Article Detail
08 Oct
Most people would agree that a wardrobe is as important to the home as a sofa or bed. And yet, according to a recent study, 61 percent of us don't have one in our bedrooms.
The study, from interiors etailer Furniture123, found that over two thirds of us (first time buyers in particular) have resorted to using a temporary clothes railing due to not having a wardrobe.
Mark Kelly, marketing manager at Furniture123, says this isn't too surprising: "It's alarming, but perhaps not entirely unsurprising, to read how many first time buyers are living without the basic furniture essentials when they first buy a home.
"Many are focusing so much on just actually getting the money together for the property they want, that they are forgetting that there are some essential items they will struggle to live comfortably without.
"Our advice to first time buyers would be to create a list of everything they need and the priority in which they need those pieces of furniture. When cash-flow is an issue during the first few months of mortgage payments, finance options are available to help homeowners spread the cost over several months."
According to Furniture123, it takes first time buyers 46 weeks to fully furnish their new home so, while many first time buyers may initially deem a wardrobe to be an unnecessary purchase, it's likely they'll get one within the year. But how do you go about choosing the perfect wardrobe for you and your living space?
Nowadays, purchasing a wardrobe isn't a simple as wandering into your nearest furniture store and picking out the first unit on display. Not only are wardrobes likely to constitute a sizeable investment that will follow you from home to home for a good few years, but they can also add depth and personality to your room so you need to get it right.
Space
We'd all love a walk-in ward a la Carrie Bradshaw, but the sad fact of the matter is that most of us simply don't have the room for something as luxurious as that in our homes.
But even if walk-in wardrobes are out, knowing how much space you have to work with is integral to the wardrobe buying process. There's nothing more annoying than finding your dream wardrobe (see some examples below) and discovering that it doesn't fit in your bedroom.
Before you start looking at wardrobes to purchase you'll need to figure out where you'd like it to sit in the room and measure your space.
Make sure to measure floor to ceiling, wall to wall, and the distance between where the wardrobe will be and other items of furniture in your room. Don't forget to allow for clearance space for doors. Once you've done this, you'll be able to purchase made to order wardrobes or premade wardrobes that will fit perfectly in your space.
If you aren't a handy type of person, YouTube can be a particular helpful tool here.
Types
Now you know how big your wardrobe can be, it's time to start thinking about what type of wardrobe you'd like for your bedroom.
IKEA Pax wardrobe
What type of wardrobe do you want? CREDIT: IKEA
Two door wardrobes are the most common type of wardrobe around. They usually have a fairly simple and basic design, consisting of a hanging rail, a shelf above, and perhaps a drawer at the bottom for shoes and other small items.
Three door and four wardrobes will often have the same features as a two door wardrobe but with added shelving space on the sides and space for two hanging rails. These are usually the wardrobe of choice for couples or people with large amounts of clothes.
Sliding door wardrobes are the smart choice for people without a lot spare space for doors. The interior of a sliding door wardrobe will depend on the size and design but they'll likely have a spacious hanging rail, often divided up into more than one section, shelf space and drawers along the bottom.
Budget
While a wardrobe is probably the second most important piece of furniture you'll have in your bedroom (your bed claims the top spot, of course), purchasing one doesn't necessarily have to mean emptying your bank account.
The study, from interiors etailer Furniture123, found that over two thirds of us (first time buyers in particular) have resorted to using a temporary clothes railing due to not having a wardrobe.
Mark Kelly, marketing manager at Furniture123, says this isn't too surprising: "It's alarming, but perhaps not entirely unsurprising, to read how many first time buyers are living without the basic furniture essentials when they first buy a home.
"Many are focusing so much on just actually getting the money together for the property they want, that they are forgetting that there are some essential items they will struggle to live comfortably without.
"Our advice to first time buyers would be to create a list of everything they need and the priority in which they need those pieces of furniture. When cash-flow is an issue during the first few months of mortgage payments, finance options are available to help homeowners spread the cost over several months."
According to Furniture123, it takes first time buyers 46 weeks to fully furnish their new home so, while many first time buyers may initially deem a wardrobe to be an unnecessary purchase, it's likely they'll get one within the year. But how do you go about choosing the perfect wardrobe for you and your living space?
Nowadays, purchasing a wardrobe isn't a simple as wandering into your nearest furniture store and picking out the first unit on display. Not only are wardrobes likely to constitute a sizeable investment that will follow you from home to home for a good few years, but they can also add depth and personality to your room so you need to get it right.
Space
We'd all love a walk-in ward a la Carrie Bradshaw, but the sad fact of the matter is that most of us simply don't have the room for something as luxurious as that in our homes.
But even if walk-in wardrobes are out, knowing how much space you have to work with is integral to the wardrobe buying process. There's nothing more annoying than finding your dream wardrobe (see some examples below) and discovering that it doesn't fit in your bedroom.
Before you start looking at wardrobes to purchase you'll need to figure out where you'd like it to sit in the room and measure your space.
Make sure to measure floor to ceiling, wall to wall, and the distance between where the wardrobe will be and other items of furniture in your room. Don't forget to allow for clearance space for doors. Once you've done this, you'll be able to purchase made to order wardrobes or premade wardrobes that will fit perfectly in your space.
If you aren't a handy type of person, YouTube can be a particular helpful tool here.
Types
Now you know how big your wardrobe can be, it's time to start thinking about what type of wardrobe you'd like for your bedroom.
IKEA Pax wardrobe
What type of wardrobe do you want? CREDIT: IKEA
Two door wardrobes are the most common type of wardrobe around. They usually have a fairly simple and basic design, consisting of a hanging rail, a shelf above, and perhaps a drawer at the bottom for shoes and other small items.
Three door and four wardrobes will often have the same features as a two door wardrobe but with added shelving space on the sides and space for two hanging rails. These are usually the wardrobe of choice for couples or people with large amounts of clothes.
Sliding door wardrobes are the smart choice for people without a lot spare space for doors. The interior of a sliding door wardrobe will depend on the size and design but they'll likely have a spacious hanging rail, often divided up into more than one section, shelf space and drawers along the bottom.
Budget
While a wardrobe is probably the second most important piece of furniture you'll have in your bedroom (your bed claims the top spot, of course), purchasing one doesn't necessarily have to mean emptying your bank account.