Do You Carpet Before or After Fitted Wardrobes?

Written by: Emma Cyrus, Senior Copy, Content & Editorial Writer
Reviewed by: Christine Scott, Senior Interior Designer at FCI London
Edited by: Zoona Sikander, Interior Design Writer & Social Media Content Creator

Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

TLDR: When renovating your bedroom, the sequence of installing carpets and fitted wardrobes significantly impacts both aesthetics and functionality. Installing wardrobes over existing carpet creates a clean look but may cause structural issues if not properly executed. Conversely, carpeting after wardrobe installation prevents damage during joinery work but leaves the floor beneath unfinished. This guide explores both approaches, helping you make an informed decision based on your specific requirements, flooring type, and wardrobe design to achieve a seamless, professional finish in your luxury bedroom transformation.

Table of Contents

• Carpeting Before Fitted Wardrobes
• Carpeting After Fitted Wardrobes
• Which is Best for You?
• The Pros of Installing Carpets in Your Bedroom
• How to Choose a Fitted Carpet for Your Bedroom
• What to Consider When Designing a Fitted Wardrobe
• In Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

If you're a discerning homeowner in London or the Home Counties planning a bedroom renovation, this comprehensive guide is for you. Interior designers managing luxury projects will also find these practical insights rather helpful for coordinating trades efficiently. We've thoroughly analysed both installation approaches to ensure your bespoke wardrobes and premium carpeting achieve that seamless integration and flawless finish that truly sophisticated interiors deserve.

The question of whether to install carpeting before or after fitted wardrobes surfaces repeatedly in my conversations with clients. It's a deceptively simple query that, when answered incorrectly, can lead to compromised aesthetics, additional costs, and unnecessary complications during your home renovation. When it comes to remodelling your custom cabinetry, one question in particular stands out. So welcome to our exploration of a classic interior design quandary: "Do you carpet before or after fitted wardrobes?"

Finding the correct combination of beauty and functionality necessitates a thorough understanding of the advantages and repercussions of each decision. Just as you would carefully consider the placement of your luxury Italian furniture and the ideal distance from TV to sofa in your living room, the sequence of installing carpets and wardrobes requires thoughtful planning. If you're new to bedroom renovations, you might be unsure which approach will suit you best.

With decades of experience designing luxury bedroom transformations across London and beyond, we understand precisely how this single choice impacts both your design outcome and renovation logistics.

Join us as we navigate this decision, ensuring your outcome aligns beautifully with your vision for seamless, well-coordinated storage.

Carpeting Before Fitted Wardrobes

When considering whether to opt for carpet before wardrobes, there are two different scenarios to think about:

Existing carpets

If you choose to install your wardrobes over existing carpets, consider these essential points:

• Ensuring your floor is level is essential. Failing to do so could result in poorly fitted cabinetry, which may end up warping over time.
• Thin carpets without underlay typically provide sufficient stability for wardrobe installation. However, thicker woven or tufted pile carpeting will need a floor liner placed between it and the base of the unit.
• For sliding doors, we recommend removing a section of carpet where the tracks will be installed.
• Carpet gripper rods will be fixed into this space, leaving a 5 mm gap to allow the cut carpet edge to be tucked down neatly between the gripper and the liner. This creates the necessary space for the sliding door track to be secured atop the liner.

Carpeting the entire room before wardrobes arrive ensures consistent pile direction and eliminates the risk of visible joins or colour variations that can occur when working around obstacles.

New carpets

If you're fitting new carpets before wardrobe installation, consider these recommendations:

• Install carpeting throughout the room, including areas where wardrobes will be positioned. However, use removable carpet tiles or modular systems in wardrobe locations rather than fully adhered broadloom.
• Quality underlay enhances both comfort and insulation. Ensure it extends beneath the wardrobe installation area to create a uniform surface and reduce wear over time.
• Discuss the precise positioning and dimensions of your fitted wardrobes with both carpet and joinery teams, ensuring their work integrates seamlessly.
• Tack strips should be used to properly secure the carpet edges. Once wardrobes are positioned, these strips ensure a clean finish and prevent fraying or displacement.
• Select a carpet material that complements the design of your wardrobe. For example, if you've opted for sliding doors, the pile height shouldn't impede their gliding movement.
• Avoid laying carpets in a way that makes moving or adjusting fitted wardrobes difficult. If the carpet installation is too tight around the wardrobe foundation, alterations or maintenance may be difficult.

Key Takeaway: Installing carpet before fitted wardrobes ensures uniform flooring throughout the room and simplifies future wardrobe replacement, but requires careful consideration of carpet thickness and proper floor levelling to prevent structural issues with your cabinetry over time. 

