Planning Your IKEA PAX Wardrobe: A Complete UK Guide
If you've ever stood in an IKEA store feeling slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of wardrobe combinations, you're not alone. The PAX wardrobe system is one of IKEA's most popular products in the UK, and for good reason — it's modular, relatively affordable, and surprisingly flexible. But getting the planning right before you buy is absolutely essential, otherwise you could end up with a beautiful wardrobe that simply doesn't fit your room.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know about using the IKEA PAX planner UK tool, understanding PAX dimensions, planning your bedroom layout, and — crucially — how a free browser-based room planner like the one at freeroomplanner.com can help you see the bigger picture before you spend a penny.
What Is the IKEA PAX Planner?
The IKEA PAX planner is an online configuration tool provided directly by IKEA that allows shoppers to design their own PAX wardrobe system. Available on the IKEA UK website, it lets you:
- Choose the width, height, and depth of each PAX frame
- Select doors — hinged, sliding, or no doors at all
- Pick internal fittings such as shelves, drawers, pull-out rails, and shoe organisers
- Mix and match finishes and colours
- Generate a parts list and estimated total cost
For a comprehensive overview of the planning process, including free PAX planning tools and tips, see our dedicated guide. The IKEA PAX planner UK version is tailored to UK pricing, availability, and metric measurements, which is helpful given that not all IKEA products are available in every market. It's a genuinely useful tool for configuring the wardrobe itself — but it has one significant limitation: it doesn't show you how the wardrobe will look in the context of your actual bedroom.
That's where a full room planner becomes invaluable.
Understanding IKEA PAX Dimensions
Before you start planning anything, it pays to get familiar with the standard PAX frame sizes available in the UK. PAX frames come in the following widths:
- 50 cm — ideal for narrow alcoves or to fill a gap
- 75 cm — the most versatile mid-size option
- 100 cm — great for a generous single-section wardrobe
Heights available are typically 201 cm or 236 cm, and the standard depth is 58 cm (or 35 cm for the shallower version). These dimensions matter enormously when you're planning a built-in or alcove wardrobe, and getting even 10 cm wrong can mean the difference between a perfect fit and an awkward gap.
Standard vs. Built-In PAX Configurations
Many homeowners in the UK use PAX wardrobes in one of two ways: as a freestanding unit pushed against a wall, or as a built-in installation using PAX frames fitted into an alcove or recess. For the built-in look, you'll often need to combine different frame widths to fill the space as precisely as possible.
For example, a 240 cm wide alcove might be filled with a 100 cm + 75 cm + 50 cm + 15 cm filler panel combination. Getting this right requires careful measurement and a good understanding of your room's geometry — including any skirting boards, coving, or irregular angles.
Why the IKEA PAX Planner Alone Isn't Enough
The IKEA PAX planner UK tool is excellent for configuring the wardrobe internals, but it doesn't help you answer some of the most important questions a homeowner faces:
- Will the wardrobe doors clear the bed when open?
- Is there enough circulation space to open drawers comfortably?
- Does the wardrobe work with where the door swings?
- Will sliding doors obstruct the window?
- How does the wardrobe affect the overall flow and feel of the bedroom?
These are layout questions, not product questions — and they require a room planning tool to answer properly.
Using a Free Room Planner to Visualise Your PAX Wardrobe
This is where freeroomplanner.com comes in. It's a completely free, browser-based floor planner — no sign-up, no email, no download required. You simply open it and start drawing.
Here's how you can use it to plan your PAX wardrobe installation:
- Draw your bedroom walls — Use the snap-to-grid function (set to 10 cm increments) to draw an accurate floor plan of your bedroom. Measure your room carefully beforehand and input the dimensions. The tool displays live measurements in metres, centimetres, and feet.
- Mark doors and windows — Add your door swing and window positions so you can see potential conflicts with wardrobe door openings.
- Place your wardrobe footprint — Use the furniture tool to drop in a wardrobe item and resize it to match your planned PAX configuration. For example, a 3-frame PAX at 100 + 75 + 75 cm would give you a 250 cm wide unit at 58 cm depth. Drag and resize the furniture block to these exact dimensions.
- Add the rest of your bedroom furniture — Place your bed, bedside tables, chest of drawers, and any other items. The bedroom planner includes 30+ furniture items ready to drag into your layout.
- Check circulation space — Can you walk comfortably around the bed? Is there enough space to open drawers? These questions become immediately obvious when everything is laid out to scale.
- Export your plan — When you're happy with the layout, export it as a PNG to save, share, or print.
This approach means you arrive at the IKEA PAX planner (or at your local IKEA store) already knowing exactly which frame sizes you need and how they'll fit. It removes the guesswork entirely.
Tips for Accurate PAX Planning in Your Room Planner
- Always measure your room in at least three places — walls are rarely perfectly straight
- Measure from skirting board to skirting board if you're installing freestanding; measure to the bare wall if building in
- Account for the 58 cm depth plus any door protrusion (hinged doors typically add 50–60 cm of swing space)
- If using sliding doors, remember they reduce internal access width by approximately 50%
- Check ceiling height — if you're going for the 236 cm frames and have a ceiling lower than 240 cm, you'll need to plan carefully
Common IKEA PAX Planning Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Having a visual floor plan helps you avoid the most common mistakes homeowners make when planning a PAX wardrobe. Here are the pitfalls to watch for:
1. Ignoring Skirting Boards
Standard PAX frames don't sit flush to the floor if there's a skirting board in the way. You'll either need to remove the skirting, cut a notch, or use IKEA's plinth system. Factor this into your depth measurements.
