subject: How to Plan a New Wardrobe [print this page] As an interior designer, my first question when designing a new wardrobe is... how many clothes to you have? It seems like an obvious question yet a lot of people don't even think about it. Some people have an enormous amount of clothes they've gathered over the years and need a super-size wardrobe to cater to it. Others only keep one season's attire in their wardrobe at any one time and put the rest out of the way in storage. Whatever appeals to you the most, make sure your new wardrobe has the right space for the job.
Next, I ask about the main aspects of your clothing collection. How much short hanging space do you need for shirts and jackets? How much three-quarter length space for skirts and trousers? And how much long hanging space for dresses and overcoats? Dedicating the right amount of hanging space is important; too much and your new wardrobe will look bare. But too little and it won't even serve its purpose...
Then I look into your personal storage preferences. Do you store your folded clothes on shelves or in drawers? Drawer space is very important - and if your wardrobe is too small to cater for this, it's always better to have a separate chest of drawers elsewhere in the room, saving the wardrobe space for hanging.
I recommend you always aim to have double hanging rails, using pull-down rails if necessary. Shoe storage is a big issue too - you must plan to have space for all your shoes! Decide if you want to keep them in see-though or open boxes, in dedicated shoe alcoves, or on shoes racks and ladders.
Most men will also want to consider tie racks and belt racks - or otherwise store these long items rolled up in drawers with dividers between them. These can be lined with leather or silk for extra style. Meanwhile, women should be sure to look after handbags, keeping them on shelves so they're not crushed on the floor or storing them in special pull-out trays designed just for clutch bags.
Cedar hanging rails are a luxury feature that keep moths away, but cedar blocks will also do the job. I suggest you avoid padded hangers as they take up too much space (unless you have a huge walk-in wardrobe!) and to use wooden hangers instead. I always ensure the wardrobe has sufficient depth to allow all clothes to hang without being squashed. And don't forget about mirrors! A full length mirror inside a wardrobe door is a must in my book.
