The problem of compact storage of things is relevant for every housewife. How to successfully place things and shoes for the whole family, while saving space? Modern wardrobes come to the rescue. They are not only distinguished by their colossal spaciousness, but correctly selected ones will become a true decoration of the interior..
Pros and cons of compartment designs
Modern wardrobes have a number of advantages over conventional wardrobes:
- They have a large capacity. Things in such a closet are kept in proper order, you do not have to worry about their appearance, for example, do not be afraid to get a blouse crumpled under the pressure of other things from the closet. Models with corner shelves create additional storage space for small items;
- This type of cabinet is compact with its significant dimensions, which significantly harmonizes the space;
- Thanks to the variety of models, you can choose the right size wardrobe with a standard depth of 60 cm for the living room, bedroom or hall. The buyer chooses the filling for the sliding wardrobe and its design on his own, taking into account his preferences;
- They have a comfortable door opening – the doors slide along the guides, driving in one after the other, which is very convenient when filling the room with other furniture. Also, this principle of opening is distinguished by safety: it is impossible to press a finger, and small children will not be injured if they are bruised on the cabinet door due to the lack of handles in this model;
- Thanks to the built-in models, with the help of a wardrobe, you can hide significant wall defects, protruding pipes or bare wires;
- With the help of a sliding wardrobe, it becomes possible for zoning the space and using it as partitions;
- A variety of color and style components make it possible to choose a wardrobe for the desired interior, and the variability of wardrobes depending on price indicators allows you to choose a model that is affordable.
The disadvantages of such designs include:
- The impossibility of rearranging such a cabinet and periodic alignment of the doors: with frequent opening, the mechanism may loosen slightly, and the doors will begin to open. Aligning the door is not difficult, even for a layman..
- A significant predominance of pluses over minuses makes sliding wardrobes very popular..
Models
Models with two, three or four doors, depending on the required capacity, in standard depth and rectangular shape, are classics. Made of various materials – wood, laminated chipboard, veneered chipboard, MDF, plastic panel – sliding wardrobes are decorated with patterns, photo printing, patterns, glass inserts. Doors can be plain, with a mirrored door, with a glossy plastic surface and a composite print over the entire surface of the cabinet.
Corner wardrobes are gaining more and more popularity. Such models differ in depth. Thanks to its stylish design, the wardrobe fits well into the corner. As a rule, on the side, these models have shelves for figurines, perfume, combs and other useful little things..
Models of sliding wardrobes of original designs will make the room unusual and unique. A radial closet in a room will not only become a wonderful place for storing things, but will also emphasize the taste and adherence to fashion trends of its owner. They make wardrobes of a semicircular shape, expanding and contracting, wavy or in any other modern style of your choice.
Case and built-in
As noted earlier, sliding wardrobes can be cabinet and built-in.
Sliding wardrobes have external walls and are no different from ordinary wardrobes except for compartment-type doors.
A built-in wardrobe usually occupies a niche in the wall. It has only internal division into sections, has no side panels, a back panel and a wall that separates the cabinet from the ceiling. Choosing such a cabinet, you must first clearly determine the location of its installation. Built-in wardrobe – construction for more than one year. It is advisable to think in detail about fastenings, internal filling, lighting, lifting and retractable mechanisms. Due to the absence of side and rear MDF panels, the built-in cabinet will cost less than the cabinet.
Internal filling
Before you start planning the filling for the wardrobe, you need to decide what things will be stored there and where it will stand. For example, the wardrobe in the hallway and the wardrobe in the room will be different..
In the inner filling of the wardrobe, three main components can be distinguished:
- upper shelf (mezzanine), where rarely used things will be stored. These can be: seasonal items that are taken out a maximum of once every three months (umbrellas, rubber boots), or items that are used periodically (blankets and blankets in the event of guests arriving, festive dishes and other utensils);
- bottom shelf, which is good for shoes;
- middle cabinet space. It is located conventionally in the middle and is used to store everyday wardrobe..
The filling of the cabinet contains the following elements, depending on the wishes of the buyer:
- For mid-bar and pantograph. Hangers with clothes of both short length (sweaters, blouses) and long (dresses, sundresses, raincoats) can be placed on the bars. They can be placed at different levels, for example, one bar above, the other below, or at the same level parallel to the base of the cabinet.
- For taller cabinets, it is more successful to use pantographs – these are modern rods with retractable mechanisms for lowering clothes to the desired level.
- It is better to place the shelves on the sides of the wardrobe in a row one below the other. They can be different in depth, but for ease of use it is better to choose a distance of 30-40 cm. Shelves can be ordinary open, closed semi-roll-out.
