Many homes in the UK contain alcoves, which are typically found either side of a chimney breast, although they can be design features in their own right.
However, in a bedroom this can present a challenge as freestanding furniture often doesn’t fit properly into an alcove, which either means you can’t put your furniture in there at all, or you lose even more space due to the gaps around the item of furniture in question.
This is why fitted wardrobes are an excellent option, because they can be designed to match the space you have available in your alcoves and therefore ensure that you’re making the most of all the potential storage space you have in your bedroom.
If you want to install fitted wardrobes in alcoves in your bedroom, an essential first step is measuring the alcoves accurately.
Step one is to measure the height of your room. To get an accurate height, take four measurements, one from each side of your alcoves (assuming there are two of them), ignoring coving or skirting boards.
If you’ve got fitted carpet in your bedroom, push down hard to make it as flat as possible when measuring.
Once you have your four measurements, write down the smallest one. This will be the height of your wardrobes to ensure they fit well in both alcoves.
Step two is measuring the width of your alcoves. Measure from wall to wall, again ignoring any coving or skirting boards. We find it’s best to take the measurement from mid-height so that you don’t have any features like that in the way.
Step three is to measure the depth of your alcoves. A standard wardrobe is 630mm deep, but you may want yours to be deeper or shallower depending on the alcoves in your home. By choosing made to measure fitted wardrobes, you can ensure they perfectly match your needs.
This is the fun part! Once you have your measurements, you’re ready to start designing the wardrobes that will fit into your alcoves.
Using our wardrobe planner, you can easily work out what storage space will work best for your bedroom.
All you have to do is enter the measurements you’ve taken into our online wardrobe builder tool and then you can start placing the different options to find the perfect combination.
To make life simple, we will show you options for different types of storage, which you can configure to suit you. Once you’ve chosen your cabinet options, you can decide how you would like that space to be organised.
Before you start picking your interior options, it is worth heeding the advice of one interior designer who told House & Garden that it’s essential to take stock of all the items you want to store in your wardrobe before you get to the design stage.
That way you can ensure that you have enough hanging space, shelves and drawers in your finished alcove wardrobes to suit your needs.
The style of your wardrobes, by which we mean the colour and design of the doors, as well as what handles you choose, really is personal preference.
Consider what colours will work with your room’s decor and choose a shade that appeals. When you’re choosing the colour of your wardrobe doors, don’t forget to think about whether you may want to update the bedroom’s decor in the future.
If so, it’s probably best to pick a neutral shade for your fitted wardrobe and select more vibrant colours or patterned wallpaper for the other walls in the room.
In a small room, you may want to select a paler shade or even opt for a gloss finish, as this can help bounce light around the room and make it feel larger.
When it comes to handles, think about the overall aesthetic of your bedroom. Also consider what other furniture you have and do your best to select handles and designs that will work alongside your existing pieces.
For instance, if your home is contemporary, with sleek lines and minimal clutter, completely flat doors are likely to be a good way to go.
If, however, your home has more traditional touches, you may want wardrobe doors that feature panels, either in a shaker style or with more traditional beading. The point is, when you are designing your own fitted wardrobes the choice is yours.
