Here’s a Guide to Buying the Perfect Wardrobes

Consider a house with no wardrobe. Isn’t it like having a library without any shelves? All is dispersed, mislaid, nearly disjointed. Wardrobes are not merely pieces of furniture containing clothes, they are points of reference in everyday life. They bring the burden of morning routines, festival outfits and that item that you only wear once a year but will never ever part with again. To others, a wardrobe is better than fashion because it may conceal letters, jewellery at a wedding, family treasures or the stuff that it only occasionally emerges during spring cleaning, namely childhood photos.

When it comes to selecting the most appropriate wardrobe to wear at home the task is hardly ever a simple one. Enter a shop or go surfing and you will be ruined with endless options: sliding or hinged, engineered wood or teak, free-standing or built-in. The abundance of choices are too much at times. That is why it is good to get a room outside and see who they are but not a box with doors but a continuation of how you live, move and breathe at home.

This guide simplifies it, including the kind of wardrobe used, the material used to make the best wardrobe, including hacks in storing the wardrobe and styles of designs. You should not just know what wardrobe furniture belongs in your house at the end of it, but also why.

Understanding the Types of Wardrobe

Wardrobes are available in various varieties and being aware of the simplest item will cost you less and regrets as well.

Free-Standing Wardrobes
The most common view at Indian houses. They do not require much effort to purchase, carry around, and they also operate in any form imaginable. It is your safest bet in case you live in rented space or frequently change your place of residence. Consider them as a good friend that keeps their side when it is required the most, and does not have to be permanent.

Built-In Wardrobes
To home owners, who desire order and efficiency. These wardrobes are mixed with your walls making use of every inch of space. They are investments that are made forever, clean and contemporary and once they have been installed they are there. They are ideal with the people who are guided by permanency and detested by clutter.

Sliding Door Wardrobes
Fitted for narrow rooms where swinging doors are often found banging against furniture. Sliding wardrobes have a neat, modern touch and they are more often mirror finished which is a significant advantage as it tends to make your room larger than it actually is.

Walk-In Wardrobes
The dream, which is eternalised in movies and Instagram posts. Not every person can afford a walk-in but when there is room and you have a massive collection or a luxury to show off with nothing comes better than to literally walk into a room and behold a museum room.

Modular Wardrobes
The urban favourite. Modular wardrobes are custom-cut units in pre-designed units with the features such as shoe rack, jewellery machine, or loft office. They find a compromise between personalisation and price, providing you with sufficient flexibility at a price that is not as high as even a full-fledged custom build.

Choosing the Best Material for Wardrobe

Wardrobe can succeed or fail during the use of material. It determines the number of years your wardrobe will last, the weight it will bear, and also how it will grow along with your home.

Solid Wood: Traditional, powerful and vintage. Even a teak, oak, or sheesham wooden clothes wardrobe will last decades. But all beauty has an expense and solid wood is costly. It is also climate responsive - damp clouds cause the swelling of wood, so ask yourself before you settle beside a sea.

Engineered Wood (MDF, HDF, Particleboard): Cheap and Trim. Engineered woods are available in various finishes and durable to use on an everyday basis. But they’re not immortal. Used to a good purpose in short to medium terms.

Plywood: Made middle of the road. It has laminates and veneers in its place and often it is the unmitigated hero of Indian carpentry.

Metal:powerful, practical, and non-hypocritical. Intrusive in industry designs or low key houses. However, the truth of the matter is that a metal is more of a utilitarian than a warm quality.

Glass or Mirror Finishes: In most cases, these finishes are applied along with the use of wood/ or metal frames and serve to create light and depth to smaller rooms.

The ideal material to use in a wardrobe would depend on the budget available, the plans of designing, and the period of the year. As such, a plywood that has a laminate can fit right in the damp Mumbai monsoon but a tree trunk piece as specified such as teak will be a better pick in drier regions such as Delhi or Jaipur.

Think Storage, Not Just Style

Wardrobe furniture is not all about pretty appearances. It has to work with your life. Ask yourself:

• Will you require an additional hanging space area to house saris, suits and formal wear?

• Are you more of a jeans-and-t-shirt type which requires shelves and not rods?

• Would you have safety-deposit boxes?

• Do you have accessories to accommodate or do you require shoe racks?

The wardrobe ought to represent you. One that matches improperly will cause frustration daily. 

Design and Style Choices

A wardrobe must be a part of your home since it cannot work when it does not match the whole order of a room.

In the case of minimalist interiors, plain laminates or mirror door sliding wardrobes are easily absorbed to give the entire interior a simple and clean look. Conventional houses glisten with wardrobes that are made of solid wood which is usually cut or polished. Modular wardrobes with glossy finishes, neutral colours and intelligent interior systems of apartments represent a practical but stylish interior pattern. Small rooms will benefit because of the loft extensions, sliding doors, or mirror panels that also work as dressing units but use less space. Even colour creates the vibe: you can always rely on whites, greys, or beige; but brights such as navy, dark green, or even jewels can also become a feature of your wardrobe.

Getting the Dimensions Right

Having a wardrobe that consumes your room is no better than having a wardrobe that drowns you in clutter. A conventional depth of a clothes wardrobe is approximately 24 inches, except sliding wardrobes which may be narrower. You can experiment with the height-ceiling-floor wardrobes where blankets, suitcases, and winter clothes must have somewhere to rest in an Indian household.

Measure your room carefully. When you buy hinged wardrobes, ensure that doors open completely without slamming on your bed or table.

Features and Budgeting Smartly

Latest wardrobes also offer technologic amenities such as pull-out racks of trousers, drawers that somewhat close automatically, an inbuilt light, a jewellery box, a shoe shelf and a mirror panel that can act as a personal assistant even predicting needs and making mornings easy.

Wardrobes may cost as low as Rs. 10,000 or Lakhs. The cost is dependent on size, material and customisation. Engineered wood or modular wardrobes would also be a reasonable solution in the case when one would be supplying an apartment or temporary house rented. The materials to invest in a long-term house include solid wood or high quality plywood.

Bear in mind that a wardrobe is a thing that you buy once annually. Plan, not only the present but also the duration of your budget usage.

Caring for Your Wardrobe

The loveliest wardrobes require love. Do not overload the shelves unless used in MDF or units of particleboard. Install moisture collectors in a wet climate. Clean or wipe down surfaces as frequently as possible to avoid dust accumulation. And change the hinges or sliders to operate with ease after every few months.

A Cultural Note on Indian Wardrobes

Wardrobes in India have never been furniture. These were addressed by the older generations as almirahs, which still have an impactful meaning today. They held not only saris or shirts, but family silver, wedding saris, clutches of letters and occasionally even house savings beneath the folded clothes.

Wardrobes are more modern nowadays. However, they are still the protectors of memories as much as organisers of fabric. 

Conclusion: The Wardrobe as a Partner in Living

A wardrobe is not just a piece of furniture. It keeps your junk and your valuables, your present and your past. In selecting one, consider how you will be living, what you cherish and the degree to which you will be willing to invest in longevity.

Along with the style free-standing clothes wardrobe, slick sliding doors unit, or ideal walk-in wardrobe of your dreams, the most appropriate wardrobe is the one that helps you get to the mornings with ease and compliments your room. Measure, plan and make a good choice. If you look at it afterall, a wardrobe is your companion which quietly holds the stories of your home safe within itself.