Fitted wardrobes in alcoves - design tips

[helentheheron]

I'm about to get wardrobes fitted either side of the chimney breast in my bedroom and I'd love to hear any tips/positive stories/horror stories from others who have had this done. Aesthetic and practical advice both welcome. My main worry at the moment is whether to get them full height (i.e. right up to the ceiling) or a foot(ish) lower. It seems like having them lower would be wasting valuable storage space but would being able to see the wall behind maybe keep the room looking spacious (iyswim)? Also not sure whether to go for plain shaker style or more fancy beading etc on the doors. And then there's the question of how to design the inside..

For info, room height is 2.57m. Alcoves are 1.14m and 1.04m wide. House is pretty standard London Victorian terrace.

Any advice would be gratefully received - I am crap at this design business!

I'd go to the ceiling with cupboards above the wardrobe - you can never have too much storage and you just end up with a dust trap on top of them otherwise.

In terms of design I think simple, but not completely plain is less likely to date. Do you have any panelled internal doors in the house? You might want to consider matching your wardrobe doors to them.

For the interiors, would some half hanging space and drawers be useful? Think about what you have that you want to store in them. Can you have hinges which allow you to open a door right back - easier access and you could also put a full length mirror on the inside of the door.

Ooh, thanks for the tips wowfudge.

Yup, our inner doors are paneled so could copy those, that is a really good idea (not that the existing doors actually match each other, now that I look at them, but hey ho).

Fully opening doors and a mirror also a great idea.

You don't think its worth leaving a gap so the sides of the chimney breast are still visible then? I am massively in two minds about it and have no faith whatsoever in my personal taste

No gap.

Add shelves at the top, possibly with separate doors.

No gaps. Do you have coving and/or a picture rail? You will need to bear those in mind. And YY to matching to existing doors/architrave etc

Re: chimney breast. I think it depends how deep the alcoves are but if you leave a gap, what are going to do with it? Attempt to ram a duster in there once in a blue moon?! Is there still a fireplace or a hearth in the room? You could take the wardrobes right across and have shelves on the chimney breast, possibly some sort of shoe racking?

Have a look on Houzz and Pinterest for ideas and see what different things look like and also on Rightmove in your area to see what other people have done in what are likely to be identical houses.

It seems the "no gap" view is pretty unanimous!

No fireplace there at the moment. Dp wants to put shelves across the chimney breast, I'm arguing for fitting a reclaimed fireplace.

No coving or picture rail either.

Have looked at pinyerest etc, but rightmove is a good plan.

Compromise - fireplace and some shelves across chimney breast. Just a couple in the same finish as the wardrobes.

Another vote for no gap, it will be a dust collector.
Fitting a mirror inside is a good idea.

Think about how much hanging space you need and of that how much full length and how much half length with shelf/shelves above.
You could also have a mirror on the chimney Brest above a decorative shelf.
Or a nice picture.

If you have lots of tops and jackets, as opposed to dresses and coats, then two hanging rails one above the other are more useful than extra shelves.

Thanks all - the advice is much appreciated