A wardrobe may come in many styles and can offer hanging space and drawer space.
Today, especially in America, when someone uses the word "wardrobe" she typically means the actual clothing you own and not an item of furniture that holds clothes. "Fitted wardrobe" is a term normally used in the United Kingdom to describe a built-in storage unit used for clothing. The freestanding wardrobes most often used today actually bare more resemblance to the French-named armoire, a freestanding closet cupboard made for clothing storage. Does this Spark an idea?
History
The first piece of furniture to bear the name wardrobe looked very similar to what is called a chest or a chest of drawers today. As time progressed, a wardrobe became an item not owned by everyone but only by those individuals considered well to do. The wardrobe morphed from a single-drawer unit into an actual room in the home, which contained shelving and locker units and earned the name wardrobe room. The wardrobe room held a person's shoes, hats, clothing and other personal items. As times progressed, wardrobes again changed into a built-in component of a room, with the face of the wardrobe protruding out from the wall while at least part of the walls of the unit were built into the home. While some older homes still contain built-in wardrobes, this style brought about the modern freestanding wardrobe unit that most know today.
Styles
More often referred to as armoires or cabinets, the wardrobes cabinets of today come in many different styles. Many individuals use the modern-day versions in rooms without a closet or in areas needing more storage. Smaller wardrobes may have only one door on the front of the unit or one door and a small set of drawers. Mid to large units may contain one door and a set of drawers or two larger doors, opening up to the storage area. Individuals who don't have a large amount of space may want to use a corner wardrobe unit. These units utilize corner spaces and add functionality to a not always usable section of a room. Unlike the days when a wardrobe was built into the walls, wardrobe buyers of today need to factor in the size of a unit before purchasing. Because wardrobe units normally contain both hanging space and drawer space, manufacturers normally construct tall wardrobe units to fit all of the storage needs into one piece.
Uses
Normally today, wardrobes or wardrobe cabinets are used to store articles of clothing and linens; however, these units have many more uses. Use a wardrobe to free up house space and store items, hold office equipment, serve as a television cabinet or even hold toys and items in a child's room.
Benefits
One of the biggest benefits of owning a wardrobe is the ability to have both a small closet-like space and drawers in a room that may not contain a closet, allowing individuals the ability to store clothing on hangers instead of having to place everything on shelves or in drawers. Besides the benefit of storage, many wardrobes offer a charming look to a room. Depending on the style chosen and the type of wood the wardrobe is made from, the unit may add an interesting or even old-fashioned look to the room. Many pieces are designed to look like the wardrobes of yester-year to provide the same amount of storage and a similar look of the storage units of the past.
Tags: built into, come many, drawer space, hanging space, hanging space drawer, look room, name wardrobe
