Why Planning Your IKEA PAX Wardrobe Matters
There is nothing quite as frustrating as ordering flat-pack furniture, spending an entire weekend building it, and then realising it does not quite fit the space the way you imagined. With IKEA PAX wardrobes being one of the most popular wardrobe systems in the UK, getting the layout right before you buy is absolutely essential. Whether you are fitting a single wardrobe into an alcove or designing a full walk-in dressing room, careful planning saves you time, money, and a great deal of stress.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the IKEA PAX planner UK tool, how it works, what its limitations are, and how a free browser-based room planner can help you visualise your PAX wardrobe in the context of your entire bedroom — without downloading anything or creating an account.
What Is the IKEA PAX Planner UK?
The IKEA PAX planner UK is an online configuration tool available directly on the IKEA website. It allows shoppers to design their own PAX wardrobe combination by choosing from the available frame sizes, selecting door styles, and adding internal fittings such as shelves, drawers, trouser hangers, and pull-out rails.
What the IKEA PAX Planner Does Well
- Frame configuration: You can choose from standard PAX frame heights (201 cm or 236 cm) and widths (50 cm, 75 cm, or 100 cm) and combine them into a single wardrobe run.
- Door selection: Sliding or hinged doors can be added in a range of finishes, from classic white to mirrored and patterned options.
- Internal fittings: Shelves, drawers, shoe racks, and pull-out organisers can all be configured within each frame.
- Price summary: As you build, the tool generates a running total so you can keep track of costs.
- Shopping list: Once complete, you can send the entire configuration directly to your IKEA basket.
Limitations of the IKEA PAX Planner
Whilst the IKEA PAX planner is excellent for configuring the wardrobe itself, it only shows the wardrobe in isolation. It does not let you place the wardrobe in your actual bedroom, check clearances around doors, or see how the furniture interacts with the rest of the room. This is where a dedicated floor planner becomes invaluable.
- No ability to draw your room dimensions
- Cannot add other furniture items around the wardrobe
- Does not account for skirting boards, radiators, or door swings
- No way to check whether sliding doors have sufficient clearance
- Cannot visualise alcove or recess fits
How to Use a Free Room Planner Alongside the IKEA PAX Planner UK
The smart approach is to use both tools together. Use the IKEA PAX planner UK to configure your wardrobe combination, then use a free room planner like the one at freeroomplanner.com to place that wardrobe accurately within your bedroom floor plan.
The free bedroom planner at freeroomplanner.com lets you draw your room walls with a snap-to-grid system accurate to 10 cm, drop in furniture items including wardrobes, beds, and dressing tables, and measure every element in metres, centimetres, or feet. There is no sign-up, no email address required, and nothing to download — just open it in your browser and start planning.
Step-by-Step: Planning Your PAX Wardrobe Layout
- Measure your bedroom: Use a tape measure to record the width, length, and ceiling height of your room. Note the position of doors, windows, radiators, and skirting boards.
- Draw your room in the free planner: Head to the bedroom planner and use the wall drawing tool to recreate your room layout. The snap-to-grid system makes it easy to input precise dimensions.
- Add your wardrobe: Place a wardrobe object in the position you are considering. Resize it to match the total width of your planned PAX combination.
- Check clearances: Make sure there is enough space for door swings (if using hinged doors, you typically need at least 60 cm of clearance in front). For sliding doors, check that the track does not obstruct light switches or sockets.
- Add the rest of the bedroom furniture: Place your bed, bedside tables, chest of drawers, and any other pieces to ensure the room flows well and nothing feels cramped.
- Configure your PAX: Once you are happy with the total wardrobe width and placement, head to the IKEA website and use the IKEA PAX planner UK to configure your frames, doors, and internal fittings to match those exact dimensions.
- Export your floor plan: Use the PNG export feature in freeroomplanner.com to save your bedroom layout. This is useful when discussing the project with a fitter, or if you are buying PAX as part of a wider bedroom renovation.
Understanding PAX Frame Sizes and What They Mean for Your Room
One of the most common planning mistakes is assuming a PAX combination will fit a specific wall without accounting for the full depth of the unit and any surrounding furniture. Here is a quick breakdown of key PAX dimensions to bear in mind when using your floor planner.
Standard PAX Frame Widths
- 50 cm wide: Ideal for narrow gaps, alcoves, or adding a final frame to fill a run
- 75 cm wide: The most versatile option and the most commonly used single-frame wardrobe
- 100 cm wide: Best for larger spaces; allows for double hanging rails and wider shelving
PAX Depth Options
All PAX frames come in either 35 cm deep (for a shallower wardrobe, often used in smaller rooms) or 58 cm deep (the standard depth for full hanging space). When drawing your room plan, be sure to use the correct depth — 58 cm wardrobes take up considerably more floor space and can affect traffic flow in a small bedroom.
PAX Height Options
PAX frames are available in two heights: 201 cm and 236 cm. The taller option is ideal if you want to maximise storage and create a floor-to-ceiling effect, but you will need to check your ceiling height. In older UK homes with lower ceilings, the 236 cm frame may not be suitable without a cornice filler panel.
