Please help me update my built in bedroom.

[Justtrying]

Hi, moved in with now dh 20 years ago and our bedroom is completely fitted, not offensive, but very white as we have 12 full height wardrobe doors, a built in dressing table at end of bed and built in bedside units with drawers either side of king-size bed with units above bed and dressing table. Main problem is headboard is also built in and to remove it will damage bedside units. It's an unoffensive grey velour.
Remaining walls only take 3 rolls of wall paper. I'm guessing my only choice as we are are on a tight budget is change curtains, wallpaper and perhaps the grey carpet and ring the changes with new bedding.
Any ideas wise Mumsnetters?

To me it looks like EVERYTHING in the bedroom is from the 80s/90s. I appreciate your budget may not be large, but I think everything needs to be changed if you want to bring it up to date.

I definitely wouldn't go for dark walls if you are keeping the white units, dove grey or eggshell blue or similar would let them blend in better.

Have you heard of Frenchic paint op? It's truly incredible stuff and it will transform those wardrobes. It's made such a difference to my 30 year old kitchen! If you're on Facebook, join a group called 'Frenchic Fan Forum'. You will find lots of inspiration on there, plenty of pictures of similar type of built in wardrobes.

I would also suggest removing the corner units to make it look a bit more up to date as well as a new lampshade, rug, curtains,etc.

Buy enough of the new wallpaper so that you can paper some/all of the panels on the doors. Or get a contrasting paper and do this.

Agree with changing the handles - it can make a huge difference.

One word.......FRENCHIC

Google it, have a look at the Facebook fan page! They will look brand new with a lick of Frenchic 😊

Op, you’ve been there twenty years, have you not changed it in that time, was the fitted furniture there when you bought the house? It is very eighties, which is forty years ago,

A carpenter would be able to easily and cheaply remove th top bars and replace them to size, and remove the bridging and side units and bring it back up to a more modern look you can then paint them and change the knobs,. You can get quotes on my builder. I reckon a days work would do it. Max,

A big cream rug would hide the carpet. Ikea is good. Some nice roman blinds in a lovely soft warm fabric would modernise the window treatments. If there is only one layer of wallpaper you can paint it, just treat it like lining paper.

However much depends on budget. Changing the curtains carpet and walls will make a difference but not a lot as the fitted furniture is just so dominant.

Agreed with Bluntness - fitted wardrobes are so eighties. Most people I know have got rid of them because they take up so much space in a room.

The thing which I would like nowadays is a walk in closet but even then that requires space and my Victorian double bedroom does have space but don't want to lose it for that.

Sorry to derail.... but for those who don’t have fitted wardrobes, and no dressing room space, do you just have freestanding? Surely they don’t make as much storage?

I’ve built in ones (full height, down one wall), and am toying with the idea of replacing the doors. I like freestanding more but need storage.

I have built in wardrobes. Recently done my Hammonds and they are gorgeous, but they are one wall, full height, handle less, with mirrored doors in the middle, very sleek and modern.

Built in wardrobes are fine, personally I prefer them, but the ops are very dated and must be nearly forty years old. The bridging cabinets, the dated handles and aged finish and the fussy side bits, even the old fashioned stool ages them, plus they are just so very dominant in the room

But it’s easy enough fixed. A carpenter in to remove the side bits and bridging Cabinets, replace the top bars to fit, paint and replace the handles and they could look a lot better..

What a lovely light room! And fab amount of storage!

I'd:
change the knobs on the units
get a new stool (sorry, it looks a bit 80s)
cover headboard if poss
Plain walls
Plain duvet cover
new light fitting
blind instead of curtain

I think the last 4 things would instantly make it more modern.

But as I said earlier, how lovely to have so much storage space!!

Hi, moved in with now dh 20 years ago and our bedroom is completely fitted

Did he have them installed or were they there when he bought the house?

We had fitted wardrobes and I hate them. Ripped out completely in one room but only ripped out the dressing table and bridging unit in the other. Still want to replace the doors but...

I think this is doable to update it:

Get rid of the bridging units
Change lamp shade - even a cheap paper one will look more up-to-date www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/regolit-pendant-lamp-shade-white-70103410/
Get rid of the telly
Get a square/rectangular mirror (or replace the curly edges if they're on top of the mirror). Or update with something like this www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/stockholm-mirror-ash-veneer-80404479/
Remove all the corner bits from around the bed and the little open shelves.
Paint wardrobes
New handles
New bedding - something fresh like this www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/juvelblomma-quilt-cover-and-2-pillowcases-white-green-20449777/
Paint walls white
New stool - loads in Ikea but this isn't actually that dissimilar to what you have www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tinius-stool-white-90352658/
If you could rip the carpet up and sand and oil/paint the boards and add a few rugs by each side of the bed, that'd make a big difference.

I don't know how big your budget is so you might not be able to do it all at once. And I know I've just linked to Ikea but means you could get a lot in one trip.

I’m not sure what your budget is, but I think you should:
Get rid of the bridging units
Remove the end shelving unit
Paint the existing units in white/slightly off white including the side panels and surfaces. The cupboard doors should be all one colour rather than the 2 tone effect you have at the moment.
Change the cupboard door and drawer handles
Change the lampshade
Change the carpet
Remove the TV
Change the curtains
Change the headboard for a more modern shape.
Paint the walls a pale shade eg duck egg or a greyish pink.
New stool and bedding
Change the brass plug sockets and light switch to something more modern.

Sorry OP but it looks very dated, I Would definitely get rid of the wallpaper and curtains. TBH I would do away with the fitted wardrobes, looks like a 90s caravan to me!

I would change the bumpy type carpet or have dark wood, paint the walls and change the duvet. Definitely no crystal, that's very 1970s. I think the units would look very different with the right coloured walls.

Some inspiration:

www.farrow-ball.com/room-inspiration/bedroom-inspiration