Are Sliding Door Wardrobes Better Than Standard Wardrobes?

Your wardrobe is one of the most significant pieces of furniture in your bedroom, but it is also one of the items that takes up the most significant amount of space. Adding ample storage to your room is important, but it’s also essential to balance the functional appeal your wardrobe provides with the footprint it takes up in your floor plan. 

Sliding door wardrobes are one of the ways to maximise space in your bedroom while offering plenty of storage and organisation for your belongings. But how do you know if sliding door wardrobes are the right choice for your bedroom? 

As with all furniture, there are pros and cons to the various configurations of wardrobes. We’ll take a look at some of the reasons that sliding door wardrobes may be preferable to standard wardrobes, as well as some of the reasons you may prefer a traditional setup for your bedroom. 

Sliding door wardrobes are space-savers for narrow bedrooms

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — when you are choosing new furniture for any room in your home, measuring is a key element of your decision-making. Your furniture needs to fit into your room, and it needs to be in proportion with the rest of your furnishings and decor so as not to make a space feel cluttered. 

Any time you are considering a piece of furniture with doors, drawers, or other features that open out — such as a storage cabinet, a recliner, or a dresser — you must not only consider the size of the piece itself, but also the area in front of the furniture, so that it can open fully and safely. 

Slide robes are often appealing because they avoid the need for this extra space around them as their doors slide to the side rather than opening outward. A sliding door wardrobe does generally need to be wider than its traditional counterparts, as you will need to slide a door from one side to the other, but it is an ideal pick if you are looking to furnish a narrow space. 

Sliding mirror wardrobes make your room feel bigger

It’s no secret that a full length mirror can create the illusion of space in a small bedroom. Not only does it give you the perfect opportunity to check out your ensemble before you leave the house, but a large mirror will reflect light, make a room appear larger, and simply add an elegant touch to a bedroom setup. 

This is another place that sliding door wardrobes can be appealing, as many come equipped with mirrored doors that provide these built-in features for your bedroom. And because you open one door by sliding it behind the other, when you are using a sliding mirror wardrobe you will always have one mirror panel visible — which is ideal for helping you choose what outfit you will wear in the morning. 

Traditional wardrobes allow for full interior visibility

While there are many reasons to love sliding wardrobes, there are also some reasons why you might prefer a more traditional wardrobe configuration. One obvious advantage that hinged wardrobes have over slide robes is that they allow you to fully view everything that you have stored inside. 

Because of the setup of sliding door wardrobes, half of the contents of the robe will always be covered by one of the doors. On the other hand, with a hinged wardrobe you can open all of the doors at once and view everything within. If you’re indecisive about your clothing and accessories each day, this can be a very appealing feature of traditional hinged wardrobes. 

Hinged wardrobe doors can be used for extra organisation 

One other major advantage of traditional wardrobes is that the hinged doors give you an additional space to store and organise smaller belongings. Many people like to outfit the backs of hinged wardrobe doors with hooks or hanging organisers to hold items such as jewellery or ties. You might also want to use this space to hang a full length mirror. Naturally, because the doors don’t open outward on sliding door wardrobes, adding these extra elements is only possible on hinged wardrobes.

However, if you prefer sliding door wardrobes but still need an extra space to keep accessories close at hand, there are still plenty of options to choose from. Consider a full-length floor mirror with a built in jewellery organiser, or opt for a wardrobe that has interior drawers or shelves. You can also put a hanging organiser on the hanging rail of the wardrobe itself, meaning that it will be right there where you need it as soon as you slide open the door. 

Spacious, stylish sliding door wardrobes and traditional hinged alternatives at Corcoran’s

The choice between slide robes and traditional wardrobes comes down to personal preference and what is best suited for your bedroom. There are definite positives to each configuration, and potential negatives depending on your own requirements and the layout of your space.

Whatever type of wardrobe you choose, however, you can find fabulous options at Corcoran’s Furniture on our website or in our Kerry and Limerick stores. Shop online now or call in today and let our expert sales team help you choose the perfect storage solutions for your bedroom.