Once upon a time, a mirror on the front door was a great rarity and was considered an original author's find. Nowadays, this type of door design can surprise few people. But this solution is still in great demand. This means that it’s not just about being spectacular and unusual. Apparently there are other benefits?
Of course they are. Let's talk about the pros and cons of a mirror on the front door. Let's look into some of the nuances and be inspired by photo examples of hallways with mirrored doors.
Doors with mirror: main features
Any mirror visually expands the space. That is why in small-sized apartments (for example, in Khrushchev-era apartments) such doors are often installed. Here are the main features of such doors:
- They can be made of various materials (metal, plywood and chipboard, stone, plastic, wood). The cost largely depends on the material.
- The mirror can occupy the entire surface of the door or only part of it.
- Glass comes in different colors and is often decorated using various techniques (for example, mosaic or sandblasting graphics, glass engraving). As a rule, products with decor are more expensive than doors with transparent, smooth glass. The decor can be embossed and convex.
- There are ready-made models for standard apartments on sale, but if you wish, you can invite a measuring specialist and he will make a door to order, in accordance with the dimensions of a particular room.
Any mirror visually expands the space
For safety reasons, you should not install such doors in children's rooms. Even the most durable glass, resistant to shocks and other impacts, can break due to active children's games.
Flaws
Mirrored door from bedroom to bathroom
Despite the large number of positive qualities, such a mirror solution is not without serious drawbacks, namely:
- High degree of pollution . Like an ordinary mirror, a reflective canvas of this design is excessively easily soiled. That is, any touch of the fingers, any, even the smallest droplets of splashes will remain on the visible part of the surface and will be distinguishable when approaching the door.
- Difficulty in installation . Due to their specific characteristics, the main one of which is the significant weight of the structure, increased demands are placed on the installation process of such systems.
- High price . The price of mirror doors is quite high. This fact significantly affects the consumer’s purchasing capabilities, and therefore the prevalence of such a solution (not available at all points of sale of such products).
Use in interior design: successful examples
Most often, such doors are used to create a separate “wardrobe” area in a room - a place where apartment residents and guests change clothes, as well as store clothes. The easiest and most convenient way to create such a dressing area is in a long and narrow hallway (corridor).
Such doors can be made of various materials
The door can also be an excellent option for a studio apartment. In such apartments, many people like the fact that the kitchen is combined with the living room, and the space is difficult to zone.
A glass door will help divide a large space into a cooking area and an eating area (“kitchen” and “dining room”) or a family recreation area (“kitchen” and “living room”). If a decision is made to separate the kitchen from the nursery in this way, the housewife will be able to watch the children playing through the glass while cooking.
The cost largely depends on the material
Unsuccessful options
There shouldn't be too many mirrors. If the room already has a large mirror (for example, from floor to ceiling), it is quite possible that a mirrored door will be “extra.” When there are too many glass surfaces in a room that reflect light, the homeliness disappears from the room. Such a room is more reminiscent of a dance class in which ballerinas or gymnasts practice, or a ballroom.
Also, you should not install doors with glass decorated with small intricate designs using any technique in a room where there is a large number of various trinkets, figurines and other small items. In this case, the pattern on the doors will dazzle your eyes.
Great option for a studio apartment
Advice You should be careful with mirrors decorated with colored glass inserts. In general, colored glass designs on mirrored doors are more suitable for public spaces than rooms.
When installing mirrored sliding doors, you must keep the following in mind:
- Glass inserts should be thin, this indicates the high quality of the material.
- In order for mirrored doors to look elegant, they must be regularly wiped with glass cleaner, and then wiped dry with a dry sponge so that no unsightly stains remain.
- If the dimensions of the room do not allow you to install doors with glass inserts, you can order a wardrobe with similar doors of any size and place it where you need to divide the room into zones.
- Colored glass makes the room darker, transparent glass makes the room lighter. Doors with colored glass are suitable for the hallway (corridor), with transparent ones - for the living room and kitchen.
Classic style option
When installing mirrored doors, it is necessary to take into account not only the area of the room, but also the height of the ceilings. A mirror that extends from floor to ceiling visually makes the ceiling higher.
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Designs and forms
Wall mirrors help create a unique interior in any room in your apartment. The hallway is no exception. A correctly selected mirror will delight its owners for many years, or even decades.
For adherents of the classics, we can advise you to take a closer look at the standard forms of wall mirrors. These include traditional shapes - round, square, oval. If you want to slightly diversify the usual shapes, then you can choose a mirror in the shape of a diamond or a wave.
