DIY-er saved £800 on glamorous bedroom makeover with a smart IKEA Pax walk-in wardrobe

A walk-in wardrobe may be desirable, but let's face it, these bespoke storage spaces don't always come cheap. There's a reason why they're a celebrity favourite. However, with a trip to IKEA and a little hard work you can save a fortune building one.

That is just what Megan Righelato from Essex did when she updated her bedroom and wardrobe area. If you're short of bedroom ideas or have been stuck on wardrobe storage ideas, then this makeover is a lesson in great planning and creative thinking.

Having moved into the house she shares with her boyfriend in October 2020, Megan was keen to turn her bedroom into a soothing sleep space with the walk-in wardrobe of her dreams.

IKEA Pax walk-in wardrobe makeover

Bedroom before

Beige walls and carpet, curtain-free windows and lots of scuff marks meant the bedroom in Megan's new home was in desperate need of a makeover.

'We're having to budget as we're renovating the whole house and adding an extension downstairs next year,' Megan told online retailer MattressNextDay.

'We spent approximately £1,000 building our walk-in wardrobe and renovating the bedroom. Keeping costs low by doing everything ourselves, as paying for labour is usually the biggest expense.'

On the other side of the room, a small mirrored wardrobe just didn't live up to Megan's dream of a large clothing closet. She began to think about how she could use the space better. With the average cost of a labourer around £200 per day, it would likely have cost Megan about £800 in labour. However, she was determined to do the work herself.

'As we both work full-time we could only dedicate our weekends to working on it,' she says. 'It took about six weekends in total.'

Glam bedroom after

Fast forward to now and you wouldn't recognise it as the same room. Gone are the plain walls and dreary decor. Now a smart bed, wall panelling and beautiful lighting combine to create a stylish hotel feel.

'We wanted to go for a calming vibe, so we kept the tones neutral,' Megan explains. 'However, we used black accents to add more modern touches throughout the room, such as the black sockets and the statement chandelier overhead.'

On to the walk-in wardrobe idea, which Megan made after watching YouTube videos. Large enough to store all her clothes and shoes neatly, the wardrobe area looks much more expensive than it is.

The bespoke space is filled with plenty of drawers and rails, a small dressing table area and vinyl herringbone-effect flooring.

'It was a bit of a nightmare to get our heads around, but with the help of YouTube we ended up mastering it,' she says.

'By the end, I realised that it’s important not to be afraid to make mistakes and realise that it always gets worse before it gets better. We got to a point where it felt like it was never-ending, but we are so pleased with the result.'

Another way that Megan saved money was by buying cheaper (but good quality) wardrobes and finding ways to make them look more bespoke.

'We purchased IKEA's Pax wardrobe units for around £600, but added beading to the drawers to match the more traditional style of our bedroom, such as the panelling,' she says. 'We then painted them in Crown’s Satin White and added cup-shaped handles to the wardrobes to make them look more expensive.'

Megan's done an amazing job and it's a space to be proud of. You can see more of Megan's home on her Instagram account @megsathome.

Has this inspired you to create your own walk-in wardrobe?