Choosing a new wardrobe often starts on Pinterest.
You see a beautiful wardrobe, save it, and think: this is what I want.
However, the finest wardrobe is ultimately determined not by how it looks, but by how well it fits your daily life.
Before you start with colors, doors, and materials, there are a few things we always consider first.
1. What is actually hanging in your wardrobe?
It sounds logical, but take a real look at your current clothes.
Do you have mostly dresses and shirts? Then you need plenty of hanging space.
Does your wardrobe consist mainly of sweaters, T-shirts, and pants? Then drawers and shelves are probably more important.
After all, a beautiful wardrobe with the wrong layout is still just an inconvenient wardrobe.
2. What do you use every day?
Your favorite jeans don't need to be on the top shelf.
Items you use daily should ideally be between knee and eye level. Things you only need a few times a year can easily go higher up in the wardrobe.
Think, for example, of suitcases, thick winter blankets, or ski gear.
3. Drawers are often better than you think
We regularly see designs with a lot of shelves.
But for socks, underwear, sportswear, belts, and smaller items, drawers are often much more organized.
You pull the drawer open and see at a glance what is inside.
No stacks that need to be moved aside first.
4. Don't forget shoes and bags
Clothes usually get all the attention, while shoes and bags end up somewhere at the bottom.
Think in advance about how many pairs of shoes you actually want to store and whether you want to keep your bags lying down, standing up, or on a separate shelf.
That saves a lot of improvising later on.
5. Think about tomorrow, not just today
A wardrobe lasts for years.
Maybe you live alone now, but you will be sharing the wardrobe in a few years. Or perhaps two separate wardrobes will later become one large closet.
A smart layout can grow with those changes.
Sometimes an extra adjustable shelf is much more valuable than a very specific compartment that is only suitable for one thing.
6. Good lighting makes more of a difference than you think
Especially with dark interiors or deep wardrobes, lighting can make a huge difference.
Not just because it looks nice.
You simply see better what is hanging in your wardrobe.
Integrated lighting also provides that calm, luxurious feeling as soon as you open the doors.
7. Start with how you live
This is perhaps the most important one.
A wardrobe doesn't have to have the same layout as that beautiful one you saw online.
Maybe you want to be able to grab your sportswear immediately. Maybe two children are sharing one wardrobe. Maybe you have twenty pairs of shoes. Or perhaps you prefer to hang almost everything.
That is exactly why, when it comes to custom-made furniture, we prefer to first ask how you are going to use the wardrobe and only then what it should look like.
The best wardrobe feels intuitive
If a wardrobe is well-organized, you hardly notice it.
Everything has a logical place. You don't have to search. Tidying up is faster and the bedroom stays calmer.
And ultimately, that may be the greatest luxury of a custom-made wardrobe.
Not that it is perfect for a photo.
But that it works perfectly for you.
Niels from Matteo Studio
Designer
