If you’ve decided that 2026 is the year you’re going to sort out your bedroom and make it a tidier, nicer space, then fitted wardrobes are likely on your agenda.
They are the best option if you’re looking for bedroom furniture that not only perfectly fits your space but that also matches your decor choices precisely. This could be helpful if you want to follow one of the top bedroom design trends for the year ahead, like using a nurturing colour palette.
But one question we often get asked is how to measure accurately to ensure the fitted wardrobes you receive, well, fit.
Before you reach for your measuring tape, there are a couple of decisions you should make.
There are three main types of fitted wardrobe that we offer and for each you will need different measurements. So, before you even think about measuring your space, make sure you know what kind of wardrobe you want in your bedroom.
The three most common options are:
Although measuring up for the depth will be the same process in all cases, there are variations when it comes to finding the correct height and width of your fitted wardrobe.
This is the easiest of the three measurements because wardrobes are typically 630mm deep. Measure out from the wall to see if this works for your space. If our standard depth of wardrobe isn’t what you’re looking for, you can contact us to speak to one of our designers.
For both wall-to-wall and corner fitted wardrobes, you need to measure the height from the floor to the ceiling in three different places in your room.
If your bedroom has carpet, make sure you push this down hard to make it as flat as possible. Disregard any coving or skirting boards. What you need is the full height of the room. Make a note of each measurement as you go.
For corner fitted wardrobes, you ideally want to measure the height in the corner of the room where the wardrobe will be located and then take one measurement from each wall that the wardrobe will sit along.
Depending on how high your ceilings are, you may want to enlist some help. Once you’ve got your three measurements compare them and don’t be surprised if they aren’t all the same. Look at what the smallest measurement is – it’s this one you’ll use.
Then make sure that there is no more than 20mm difference between your biggest and smallest measurements. If you’ve got more than a 20mm difference, contact us to get some advice from our experienced furniture designers.
If you’re measuring for alcove fitted wardrobes, you need to measure for height at four points – two in each alcove.
Again, make sure that the difference between the two measurements for each alcove is not more than 20mm and make a note of the smallest figure.
For a corner wardrobe, which won’t run the entire width of your wall, you simply need to measure how far along the wall you’d like your wardrobe to extend. Our wardrobes are provided in sections that are 1000mm wide, so ideally opt for a multiple of this figure.
If you are intending to fit your wardrobe across two walls of your room, make sure you measure the width in two places between the locations of your height measurements.
For alcove wardrobes, you obviously need to measure the width of each alcove. Don’t make the mistake of assuming they will both be the same, as there can be variations, especially in older, period properties.
You only need to take one measurement per alcove for the width, ignoring skirting boards or coving as you did when you measured for the height.
When you are measuring for wall-to-wall fitted wardrobes, you need to take three width measurements at different heights. As before, make a note of each figure and look for the smallest. If it is more than 20mm smaller than the biggest number, contact us to discuss next steps.
On average, it takes around 30 minutes to measure accurately for a fitted wardrobe. This is a task that can be easy to rush, but our advice is to take your time and, if you’re unsure, measure more than once.
As the old saying goes, “measure twice, cut once”. You certainly don’t want to design a wardrobe specifically for your bedroom, only to discover when it arrives that you got your measurements out by a centimetre.
That doesn’t sound like much, but trust us, it will make a difference!
