An armoire is built as a freestanding cabinet rather than a fitted unit, so you construct a full box with a finished back, add a plinth at the base and a cornice at the top, then hang panelled double doors on the front. The distinction matters: a fitted wardrobe can rely on the wall behind it, while an armoire is seen from more than one side and has to stand on its own as a piece of furniture. That single difference shapes every decision in the build.
The traditional form is a tall two door cabinet with a single hanging rail, a shelf above and often a drawer or two below. Building one takes a weekend or more depending on the level of detail in the doors, and the finish deserves more attention than a standard carcass because nothing is hidden.
Three features distinguish an armoire from an ordinary wardrobe carcass. It sits on a plinth or on feet rather than straight on the floor, which lifts the piece visually and keeps the base off a damp or uneven surface. It usually carries a cornice or moulded top, giving the silhouette weight. And the doors are panelled rather than flat, whether that is a genuine frame and panel construction or an applied moulding on a flat door.
Because the sides are visible, they should be finished to the same standard as the front. In a traditional build the sides are often panelled to match the doors, which is more work but reads as a properly made piece rather than a box with decorative doors.
Traditional armoires are tall and comparatively narrow, commonly around 900mm to 1200mm wide, 600mm deep and 1900mm to 2100mm high. Depth is the figure to protect: internal depth of 570mm to 600mm allows hangers to sit front to back, and reducing it forces a front to back rail that holds far less.
Before settling on the height, measure your ceiling and the diagonal you will tilt the cabinet through when you stand it up. Also measure doorways, the stair turn and any landing, because an armoire is one of the few pieces genuinely difficult to move once assembled. Building it in the room where it will live is usually the sensible approach.
In smaller UK bedrooms an armoire can dominate. It works best where the room has generous ceiling height and where the piece can be seen properly rather than squeezed between a bed and a window. Where space is tight, a lower unit with a mirror above achieves more.
Use 18mm sheet material for the sides, top and base, and run the sides full height so the load passes straight to the plinth. Join the top and base between them with dowels and glue, pocket hole screws or biscuits, depending on what you have.
Assemble flat on a protected floor. Bring the frame square by measuring both diagonals and adjusting until they match. Because the back of an armoire may be seen, use a thicker back than you would on a fitted unit: 9mm to 12mm board fixed into a rebate looks and sounds far better than 6mm hardboard pinned to the rear edge.
Add a solid rail across the top front edge between the sides. This resists the sides bowing inward and gives you something substantial to fix the cornice to.
The plinth is a simple frame set back from the front face by around 15mm to 25mm, which creates a shadow line and stops the base looking heavy. Build it from the same material, mitre the front corners, and make sure it is level before the carcass goes on top. Adjustable feet inside the plinth are worth adding, since they let you correct an uneven floor without packing.
The cornice can be as simple or as detailed as you like. A single piece of shaped timber mitred at the front corners is enough to change the character of the piece. Fix it to the top rail and the side edges with glue and pins rather than screws through the face. Keep the projection modest if the ceiling is low, as a deep cornice on a tall cabinet in a low room looks compressed.
True frame and panel doors use stiles, rails and a floating panel in a groove, which allows timber to move with seasonal humidity. If you have a router and the patience, this is the proper method and the result is excellent.
There is a straightforward alternative that suits most home builds. Take a flat 18mm door blank and apply a moulding to the face to create the panel outline, mitring the corners. Painted, it is very hard to distinguish from a framed door, and it avoids the accuracy demands of grooved joinery. Two panels stacked vertically suit a tall armoire better than one large panel.
Hang the doors on three concealed hinges each, or on decorative butt hinges if you want visible hardware suited to the style. Set the centre gap first, then the depth, then the height, and aim for a consistent gap of around 3mm. Fit a magnetic catch or a ball catch at the top, and on a pair of doors add a slim astragal or centre stop so they close against each other cleanly.
Keep it simple and useful. A single full width rail with a shelf above it is the traditional arrangement and works well for coats, jackets and dresses. Support the rail centrally if the span exceeds around 900mm, otherwise it will bow under weight.
A shelf at the top holds bedding or luggage, and a drawer at the base is useful but adds meaningful work. Running the drawers as a separate piece of furniture is often the better use of your time, and our wooden chest of drawers UK sale selection covers finishes that sit comfortably beside a painted or stained armoire.
If the armoire is intended for a guest room, leave the interior generous rather than divided. Guests need hanging space and a shelf, not a complex layout.
Fill and sand every joint before finishing, and pay particular attention to the mitres on the plinth and cornice, since the eye goes straight to them. Prime MDF edges thoroughly: they absorb paint unevenly and a raised edge on a moulding will show.
Paint suits the traditional form well, with a satin or eggshell finish being more forgiving than gloss on a large surface. On hardwood, an oil or wax finish brings out the grain and can be refreshed later. Either way, apply thin coats and sand lightly between them.
Hardware sets the tone more than anything else at this stage. Aged brass or dark iron pulls suit a traditional armoire, while a simple bar handle pushes it toward something more contemporary. Fit the handles last and measure from a common reference point on each door.
Building an armoire is rewarding, and it lets you set the exact height, depth and finish. It also demands patient work on the doors and the mouldings, which is where the piece either succeeds or looks approximate.
If the appeal is the look rather than the making, a ready made unit gets you there with a factory finish and hardware already matched to the door weight. Our modern wardrobes UK sale range includes traditional and contemporary designs, and the 2 door wardrobes UK group is closest to the classic armoire proportion. To finish the room, a piece from our modern dressing tables UK collection pairs naturally with a tall cabinet, and the wider bedroom range at Furniture in Fashion is organised by style so finishes can be matched without guesswork.
An armoire is a freestanding cabinet, usually with a plinth, a cornice and panelled doors, finished on the sides because it is seen in the round. A wardrobe is a broader term that includes fitted runs and plain freestanding units.
Between 1900mm and 2100mm suits most rooms, but check that the diagonal will tilt upright under your ceiling. In a room with low ceilings, reduce the height rather than the depth so hanging space is preserved.
Yes. Use flat door blanks with applied mouldings to create the panel effect rather than cutting grooves. Painted, the result is very close to a framed door and considerably easier to make accurately.
They are tall and comparatively narrow, so an anti tip fixing is strongly advised, especially where there are children in the home or a heavy top shelf. A single bracket into a stud is enough.
Allow 570mm to 600mm internally for hangers to sit front to back. Less than that and clothing presses against the doors, which creases garments and stops the doors closing properly.
Making your own wardrobe can take three quite different forms, and choosing the right one…
Sliding door wardrobe prices in the UK fall into three brackets: ready made freestanding units…
Wardrobe smells come from three things acting together: moisture, still air and worn clothing in…
Bar stools can often be shortened, but only some types, and telling them apart is…
Cut down your wardrobe by emptying it completely, sorting by category rather than by shelf,…
Building a built in wardrobe follows a fixed order, and the two stages that decide…
This website uses cookies.