Carpeting After Fitted Wardrobes

When considering fitting wardrobes and flooring, you may find that installing your carpet after fitted wardrobes have been put in comes with a slightly higher price tag. However, doing it this way around does have certain benefits: 

• It enables the proper measuring and fitting of the carpet, allowing any issues or abnormalities to be addressed on the spot.
• It lowers the risk of the carpet being damaged in any way while your wardrobe installation takes place.
• It allows a wider choice of carpet colour and style, complementing your cabinetry beautifully.

As per carpeting before fitted wardrobes, we recommend using a floor liner to level the bottom door track and provide a neat, straight edge.

Before you decide to go this route, you should also consider the following disadvantages:

• Carpeting around existing furniture requires precise trimming and fitting, which may result in increased labour and installation time.
• The floor beneath your new wardrobe will remain uncovered, making it susceptible to scratches and other forms of deterioration.

Key Takeaway: Carpeting after wardrobe installation protects your new flooring from potential damage during joinery work and allows for precise fitting around fixed elements, though it typically costs more and leaves the floor beneath wardrobes unfinished.

Which is Best for You?

If you're working in a room that is already fitted with beautiful carpets, then your first choice would be to install your wardrobe over the top of them. This approach to carpet or wardrobes first simplifies the process considerably.

However, if you have a bare floor and definitely want a carpet, you'll have to weigh up the pros and cons of both remaining options.

Consider the weight, complexity, and long-term flexibility of your fitted wardrobes. Heavier installations with integrated systems may benefit from the wardrobes-first approach.

Conversely, installing wardrobes over the carpet means there won't be any gaps in the flooring should you ever decide to remove your cabinetry. But before you go this route, you will need to ensure that your floors are level and that the type of carpet can accommodate your choice of doors.

The carpet-versus-wardrobes installation sequence represents just one element of a successful bedroom transformation. The key lies in careful planning, professional coordination, and attention to detail throughout the process. Our team of expert wardrobe designers is always available to chat about your specific needs and will give you professional advice on what's best for you, whether it's about fitting wardrobes and flooring or determining the perfect distance from TV to sofa for your luxury Italian furniture.

Carpet Before Wardrobes - Pros:

• Clean, continuous flooring without visible gaps
• Offers added noise reduction and insulation
• Easier to replace wardrobes in the future without flooring mismatches

Carpet Before Wardrobes - Cons:

• May cause instability if the floor isn't level
• Thick carpets can interfere with sliding mechanisms
• More difficult to reposition or adjust the wardrobe post-installation

Carpet After Wardrobes - Pros:

• Reduces the risk of damaging the new carpet during wardrobe fitting
• Enables exact carpet cutting for a custom finish
• Ideal for precise carpet alignment around the unit

Carpet After Wardrobes - Cons:

• Uncarpeted areas beneath wardrobes remain exposed
• Carpet fitting may be more labour-intensive and expensive
• Harder to replace or upgrade flooring without affecting wardrobes

Key Takeaway: Your specific situation should dictate your approach - choose carpet-first for future flexibility and uniform flooring, or wardrobes-first to protect new carpeting and achieve precise fitting around fixed elements. Consulting with both flooring and joinery specialists is genuinely worthwhile for your particular project.

The Pros of Installing Carpets in Your Bedroom

While many opt for bare floors and bespoke rugs, there are certain benefits to installing wall-to-wall carpets in a bedroom. Here they are:

• Combining carpeting with a fitted wardrobe produces a seamless, sophisticated look and helps to add texture and enhance the visual impact of your room.
• Sliding doors and drawers in a fitted wardrobe are prone to making a noise when opened and closed. Carpeting considerably minimises this, creating a calm environment conducive to peace and relaxation.
• Placing a carpet beneath a fitted wardrobe works as a protective barrier for your flooring against potential damage that may be caused by the weight or movement of the wardrobe.
• Stepping onto the plushness of a carpet optimises the overall comfort of your daily routine, providing warmth, a sound barrier and a general sense of opulence.
• Covering your floors improves insulation and will help to keep your indoor temperature consistent.

Key Takeaway: Bedroom carpeting offers multiple benefits beyond aesthetics - it provides acoustic dampening for wardrobe operations, protects underlying flooring, enhances thermal insulation, and delivers that luxurious underfoot comfort that's particularly welcome during chilly London mornings.

