Wardrobe Colour Combinations for Indian Bedrooms

A wardrobe covers more of a bedroom wall than anything else in the room, often 8 to 10 feet wide and up to the ceiling. Its colour decides the room's mood more than the paint does, and, unlike paint, it is expensive to change.

That is why most people play it safe with a single wood-grain laminate. It is a reasonable choice, but a well-planned two-colour wardrobe can make a small bedroom feel larger, break up a long wall and tie the wardrobe to the bed and the walls.

Here are wardrobe colour combinations that work in Indian bedrooms, and how to choose between them.

How two-colour wardrobes are arranged

The most common arrangement uses one colour for the main shutters and a second for a central section, such as the dresser, a mirror panel or an open shelf. It makes the wardrobe look designed rather than built.

Another approach uses one colour for the main wardrobe and a contrasting colour for the loft shutters, so the loft reads as a separate band at the top. In rooms with a 10-foot ceiling, this can make the room feel taller.

A third approach alternates colours by shutter, for example, wood-grain on the outer doors and a solid colour in the middle. This suits long wardrobes of 9 to 12 feet.

Vertical splits look better than horizontal ones in most bedrooms. A horizontal split halfway up the wardrobe cuts the room in two.

Wardrobe colour combinations that work

White and light oak is light, warm and suits every size of room. It is the safest choice for a small bedroom.

Grey and white gives a modern, calm look and works with white or grey bedding.

Walnut and beige suits master bedrooms with a darker wood bed and warm lighting.

Sage green and light wood is a soft, natural combination that has become popular for bedrooms in the last few years.

Navy and light oak makes a strong statement on a master bedroom wardrobe, especially with brass handles.

Taupe and cream is a quiet, warm pairing that suits traditional and modern rooms alike.

Light grey and dusty pink suits a girl's room or a young adult's bedroom without looking childish.

Powder blue and white works well in children's rooms and in bedrooms that open onto a balcony.

Charcoal and wood grain suits large rooms with good daylight. In a small or dark room it can feel heavy.

Mint and white is fresh and light for guest rooms and children's rooms.

Matching the wardrobe to the room

Match the wardrobe to the bed or the floor, not to the curtains. Beds, floors and wardrobes stay for many years; curtains and bedding change.

If the bed is dark wood, use a lighter wardrobe to balance it, or match the wood tone on part of the wardrobe. If the bed is upholstered in fabric, the wardrobe can pick up a colour from the headboard.

Keep the wall colour behind and around the wardrobe a shade lighter than the wardrobe, or the same colour for a built-in look. A full-height wardrobe in the same light colour as the walls almost disappears, which works well in small rooms.

Finishes and how they wear

Matte and suede laminates hide fingerprints and fine scratches best, and they look calm. They suit bedrooms better than gloss.

High-gloss laminate and acrylic reflect light and make colours look richer, but every handprint shows. Use them on one or two panels, not the whole wardrobe.

Wood-grain laminates and veneers age well and hide wear. Real veneer needs polish every few years; laminate does not.

Lacquered glass and mirror panels add light and reflection. A mirror on one wardrobe panel doubles as a full-length dressing mirror.

Colours to be careful with

Pure white high-gloss looks crisp on the first day and shows every fingerprint, scuff and yellowing edge band within a year. A warm off-white in matte is easier to live with.

Very dark wardrobes, such as black, deep brown or charcoal across a whole wall, absorb light. In an apartment bedroom with one window, they make the room feel smaller and harder to light at night.

Bright colours, such as red, orange or bright blue across a full wardrobe, can feel loud on a wall you see every day. Use them on a single panel, a niche or the inside of an open shelf instead.

Wood-grain laminates that try to imitate real wood too closely can look flat next to a real wooden bed. Pick a wood-grain with a clearly different tone, or match the real wood closely using a physical sample.

Colours for small bedrooms

In bedrooms of 10 by 10 or 10 by 11 feet, keep the wardrobe light: white, off-white, light grey, beige or pale oak. A full-height light wardrobe reflects light and makes the room feel wider.

Add depth with a darker handle, a wood-grain dresser section or a single coloured panel rather than a dark wardrobe.

Handles and profiles

Handles affect how the colour reads. Black handles sharpen white and grey. Brass handles warm up navy, green and walnut. Profile handles built into the shutter edge keep a long wardrobe looking clean.

Choose the handle finish with the laminate samples, not afterwards.

Test colours in your own light

Ask for full-size laminate samples and hold them against the wardrobe wall at different times of day. Bedroom lighting is usually warm, around 2700K to 3000K, which makes greys look beige and whites look cream. A colour chosen under the bright white lights of a showroom often looks different at home.