Chest of Drawers 50 cm Deep — Which Alcove & What Fits Inside?
A chest of drawers with a depth of 50 cm offers the storage capacity of a compact wardrobe whilst taking up considerably less vertical wall space.
When planning a living space, furniture choices often come down to standard dimensions. While traditional sideboards usually project between 35 cm and 40 cm into the room, and full-sized wardrobes require 60 cm, the 50 cm deep chest of drawers fills a crucial niche. It is the spatial marvel of the furniture world – comparable to the boot of an estate car, which looks compact from the outside but easily swallows bulky items inside.
In this guide, we explore which room layouts are ideal for this dimension, what exactly fits inside, and what DIY enthusiasts need to keep in mind during assembly.
Why a Depth of 50 cm? (The Difference from the Standard)
The decisive factor with a 50 cm depth is the usability of the surface area. In a standard chest of drawers, garments such as T-shirts or jumpers can usually only be arranged in a single row from front to back. At a depth of 50 cm, the geometry of the storage space changes drastically.
Here, two stacks of standard-sized T-shirts can be placed comfortably one behind the other. Thick winter jumpers, bed linen, or towels that would hit the back panel in shallower furniture and prevent the drawer from closing also find ample room. For this reason, this dimension is very frequently chosen for a bedroom chest of drawers when the regular wardrobe is bursting at the seams or when sloping ceilings prevent tall wardrobes from being fitted.
What Fits in a 50 cm Deep Chest of Drawers? (Storage Capacity Check)
The internal layout determines functionality. A 4-drawer chest of drawers with a depth of 50 cm is primarily intended for bulky textiles.
To prevent deep storage from turning into a black hole, the installed hardware fittings play a vital role. At this depth, full-extension runners are strongly recommended. A full-extension runner allows 100% of the drawer to slide out, ensuring even the rearmost stack of socks remains comfortably accessible. A partial-extension runner, on the other hand, only releases around 75% of the drawer, which at a 50 cm depth means that a good 12 cm to 15 cm remains hidden inside the cabinet carcass.
Typical items stored in a 50 cm depth:
- Folded duvets and thick winter bed linen
- Two rows of adult clothing (shirts, trousers) one behind the other
- Ring binders and office stationery (a standard lever arch file is just under 29 cm deep, leaving space for a storage box in front)
- Bulky tools or hobby equipment
Which Rooms and Alcoves Suit This Dimension?
Not every room can accommodate a piece of furniture that projects half a metre into the walkway. Positioning requires careful planning.
In the bedroom: This is where the chest of drawers demonstrates its full strengths. It frequently serves as a complement to a shallow wardrobe or as the primary storage unit in rooms with steep sloping ceilings (knee walls).
In the hallway: In narrow corridors, a 50 cm deep chest of drawers is usually out of place because it obstructs the walkway. In square entrance halls or under an open staircase, however, it fills unused alcoves perfectly and provides space for winter coats, hats, and scarves.
Visual effect through material and colour: A deep piece of furniture looks substantial. The choice of finish influences the atmosphere of the room significantly. A white chest of drawers visually recedes into the background and makes the room appear brighter, which is a clear benefit with deep cabinet carcasses in small rooms. A black chest of drawers or a dark wood chest of drawers creates a strong, prominent accent and requires sufficient free space around it to avoid feeling overpowering. These units are typically manufactured from chipboard or MDF, finished with a hard-wearing melamine coating.
Assembly and Fitting: Key Points for DIY Enthusiasts
Assembling a deep chest of drawers differs in several ways from narrower models. The weight of the panels themselves, as well as the eventual storage load, demands precise workmanship.
Tools required:
- Cordless screwdriver with matching bits (usually PZ2 or TX20)
- Spirit level
- Wooden mallet (for wooden dowels)
- Tape measure
1. Aligning the carcass: Deep chests of drawers are less forgiving of uneven floors. Before the back panel is nailed or screwed into place, the carcass must be perfectly square. To verify this, measure the diagonals across the back – if both measurements are identical to the millimetre, the carcass is square.
2. Fitting drawer runners: The runners (typically a ball-bearing slide) are screwed into the pre-drilled holes of the System 32 grid. Ensure that screws are driven in straight, as skewed screw heads may rub against the moving mechanism later.
3. Wall fixing (anti-tip bracket): This is the most critical step. A 50 cm deep drawer fully loaded with bed linen shifts the centre of gravity extremely far forward when pulled out. To prevent the unit from tipping forwards, the furniture must be securely anchored to the wall using suitable wall plugs and screws. Never rely on the unit's own weight.
Alternatives: When 50 cm is Too Deep
If you determine during measuring (marking the floor with masking tape is helpful!) that 50 cm is too deep and obstructs the walkway, you will need to reduce the depth. For hallways or compact guest rooms, there are stepped alternatives that relieve pressure on the floor plan:
- Chest of drawers 45 cm depth: A practical compromise that still provides almost the capacity of a wardrobe.
- Chest of drawers 40 cm depth: The classic dimension for living rooms and wider hallways.
- Chest of drawers 35 cm depth: Ideal for narrower passages, paperwork, and single-row clothing storage.
- Chest of drawers 30 cm depth: The problem-solver for very narrow hallways, primarily used for shoe storage or small essentials.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can a 50 cm deep chest of drawers replace a wardrobe? For folded clothing such as jumpers, trousers, and T-shirts, yes. The depth allows two rows to be stored one behind the other. For hanging garments (shirts, dresses), it naturally lacks the necessary height and a clothes rail.
Which runners are recommended for deep chests of drawers? At 50 cm depth, full-extension runners should always be fitted. Only with these can you pull the entire drawer box clear of the carcass to access items at the very back without rummaging blindly.
Does a deep chest of drawers need to be fixed to the wall? Yes, absolutely. The long leverage created when pulling out fully loaded drawers causes a substantial forward weight shift. An anti-tip device is essential, particularly in households with children.