Built in wardrobes vs freestanding – what’s best for your space?

There is no getting around the fact that a wardrobe is an imposing piece of furniture. Therefore it’s important to choose one that you love and that works for you. Aside from the colour and style of your wardrobe, one of the major decisions you have to make is whether to choose a built-in wardrobe or a freestanding model. There are strong advocates for both and each certainly have their pros and cons. It really depends what kind of space you are trying to fill as to what will work best for your unique room.

Built In Wardrobes

The major advantage to built in wardrobes is that they are custom made to your space. They can be built to fit a variety of awkward corners, whether you have an angled roof or particularly low or high ceilings. The fact that built in wardrobes make the best use of nooks and crannies means that you have more available storage space inside. This storage space can be custom designed to your specific needs. You can choose how much space to allocate for coat hangers, the height of your shelves and any other useful additions. The fact that the wardrobe makes use of all the space right up to the ceiling and across to the walls means there are no gaps and therefore no possibility of dust or clutter collecting down the sides, which can be a real advantage when it comes to cleaning. Custom built wardrobes are available in all finishes and styles and instead of choosing doors that open outwards it is also possible to choose sliding or bi-fold doors to keep the look sleek and space saving.

The disadvantage of built in wardrobes is that you can’t take them with you. Custom-made wardrobes do work out to be more expensive and although many people believe that they are absolutely worth the extra money, this benefit is limited to the home that you live in now.However, built in wardrobes can add value to your home when you are trying to sell as buyers often see a pre-existing space saving wardrobe as a big advantage.

Freestanding wardrobes

There are loads of options when it comes to freestanding wardrobes. You can choose large or small, single or double, vintage or modern and they can be placed wherever you want in a room. They can of course also be taken with you when you move. Whilst built in wardrobes are often sold as space-saving, many interior decorators will tell you that the space you have around a freestanding wardrobe gives the room a more airy feeling. The space above a freestanding wardrobe can also be used for storage in boxes or baskets. It is also possible to choose a bespoke freestanding wardrobe, which means that you can still customise the colour, finish and layout options inside. Freestanding wardrobes are particularly great for kids rooms as it allows the room to evolve as the child grows, they can be moved around and even painted. The option to move the wardrobe around in any room is an advantage if you enjoy a layout change every now and again. Freestanding wardrobes are undoubtedly cheaper and more straightforward. You choose the wardrobe, you buy it and then you get it delivered.

The downsides of free-standing wardrobes are that they are either delivered in one piece, which can be challenging in terms of fitting it through doorways, or flat packed which means that you need to put it together yourself which is sometimes easier said than done. Freestanding wardrobes don’t necessarily make the most of space which, in a large room with space available isn’t necessarily a problem, but may pose a bigger issue in a smaller room where space is at a premium.