Wardrobes
Built-in wardrobes that read as architecture
A built-in wardrobe runs wall to wall and floor to ceiling, so it stores more per square foot than almost any other closet. We plan custom wardrobes to the millimeter, with hinged or sliding doors, lit interiors and fronts that sit quietly in the room.
Illustrative interior
01Why built in
The case for a built-in wardrobe
A 10 ft wall of wardrobes, 24 in deep, takes about 20 sq ft of floor and holds as much as many walk-in closets — because the bedroom itself is the aisle. Freestanding furniture leaves gaps at the ceiling and the sides that collect dust; a built-in wardrobe is scribed to the walls and ceiling, so it reads as part of the house.
That is why we often recommend wardrobes for secondary bedrooms, guest rooms and Los Angeles homes where the primary bedroom has generous walls but no spare room for a walk-in closet. The interior follows the same rules as our other closet systems: hanging, drawers and shelving in proportions worked out from what you own.
In earthquake country, tall units are always secured to the wall structure, and we plan that fixing into the design rather than leaving it to the day of installation. Need closet lighting inside? We plan that at the same time.
Planning a kitchen too? Try fronts and colors in our kitchen configurator, then book a consultation and we will choose wardrobe finishes that work with it.
02Doors
Hinged, sliding or handleless: choosing the doors
Hinged doors
Full access to the whole interior at once. Each door needs its own width of clear floor in front of it — usually 18–24 in.
Sliding wardrobe doors
No swing, so they suit narrow rooms and beds placed close to the wardrobe. You see one section at a time, and tracks add a few inches of depth.
Handleless fronts
Push-to-open hardware or a recessed grip channel keep the wall flat and calm — the look we also use in handleless kitchens.
Glass fronts
Smoked or clear glass with a lit interior turns part of the wardrobe into display, without letting dust in.
03Dimensions
Built-in wardrobe dimensions
- Interior depth
- 24 in (610 mm) for hanging; about 24–26 in overall with hinged doors
- With sliding doors
- About 26–28 in overall, to allow for the double track
- Hinged door width
- Typically 16–24 in (400–600 mm) per door
- Sliding panels
- Usually 30–48 in wide; two or three panels per run
- Height
- To the ceiling, with a scribed filler; 8–9 ft ceilings are common in LA homes
- Internal drawers
- Set back behind hinged doors, and kept clear of the overlap zone behind sliders
04Interiors
What happens behind the doors
We plan wardrobe interiors in vertical bays. A typical bedroom wall might combine one bay of long hanging, two bays of double hanging, a drawer stack and a narrow shelf column for folded knitwear and bags.
Interior finishes matter more than people expect. A warm oak interior behind a pale lacquer front makes clothes look better under light than a white carcass, and it costs little extra. Lit rails and sensors switch on as the doors open.
05Fronts
Wardrobe front finishes
- Warm greige matte lacquer
- Light oak
- Smoked oak
- Walnut
- Smoked glass
- Black matte
- Warm greige matte lacquer
- Quiet, warm neutral for a whole bedroom wall
- Light oak
- Calm grain that suits Californian light
- Smoked oak
- Depth and character for primary suites
- Walnut
- Rich grain for a statement wall
- Smoked glass
- Display bays with lit interiors
- Black matte
- Graphic contrast in pale rooms
Are sliding or hinged wardrobe doors better?
How deep should a built-in wardrobe be?
Do you sell German wardrobes?
Can a wardrobe hide a TV or a desk?
Keep exploring
Related
- Walk-in closetsA walk-in closet works when three numbers are right: 24 inches for hanging, at least 36 inches to walk, and enough rail…
Closet lighting & accessoriesCloset lighting is the difference between finding the navy jacket and grabbing the black one. Warm…
Handleless kitchensHandleless kitchen cabinets replace handles with a recessed channel or a push-to-open mechanism, so fronts read as one…
3D kitchen configuratorPlan a Nolte kitchen online — layout, fronts, worktop, lighting and gadgets — with a ballpark budget.
Book a consultationTell us about your project and plan a visit to the Glendale showroom.
Consultation
Plan your project with a NOVAHAUS designer
Bring a floor plan, a photo or simply an idea. We will walk the showroom with you, talk through layout, materials and budget, and map out the next steps.