How to Choose a Fitted Carpet for Your Bedroom

When choosing a fitted carpet for your bedroom, there are a myriad of factors to consider, from maintenance requirements to pile height. Here are some guidelines to help you find the right one:

• To create a cosy and inviting ambience in your bedroom, choose a carpet with a soft and comfy texture.
• Make sure that you find a colour that complements the rest of your decor, remembering that neutral tones promote relaxation while brighter hues add life and character.
• The material you choose should be durable and fit both your preferences and lifestyle. Wool, for example, is warm and long-lasting, while synthetic fibres are stain-resistant and cost-effective.
• The pile height is important and should strike a balance between comfort and functionality. Longer piles, while sumptuous underfoot, can be difficult to maintain and are not ideal in high-traffic areas.
• If spills are a worry, choose something that has been treated with a stain-protector or find a colour and pattern that will hide dirt and footprints.
• Consider your budget and choose the best quality possible within those constraints. And remember that long-term durability is an investment, so don't skimp if you can afford something fabulous.
• Before you make a final decision, bring home some carpet samples so that you can look at them in the lighting conditions of your bedroom. This will ensure that you're not disappointed when the final product is in place.
• Make sure that you hire a professional for carpet installation to guarantee a seamless finish, especially if you'll be adding or working around a fitted wardrobe.

Key Takeaway: When selecting bedroom carpeting, prioritise comfort, durability and compatibility with your wardrobe design - particularly considering pile height for sliding door mechanisms and selecting materials that will maintain their appearance over time in your specific usage conditions.

What to Consider When Designing a Fitted Wardrobe

Fitted wardrobes are the key to an uncluttered bedroom aesthetic, helping to carefully store away everything from clothing and shoes to jewellery and accessories. Just as you would thoughtfully arrange your luxury Italian furniture with the perfect distance from TV to sofa in your living room, your bedroom storage deserves equal consideration.

Highly customisable, fitted wardrobes can be tailor-made to your exact specifications, enhancing your lifestyle and adding a touch of glam to your home.

If you're thinking of installing one, here are some things that you'll need to bear in mind:

• Evaluate and measure your available space accurately, taking into account your ceiling height, wall irregularities and the placement of your other furnishings. The Wardrobe Design #31 by Lago, for example, can be made to fit sloped ceilings in a loft room.
• Assess your possessions and determine your storage needs. This should give you a good idea of how much hanging space, shelving and compartments you require.
• Make sure that you think about smart enhancements that will improve functionality and ease of use. Shoe racks, tie hangers, pull-out drawers, laundry bins, and accessory trays will all make your life a little easier. Take a look at the gorgeous Millimetre walk-in by MisuraEmme for some inspiration.
• Decide whether you would like a sleek sliding door as seen in the Hopus wardrobe by Jesse, or a hinged version like the beautiful Arrow unit by Dall'Agnese.
• Choose colours and finishes that perfectly match your existing decor and personal taste. At FCI London, we have hundreds of options available for all of our luxury fitted wardrobes, allowing you to create something wonderfully unique.
• Decide on a budget before you start planning and use our easy-to-use online cost calculator for an instant estimate.

Key Takeaway: Designing a fitted wardrobe requires thoughtful consideration of both practical storage requirements and aesthetic integration with your bedroom - from specialised internal organisation systems to door mechanisms that work harmoniously with your chosen flooring type.

In Conclusion

Deciding whether to opt for carpet before wardrobes or vice versa is a matter of personal preference and depends on the overall look and feel you're aiming for. Just as you would carefully consider the optimal distance from TV to sofa when arranging your luxury Italian furniture in the living room, the sequence of fitting wardrobes and flooring requires thoughtful planning. We suggest you choose the option that best suits your budget, time frame and design needs.

Key Takeaway: The carpet-before-wardrobes question isn't about following rules; it's about understanding your specific project needs, timeline, and design vision to make the most practical choice for your space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my fitted wardrobes be stable if installed over thick carpet?
Thick carpets with substantial underlay can indeed compromise wardrobe stability over time. For plush carpeting, we recommend using a floor liner beneath the wardrobe base or removing carpet sections where tracks will be positioned. This creates a stable foundation while maintaining the aesthetic benefits of wall-to-wall carpeting throughout the remainder of the room.

How much extra does it cost to carpet around existing wardrobes?
Carpeting around existing wardrobes typically adds 15-25% to standard installation costs due to the additional precision cutting, waste material, and labour time required. The complexity of your wardrobe footprint and the carpet type selected will influence this premium. For precise quotations, we recommend having flooring specialists assess your specific configuration.

Can I replace my carpet without removing fitted wardrobes?
Yes, though with certain limitations. Replacing carpet around existing wardrobes requires careful edge cutting and may result in visible seams where old and new carpeting meet beneath wardrobe edges. Professional installers can minimise this effect using specialised techniques, but complete removal and reinstallation of wardrobes offers the most seamless result for comprehensive flooring replacement.

What's the best carpet pile height to use with sliding wardrobe doors?
For sliding wardrobe systems, we recommend low to medium-pile carpets (under 12mm) to prevent interference with door mechanisms. High-pile or shag carpets can obstruct tracks and cause operational issues over time. If you're particularly fond of plush carpeting, consider installing a smooth transition strip where the doors operate to ensure smooth, reliable performance without compromising your preferred aesthetic elsewhere.

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