To keep or knock out built-in wardrobes?

[Oldschooler1111]

Hi all,

Just bought our first house. We’ve ripped everything out and removed wallpaper etc. I’m now left with the decision whether to keep or knock out the in-built wardrobes (identical in 2 bedrooms). The insides of the wardrobes are unpainted and overall quite unfinished. They are from the 60’s I believe.

Pro: a lot of storage, can be modernised with a bit of trimming and new handles etc, saves money as won’t have to get new wardrobes.

Cons: will have to get a carpenter to fit doors over the vanity bit, there’s still old wallpaper inside and behind the wardrobes, new flooring won’t go under the wardrobes, layout of room would be nicer if I put the bed where the current wardrobes are.

Would appreciate your opinions! I’m going for a boho/scandi interior design and keeping it overall minimal. I’d want to do the same thing in bath rooms i.e. not keep the wardrobes in one room but rip them out in the other.

Fitted wardrobes are incredibly expensive. Personally I’d have a crack at trying to renovate them first. Paint them a dark navy or something, add trim and some gorgeous brass handles.

The question is: do you have the time and budget to do the work that you want?

If I was to modernise the existing wardrobes, yes I’d have time and I’m very hands on so I could do it with a bit of help from my other half. I’m not in a rush and could do the rest of the house and flooring first and then tackle the wardrobes one room at a time.

If I was to buy new ones they’d also fit into the budget. The style I want is annoyingly very expensive (rattan) but I’ve looked at ways to buy ikea wardrobes and re-do them to the style I want. Alternatively I can buy the wardrobes for the master bedroom and only get bedside tables and a large chest of drawers for the guest bedroom in line with staying minimal.

I’m worried that the wardrobes won’t look modern enough even with updating, simply because they are so old.

I wouldn't get them from Sharps, They are overly expensive and didn't do a very good job at fitting them. This was years ago and I was innocent and believed all their guff at the time.

Last time had a frame fitted across the room by a carpenter and fitted made to measure sliding doors (not ideal I know because whatever you want is always behind the other door but the sloping ceiling prevented normal opening doors)

I initially kept mine, renovated, but never liked the room layout, ended up ripping them out and started again - decor, flooring etc
If you have budget for the ones you want, do it now. As you say, spare room can be wardrobe free .

I'd remove them now before you decorate.

you say you have ideas to use IKEA ones and tweak them - I'd go with that.

It may seem wasteful but I would rip them out. I'm looking at buying a house with similar, and would just want them out so the room is a total blank canvas and fresh start - if I left them, they'd just annoy me. I'd look to reuse the doors in some way so as not just throw them but wouldn't try and update them.

Could you rip out the vanity bit and put wood floating shelves in the gap? You could use baskets for storage to fit your Boho vibe

They don't look in a great state at the moment (as in, the doors aren't flush/don't look like they close properly), so even if you paint them etc, they will still look a bit rough (caveat - unless this is just down to a bad photo!)
There's also wasted space in the middle.

If it compromises the room layout you want, I'd say rip them out. It's amazing what can be done with good old PAX units from Ikea, or find a local carpenter/handyman to build you something. Don't go with Sharps - massively overpriced for what it is.

You don't need wardrobes in a spare room (unless you're planning to use them as overflow storage for your own clothes). Somewhere for guests to hang things is good though - we have hooks on a wall, with coat hangers on them, and that works well.

Was going to say keep until I saw the picture, absolutely get rid, especially as they don't work for your planned room lay out!

I thought you meant ones that are literally plaster and doors and part of the house rather than attached additions. I'd almost never get rid of a proper built in wardrobe but something like that in the wrong place would be gone very quickly (and very therapeutic to dismantle!)

We took ours out only because they smelt musty inside and made things smell musty. I did want to keep them as they were a really good size

We had some half built ones in the house we just purchased, we finally decided to rip them out and get the ikea tall wardrobes
You can design the wardrobes according to your needs aswell as getting a carpenter in to add a base and some plinths to make them look fitted in

Thank you all for the brilliant responses!! I went with what the majority said and ripped them out! So glad I did, I feel like I can breathe in that room now! Also..very glad because we found some damp behind the wardrobes due to lack of air circulation.

Can’t wait to rip them out in the other room too now. I will definitely look at the IKEA wardrobes. I had a look at the PAX system and how you can “make them your own”. Sounds like a perfect solution.

I appreciate everyone’s help :) xx