How Much Space Do You Need in Front of a Wardrobe?
Enough to open the doors, step back and look at your clothes. Hinged and sliding doors need different amounts.
Leave 90 cm (36 in) in front of a wardrobe to open the doors and step back. 60 cm (24 in) is the least that works. Hinged doors swing out by about their own width, so a door 50 cm (20 in) wide needs 50 cm (20 in) of clear floor and a little more for you to stand. Sliding doors need only the room to stand and reach.
The Numbers
- Comfortable: 90 cm (36 in) in front of the wardrobe. The doors open fully and you can stand clear of them.
- The least that works: 60 cm (24 in). The doors open and you can reach in, but you stand close.
- Room depth for a wardrobe against a wall. A 58 cm (23 in) deep wardrobe plus 90 cm (36 in) in front needs about 148 cm (58 in) of floor depth. With 60 cm (24 in), about 118 cm (46 in).
- Drawers inside need the length of the drawer in front of you as well, so a wardrobe with pull-out drawers needs the larger number.
Hinged or Sliding Doors
A hinged door swings out into the room by its own width, so a wardrobe with two 50 cm (20 in) doors needs 50 cm (20 in) of free floor in front of each, plus room to stand. A bed or a chair in the path stops the door from opening.
Sliding doors stay inside the width of the wardrobe, which is why they suit narrow rooms. The trade-off is that you can only open half of the wardrobe at a time.
Common Problems
The classic mistake is a wardrobe that fits the wall but not the doors, because the bed foot is 50 cm (20 in) from it. Check the door swing against the bed, the bedroom door and any radiator.
A wardrobe beside a door also has to leave room for that door to open. Draw both on the plan before you buy.
Check Your Actual Wardrobe
Paste the link to your wardrobe into Nooked, place it in your room at real size and see the space in front of it.
Common questions
- How much clearance do you need in front of a wardrobe?
- 90 cm (36 in) is comfortable and 60 cm (24 in) is the least that works.
- How much space do hinged wardrobe doors need?
- About the width of one door in free floor in front of it, plus room to stand. A 50 cm (20 in) door needs 50 cm (20 in) of clear floor.
- Do sliding wardrobe doors save space?
- Yes. They stay within the width of the wardrobe, so only the space to stand and reach is needed in front.
Check the actual wardrobe in Nooked
Nooked is a furniture fit checker and decision tool that lets shoppers place real furniture at real scale before buying. Compare finds from different stores and build a moodboard of pieces that fit together in size and style.