Besides the bed, storage units are arguably the most crucial furniture in a bedroom. They keep your room organised, making it easier to find your desired outfit and contributing to better moods and quality sleep.

If you’re planning a home makeover, one of the top things to consider is choosing the proper storage solution. Although you have many options, most fall under two main categories – built-in or freestanding wardrobes.

Read on to discover more about the two and why built-in closets are the better choice.

 

What is a Built-in Wardrobe?

A built-in wardrobe is a custom storage solution designed to fit a specific space in your room. After identifying the suitable spot for your wardrobe, the installer acquires the materials and completes the assembly on-site.

Here are the top reasons for choosing a built-in wardrobe.

Optimal Space Usage

Choose a built-in wardrobe if you want to maximise space, so no area goes to waste. Unlike freestanding readymade units that leave gaps, built-in closets can stretch from wall to wall and from the floor to the ceiling.

Additionally, built-in furniture is often naturally bigger. For instance, a kitchen countertop that stretches from one end to the other is roomier than individual pantries. To achieve the same storage space with freestanding units, you always end up with a cramped and cluttered room.

Safety

Safety is one of the least appreciated benefits of fitted wardrobes. Freestanding units are risky because they can fall over and cause injury to kids, pets, and even adults. Conversely, built-in closets are safer because they are appropriately attached and connected to the wall. As a result, there’s less risk of accidents, especially when you aren’t at home.

Flexibility

Sometimes, people hesitate to buy furniture because of growing family needs. For instance, you might be reluctant to purchase a wardrobe now because you have small children who will need bigger spaces to keep clothes as they grow.

While built-in wardrobes don’t offer mobility, they’re flexible. Since they have custom designs, you can restructure them to suit your current needs. For example, add more shelves and hangers when your kids get older. You can also redesign the closet to conform to the prevailing trends.

Works for Awkward Spaces

If your home has a contemporary architectural design with lots of straight lines, you won’t have challenges finding readymade freestanding wardrobes that fit into your space. However, if your home maintains a traditional style with many curves and arches, finding suitable pieces of furniture isn’t easy. This is where built-in wardrobes come in handy.

A good installer will design a closet that fits in the most awkward, inconceivable places where freestanding units aren’t an option. This means you can have a storage unit, even in unexpected areas.

Works for Limited Floor Spaces

Custom-built furniture can go anywhere space is available, including being fixed on walls. While this doesn’t guarantee more room, it reduces cluttering and creates the illusion of space.

Interior designers use this trick to make small spaces appear larger. For instance, you might notice sinks and toilets being plumbed into the wall instead of mounted on pedestals. You can use this to make your bedroom more spacious effectively.

 

What is a Freestanding Wardrobe?

A freestanding wardrobe is a readymade storage unit that stands on the floor, allowing you to move it as you want. Besides mobility, freestanding units are more affordable than built-in closets. They’re also ideal for people living in rented houses.

Despite their benefits, here’s why freestanding wardrobes aren’t better than their freestanding counterparts.

Limited Sizes

Freestanding closets are typically available in three sizes – single, double, and three-door variations. These standard dimensions can limit your options regarding the closet’s placement in your bedroom and how it affects the room’s overall outlook. You might have to move some things in the room to fit the wardrobe. Otherwise, you might consider compromising other installations to avoid a cramped and cluttered bedroom.

Wasted Space

It isn’t common to find freestanding closets that run from the floor to the ceiling. Instead, most utilise between 2/3 and ¾ of the height of a standard room. As such, these units leave a substantial amount of unused space above them, which can frustratingly hinder making the most of all the available room.

Besides, choosing a freestanding closet often results in space underutilisation, especially around the wardrobe. Such spaces tend to get dirty over time, either by dust or being used as a dump site for dirty, old, and unfitting clothes.

Cluttering

As mentioned earlier, a built-in wardrobe makes a room feel bigger by creating the illusion of space. With freestanding units, the opposite is true.

First, freestanding options come in fixed sizes, meaning they can be too small for a spacious bedroom or appear overwhelming if you have limited room. The latter is more common since many people live in tiny houses.

Secondly, the predefined designs leave little room for adjustments. As such, the appearance of your freestanding wardrobe might be different from your existing décor.

Harder to Organise

Most freestanding closets come with a standard set of storage areas, such as hanging space, drawers, and a few shelves. These are standard layouts that might not meet your specific storage needs. For instance, you might need larger hanging space for your overcoats and dresses or a shoe rack for footwear. Without adjustments, which cost money, it’s likely to find a cluttered wardrobe.

 

Final Words

Most durable, high-quality, and safe things in life are costly. The same applies to furniture, where built-in closets have many advantages over freestanding units. They justify the higher price by using space optimally, fitting awkward spaces, customisability, and guaranteeing additional safety. If you’re doing a home makeover, installing fitted wardrobes is a move worth exploring.

Betta Wardrobes specialises in making robust and long-lasting custom wardrobes. Contact us today for a free quote.

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