Planning a PAX Wardrobe in a Small UK Bedroom
Many UK homes, particularly Victorian terraces and new-build properties, have bedrooms that are on the smaller side. Fitting a PAX wardrobe into a room that is less than 3 metres wide requires careful planning to ensure the space still feels comfortable and functional.
Using the free bedroom planner to draw the exact dimensions of a small room before buying any furniture is one of the most practical things a homeowner can do. You can quickly see whether a 200 cm or 250 cm wide wardrobe combination leaves enough space around a double bed, and whether the door swing or sliding door track will cause any issues.
Tips for Small Bedrooms
- Consider a 35 cm deep PAX frame to save floor space in very narrow rooms
- Opt for sliding doors to avoid losing clearance space in front of the wardrobe
- Use the 50 cm wide frames to fill awkward gaps beside chimney breasts or alcoves
- Plan the wardrobe and bed together — the two largest pieces in most bedrooms need to coexist comfortably
- Leave at least 70–80 cm of walking space between the bed and wardrobe
Using the Free Room Planner for More Than Just Wardrobes
Once you have your PAX wardrobe planned and placed, the free room planner at freeroomplanner.com can help you think about the wider bedroom layout. With over 30 furniture items available to drag, drop, and resize, you can plan an entire room renovation in a single session.
Beyond bedrooms, the site also offers a kitchen planner, a bathroom planner, a living room planner, and a multi-room floor plan maker — all free, all browser-based, and all designed to make home planning easier for UK homeowners.
If you are working with a kitchen fitter or bathroom installer, you can also use the tool to create a basic floor plan that communicates your ideas clearly before any professional consultation. Many kitchen makers and bathroom fitters in the UK now encourage clients to share a rough floor plan in advance to make the quoting process faster and more accurate.
Sharing Your Plan With Fitters and Contractors
One often-overlooked benefit of digital floor planning is how easily the results can be shared. Once you have designed your bedroom layout — complete with the PAX wardrobe dimensions — you can export the plan as a PNG image directly from freeroomplanner.com. This image can then be:
- Sent to a bedroom fitter for a quote on installation
- Emailed to an IKEA home planning advisor if you book an in-store session
- Shared with a partner or family member for input before purchasing
- Saved for reference during the build weekend when assembling the units
This is particularly useful if you are combining PAX with custom built-in elements, such as a fitted cornice, plinth, or filler panels — all of which require precise measurements that are much easier to communicate with a clear floor plan in hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the IKEA PAX planner UK free to use?
Yes, the IKEA PAX planner is completely free to use on the IKEA UK website. It does not require an account, although you will need to log in if you want to save your configuration or send it directly to your online basket. It is browser-based and works on most modern devices.
Can I use a free room planner instead of the IKEA PAX planner?
The two tools serve different purposes. The IKEA PAX planner UK is specifically designed to configure PAX wardrobe combinations and generate a shopping list. A free room planner like freeroomplanner.com is designed to help you visualise furniture placement within a room. For the best results, use both — the room planner to confirm placement and dimensions, and the IKEA tool to configure and purchase.
How accurate does my floor plan need to be?
For planning purposes, accuracy to the nearest 5–10 cm is generally sufficient. The snap-to-grid system at freeroomplanner.com works in 10 cm increments, which aligns well with PAX frame widths (which come in 50 cm, 75 cm, and 100 cm sizes). For a professional installation or a fitted wardrobe project, you should always follow up with precise tape measurements and account for skirting boards and wall irregularities.
What if my PAX wardrobe needs to fit into an alcove?
Alcove fits are one of the trickiest scenarios for PAX wardrobes, as alcoves are rarely perfectly square. Draw the alcove dimensions carefully in your room planner, then work out the best combination of 50 cm, 75 cm, and 100 cm frames to fill the space as closely as possible. IKEA sells filler panels to bridge small gaps between a frame and a wall, so a few centimetres of tolerance is acceptable. Always measure the alcove at multiple heights, as walls can bow inward or outward.
Do I need to create an account to use freeroomplanner.com?
No. The free room planner at freeroomplanner.com requires no sign-up, no email address, and no download. Simply open the site in your browser, choose the room type you want to plan, and get started immediately. Your plan can be exported as a PNG image when you are ready to save or share it.
Final Thoughts: Plan Smart, Buy Right
The IKEA PAX planner UK is a genuinely useful tool for configuring your wardrobe, but it works best when paired with a proper room planning tool that lets you place your wardrobe in context. By drawing your bedroom to scale, checking clearances, and confirming that your chosen PAX combination fits comfortably alongside your other furniture, you dramatically reduce the risk of costly mistakes.
Whether you are fitting out a master bedroom, a box room, or a walk-in wardrobe, taking twenty minutes to plan your space digitally before spending hundreds of pounds on flat-pack furniture is always time well spent. Use the free bedroom planner to get started today — no account needed, no strings attached.