The short answer
Usually, yes. A wardrobe stops at seven feet, and on a typical Bengaluru wall a loft adds about 2ft 6in of storage above it for suitcases, bedding and anything used a few times a year. It is not worth it when the space above is under 1ft 6in.
In this guide
What a loft is for
A loft is a row of cupboards above the wardrobe, from the top of the wardrobe at 7ft towards the ceiling. It is for what you need a few times a year, not every day: suitcases, winter blankets, festival decorations, the spare mattress, documents in a box.
We add a loft to every wardrobe with a wall tall enough for one, unless you turn it off. It is the usual way to build, and it uses wall that would otherwise collect dust.
How tall should it be?
| Size | What it means | |
|---|---|---|
| Smallest loft | 1ft 6in | Below this it is a shelf you cannot reach into |
| Wardrobe below it | 7ft | Seven feet, whatever the ceiling |
| Tallest, loft included | 9ft 10in | Above this the wall is left bare |
| On a 9ft 6in wall | 2ft 6in | A loft tall enough for a suitcase on its side |
The loft takes the height the wall gives, up to that limit. If there is a beam across the top of the wall, the loft stops under it.
What doors does a loft have?
Always hinged, even over a sliding wardrobe. A sliding track that high is hard to reach and hard to keep running. The loft doors line up with the wardrobe doors below, so the front reads as one.
Sliding or hinged covers the choice for the wardrobe itself.
When to leave the wall bare
- The space above is under 1ft 6in. A loft that short holds nothing useful.
- Nobody will climb to it. If there is no step stool in the house and nobody will use one, the loft stays empty.
- The room feels low already. In a room with a low ceiling or a false ceiling, a loft can make the wardrobe wall feel heavy.
- There is a window or AC unit high on that wall. Plan the loft around it, or leave it out.
From our designer
People often want to drop the loft to save money, then ask where the suitcases will go. I suggest keeping it on the wardrobe you open least, usually in the guest room, and deciding the rest room by room.
— An Ekatan designer
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Common questions
Does a loft cost extra?
Yes, it is priced as its own item on your quote, next to the wardrobe. Turn it off while you plan and the price updates.
Can I reach a loft without a ladder?
Most people need a step stool. That is why a loft holds what you use a few times a year.
Can I have a loft with sliding wardrobe doors?
Yes. The wardrobe slides; the loft above it has hinged doors.
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