Fitted wardrobes - leave or rip out?!

[linspins]

Like 'em or loathe 'em? We've got fitted wardrobes all across one wall (and right up to the ceiling) in our main bedroom. I don't like them much, and would like to take them all out and replace with two freestanding wardrobes (and maybe a chest of drawers).
If you were buying a house, would you like to inherit fitted wardrobes, or not? We're thinking of selling in a couple of years, and it would be silly to take them out if most people like them. They do have loads of space, and hide a multitude of sins.
Opinions please!

[ArriettyClock1]

They are a style abomination, but sometimes when I see those ads for them where the woman is proudly putting her terrible clothes in her terrible wardrobes and loving all the shelves and inserts in the shelves - I think - ooh so convenient!

But then I remember my 1980s G-Plan fitted bedroom when I was a teen and realise it would be like that.

[BreezyThursday]

We had some bizarre DIY ones in old house which we eventually got rid of and replaced with adjustable shelves and curtains. They were against an outside wall and stuff got mildewey, but a 'normal' wardrobe wouldn't have held half as much stuff.

We sold the house to a man who had split from his wife, so didn't have much furniture, and the built in storage was a plus point.

[AccioNameChange]

Have just put some in!

In fairness they have filled an awkward space and are flat white and modern and taking out the freestanding ones actually makes the room look bigger...

[phuckingfonics]

People hate fitted wardrobes? Complete news to me. I've ikea PAX wardrobes that I adore. Modern and neat. I've no other furniture in my room other than it, my bed and beside lockers. My make up etc is all in the wardrobe. I've never heard anything negative before.

Obviously this thread is very old but what type do people prefer it not fitted?

[irregularegular]

Really???? I'm so surprised by this! I thought hardly anyone had or wanted freestanding wardrobes these days. I mean, they look lovely, but they are so inefficient. I thought most people had walk-in wardrobes if space, or fitted if not. They don't have to be ugly! Ours are wooden, painted, handmade and (I guess) period style. Quite classical cabinetry in our bedroom and more cottagey ledged-door style in the upstairs bedrooms. We inherited ours and our daughter's and just built those in son's room and guest room. Wouldn't have dreamt of ripping them out! They don't have to be 70s mirrored sliding doors you know...

[AppleAndBlackberry]

Can you change the doors? We have no fitted wardrobes in our house and even though we've bought big freestanding ones there's still not as much storage space. Much preferred the design of my previous house which had big built in wardrobes in every bedroom.

[irregularegular]

Reading this, I think some people have very different interpretations of "fitted wardrobes" than me!

I mean something like this (see Master Bedroom) www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-60895970.html with the style of door depending on the style of house.

Maybe the difference is between "fitted" and "built in"?

[AccioNameChange]

Ah we're on a zombie thread.

[phuckingfonics]

Irregular I would call them built in or closet style wardrobes. I think I may have misunderstood this whole thread But even if I'm wrong and the previous posters are referring to the type shown in your link, surely you'd update the doors and interior. They are so so handy

[irregularegular]

No I think I'm probably wrong and fitted wardrobes means more like
www.capitalbedrooms.co.uk/fitted-bedrooms/
Some are quite nice, but most are pretty bad, and some are dreadful!

[midge1234]

Thanks all and to iregularregular for the link as it has some useful ideas as really ours wardrobe is ok just needs a different colour x

[lashy]

Rip out!
Don't forget the hidden costs... We recently pulled some out and discovered both the coving behind (4m length) and the skirting, had been removed to ensure the built-in wardrobes fitted well. We needed new coving, new skirting, the wall and part of the ceiling needed skimming again, re-painting and then we needed to replace the carpet for a 'wall to wall' one.
Don't regret it at all.

[yomellamoHelly]

Strip out. Be prepared to reveal dodgy decorating / walls and missing skirting and picture rails. Found a couple of extra power sockets when we cleared our. house of them. Ours had also been fixed with a nuclear bomb in mind, so had a ton of screws and brackets and supporting struts etc so were quite tiresome to deconstruct and created quite a pile of rubbish.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

We had a whole wall of them - hanging space and drawers - in nasty white melamine that I hated, but they were sound and the storage was very good.
I eventually painted them with the specialist cupboard paint, and replaced all the nasty handles with wooden ones - good old Wickes - it was quite a long job and everything had to be emptied out - but they looked miles better and total cost was only about £65.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

Would just add, a lot will depend on how large your room is.
We wouldn't have had space for the same amount of storage in free standing wardrobes/chest of drawers, much as I think they look very nice. Fitted can be a more practical option in smaller rooms.
A dd had two lots of sliding door ones in her previous house, and the amount of storage they provided in relatively small rooms was huge.

[Boulshired]

I suppose these are the MFI style one from the 80s, I rented with the bed under the bridging unit having nightmares that I had to sleep the other way round. Mine are built into alcoves with frontage only so plastered walls inside.

[Kiroro]

I like fitted wardrobes!

You can modern them up with new glossy white doors.

Especially for FTB or people trading up from a 1 bed flat to a house not having to buy wardrobes is a big plus!

[CakeThat]

I can't believe all the fitted wardrobe negativity on here! I'm getting them soon and I can't wait to actually have a tidy bedroom for the first time ever! They're beautiful, sleek and modern - not Iike the old 'caravan' style ones with cupboards over the bed. I love the style of traditional freestanding wardrobes, particularly in character properties, but I think the fitted are more practical, especially as most people in the uk don't have massive bedrooms.

[HappyGirlNow]

Doesn't it wholly depend on the style of them and how they look? Surely no one can just hate them as a concept??

[flownthecoopkiwi]

my daughter's new room has fitted wardrobes with the sliding glass doors. She adores them, and they do have masses of storage space.

[OrangeFluff]

I know this is a zombie thread, but surely it completely depends on how they look?! Fitted wardrobes can look gorgeous or hideous:

[woodhill]

Very pleased with the fitted wardrobes in our bedroom which were in our main room when we moved in 20 years ago. Put new handles on, great storage.

[beargrass]

It really depends...we took them out in ours, in favour of new fitted ones (!). Sliding doors, much nicer. Loads of room for all our stuff. We learnt from living with no storage...we took them out in the nursery, those ones were god awful!

In the other room, we will just replace the doors. I'd like to get rid but it will make doing that room too expensive. You could just replace the doors?

[JoJoSM2]

I'm a fan of fitted wardrobes - better storage and look a lot tidier. However, high street fitted wardrobe companies tend to offer overpriced, low quality stuff.

I reckon you could change the fronts to make them look better from the outside. And try to orientate the bed not to look at them when you're in bed.

[Dowser]

Love my fitted wardrobes.
All white, floor to ceiling.
I'd look at changing the doors op