- Drawers for clothes, fully or half sliding out due to special mechanisms.
- Plastic boxes and baskets for storing laundry are pulled out using special mechanisms.
- For cabinets small in depth, pull-out hangers are used. The wardrobe can also be supplemented with various hooks, hangers, clothes racks.
- The lower part of the closet is mostly reserved for shoes. Shoe shelves can be equipped with special nets.
- Some manufacturers, at the request of the client, add fasteners for ironing boards to the wardrobe, and also supply some models with additional baskets for trifles..
Thus, the most capacious wardrobe can become a place to store any item from a blouse to a vacuum cleaner..
Filling depending on the location
The inner filling of the wardrobe in the room will be basically represented by clothes. This cabinet is characterized by the presence of bars, hangers and various drawers for clothes. The width of such a cabinet does not exceed 60 cm.
The sliding wardrobe, located in the hallway, is designed for outerwear. It should include drawers or shelves for shoes, various shelves for hats, hooks for umbrellas and keys. Since the space in the corridor is significantly limited, it is better to choose cabinet models with a width of 40-45 cm.
To fill the space of a corner cabinet, you need to think carefully about everything. In order for the item to be easily reached even from the depth of the cabinet, use rods and hangers located in the center, and open shelves on the side..
The sliding wardrobe can be filled from bottom to top, and for models in the living room, some manufacturers provide a TV shelf.
A little more about filling.
The internal arrangement of elements in the wardrobe should be as functional as possible.
The clothes rail is best positioned in the center of the closet because it needs to be up to 1.5 meters long to accommodate all of the hangers..
On the sides it is better to arrange shelves for clothes 40 cm wide, for books 25 cm wide will be enough.
For lighting, it is more practical to use a retractable visor with automatic light on – this way the cabinet will be fully illuminated.
Design
The design of the facades of sliding wardrobes is incredibly diverse, which allows you to choose a model for any interior.
The standard version of the wardrobe is solid wood-like chipboard facades from dark wenge to bleached oak or plastic glossy facades of neutral white, milky, beige colors, or bright accentuating ones: lilac, violet, chocolate. When choosing a bright shade for doors, you should take into account the size of the cabinet, so a large red spot along the entire length of the wall is unlikely to look attractive.
You can dilute the blind doors with one mirror – and this is the most common option. Various combinations can be used: one mirror door of two, a mirror along the center door for a three-door wardrobe. Such models visually increase the size of the room, in addition you become the owner of a full-length mirror.
Manufacturing companies, striving to make compartment doors more attractive, make combined options: facades from separate rectangles – geometric, diagonal, sector. Glass, a different color of wood, plastic of various shades are used as inserts..
The most popular material is chipboard. It is also the most budgetary option. Various colors, ease of maintenance add popularity to this material..
Customers are increasingly opting for mirrored doors. They will cost more, but will add light to the room..
Doors with frosted glass remain translucent, but this is enough to hide the contents of the cabinet.
More and more sliding wardrobes with glass elements coated with colored lacquer appear on the market. This cabinet looks truly gorgeous. Varnish can be selected in almost any color.
Most often, sliding wardrobes are decorated using various patterns on glass: glossy or matte in the form of floral ornaments, geometric, monogram patterns.
Quite a lot has been said about the popularity and budget of plastic doors, it is only worth adding that you can choose any plastic for decoration: colored, translucent, matte.
Sliding wardrobes with bamboo or rattan doors will fit well into ethnic style, moreover, this material is environmentally friendly, which adds points to it.
Sliding wardrobes with decoracryl look original in the interior. Shells, twigs, flowers, coconut fibers are placed between acrylic panels.
Sliding wardrobe with leather decor looks solid and stylish. But in a house where there are animals, the purchase of such a cabinet is unlikely to be a rational purchase..
Doors with photo print elements are the most popular. The collection of any manufacturer already has a set of standard drawings: landscapes, marine themes, animals, birds, insects, forest and flower photos. You can always put your own drawing and even a photo of the family on the closet door..
Mounting
It is quite possible to do the installation of a cabinet-type wardrobe with your own hands. The most important thing is to check the availability of all components upon receipt of the goods. The main thing when assembling a wardrobe is to install a frame. Then it is necessary to collect the inner filling, install the guides for sliding the sliding doors.
The situation with the built-in cabinet is more complicated. If you have never dealt with cabinet making, it is better to seek professional help. It is not worth making a drywall structure, the internal filling can break fragile walls. The booms are attached directly to the concrete wall.
When choosing this or that model of a wardrobe, always proceed from its dimensions, the ability to accommodate all your things and compatibility with the interior.
