It is the most common dilemma when designing a bedroom. There is no single answer, because it depends on the geometry of the room, your daily habits and the look you want to achieve.
Below we go through the main criteria, exactly as we look at them when we design your space:
Available space & geometry
The free space in front of the wardrobe largely decides the question:
- Hinged doors: They need about 50-60 centimeters of clear depth for the doors to open, plus enough room for you to stand comfortably.
- Sliding doors: The ideal solution when the bed or other furniture is close by. The doors move parallel to the wall, leaving the walkway completely free.
Access & functionality
A hinged wardrobe gives you a full view of the whole interior as soon as you open the doors, which is very practical when you are picking clothes in a hurry. With a sliding wardrobe, one door always overlaps the other, so half the interior stays covered at any given moment.
Interior layout
Real capacity depends on how the interior is designed. In our custom builds, the layout is planned entirely around your clothes:
- Purpose-designed hanging rods: Double rods for shirts and jackets, full-length hanging for dresses and coats.
- Ergonomic drawers: With soft-close runners and divider inserts.
- Adjustable shelves & shoe racks: Height-adjustable, so they can change as your needs do.
- LED lighting: Built-in LED strips with a motion sensor.
Built up to the ceiling
We build the wardrobe to the exact dimensions of the room, gaining up to 20-25% more storage, space that off-the-shelf wardrobes leave unused. In awkward spaces (attics or sloping ceilings, for example), a custom build is the only workable solution.
Look & materials
- Sliding fronts: Well suited to large, continuous mirrored surfaces (which make the room look bigger) or to clean, contemporary matte finishes.
- Hinged fronts: A natural fit for more classic or timeless designs, with paneled doors, routed details and distinctive handles. (See more in our materials guide.)
Hardware & long-term durability
The quality of the hardware determines how long the build will last. That is why hinged wardrobes get high-strength hinges with a built-in soft-close mechanism, while sliding wardrobes get heavy-duty tracks with ball bearings and end dampers for smooth, quiet running.
Cost comparison
For the same dimensions and materials, a sliding wardrobe usually costs 15-20% more, because of the specialized track hardware and the aluminum frame. Even so, the price difference rarely outweighs how well each option works in the space.
The basic rule
- Choose sliding if the space in front of the wardrobe is limited.
- Choose hinged if you have plenty of room and want to see all your clothes at a glance.
Alternatively, you can go for a hybrid solution, combining sliding doors on the main section with hinged tall units at either end for everyday clothes.
Book an appointment at our showroom to see the hardware systems up close, or browse our projects to get ideas for your own wardrobe.
Talk to us about your wardrobe