Should You Opt for Sliding or Hinged Wardrobe Doors?

If you’re a budding fashionista, someone who values a good selection of clothing, or simply a homeowner who wants to keep a level of order in their bedroom space, having a good wardrobe is essential. But what many homeowners don’t consider in enough detail is the type of wardrobe door to opt for – not least in terms of aesthetics but also in relation to accessibility, space, and maintenance. 

Look at it this way – your wardrobe doors will likely be used every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Because of this, you need something sturdy, built to last, and able to hold the weight of a potentially large wardrobe door. 

Let’s take a closer at this key element of bedroom interior design and compare two popular options: hinged and sliding wardrobe doors. 

Sliding vs. hinged wardrobe doors

Sliding doors work by sliding open and closed – immediately presenting a space saving option in that they don’t open out into the room. This means that when dressing a space, you don’t have to worry about leaving sufficient room around the wardrobe to allow the doors to open fully, though there have been endless instances of sliding doors being fitted incorrectly and getting stuck or not sliding smoothly. 

Hinged doors on the other hand work like standard doors, using a series of hinges to hold them in place and allow the swinging motion. While you need to be wary of the amount of space left around the wardrobe to enable a full range of motion, these types of wardrobes are generally the more portable kind and are more accessible on a budget. 

So, how do you know which is the better option for your home?

Benefits and limitations of sliding doors

Sliding doors work in a similar way to concealed and bespoke storage, offering homeowners a way of containing their clothes in a space-efficient portal. Sliding doors are also sturdy and can hold a greater weight, with many opting for mirrored fronts to provide a large mirror to compliment their wardrobe 

One of the main limitations of sliding doors is that when you open one part of the wardrobe, you slide the door over another part – meaning your access to the wardrobe is restricted to one area at a time. Another limitation is the style and type of room that a sliding door wardrobe can fit in, with regular shaped rooms the easiest to fit due to the straight lines needed for the sliding mechanism. 

Benefits and limitations of hinged doors

One of the major benefits of a hinged door in comparison to a sliding door is that you can open your wardrobe out completely and see and have access to everything at the same time. Hinged doors can also be easily worked into any interior style or design, with bespoke joinery and interior specialists able to adjust and adapt the shape of the doors and the body of the wardrobe to suit any space in your home. 

The main drawback of a hinged door is the need to understand weight limitations, with the hinges only able to hold a certain weight effectively and safely. This often means that multiple doors are needed to cover large wardrobes in order to ensure that each hinge is not placed under undue pressure, and that hanging accessories like mirrors needs to be done under caution. 

Consider a custom made wardrobe

One approach to interior design is to opt for custom made furniture to ensure that specific demands are met and that the customer ends up with a product that ticks all the boxes for their own needs.

A custom made wardrobe enables you to look at the space you want to use and have a wardrobe built specifically for that space – using tailored pieces to slot the construction and body of the wardrobe into a suitable corner or section of the room. The most common bespoke wardrobes are hinged as they are far more versatile and can fit into tight and odd-shaped spaces, though we also offer a selection of sliding wardrobe door solutions for modern homes and for smaller spaces where maximising the use of space is a focal point. 

A bespoke wardrobe also gives you more choice over the finish and materials used, under the guidance of your chosen joinery company, who can create a handcrafted item to your specification and preference. 

To discuss your next project and help you decide on a suitable wardrobe construction for your home, get in touch with us and we’d be happy to talk you through what we can offer. And best of all, with modern innovation bringing such a large selection of materials to the commercial market, we can help you find the perfect finish to suit your home and interior style.