Handmade wardrobes · Carlow
Fitted Wardrobes, Handmade in Carlow
Alcove, built-in and walk-in wardrobes designed around your room, made in my workshop and fitted by me. The person who builds your wardrobes is the person who fits them.
Recent work
The Alcove Bedroom
Alcove wardrobes either side of the bed, set above matching bedside lockers. Dark stained oak doors with black bar pulls, and spalted beech tops on the lockers.
- Wardrobes
- Two alcove units, one either side of the bed
- Doors
- Dark stained oak
- Handles
- Black bar pulls
- Inside
- Hanging rail and shelf in each unit
- Bedside lockers
- Two drawers each, with spalted beech tops
Watch the lockers being made
From my YouTube channel: Building Beautiful Nightstands from Scratch
Why handmade
Why a Handmade Wardrobe?
Made for awkward rooms
Alcoves beside a chimney breast, sloped ceilings, old walls that aren't straight: I measure every one and scribe the wardrobe to the room on site, so it sits tight to the walls and ceiling with no gaps.
Solid timber where it shows
Doors, drawer fronts and frames in real wood chosen for your room (oak, walnut, ash, beech), built on birch plywood or veneered chipboard carcasses. Never vinyl-wrapped flat-pack.
Planned around what you keep
Long hanging, double rails, shelves, drawers and shoe storage, laid out around your clothes and how you use the room, not a catalogue layout.
Made and fitted by me
I design it, build it in my workshop in Carlow and fit it myself, so the person you meet at the first visit is the person who hangs the last door.
Ways to work together
What I Build
From a single alcove to a whole wall.
01
Alcove wardrobes
Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes in the alcoves either side of a chimney breast, making use of space that usually goes to waste.
02
Over-bed and high-level units
Wardrobes set above bedside lockers or a bed, like the alcove bedroom above, for smaller rooms where floor space matters.
03
Full-wall built-ins
A run of wardrobes across one wall, floor to ceiling, with doors, drawers and open shelves where you want them.
04
Sloped ceilings and eaves
Attic rooms, dormers and under-eaves spaces, with wardrobes cut to the angle of the ceiling.
05
Walk-in wardrobes and dressing rooms
A small room, or the end of a bedroom, lined with hanging, shelves and drawers, with or without doors.
06
Bedside lockers and bedroom furniture
Matching lockers and other pieces, so the whole room is made to go together.
Interiors
Inside Your Wardrobe
Every interior is planned around what you'll keep in it. At the design stage we work out how much long and short hanging you need, and where drawers and shelves work best.
- Long hanging
- Double hanging rails
- Adjustable shelves
- Solid wood drawers on Blum Movento soft-close runners
- Shoe shelves
- Space for bags, cases and bedding
Materials
Choose Your Timber
I work mainly in oak and walnut, and also in ash and beech. Each one is finished by hand in oil, clear to show the grain or stained to suit the room, like the dark oak above.
Oak
Warm and golden, with a strong, open grain. Hard-wearing and timeless.
Walnut
Rich, dark brown with lively figure. The most expensive of the four.
Ash
Pale and bright with a bold grain. A lighter look that suits modern rooms.
Beech
A fine, even grain and a soft, warm tone. A quiet, understated choice.
How it works
The Process
-
Consultation
I'll visit, measure the room and talk through what you want to store. Photos and rough measurements beforehand help.
First visit free -
Design
Your wardrobes start as a CAD drawing of the room, inside and out, and we adjust it together until it's right.
Dimensioned drawings -
Quote
We agree the layout, timber and finish, and I'll give you one clear price. A deposit secures your slot.
One clear price -
The build
Your wardrobes are built by hand in the workshop, and I'll keep you updated with photos as they come together.
Made in Carlow -
Fitting
I fit them myself and scribe them to your walls and ceiling, so they sit tight with no gaps.
Fitted by me
Pricing
What affects the cost
Every wardrobe I make is designed for one room, so there's no price list. These are the things that decide where yours lands.
