Custom-Made Built-In Wardrobe – Achieve a Carpenter's Look with IKEA PAX and Select Living

A custom-made built-in wardrobe is the dream of many home furnishers: floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall, no gaps, no dust, everything tidy. From a carpenter, such a built-in wardrobe can quickly cost 5,000 to 10,000 Euros – or more, depending on size and material. But there's a smarter way: using an IKEA PAX as a base and the custom-made additions from Select Living, you can achieve the same look starting from approximately 1,400 Euros. The PAX carcass provides the interior, and we supply the exterior: floor-length doors, ceiling-height fronts, side panels, wall fillers, and top cabinets – all individually tailored to your space.

Why use IKEA PAX as the base for a built-in wardrobe?

The PAX is not a cheap wardrobe – it's a well-thought-out storage system. The interior can be individually configured with shelves, clothes rails, drawers, baskets, shoe racks, and lighting. The carcasses are available in three widths (50, 75, 100 cm) and two heights (201, 236 cm). And IKEA provides a 10-year warranty on the system.

The weakness has always been the exterior: few colors, visible plinth, gap to the ceiling, standard appearance. This is exactly what Select Living changes. We take the solid IKEA foundation and turn it into a built-in wardrobe that looks like a custom-made piece. You don't invest in an entirely new wardrobe, but only in the visible surfaces – this saves money and is more sustainable.

What exactly transforms a PAX into a custom-made built-in wardrobe?

Three things need to happen for a PAX to no longer look like a PAX:

Bottom: The plinth must disappear. Standard IKEA doors end a few centimeters above the floor – you can see the bottom of the carcass. Our floor-length doors extend to the floor. No gap, no filler panel needed.

Top: The gap to the ceiling must be closed. There are two ways to do this: Custom-made ceiling-height doors (up to 277 cm, which extend beyond the carcass and make the wardrobe ceiling-high) or a top cabinet (30–130 cm high, for ceiling heights up to 380 cm, with its own storage space).

Sides: The white chipboard sides of the carcass must be covered. Our side panels and wall fillers cover everything in the same color as the doors – seamlessly, without visible transitions.

Custom-made built-in wardrobe from a carpenter vs. Select Living – an honest comparison

A carpenter will build you a built-in wardrobe completely from scratch – carcass, interior, doors, all seamlessly integrated. The result is top-notch. But: the waiting time is often 8 to 16 weeks, the price is 5,000 to 10,000 Euros for a single wardrobe, and you are dependent on the carpenter's availability and schedule.

With Select Living + IKEA, you get the same visual result through a different approach: IKEA provides the functional core (carcass, interior, drawers, shelves), and we provide the custom-made shell (doors, panels, top cabinet). Delivery time is 4 to 6 weeks for our parts, and costs start from approximately 1,400 Euros for a complete built-in wardrobe solution. You assemble it yourself – without special tools, in an afternoon.

Where the carpenter clearly wins: special situations. Highly angled rooms, integrated lighting concepts with electrical wiring, or if you want a specific solid wood that we don't offer. However, for most bedrooms, hallways, and dressing rooms, the PAX + Select Living solution is visually and functionally equivalent – at a fraction of the cost.

Which rooms are suitable for a PAX built-in wardrobe?

The PAX built-in wardrobe is most common in the bedroom – here, most customers have two to four carcasses side-by-side, covered with continuous fronts. But the PAX also works in many other situations:

In the hallway as a cloakroom with hooks, shoe storage, and space for jackets. In a niche as a custom-fitted wall cabinet that utilizes dead space. In the children's room as a growing system that can be reconfigured. In the dressing room as a floor-to-ceiling wall of cabinets with uniform fronts. Even in the home office as a filing cabinet with closed doors, creating order without looking like an office.

What materials and colors are available for the built-in wardrobe?

All Select Living doors and panels are available in two material lines: Aurora for color and Dendro for wood. Aurora Pure is decor-coated on chipboard – robust and in bright, modern colors. Aurora Signature offers single-sided lacquered surfaces with a velvety-matte feel. Dendro Pure comes with a high-quality wood decor coating, Dendro Signature with real wood veneer. Additionally, there is Dendro Ligna with a ribbed groove structure. In total, over 30 colors and surfaces.

Important: All parts – doors, side panels, wall fillers, top cabinet doors – are manufactured in the same production run in our family carpentry in Gelsenkirchen. This ensures there are no color deviations between the individual elements. This is the difference compared to DIY solutions, where you might combine three different shades of white.

How do I plan my PAX built-in wardrobe?

The easiest way: Open our 3D PAX Planner. There you build your basic structure from IKEA carcasses, then add Select Living doors, top cabinets and panels, and see the result as a 3D preview – including real-time price calculation. You can experiment with different colors and configurations before making a decision. All parts are manufactured in Germany – Made in Germany from our carpentry.

Order samples in advance to check color and surface in your own room. And if you need support – with measurements, a sloped ceiling, or a particularly complex configuration – arrange a callback with our consultation team. We help for free and without obligation.

What does a custom-made built-in wardrobe with IKEA PAX cost?

A concrete example: Two PAX carcasses (100 cm wide, 236 cm high each) with IKEA interiors cost approximately 500–700 Euros. The Select Living parts – four floor-length doors, two side panels, one wall filler, and one top cabinet – range from approximately 1,400 to 3,000 Euros, depending on the material line. So, a total of approximately 2,000 to 3,700 Euros for a complete, room-height built-in wardrobe with over 30 colors to choose from.

From a carpenter, you would pay 5,000 to 10,000 Euros for a comparable result – without the flexibility to reconfigure the interior later. On our inspiration page, you will find real customer examples with before/after pictures and exact price information.

Frequently Asked Questions about PAX Built-in Wardrobes

Do I need a new PAX, or can I use my existing one?
Both. Our doors and panels fit all current PAX carcasses. You can upgrade your existing PAX or buy a new one from IKEA.

How high can the built-in wardrobe be?
With ceiling-height doors, up to 277 cm. With a top cabinet, up to 380 cm. This covers practically every ceiling height in Germany – from new builds to old buildings.

Can I assemble the built-in wardrobe myself?
Yes. You assemble the IKEA carcasses according to IKEA instructions. The Select Living parts are attached with the included mounting materials – no special tools required. On our assembly assistance page, you will find step-by-step instructions.

What about niches, sloped ceilings, or stucco?
Niches are ideal for the PAX built-in wardrobe – the wall fillers neatly close any side gaps. Sloped ceilings and stucco can be accommodated upon request. Please contact our consultation team with the dimensions of your room situation.

Is a PAX built-in wardrobe really as good as one from a carpenter?
Visually: yes – from the outside, there's no difference. Inside, you use the proven IKEA system with shelves, drawers, and rods. The biggest advantage over a carpenter: You can reconfigure the interior at any time, without tools. And the price is a fraction.