This is a topic on which I have touched before but it is one that continues to crop up when talking to clients about fitted bedrooms, so I thought it might be helpful to go into more detail.

I am often told that clients have experienced problems on opening fitted wardrobe doors, and particularly when picking out seasonal clothes such as ski wear or last year’s summer clothes that have been in the cupboard for perhaps 6 to 11 months since their last wearing, and finding that the clothes have mould stains that can be difficult, or even impossible, to clean.

It is often assumed that this is the result of penetrating or rising damp, and it might be where the bedroom is on the ground floor or the property is pre 1930s and does not have a cavity wall.  However, with the majority of bedrooms being at first floor level or higher and most houses, going back to the 19th century, being of cavity wall construction, the cause probably lies elsewhere.

If any part of a fitted wardrobe, even one end, is on an external wall or a chimney breast the internal surface of that wall is likely to be colder than the ambient temperature in the room, particularly in a centrally heated house in winter.

The warm air in our houses absorbs moisture from our persperation, exhalation and cooking.  We open a wardrobe door, perhaps only once in the morning and once in the evening and moist warm air displaces the still, drier, cooler air within. We go off to work or go to bed and as the outside surfaces of our home cool, heat is drawn outwards from the inner walls, cooling the surfaces and the air trapped within the furniture which gives up its humidity and precipitates some moisture onto the inner surfaces of the wardrobe and onto the clothes stored there. The next time we open the cupboard doors the interior warms up and we have created the perfect moist, dark environment for a small mushroom farm.

The solution? If you are getting quotations for bespoke fitted bedroom furniture from companies like Options Fitted Furniture insist that the wardrobes are fully carcassed, that is; completely sealed, with solid (ideally 18mm) backs to the carcasses and that there is still air space of at least 30mm between the backs and the walls.  It may cost a little more than what is usually refered to as front-frame bedroom furniture but it will smell a whole lot nicer and your precious clothes will be safe.

How do you finish off a run of fitted wardrobes?

Sometimes a slab ended wardrobe can be an unattractive option, particularly near to a doorway.

There are a limited number of options available, they break down into: open ended display shelves, an angled cupboard with open display above or a wardrobe with an angled doors.

The attached photos and sketch will give you some idea but I would love to hear of an alternative suggestions.

A frequently asked question about fitted wardrobes is whether they should have backs on them or whether they should just be front frames with the walls and ceiling forming the interior.

If the wardrobes are entirely on internal walls then there may be a case for not having backs if you are desperate for every cubic inch of storage or because the room is so narrow that you need to restrict the wardrobe depth to 550 mm.  The cost saving is marginal and you will not get the feel of a proper piece of fitted furniture whenever you open the doors.

However, if even one end of the wardrobes is on an external wall think very carefully about the condensation risk. On a winter morning you open your wardrobe doors and let in a flow of centrally heated air that comes into contact with the cool external wall, you close the doors and trap that warm, moist air inside the wardrobe and it spends the next ten hours cooling and precipitating its moisture content onto the walls.  Much later you open your wardrobe again and let in another batch of warm air to repeat the process through the night.  Don’t be surprised if your clothes start to smell of damp and begin to grow a patina of black mould.

Fitted wardrobes on external walls must have backs on them and a free air space between the backs and the walls.  Ideally, the back should be of 18mm thick laminated chipboard or MDF.  Otherwise, what you saved by cutting corners on the wardrobes will be spent on dry cleaning or replacing your precious clothes.

Visited, and did business with, a young couple in North London.

Really nice modern flat close to bustling Upper Street in Islington. Living in a small town in Surrey I can see the attraction of city living, vibrant streets, great places to eat and drink, a nice mix of supermarkets and small ethnic grocers and easy access to the west end.

However, having paid over half a million quid for a flat with attractive, secure gardens and underground parking and less than half the floor area of my 1930s semi (worth a lot less money) what are people supposed to do for storage? I have loft space and a garage that never sees a car, fitted wardrobes in three bedrooms, built-in alcove units in the dining room and a fully fitted home office with six file drawers, other drawers, cupboards and extensive bookcases. Every inch of these spaces is crammed with possessions, admittedly acquired over 60 plus years but we are not particularly acquisitive and at least half this kit is ‘essential’ to our lifestyle.

Fortunately, I was able to substantially increase, and rationalize, their storage space (I guess this is an important Options raison d’etre) and my clients have another 40 odd years to overtake my collection of objets and living space. But why do we need it all and where on earth do flat dwellers put it?