Decorating
10 Reasons to Love White Wardrobes
Clean, crisp and soothing, white is a stylish choice for a wardrobe, whether built-in or freestanding, as this selection demonstrates
Only a few decades ago, freestanding wardrobes were typically made from pine or mahogany. These were large, heavy-looking pieces that dominated a bedroom and were deep enough to sit in during childhood games of hide and seek.
Today, though, the white wardrobe is big news. Whether custom-made to fit a whole wall or a tricky space, or proudly freestanding, it has become a much-loved choice. White can help a chunky wardrobe feel less obtrusive or update a vintage piece, and will work with pale or dark walls. It’s just so versatile, as these 10 examples show.
Today, though, the white wardrobe is big news. Whether custom-made to fit a whole wall or a tricky space, or proudly freestanding, it has become a much-loved choice. White can help a chunky wardrobe feel less obtrusive or update a vintage piece, and will work with pale or dark walls. It’s just so versatile, as these 10 examples show.
Go up and over
Wardrobes built around a bed have lots of benefits. The wall against which a bed is positioned is often rather underused, so building storage against it squeezes lots more value from it. The way the bed ‘slots in’ and nestles within the wardrobe structure makes anyone in the bed feel cocooned and cosy. In addition, the sides of the wardrobe can be fitted with lights or small shelves, improving functionality.
In this bedroom, the choice of white knocks back what is actually a good amount of storage, blending it with the wall and allowing the bed to take centre stage. This design is a particularly good choice for a small room.
Wardrobes built around a bed have lots of benefits. The wall against which a bed is positioned is often rather underused, so building storage against it squeezes lots more value from it. The way the bed ‘slots in’ and nestles within the wardrobe structure makes anyone in the bed feel cocooned and cosy. In addition, the sides of the wardrobe can be fitted with lights or small shelves, improving functionality.
In this bedroom, the choice of white knocks back what is actually a good amount of storage, blending it with the wall and allowing the bed to take centre stage. This design is a particularly good choice for a small room.
Double up
The alcoves either side of a chimney breast make a natural home for clothes storage, but building in is not the only option. Simply source two matching wardrobes that will neatly occupy the alcoves to create a symmetrical look. If you can’t find the perfect pair in white, simply paint wooden ones. The baskets on top of these shapely numbers add further storage and detail.
A wardrobe that sits on legs rather than the floor will also help a room feel bigger, as you can see the flooring stretching away beneath it.
The alcoves either side of a chimney breast make a natural home for clothes storage, but building in is not the only option. Simply source two matching wardrobes that will neatly occupy the alcoves to create a symmetrical look. If you can’t find the perfect pair in white, simply paint wooden ones. The baskets on top of these shapely numbers add further storage and detail.
A wardrobe that sits on legs rather than the floor will also help a room feel bigger, as you can see the flooring stretching away beneath it.
Make it mirrored
Mirrored wardrobe doors will help increase the feeling of space, which is helpful in a small bedroom. If the scheme is white, the mirrors will simply reflect that back, so the colour scheme remains the same but the sense of light and airiness is boosted.
Mirrored wardrobe doors will help increase the feeling of space, which is helpful in a small bedroom. If the scheme is white, the mirrors will simply reflect that back, so the colour scheme remains the same but the sense of light and airiness is boosted.
Keep to clean and simple
Built-in wardrobes are a wonderful bedroom solution, offering maximum storage in any space. When it comes to designing the doors, there’s much to be said for keeping them simple, especially if you’re installing a whole wall of wardrobes. Plain white doors with push-catch fittings look unobtrusive and beautifully minimal, helping the room feel airy and open, even though it’s home to generous storage.
Built-in wardrobes are a wonderful bedroom solution, offering maximum storage in any space. When it comes to designing the doors, there’s much to be said for keeping them simple, especially if you’re installing a whole wall of wardrobes. Plain white doors with push-catch fittings look unobtrusive and beautifully minimal, helping the room feel airy and open, even though it’s home to generous storage.
Cut it out
Wardrobe space with hanging storage can be slotted into even a narrow room, as these clever units demonstrate. By creating a cut-out section in each at bed height, there’s space for a book, clock or glass of water, neatly incorporated within the slim, floor-to-ceiling wardrobe.
Wardrobe space with hanging storage can be slotted into even a narrow room, as these clever units demonstrate. By creating a cut-out section in each at bed height, there’s space for a book, clock or glass of water, neatly incorporated within the slim, floor-to-ceiling wardrobe.
Play with perception
The graphic, monochrome scheme in this bedroom extends to the wardrobe. It’s cleverly been made to blend into the wall, despite its size, by continuing the horizontal black lines of the wall across its sides and doors. There’s an optical illusion effect to this, making the wardrobe almost disappear into the scheme.
Discover how to give your home an injection of designer style
The graphic, monochrome scheme in this bedroom extends to the wardrobe. It’s cleverly been made to blend into the wall, despite its size, by continuing the horizontal black lines of the wall across its sides and doors. There’s an optical illusion effect to this, making the wardrobe almost disappear into the scheme.
Discover how to give your home an injection of designer style
Invest in an armoire
Blessed with ornate detail and generous storage, a French armoire is a great bedroom piece that’s surprisingly versatile, too. It will slot in beautifully with a soft, country scheme, but can also look funky and fresh when teamed with more unusual pieces in an eclectic bedroom like this one. Choose crisp, chalky white for a clean look or distressed off-white for a more vintage feel.
Blessed with ornate detail and generous storage, a French armoire is a great bedroom piece that’s surprisingly versatile, too. It will slot in beautifully with a soft, country scheme, but can also look funky and fresh when teamed with more unusual pieces in an eclectic bedroom like this one. Choose crisp, chalky white for a clean look or distressed off-white for a more vintage feel.
Add some angles
Simple, plain white doors, as seen earlier, are not the only option for a wall of bespoke wardrobes. This storage works as a design feature thanks to its interesting, angled doors. They complement the bed, which is also set at an angle, and bring unusual detail to the space without swerving from the simple white scheme.
Simple, plain white doors, as seen earlier, are not the only option for a wall of bespoke wardrobes. This storage works as a design feature thanks to its interesting, angled doors. They complement the bed, which is also set at an angle, and bring unusual detail to the space without swerving from the simple white scheme.
Ditch the door
Create the most informal of wardrobes by fixing a hanging rail into a corner of a bedroom. Here, a simple timber structure, painted white to blend in with the walls and ceiling, has been built around the bed to carve out shelf and hanging space from a tiny corner of the room.
TELL US…
Do you have a white wardrobe in your bedroom? Tell us why you like it in the Comments below.
Create the most informal of wardrobes by fixing a hanging rail into a corner of a bedroom. Here, a simple timber structure, painted white to blend in with the walls and ceiling, has been built around the bed to carve out shelf and hanging space from a tiny corner of the room.
TELL US…
Do you have a white wardrobe in your bedroom? Tell us why you like it in the Comments below.
Sometimes it’s pleasing to make a large piece like a wardrobe feel smaller by painting the wall behind it in a matching shade. However, if space allows and the white wardrobe is worth showing off, a contrasting, dark paint colour makes an exciting backdrop, framing it beautifully and allowing all its detail to sing out. This is especially effective with an ornate vintage design like this.
Get expert advice on achieving the perfect paint finish