Buying Fitted Bedroom Furniture For The First Time? Read This First
If you are buying your first set of fitted bedroom furniture, you need to be extra careful. Fitted furniture is not like flat-pack furniture. If you make a mistake, you cannot easily correct it. Firstly, custom fitted wardrobes are more expensive than flat-pack wardrobes, even if you buy it as part of a package. Secondly, once installed in your bedroom, you cannot easily move it anymore. You cannot put it up against a different wall if you do not like its position – you would have to find a qualified technician or carpenter for help, first to dismantle it, prepare the wall to attach it, then finally re-install it. In most cases, you would have to live with your initial decision for a lifetime. That is why it is important for you to think about the following points.
Number one: Do you know why you want to buy a bedroom fitted wardrobe? Do not buy it just because you are curious or have never owned one. Buy it because you need it – because it makes optimal use of your bedroom’s limited space. Otherwise, you will probably regret it sooner or later. If you have a large bedroom, you are probably better off with flat-pack furniture which you can easily redecorate.
However, assuming that fitted wardrobes are what you really need, you have to allocate space in your schedule for the installation, which could be a few weeks to a month later. Someone needs to be home to let the technician from the factory or furniture store into the house. That person needs to be able to tell the technician where the wardrobe and other pieces of furniture in the set are to be installed. The best person for that, is of course, yourself.
Let us say that you have the budget and you are not in a rush, and you really do need to buy fitted bedroom furniture. Do not rush off to go shopping immediately. Draw up a simple floorplan of your bedroom, taking note of important measurements like the length, width and height of your bedroom. Take note of the location of your bathroom (assuming a master bedroom) and any protrusions, obstructions, or irregularly shaped corners. Take plenty of photographs as well, and make sure you know which photo goes with which part of the floorplan. Now you can go shopping. When you find something you like in the furniture showroom, show the salesman your floorplan and photos. Ask him if that design is suitable for your bedroom and if the shop has the package with the correct dimensions in stock.
Here is an important point: Do not buy your first set of custom fitted wardrobes online. Go to your neighborhood furniture retailer, even if the price may be higher. There are a few reasons. If you buy online, who will install the bedroom fitted wardrobe for you? Can you even send the furniture company the correct measurements they need? Besides that, your neighborhood furniture store has probably served another house in your area before and have the practical knowledge of what your bedroom looks like. They are the best placed to tell you whether or not the furniture design you favor works for you.
Unlike buying flat-pack furniture, buying fitted bedroom furniture requires a lot more thought and preparation beforehand. It is also one area where a real salesman’s expertise is invaluable.