You should move a little away from the usual types of mirrors and consider more daring interior solutions. In order to give the mirror an unusual and original look, you can use the technique of painting on mirrors or mosaics. For minimalist interiors, designers recommend wall mirrors with a sandblasted pattern.
If the product has a non-standard shape, then it is better to choose a simple, no-frills frame for it. For simple products, the opposite rule applies - the simpler the mirror itself, the more luxurious and rich its frame should be.
Thanks to wall mirrors, you can create a beautiful, original and elegant hallway design.
Entrance doors: use in different rooms
You can install a sliding door in any room, as well as in the bathroom, if its area allows. When choosing a room to install such doors, consider the following:
- Reliability of the design, convenience and safety of operation of the structure in the conditions of a specific room. For example, sliding doors with clear glass inserts are not suitable for a bedroom if the couple wants no one to disturb their privacy.
Door option with pattern
- Match the door design to the interior of a specific room. Before installation, it is necessary to make repairs in the room, otherwise the most beautiful door with an original and modern design will look like an alien element.
- The material from which the structure is made. Metal is suitable for the hallway and bathroom, but in the bedroom and children's room it may look too “cold”, where “warmer” materials are much better suited - wood, chipboard or plastic painted in “warm” colors.
- The dimensions of the door must correspond to the area of the interior. A huge sliding door with large decor installed in a small room will look bulky, and the room will become even smaller. On the contrary, a small, elegant sliding structure will look awkward in a large living room, and the interior will look undecorated and unfinished.
After weighing and analyzing all the factors listed above, you can select a sliding door model for a specific room.
Classic never goes out of style
Sliding doors to the bedroom
The main function of the door leading to the bedroom is to guarantee a quiet rest, so the doors should open absolutely silently, without creaking or other extraneous sounds. If the goal is to make the bedroom more spacious, you should choose models painted in light colors . On the contrary, if you want to make a huge bedroom more comfortable, “intimate”, models made of dark wood or plastic are suitable.
For those who prefer high-tech style, it is better to choose classic white. Gold and silver coloring of swing doors is not the best choice for a bedroom, because such colors have a stimulating effect on the nervous system.
The dimensions of the door must correspond to the area of the interior
It’s good when there is a breeze and the texture of the door panels matches the color and texture of the floor. For example, a wooden plank floor painted brown and a similar door leaf. Or patterned parquet and doors with colored glass inserts imitating patterns on parquet. Also, when choosing the color and texture of a swing structure for the bedroom, you should take into account the color and texture of the window frames. A plastic entrance structure is suitable for plastic windows, and one made of wood or imitating wood is suitable for wooden ones.
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Options for the living room and children's room
When installing swing doors in the living room and children's room, you can choose any design option. The main thing is that it fits harmoniously into the space of a particular room and contributes to the rational zoning of the living space (especially in small apartments).
Separation of bedroom and living room
An excellent option for a children's room is a wooden door leaf with horizontal rectangular inserts made of transparent or colored glass, located from bottom to top at intervals. From a distance, such a door resembles a staircase, and this will certainly delight a child or teenager.
For a spacious living room, a sliding door leaf consisting of two leaves, in which a solid glass leaf is divided into separate “squares” using thin partitions, and all “squares” have a common wooden frame, is well suited. When this structure swings open, it resembles a gate. The top squares of glass can have a curved end, like arches. This will help visually increase the ceiling and expand the space.
Stylish design
Advice For small-sized apartments, options with one or two doors are best, and in spacious rooms - with three doors or more. The fewer the sashes, the more reliable the design and easier the operation.
But, on the other hand, three- and four-leaf structures can completely change the interior of a standard room, giving the room a noble appearance. You should also keep the following in mind:
- Entrance structures that swing open and open automatically are not always suitable for residential premises. Therefore, it is better to choose doors “with manual control”; they look more comfortable, “at home.”
- Any door can only be installed in a straight doorway, but in no case in an oblique one. If the opening is not perfectly level, it must be corrected before installing the entrance structure.
- Large, wide doors may require additional wall reinforcement to ensure safety and security.
- You can use door panels for a children's room. Decorated with photo printing or large vinyl stickers. Mosaic decor is suitable for the living room.
When choosing entrance hinged structures for a living room or children's room, it is also necessary to take into account what function the door will perform in a particular room - a design element or part of the exterior decoration. The choice of decor depends on this.
What are the advantages of mirrored wardrobes?
