. Full-height joinery also deserves careful proportion: align door divisions with the room, and decide how high storage will be accessed before treating every space above the rail as equally useful.
A well-planned wardrobe makes the things you use most often easy to find and comfortable to reach.
Planning Hanging Space
Two rails within one bay can increase hanging capacity where the clothing is short enough. Check garment drops on their actual hangers and allow space to lift items off the rail. The upper rail also needs to sit within the user's comfortable reach.
Keep dedicated long hanging for coats, dresses and other full-length pieces. Allocate its width from the inventory, allowing for the clothing you expect to add or rotate seasonally.
Adjustable layouts can be helpful when needs change. Double hanging is an option to test, rather than a rule for every bay.
Placing Drawers Within Reach
Place frequently used drawers where their contents are easy to see and handle. For some people that means above a lower shoe shelf; others need everyday footwear and clothing higher up. Test reach and visibility with the intended user, including from a seated position where relevant.
Choose internal fittings around a clear purpose:
- Lined jewellery inserts separate small pieces and provide a clear place for items removed at night.
- Adjustable dividers organise folded clothing while leaving room to change the arrangement later.
- Pull-out accessory racks make scarves, ties or belts visible without using a full drawer.
- Soft-close runners add a controlled closing action; select them for drawer dimensions and intended loads.
Materials That Forgive
Wardrobe interiors benefit from smooth, cleanable surfaces and neatly finished edges. Decorative melamine-faced board is one option, with its thickness and supports selected for the spans and loads. Review nearby bathroom moisture and direct sunlight too. An enclosed wardrobe still needs a suitable specification; door finish, construction and hardware all contribute to its performance.
Door Options, Briefly
- Laminate doors offer consistent colours and woodgrain effects; inspect the face, edging and texture together.
- Mirror doors combine storage with a dressing mirror; consider reflected views and have the glazing correctly specified.
- Fluted glass introduces texture and partial visibility. Test a sample with the proposed interior finish and lighting.
- Painted MDF (two-pack) allows a tailored colour and profile, particularly where the wardrobe reads as bedroom furniture.
- Sliding doors avoid a hinged swing into the room, while overlapping panels affect access. Coordinate drawer positions with the actual door openings.
The Most Overlooked Component: Light
A ceiling light can leave the wardrobe interior in shadow, especially when you stand between it and the clothes. Plan illumination inside the joinery so the hanging areas, shelves and drawers can be seen without relying on light from the bedroom window.
Consider integrated LED lighting as part of the original design:
- Position fittings to illuminate contents while keeping bright light sources out of normal sightlines.
- Test colour appearance with clothing samples; colour temperature alone does not describe colour rendering.
- Choose door or motion controls that suit the layout and the household's morning routine.
- Coordinate lighting behind glass with the room, including a discreet way to switch it off.
Allow accessible locations for lighting components and arrange required electrical work through an appropriately licensed electrician.
Small Details That Quietly Matter
The Pull-Out Trouser Rail
A sliding trouser rack presents garments together for selection. Check its capacity against your clothing, and make sure it extends freely through the door opening.
The Valet Rod
A retractable rod offers a temporary place for an outfit or freshly collected clothing. Position it where garments can hang without obstructing access to neighbouring storage.
Soft-Close Everything
Controlled closing can make doors and drawers more pleasant to use. Compare the actual mechanisms, their opening effort and adjustment options before making them part of the specification.
Internal Hampers
Removable baskets keep laundry contained and easy to carry. Size them around your routine and consider access, cleaning and ventilation within the cabinet.
The most useful finishing touches come from the brief: a place for tomorrow's outfit, a drawer for small valuables or space for a suitcase. Bring that list to Bhadu with your room dimensions and preferred finishes. It gives the design a clear direction and makes the resulting wardrobe feel personal in daily use.
Questions we hear about this
Only when there is room. A walk-in needs 1.5 m of clear width for one-sided storage and about 2.2 m for two sides; below that a full-height built-in stores more per square metre and costs less.
Roughly one metre of double hanging (shirts, jackets, folded-over trousers) per person plus 600–900 mm of long hanging for dresses and coats, then adjust to your inventory. Hanging is quick to count; do it before the consultation.
They cost more upfront and store noticeably more, because they use the full height and width of the wall and are sized to your clothes. Doors, drawers and hardware are the same quality as our kitchens.
Yes — full-height cabinetry to a 3 m or higher ceiling is one of the main reasons owners of Federation and inter-war homes in Nedlands, Subiaco and Fremantle choose custom over flat-pack.
Related reading and services
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