Dreamy Sliding Door Wardrobes That Evoke Envy

Space-saving and chic, sliding door wardrobes can either be barely visible or take centre stage

Sarah Warwick 27 May 2019

Houzz Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist and editor writing for nationals, magazines and websites. A serial house revamper, I love great design, beautiful interiors and practical solutions.

Houzz Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist and editor writing for nationals, magazines... More

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Making more of what we’ve got when it comes to interior design is a constant goal for many of us, and choosing sliding doors in place of those that swing out into the room can be a huge bonus in the space-boosting stakes. And whether in a corner or across a whole wall, sliding doors can conceal a wealth of hanging rails, drawers and racks from floor to ceiling behind them, too. In sleek, fuss-free contemporary finishes, textural wood, pale finishes or bold colours, they’re a winning option. Check out these designs to admire.

IQ Furniture

Stretch the dimensions
A generous wardrobe – even one that takes up a whole wall from top to bottom – needn’t mean a smaller-looking room. In this bedroom, the pale reflective finish of the doors bounces light back into the room to increase the light and airy feel of the space, and even subtly reflects the view of the outside.

Inbetween Architecture

Slide away
Consider barn door fixings as an alternative to a track for a sliding door walk-in wardrobe. Designed to take the weight of doors across large openings, they’ll give a scheme a utilitarian twist, and work well in sleek, no-frills schemes as well as in their more traditional settings. In this room, they’re teamed with a black door for a look that’s contemporary, but a rustic wood door would work where a more rugged note is required.

Shop around if you’re looking for barn door fixings – you’ll find that prices vary hugely.

Jute Interior Design

Fit in more
More than just a wardrobe, sliding doors conceal a walk-in dressing area in this bedroom and fit where hinged doors just wouldn’t go. Look out for a design where the door slides right back to open up the contents entirely rather than criss-crossing with other panels to boost useful storage. Here, a rustic rail again works beautifully in a modern setting.

Other alternatives when it comes to space-saving doors? Try pocket doors that disappear into the wall when they’re opened or bifold doors that need half the depth of a conventional door to open into.

Take a look at these multitasking doors with hidden storage

Giambastiani Design

Look in
Concealing the wardrobe’s contents isn’t always the goal. These doors allow the clothes on display to create decorative interest in this bathroom location, adding soft textures to a room that’s necessarily heavy on harder elements. As they slide rather than opening with hinges, it’s possible to place other storage in front of them, keeping the floor space as generous as possible. Avoid clutter when a display’s visible by rounding up small items into matching baskets.

Kubbi Ltd

Double the value
The enduring style of panelled steel windows and room dividers can be captured with sliding wardrobe doors. In this room, rather than plain glass, mirrored panels have been used, giving the old favourite for wardrobe doors a contemporary update. That doesn’t hold them back from performing the clever trick of making the room look twice the size as the floor space is still reflected.

Contemporary Bedroom Children's White Sliding Wardrobe Doors with Chalk Board Finish

Write on
With a blackboard finish, sliding wardrobe doors become an easily changeable feature of the decor. Blackboard paint is easy to find in DIY shops, so there’s no reason not to give plain doors a makeover.

nimtim Architects

Open wide
The way into a walk-in wardrobe, these sliding doors are handmade bespoke Shoji screens. Closed, they let soft light into the wardrobe and, open, allow it to flow freely from the adjoining room. Want to get the same serene look? Using sliding doors with frosted glass or even adding window film to glass panels will give a nod to traditional Japanese doors.

Check out these 10 ways to have an amazing walk-in wardrobe

Tamar Schechner/Nest Pretty Things Inc

Patch it up
Don’t like the idea of pattern on all four walls, but want a decorative hit? Wallpapering a sliding door is a speedy solution. A single patterned paper will make a great feature, but for the granny chic look that gives vintage a modern twist, create a patchwork design. A coat of designed-for-the-job varnish will protect the paper from day to day.

Westcott Construction Ltd

Go for wood
Timber sliding doors may be a better complement to a period property than gloss, lacquer or glass. In this home, they coordinate beautifully with the interior door and add a warm, organic touch that’s continued by the wide painted floorboards.

If you’re renovating and removing original doors, save them and see if you can reuse them in this way. There are also lots of specialist salvage yards and online shops that have thousands of period doors, so you should easily find the right fit for your wardrobe design.

Oliver Burns

Take a peek
The sliding doors in this dressing area make locating clothes speedy without showing all that’s inside the wardrobe. Made to match the dark wood drawer unit, they’re at one with the space’s formal feel, while a white work surface and carpeting balance the room’s darker tones.

Read more:
5 Reasons to Get Internal Sliding Doors

Tell us:
Have you experimented with sliding door wardrobes too? Share the images in the Comments below.