What do you think of Fitted Wardrobes?

[KnitterNotTwitter]

I suggested to DH getting a fitted wardrobe built in DS's room as it would store vastly more clutter than the freestanding one he's currently got. DH isn't keen as he thinks they take value off a house.

I've always thought of fitted wardrobes as a good thing to have in a house.

What does the combined wisdom of MNet think. Would they put you off buying a house? or do you think 'good don't have to buy any wardrobes'....

Obv I'll be putting in v. tasteful/traditional/dull ones - simple panelling doors..

[HollyBollyBooBoo]

If they are nice, tasteful fitted wardrobes then I would think it was a bonus but generally fitted wardrobes seem to be very old fashioned and then the removal of them becomes an added consideration.

Are you thinking of selling your house in the near future? If so I would say don't spend your money on something that you can't take with you but if you're going to be in the house for the next few years then just go for it as they do provide a great storage solution.

[Speckledeggy]

Great for storage but generally look hideous IMO.

[noddyholder]

Very simple floor to ceiling ones can look great and really stylish if done properly.the storage can never be matched with freestanding .I had fitted reclaimed in my last house and the room always looked tidy as they held everything.In this house I bought 2 wardrobes for the alcoves and they aren't as these are what I had

[Fiddledee]

You can get a carpenter to make them out of MDF in all sorts of designed, paint them lovely F&B colours and they look great. Once you get fed up with the colour just repaint.

However very expensive £1k per wardrobe at least. I love built in cupboards, although about to move into a place with few and will have to build them.

Most people want to live in a house that maximises the storage so it does add value IMO but I am storage obsessed.

[fruitshootsandheaves]

Dreadful name for your baby...reconsider

[CointreauVersial]

I've never heard of them reducing the value of a house.

There are lots of contemporary options available, and many people appreciate the "floor to ceiling" nature, and the fact that they swallow loads of clobber. If it's a kid's room, the furniture-matching issue would be less of a problem, I think.

Even if they are hideous, it's a pretty straightforward job to rip them out.

[yomellamoHelly]

Gradually ripping them out of our new house. Done the 2 boxrooms and 1 double. 1 more double to go. Boxrooms were SO full of fitted furniture and the ones in the double bedrooms were/are 1m deep. Stripped double looks so much bigger. Plus was wall opposite door, so first thing you saw was this massive bank of out-dated looking wardrobes. Major pain in the behind!

[yomellamoHelly]

And they partially exclude(d) the windows too. Why would you do that?

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

Get Pax, then you can take them with you when you move.

[PlanetEarth]

I hate them! But I have various irrational(?) hatreds... They did really put me off when house-hunting, even though logically I know that's mad because you can always rip them out again.

[said]

I think they're horrible. We have them here and I hate them but the work involved ripping them out stops me doing it yet. I'm sure beautifully hand crafted ones can be lovely but I hate that they restrict where the rest of you furniture goes.

Not sure about house value - knackered dated ones would be reflected in price of house anyway. Estate agents kept seeming to bang on about them and couldn't understand why I kept pulling a face when saw them. So, some people must like them

[noddyholder]

They do need to be made to measure and well crafted as you say otherwise they can be hideous!

[sillyme]

I like them because the storage space is unrivalled and fitted well they look really good while not intruding or being dustcollectors also longer lasting.

[TaffetaCat]

IMO they only look naff if they are nasty shiny mirrored 80's ones or similar. We had a friend make some for DS's room for the very reasons you cite - the storage is unrivalled for his books, toys, clothes plus he has created GoGo Land in there too.

He has a very cool wallpaper mural on one wall and we matched one of the main colours in it to the colours of the wardrobes and they look amazing. Blend in yet stand out, iykwim. And very contemporary.

[KnitterNotTwitter]

thanks ladies

I think the concensus is veering towards a slight majority for the 'fitted wardrobes are ok' vote...

FWIW what we had made would be similar to the ones under 'Traditional' on this site - but made by my friendly chippie :)

[noddyholder]

Those are lovely! I had v similar in last house and really miss them!

[KnitterNotTwitter]

and fruitshoot

[mousymouse]

I like them when they are well made and don't limit the use.
some twat our landlord had them installed on the long wall of the small bedroom, so that now the room has no space for a bed and toys...

[josephine1959]

I wish our house would of had fitted wardrobes when we moved in!!!
Unfortunately we had to buy them, but we are very happy now, in our experience fitted furniture is the way forward, we used all of the space available and at the same time we had a nice and neatly finished furniture.
We had two wardrobes and under stairs storage built by //www.kleiderhaus.co.uk , and i must say we love their sliding doors, very stylish, quite and easy to open, as for under stairs we turned it into shoe and coats storage, best decision we made so far.
I don't think that fitted furniture is hideous as someone mention before, you need to look for good manufacturers, tell them what you want and you can have any style furniture you want, in our case we love our fitted furniture, very practical and gorgeous.

[mipmop]

Zombie thread!

[united4ever]

Can you really take pax with you? I left mine in the last house....things like drawers, trouser rail etc. Thought they are part of the wardrobe and had to be left

[constantin]

Well i live in a relatively small room with my wife and wardrobes are not floor to ceiling. And i really see how much space we loose unocupied on top of them, anyway we are moving from Stratford to Wembley, there is Metro Wardrobes here, ordered a free design visit, will see what they come up with and will post here

[UnfamousPoster]

I think that if they can be made so that they look like they're part of the wall they're fine. Lovely in some instances, like the first picture on the Alcove Co link above. If they look like they're stuck in to the room (like the grey ones in picture 6 on the same page) then they can be hideous.

And the old fashioned 1980s/90s static caravan style ones... just