The basics
You can buy ready-made cupboards or self-assembly kits from all the main DIY chains and many homeware shops. The first thing to do is to measure the space in which you want to put the cupboard. If you are lucky, a self-assembly cupboard will fit it, and you will probably be able to find an off-the-shelf design to suit your interior.
The alternative is to get a carpenter to construct cupboards or storage units for you out of wood or MDF. If you are adept with a saw, drill and spirit level, this can also be an ideal DIY job.
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The advantage of going down the bespoke route is that you can create cupboards to fit awkward spaces, such as corners or alcoves, or dead space in stairwells or halls.
At the planning stage, think about what you want to store. Storage systems including racks, rails, drawers and boxes to hold your belongings inside the cupboard are available from firms such as the Cotswold Company.
Cupboard kits
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Most self-assembly units come in standard sizes, but not all. Jali Home Design has a useful tool on its website: it gives an instant quote for its bespoke kits. You select a design — classic, ethnic or contemporary — put in your measurements and how many shelves you require, and a plan of your cupboards will arrive in the post three days later. There are options to fit corners and alcoves, or to incorporate bookcases or decorative grilles. A cupboard the size of a washing machine, for instance, made of standard MDF and fitted with three shelves, would cost £95.
To assemble most kits, you will need a screwdriver (electric models are inexpensive and make this job much easier), wood glue and possibly a saw to shape the unit around any existing skirting board.
Be warned: some flat-pack cupboards can be daunting to assemble. Before you buy, make sure you find out how complicated the construction work will be, or be prepared to pay somebody to do it for you.
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The DIY route
You will need to construct what is known in the trade as a carcass — the basic box on which you hang doors and into which you fit shelves. Depending on your budget, choose MDF, wood-faced MDF or solid wood for the box. Your chosen material should be about 18mm thick. You will also need to buy hinges, handles, catches and rails or shelves.
It is easiest to fit a cupboard into an alcove, where you have three supporting walls — constructing a stand-alone frame is more tricky and probably a job for a professional.
Measure the height, width and depth of the space, and construct the basic box out of MDF to fit it. Accurate measuring and cutting are the keys to success here. Use a tri-square or combination square to ensure all the angles are square before screwing and glueing the panels together.
Screw-fix the completed unit to the wall in order to hold it in place. Fit hinges (concealed ones generally look best) and doors to the outer edge of the panels, and attach knobs or handles and magnetic catches to hold the door shut. For anything more than a very simple cupboard, you would be better off buying a kit. These can come with drawers or fitted shelves, which are quite fiddly to build from scratch.
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Suppliers and costs
Local carpenters, cabinet-makers or joiners will often build and fit cupboards at a very competitive rate — from £150 upwards, depending on size. Look in the Yellow Pages — or seek a personal recommendation — to find one, and make sure that you get a written quotation before work begins.
Nationwide stockists such as John Lewis sell standard self-assembly and ready-made cupboards. The big DIY chains — Homebase, Wickes and B&Q — all sell everything you need to fit your own cupboards. For handles, Household Handles stocks a good range, from traditional Victorian brass knobs at £2.27 to more modern designs. Hanging Space specialises in bedroom wardrobes and has a wide range of styles.
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At the top end of the market, firms charge upwards of £1,200 for a bespoke fitted cupboard. The calculator on the Closet Company’s website reveals that its made-to- measure two-door, chrome and frosted glass fitted cupboard will cost £1,693.
Anything else I need to know?
Don’t go too mad on cupboards. Bear in mind that if you cut down on useable floor space dramatically, you can reduce the resale value of your home. Consider fitting downlighters inside your cupboard; ask your electrician to install them so that they turn on when you open the cupboard doors. Mirrors fitted inside cupboard doors are useful, and on outer panels they make the room appear bigger. False cupboard fronts can be used to hide washing machines and other appliances. It is often possible to find clever spaces for cupboards, such as in chimney breasts or underneath a sleeping platform. Two-way cupboards — a double-access linen cupboard between bedroom and bathroom, for instance — give extra flexibility. Be creative: decorative moulding or glass fronts can look attractive. Cupboards don’t have to be purely functional.
B&Q, 0845 222 1000, www.diy.com
The Closet Company, 0800 612 0599, www.closetcompany.co.uk
The Cotswold Company, 0870 241 0973, www.cotswoldco.com
Hanging Space, 01932 849 049, www.hangingspace.co.uk
Homebase, 0870 900 8098, www.homebase.co.uk
Household Handles, 01228 791 909, www.householdhandles.com
Jali, 01227 833 333, www.jali.co.uk
John Lewis, 08456 049 049, www.johnlewis.com
Wickes, 0800 106 068, www.wickes.co.uk