Jim Oak Home Improvement

Choosing A Wardrobe

If you have nice clothes, you should have somewhere suitable to store them. It seems to be something we appreciate as we get older.

Purchasing a wardrobe is something that should be done only after proper consideration. Because it is a big piece of furniture it can dominate the bedroom so needs to be chosen with care.

The best thing to do is to think about how many clothes your wardrobe will need to house and what length the longest items are. The longest items are likely to be dresses and they need to hang full length to keep them from creasing. You also need to find the widest items which are probably jackets. If you are sharing the wardrobe with a partner, make sure all of their needs are thought about too. Also think about whether you need shelf space inside etc.

Once you know how many clothes you need to accommodate and what the longest and widest items are, you can look at what room you have to play with in the bedroom. A large wardrobe will not be the right thing for everyone! Consider custom built and modular wardrobes. Also look at whether you have space for the wardrobe doors to open out or whether you need to find something with sliding doors.

When looking at sizes in brochures or online, cut out in paper the dimensions and place it on the floor in the room. Mark off how tall the wardrobe will stand too, and consider if it really is the right size for you.

Next, think about what style of wardrobe you need. If you have existing furniture in the room it makes sense to go for a style that matches what you have. If you have a futon for a bed, it makes sense to go for a modern style wardrobe. If you have solid oak bedroom furniture it makes sense to look at oak wardrobes.

Obviously budget will constrain what you can buy too. If you don’t have much money it might make sense to go for flat pack furniture or to look at second hand options. Both can be spruced up with paint and new handles if need be.

If money is no object, you can look at commissioning a walk-in wardrobe or ordering a custom made piece.

Materials and workmanship matter when it comes to wardrobes. If you are getting a wooden wardrobe, try and get solid wood. Solid wood is more durable. You will need a wardrobe that has good joints - you don’t want clothes moths sneaking in and laying eggs on your clothes. You also need something which opens and closes smoothly - or it will drive you mad.

If you think you may need to sell your wardrobe on at a later date, consider getting something that will hold its value well. Oak wardrobes are classic and loved by many. If they are made from solid wood and crafted well, they will be worth something in years to come. The same cannot be said for flat pack furniture. A good wardrobe can even end up being a family heirloom.

Also, don’t forget that if you are planning on moving house you may want to take the wardrobe to your new house. A built-in wardrobe won’t be able to come with you and won’t be able to be passed down the family.

Whatever wardrobe you buy, if you choose wisely you will be happy with it for years to come.