The size and number of units
A single alcove is a very different job from a full wall or a walk-in. The more units, doors and drawers, the more time at the bench.
The inside
Drawers cost more than rails and shelves, because each one is a solid wood box on its own runners. Hanging rails and shelves are the most economical way to fill a wardrobe.
The cabinet carcasses
Behind the doors, the carcasses are made in one of two ways. Birch plywood is the premium choice: strong, stable, and it holds hinges and runners well. Veneered chipboard keeps the cost down. Whichever you choose, the doors, drawer fronts and frames are always solid hardwood.
The timber
I work mainly in oak and walnut, and also in ash and beech. Walnut is the most expensive of these, and across a full set of wardrobes the choice of timber makes a noticeable difference to the price.
The room itself
Sloped ceilings, eaves and uneven walls take more design and more fitting time to scribe everything tight. That's what a made-to-measure wardrobe is for, but it shows in the price.
What's included, and what isn't
My price covers the design and drawings, making the wardrobes, and fitting them. It doesn't include electrical work, plastering or decorating. The room needs to be clear before fitting day, and if you'd like me to take out old wardrobes, mention it when we talk and I'll price it in.
How I price wardrobes
Once we've agreed the design, I price it unit by unit: the timber and hardware each one needs, and the hours it takes to make and fit. You get one clear price for that design, and any change is priced in writing before I make it.
How much do fitted wardrobes cost?
It depends on the size of the room, how many units you need, what goes inside them and the timber you choose (see "What affects the cost" above). Once I've visited and we've agreed a design, you'll get a clear price.
Will you come out to measure?
Yes. I'll visit, measure the room and talk through what you want to store. The first visit is free. Shortly before the build starts, I come back for a final measure, so everything is made to the room exactly as it is.
Will I see the design before you build?
Yes. Every wardrobe starts as a CAD drawing of your room, with dimensioned drawings of the layout and the inside of each unit, so you can see how it all sits before any timber is cut.
Can you fit wardrobes into alcoves, sloped ceilings and old walls?
Yes, that's where made-to-measure earns its keep. I measure every wall, alcove and ceiling angle, and scribe the wardrobes to the room on site, so they sit tight with no gaps.
What are the wardrobes made from?
The doors, drawer fronts, frames and drawer boxes are solid hardwood: mainly oak and walnut, and also ash and beech. The carcasses are birch plywood as the premium choice, or veneered chipboard if you'd like to keep the cost down. No MDF and no vinyl wrap. Drawers run on Blum Movento soft-close runners.
Can the inside be planned around my clothes?
Yes. At the design stage we work out how much long and short hanging you need, and where drawers, shelves and shoe storage work best, so the inside fits what you actually own.
Do you make painted wardrobes?
No. My wardrobes are solid timber with hand-applied oil finishes, clear or stained. I don't make painted or spray-lacquered wardrobes.
Can you make matching bedside lockers or other bedroom furniture?
Yes. The alcove bedroom above has matching bedside lockers with spalted beech tops, and you can watch them being made in the video above. I can make lockers and other pieces to go with your wardrobes.
Do you take out old wardrobes?
Not as standard. The room needs to be clear before fitting day. If you'd like me to take out the old wardrobes, mention it when we talk and I'll price it in.
Can you build wardrobes for a new build or an extension?
Yes. I can design from your plans while the build is going on, then do the final measure once the walls are plastered, so the wardrobes are made to the finished room.
Which areas do you cover?
I'm based in Carlow and fit wardrobes across Carlow, Laois, Kilkenny, Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford and Dublin.
Is the work guaranteed?
Yes. My workmanship is guaranteed for 2 years from fitting, as set out in the agreement you sign.
How do I look after solid wood wardrobes?
Dust with a soft cloth, wipe marks with a damp cloth and mild soap, and avoid harsh cleaners. The oil finish can be refreshed over the years rather than replaced, and you'll get care instructions when they're fitted.
Free design visit
Thinking about fitted wardrobes?
Tell me about the room and what you'd like to store, and I'll get back to you to arrange a visit.