2. Not Accounting for the Door Swing
Hinged PAX doors require significant clearance in front of the wardrobe. If your bed is close to the wardrobe, you may find the doors cannot open fully — or worse, hit the bed frame every time. Using the free bedroom planner to lay everything out to scale will reveal this problem immediately.
3. Misjudging Ceiling Height
The 236 cm PAX frames are designed for standard UK ceiling heights of around 240–250 cm. If your bedroom has a lower ceiling, coving, or a sloped surface, you may need to stick with the 201 cm frames or plan for a custom top panel.
4. Forgetting About Light Sources
A floor-to-ceiling PAX installation against the wrong wall can block natural light or make the room feel smaller. Your room plan will help you see this before committing.
5. Over-Engineering the Interior
It's tempting to fill every PAX frame with the most elaborate internal fittings, but this drives up cost and can actually reduce flexibility. Plan what you actually need to store first, then choose the fittings to match.
Who Else Uses the IKEA PAX Planner UK?
While homeowners are the primary users, the IKEA PAX planner UK and associated room planning tools are also widely used by:
- Bedroom fitters and contractors — who need to understand the client's vision before measuring up on site
- Interior designers — who want to present layout options to clients before committing to a product
- Kitchen and bathroom designers — who use the same spatial thinking skills for adjacent spaces
- Architects — who often receive hand-drawn sketches from clients and need to interpret these into workable plans
If you're a professional receiving rough sketches from clients, encouraging them to use a tool like freeroomplanner.com before your first meeting can save hours of back-and-forth. Clients arrive with a clear, scaled floor plan rather than a napkin drawing.
Planning Beyond the Wardrobe: Full Bedroom Layouts
Once you've nailed your PAX wardrobe placement, you might find yourself wanting to rethink the entire bedroom layout. That's a perfectly natural next step, and the free room planner makes it easy.
Common bedroom planning questions to explore include:
- Should the bed be against the wall or centred?
- Is there space for a dressing table without crowding the room?
- Can you fit a chest of drawers as well as the PAX, or should you rely entirely on the wardrobe for storage?
- Does the room flow better with the wardrobe on the opposite wall?
The bedroom planner tool on freeroomplanner.com lets you experiment with all of these scenarios quickly and without any commitment. Try multiple layouts, compare them side by side (export each as a PNG), and make an informed decision.
If you're renovating beyond the bedroom, the site also offers a kitchen planner, bathroom planner, living room planner, and a multi-room floor plan maker — so you can plan your entire home in one place.
Step-by-Step: Planning Your PAX Wardrobe with a Free Room Planner
- Measure your bedroom carefully — note all walls, doors, windows, and fixed features
- Open freeroomplanner.com/bedroom-planner in your browser — no sign-up needed
- Draw the room using the snap-to-grid wall tool (10 cm precision)
- Add doors and windows to their correct positions
- Place a wardrobe block and resize it to match your planned PAX frame combination
- Fill the rest of the room with your furniture
- Check clearances and circulation space visually
- Export the plan as a PNG
- Open the IKEA PAX planner on the IKEA UK website with your confirmed dimensions
- Configure your frames, doors, and internal fittings with confidence
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the IKEA PAX planner free to use in the UK?
Yes, the IKEA PAX planner is available free of charge on the IKEA UK website. It allows you to design your wardrobe configuration and generates a parts list with pricing. However, it only shows the wardrobe in isolation — it does not show how the wardrobe fits within your room. For that, you need a separate room planning tool such as the one at freeroomplanner.com.
What PAX frame sizes are available in the UK?
In the UK, PAX frames are available in widths of 50 cm, 75 cm, and 100 cm. Heights are 201 cm or 236 cm, and the standard depth is 58 cm. A shallower 35 cm depth option is also available. These dimensions can be combined to create a wardrobe system that fits almost any wall width.
How do I know if my PAX wardrobe will fit in my bedroom?
The most reliable way is to draw your bedroom to scale using a room planning tool. Freeroomplanner.com lets you do this for free in your browser — no download required. Draw the walls, mark the doors and windows, then place a furniture block sized to your planned PAX configuration. You'll immediately see whether it fits and whether there's adequate clearance around it.
Can I use the room planner if I'm not doing a full renovation?
Absolutely. The free room planner at freeroomplanner.com is just as useful for planning a single piece of furniture as it is for a full room redesign. Many people use it simply to check whether a wardrobe, sofa, or bed will fit before purchasing. There's no requirement to plan an entire room — you can draw just the relevant section of your room if that's all you need.
Do I need to create an account to use freeroomplanner.com?
No. The room planner requires no sign-up, no email address, and no download. Simply open the site in any modern browser and start planning. Your layout can be exported as a PNG image when you're finished, which you can save locally or share with a fitter, designer, or retailer.