The idea of getting your thinking cap on, channelling your inner designer (or should that be inner interior designer?), and using a modern tool to design your wardrobe online may be hugely appealing. But to make the task worthwhile, it clearly makes sense to do something completely different from the norm.
Firstly, doing this means you won’t waste your time coming up with something too similar to an existing wardrobe that you could have gone out and bought from a furniture store or website. Secondly, this is a wonderful chance to bring your own imagination to bear and devise something unusual or even unique.
This will put your personal stamp on your home, which, for those who have exotic ideas of art and design that they might normally express while painting or drawing, could be brought to life in a different way.
However, while our tool does give you a blank canvas, there are a few practical considerations to blend with your big ideas, such as the constraints of space you may have. In addition, you don’t have to think of everything de novo, as you can take some inspiration from existing ideas and adapt them.
For example, the interior design website Real Homes has produced a list of 15 wardrobe ideas that some folk may be inspired by. Among the more interesting possibilities is using more glass, with the example pictured showing a sliding glass door beyond which the clothes are still visible even when they are closed.
If this simple, practical feature interests you, there is a lot you can do with it, while also considering issues of practicality, the wider décor and design of your home and any variations you might want to apply to the idea. The image shows two simple, plain, clear glass doors, but it doesn’t have to be quite like that.
Firstly, there is a practical consideration. It is not unusual for a wardrobe to have some glass in it, specifically in the form of an embedded mirror. This might be in a safe spot behind the door that can only be accessed by opening it, or high up, well above floor level.
The reason this may be important is if you have young children, or plan to start a family. You should consider whether having glass doors is a safe thing with lively kids running around and the potential for accidents.
If you do go with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, you will need toughened glass to prevent such a calamity. In any case, it should be shatterproof, so in the worst case of a broken door, it is like the aftermath of a bus shelter window that has been broken, without the elongated, razor-sharp shards that would pose such a danger if strewn across the carpet.
The compatibility of a wardrobe with glass doors with your home is not absolutely essential, in the sense that its practical benefits can still be attractive even if the home is not light and airy with lots of natural light. However, it is certainly a more compelling prospect from an aesthetic point of view if there is a clear match between architecture and wardrobe design.
Anyone with even a little knowledge of architecture will be aware that the most modern designs have a major focus on natural light and the widespread use of glass. Sometimes this is seen most in large buildings like skyscrapers, public buildings and transport hubs, but it can also apply to home design as well.
Whether in a home or a public building, a large, floor-to-ceiling window brings in more natural light and, apart from the vitamin D bonus, helps create a greater sense of space as well as a pleasant mood. This makes interiors wonderfully light in summer, but also makes the most of limited light in winter.
It is not just about windows either. Skylights and open-plan designs can add to this effect in both residential and non-residential homes, while glass balustrades and clear glass partition doors add to the effect. You may also have glass-fronted cabinets in the home.
If your home has these features, a wardrobe with glass doors will fit perfectly with it, partly because the aesthetic will match up so well, but also in practical terms because more natural light will make it even easier to see the contents of the wardrobe when the doors are closed.
Of course, plain glass will give you this kind of visibility and toughened glass will protect against accidents. But you might want to add a few other touches to introduce some novelty or personalisation.
A simple feature might include engraving your initials on the door, or some kind of motif or message. You might even want to add in something truly exotic, like a bit of stained glass. For real novelty, you can even include a bit of frosted glass in one section, perhaps to cover over the shelf where the lingerie is kept, so visitors don’t get a clear view of that!
Such variations can add to the artistry, but in all your endeavours, you must not neglect the practical aspects. That includes the basic and simple steps such as the length, depth and height of the wardrobe, how many shelves you want (and where), along with the amount of hanging space.
You may even decide to have two doors, one glass and one not, accessing different sections. One might open out onto the shelves, for instance, while a sliding door reveals the suits, shirts, ties, trousers and other items hanging up.
The great thing about using our online tool is that you can play around with lots of different ideas and variations, while taking a bit of time to consider what each of them will look like in the real-world space of your bedroom.
You might also consider this in the context of how much sunlight you get in the room and from what angles, with a south-facing room gaining the most from having clear glass to allow in more light and improve visibility.
Using glass inside a home is fashionable, stylish and practical. It might just be a great idea for your wardrobe design.