Firstly, a sliding wardrobe, unlike a wardrobe with hinged doors, does not “capture” additional space in the room or in the corridor. Moreover, they are very roomy - behind the doors there are many shelves, hangers, and drawers hidden. Secondly, the built-in mirror in the wardrobe allows you to see how neatly you are dressed, how well the accessories are chosen, whether your makeup is successful, and so on. It will be more convenient if the mirror for sliding wardrobes is as large in area as possible, in full height. Thirdly, a mirror for a sliding wardrobe visually increases the space of the room
This is especially important if your apartment is small.
Another bonus is that wardrobe mirrors improve the lighting of the room. Even if the room/corridor is dark, wardrobe mirrors, effectively reflecting light, make the room brighter. By the way, it is much easier to fit such a cabinet into the interior than other furniture, since thanks to the mirror it blends into any decor.
Of course, you can order a wardrobe with transparent doors or made of solid solid wood, but still mirrors for a wardrobe are the most practical and functional option.
You can order doors with clear or tinted mirrors. A mirror for a sliding wardrobe can have a coating that can be silver, graphite, bronze, blue, green or matte. A special film is applied to the back of the mirrors on the wardrobes - if you accidentally break the glass, it will prevent the fragments from scattering and will hold the fragments.
If you buy a custom-made mirror for a sliding wardrobe, you have much greater opportunities than those who buy mirrors in a store to give your furniture individuality. There are plenty of ways - for example, mirrors for sliding wardrobes can be diversified by applying ornaments using sandblasting or full-color images using photo printing or artistic painting. Mirrors on a wardrobe will add sophistication and originality to even the simplest furniture.
The only thing that can be considered a minus is the heaviness of the mirrors. But if the sliding system is of high quality and all mechanisms work perfectly, this is not a problem. And don’t worry about the fragility of mirrors - manufacturers have found a way to deal with this drawback. They use the same protective film that we talked about above.
Consumers are often concerned with the question: should they buy a ready-made wardrobe with a mirror or order it? Of course, the second option is preferable, since the contractor will take into account your personal wishes, give your furniture individuality, and make a cabinet of a size that suits your room.
Metal sliding doors: comparison with other materials
Compared to other materials, metal swing doors differ:
- Heaviness.
- High cost.
- Durability and resistance to impacts.
- Quite a limited range of colors.
Idea for decorating a hallway
Metal is the best material if the door leaf is installed in the kitchen or hallway. However, in a bedroom, living room or nursery, an undecorated metal sliding door, even glazed, may not look very cozy.
Advice For these rooms, you should choose options that are relatively light in weight, decorated with fine, elegant engravings, and original-shaped glass inserts.
Tree
The first option for a wooden door is when the texture of natural wood is completely hidden behind glass or behind a layer of paint (self-adhesive film, photo printing). This option is suitable for those who love high-tech style. The second option is when the natural texture of wood, on the contrary, is emphasized.
Cozy living room in warm colors
If a wooden door leaf is installed in the hallway, kitchen or bathroom, it should not weigh much to make the door convenient to use.
It is also advisable to treat the canvas with an antifungal compound so that the wood does not absorb moisture and lasts longer.
Advice It is better to choose the most modest decor so that the door fits harmoniously into the surrounding space. Entrance swing doors to the bedroom and living room can be more massive; decor from multi-colored small pieces of wood (glass) is quite appropriate here.
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Plastic
Entrance structures made of plastic are lightweight and relatively low cost compared to metal and wood. Due to their light weight and small thickness of the door leaf, they visually expand the space.
In the style of minimalism
Plastic structures are good because, due to their light weight, they almost always swing open and close without noise, so they are well suited for a bedroom or children's room. One of the main advantages of plastic, compared to metal and wood, is the richness of colors and shades. If you choose the original color of the door leaf, you can limit yourself to the smooth surface of the door leaf without additional decor; such a door will look original in any case.
When choosing colors, you should avoid bright, flashy colors that tire your eyesight. However, a double-leaf design with glass inserts around the perimeter, enclosed in a “frame” of a bright, cheerful color (red, orange), is quite appropriate for the kitchen.
Wardrobe space
Dark blue plastic is good for the bedroom.
Advice When choosing door structures made of colored plastic, you must keep in mind that the glass inserts in this case should only be transparent, without decoration or engraving. And, conversely, when choosing a door with leaves made of white, black, brown, gray plastic, the glass can be intricately decorated with mosaics, engravings or sandblasted pictures.
You also need to consider the following:
- The wood or plastic from which sliding doors are made must meet fire safety requirements.
