Doors are the part of a fitted wardrobe you see and touch every day. They decide how the wardrobe looks, how much floor space it needs in front and how easily you can reach what’s inside. There’s no single best option. Each type has its own strengths.
This guide compares hinged doors, sliding doors and open storage, and looks at the details that matter in London homes.
Hinged doors
Hinged doors are the traditional choice. Each door swings open to show the whole section behind it. They suit period rooms well and can be made in many styles, from plain flat panels to framed doors that echo the room’s joinery.
Good for: full access to the inside, a classic look, and wardrobes with lots of different sections.
Watch for: the space needed in front for the door to swing. If the bed or a chest of drawers is close, a wide door may hit it. Narrower doors help.
Sliding doors
Sliding doors run along tracks at the top and bottom. They need no space in front to open, so they suit rooms where the bed is close to the wardrobe or a corridor is narrow.
Good for: tight rooms, long runs and a clean, simple look.
Watch for: you can only open part of the wardrobe at a time, because one door slides in front of another. The tracks add to the overall depth. The layout inside needs to work with where the doors overlap. Uneven floors and ceilings need care so the doors run smoothly.
Open storage
Open storage has no doors at all. Hanging rails and shelves are on show. It can work well in a walk-in wardrobe or dressing room, where the whole room is the storage.
Good for: walk-in wardrobes, quick access and a lighter feel.
Watch for: dust, and everything being on display. Many people mix open and closed storage: open shelves for shoes and bags, closed cupboards for everything else. See planning a walk-in wardrobe.
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How the room shapes the choice
Measure the space in front of the wardrobe before you decide. Think about:
- how close the bed or other furniture sits
- whether a room door, window or radiator is nearby
- whether the ceiling slopes, as it often does in a loft conversion
- whether the floor or ceiling is out of level.
Under a slope, hinged doors cut to follow the angle usually work better than sliding doors. Read fitted wardrobes under a sloping ceiling.
Inside the wardrobe
The doors and the inside should be planned together. With hinged doors, each section can be different: long hanging behind one door, shelves behind another, drawers behind a third. With sliding doors, drawers need to sit where they can open past the doors.
Think about what you own. Long coats and dresses need long hanging. Shirts and jackets can go on two rails, one above the other. Folded clothes suit shelves or drawers.
Finish and handles
Doors are usually the biggest painted surfaces in a bedroom. A smooth spray-painted finish suits flat, modern doors. Hand painting suits a more traditional look and is easy to touch up. Handles change how the doors look and how easily they open; some people prefer a cut-out or a recessed grip.
See choosing a paint finish for help with colour and sheen.
Quick answers
Are sliding wardrobe doors better than hinged doors?
Not always. Sliding doors suit tight rooms because they need no space to open. Hinged doors give access to the whole inside at once.
Do sliding doors work on uneven floors?
They can, but the tracks need to be set level, so uneven floors and ceilings need care when the wardrobe is fitted.
Can I have a wardrobe with no doors?
Yes. Open storage works well in walk-in wardrobes. Many people mix open shelves with closed cupboards to keep dust down.
Related services
More advice
- Storage Ideas for Small Bedrooms
- Planning a Walk-in Wardrobe or Dressing Room
- Fitted Wardrobes Under a Sloping Ceiling
- What Affects the Cost of Fitted Wardrobes?
- All advice
This guide is general information about fitted furniture. It isn’t legal, planning or building advice; for those, speak to the council, your landlord or managing agent, or a suitably qualified professional.