- Metal door leaves, especially those with sharp corners or irregular shapes, are not suitable for children's rooms due to the high risk of injury.
- Metal is great for the kitchen, as it will not allow foreign odors into other rooms.
- Glass inserts on wooden and metal door leaves should be thicker than on plastic ones, otherwise the combination of glass with another material will look unnatural.
Plastic product
The choice of material for sliding doors depends on the financial capabilities of the buyer, as well as on the preferences of the home designer . Some people like wood that is rough to the touch, evoking an association with a village hut, while others prefer the noble shine of metal combined with bright glass that shines in the sun.
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According to the shape of the body
It is important to choose the correct body shape for the structure. The correctly chosen shape of the closet will make the bedroom interior not only beautiful, but also functional.
There are three main types of structures:
- Straight cabinet. The most common option. Most designer photos of bedroom wardrobes with a mirror show this particular option. This design is more spacious and fits most interiors.
- Corner design. Such a cabinet can have a trapezoidal or triangular shape. A corner wardrobe for a bedroom with mirrors is perfect for a small bedroom or for people who have a minimum of things.
- Radius model. Such cabinets have curved facades, which can be either convex or concave. This original solution is suitable for creative design interiors.
- Pencil case. This tall and narrow design is suitable for small rooms or as additional storage.
Interior doors: choice of decor
The cheapest models of sliding doors are a door leaf consisting of one (two or more) leaves with transparent glass inserts. Approximately the same glass, but less durable, can be found in ordinary mirrors. This is an excellent option for “utility” rooms (kitchen, bathroom, hallway).
Idea for a large country house
But in living rooms, designs with decorated door panels will look much more interesting. Most often, sliding door leaves are decorated using the following technologies:
- Wood carving.
- Glass engraving.
- Sandblasting in the form of a plot image or geometric ornament.
- Mosaic decor.
- Photo printing.
- High quality self-adhesive film.
Which decor option to choose depends on the preferences of the owner. Rich carved decor is well suited for a spacious bedroom. If carving motifs are repeated in the decor of furniture (for example, a bed, bedside table), the interior will be completely consistent in the same style.
Art Nouveau style
Mosaic is a good option for the living room. But in a children's room, such decor is not suitable, because pieces of multi-colored glass, reflecting the color, can have a bad effect on the lighting of the work area in which the child (teenager) reads, writes, and does homework.
Bright photo printing is best for a children's room.
Advice If doors are installed in all rooms, including “utility” rooms, it is advisable that they all be decorated in the same style.
Loft style
The decor can be made in different techniques, but the decorative motifs should overlap with each other. For example:
- Geometric patterns - sandblasting (in the kitchen), mosaic (in the living room), large vinyl stickers (in the nursery).
- Floral motifs - wood carving (in the hallway and bedroom), glass engraving (in the living room and kitchen).
- Stylized images of animals are on the door with photo printing in the nursery and, as an engraving on glass (in a more stylized, generalized form) - on the doors to other rooms.
If glass inserts are decorated, the wooden (metal, plastic) part of the sliding door leaf must be absolutely flat and smooth. And vice versa: if the base of a wooden canvas is decorated (for example, using the carving technique), smooth, transparent glass is inserted into this base.
VIDEO: Updating the interior using doors with a mirror
Interior doors in the interior
Best design options
Types of mirrors
Usually an ordinary mirror is installed on the door and used for its intended purpose. People look into it to evaluate their appearance. But you can create a real masterpiece from a simple design if you decorate the surface with various patterns. There are several types of such mirror planes.
Grooved
As a rule, it is made according to individual sketches, but there are quite a lot of ready-made copies on sale. The volumetric pattern looks very impressive and will be quite an original decoration.
Stained glass
To create such a surface you will need high-quality painted parts
With their help, unusual pictures are created on the mirror that can attract attention.
Patinated
Artificial aging is widely used when using various styles of room decoration. For example, in the direction of shabby chic or eclectic. A mirror that looks like it has been used for many years is very popular in the now fashionable loft.
Tinted
Folding mirror doors for a dressing room can be made from colored glass using amalgam. Such products are luxurious and perfectly used in the art deco style.
Patterned
The surface is decorated with a pattern or inscription, which is applied by etching. For this purpose, the surface is sandblasted. Such decorations look equally good in any design.
With beveled edges
The edge of a mirror, processed at a certain angle, can also reflect objects. As a rule, to create the effect, several mirrors are required, which will create an unusual three-dimensional image. Such designs are suitable for any style of room.
