Methods of decorating mirrored facades of sliding wardrobes

Today we find sliding wardrobes in almost every apartment. The convenience and practicality of this type of furniture is beyond doubt, but its weak point is still decor. Panels and mirrors of a large area are a rather boring picture, which you will certainly want to diversify.

How to decorate a wardrobe? Of course, you can order expensive doors from several panel inserts or with photo printing, but you will have to overpay a substantial amount.

We will offer you 5 inexpensive ways to decorate your closet with your own hands. What are their advantages?

— wide field for design solutions;

- saving money;

- convenient technologies that do not require special skills or a lot of time.

How to update an old cabinet?

In any home, the closet occupies a very important place.
It is a pity that over time it loses its original appearance: the appearance of cracks and faded paint make it unattractive, it goes out of fashion and looks out of date. We have to think about his future fate. There are at least two ways out of this situation:

• buying new furniture;
• updating an old closet.

With your own hands you can give your wardrobe a new life, turn it into a unique object, while saving significant money.

Surface decoration

There are many DIY ways to update your cabinets. The most popular, even today, is painting cabinet furniture. The decor of a sliding wardrobe or a standard version simply cannot do without painting, and bright colors will help the old product sparkle with new colors. In order for the paint to last a long time and look beautiful, you need to follow the rules:

• Preferably use acrylic paints;
• sand the surface well;
• eliminate in advance any imperfections that become visible after painting.

How to restore?

Any antique cabinet requires a little restoration, which will significantly improve its appearance.

You can restore the wardrobe yourself if you use the advice of experts:

• A metal brush is used to treat decayed wood, after which the dead tissue is removed.
• The fine dust formed in this case is washed off under running water.
• Sometimes there are holes from nails, some unevenness and cracks in the wooden elements of the cabinet. All this must be cleaned with a spatula. It is necessary to apply several thin layers of putty to match the wood. Each layer must dry before applying the next.
• Then dry all layers in fresh air for 1-2 days. Do not dry wood in the sun.
• Sometimes there are metal parts in furniture that have become covered with rust over time; such places should be treated with a special solution.
• The restored surface can then be painted or decorated at your discretion.
• A self-adhesive film that imitates wood, stone, or metal is perfect.

How to paint?

A cabinet that has gone out of fashion, but is still quite strong and will last for many years, can simply be repainted. In this simple way, a new design of cabinets, chests of drawers and any other old furniture is created. In this case, we are talking not only about giving freshness to dull surfaces, but also about completely replacing the color scheme, which will add originality to the product. Painting is the most common option for updating an old item. Despite its simplicity, it is necessary to approach this process correctly. For a long-lasting result, you must first prepare the furniture walls.

Below is a step-by-step master class.

It will help you to carry out high-quality and competent painting at home:

• it is important to first clean the surfaces of paint residues: one layer will easily remove the sanding disc; special brushes can handle several layers as an attachment;
• all walls, doors and other parts must be sanded manually or using a tool;
• leveling occurs by applying a primer or putty to hide defects that have arisen during many years of use;
• you need to wait until the leveling layer has completely dried, and after that you can start painting;

• To apply a layer of paint on all sides, take a brush, roller or sponge; however, it is faster to use a spray gun or spray gun. With this method, the paint is applied under pressure, so the doors, shelves and walls inside the cabinet are well painted;
• As a rule, several layers of paint are applied. This ensures rich color and good surface preservation. It is better to paint the cabinet with acrylic, alkyd enamel or other high-quality paint;
• the paint must be allowed to dry completely, after which a layer of varnish can be applied. It makes the cabinet look glossy and shiny. If you prefer a matte surface, you can skip varnishing. However, the use of this coating has a protective function, prevents abrasion and gives the tone greater depth. You can use not only glossy, but also matte and silky finishes.

Useful tips

It’s a pity if you have to throw away old but high-quality furniture, especially wooden ones. But such products can be updated and used for more than one year. To choose the right decoration method, it is important to take into account the material and degree of wear of the old cabinet.

Natural wood

Previously, wooden furniture was made of very high quality. Before updating, remove dust with a dry cloth. Then check the fasteners and if they are broken, they need to be repaired or replaced. It would be nice to treat the inside of the cabinet with an antibacterial agent; a more budget-friendly option is simple vinegar. It will destroy the unpleasant odor.

Then the choice of decoration method is made.

• Toning. First, all surfaces are leveled using wood putty, matched to the color of the cabinet. After the layer has dried, uneven areas are sanded with sandpaper. Treated and even surfaces are treated with a special structuring tinting for wood. Choose a decorative tinting color darker than the original shade of the cabinet. This treatment will completely transform the appearance of the product.

• Aging. Furniture made from natural wood can be “aged”. The antique-worn effect of the cabinet surface is achieved as follows: light wood tone is painted in any dark shade depending on the color palette of the room. Then, after the paint has completely dried, you need to rub several fragments with a candle, after which light paint is applied, for example, beige, white, cream. When the second painted layer is rubbed with sandpaper, abrasions will be visible through some light areas. which are darker. When decorating a dark cabinet, make craquelures. To do this, apply craquelure varnish to the surface. After it dries, small cracks form, which are highlighted using dry pigment or oil paint of the desired shade.

Decor

If you decide to keep and decorate an old cabinet with your own hands, you can decorate it in different ways. There are many techniques that are used for decoration.

Decorative plaster

This is a rather complex decoration option. First, a product covered with old paint must be treated with sandpaper. Using a stencil, it is necessary to apply decorative plaster to the volumetric elements on the cabinet facades. The stencil itself must be removed before the plaster dries. Then the uneven parts are smoothed using a spatula. Finished decorative elements are varnished or painted; gilding or antique patina is possible.

Photo printing

A sliding wardrobe or just an old wardrobe can be greatly updated with photographs or photo wallpaper. Any photographs are enlarged using large format printing in a printing house. The surface is decorated with a panel or a collage of photographs, most often these are sliding wardrobes with smooth doors. However, the service of such printing is expensive, so a budget option is often used - photo wallpaper, which is sold in any repair store. Choose a wide variety of themes - nature, beautiful cities, animals and much more. If you use starch-based glue, you can later change the boring pattern.

Stained glass film

You can decorate an outdated piece of furniture yourself without having any special skills. It’s very easy to stick stained glass film, which is fashionable this season, onto the glass cabinet door. This will add presentability to old furniture. In addition to its decorative function, the film protects the glass from impact and scratches. Removing the film is very simple, and this decorative technique looks very impressive, because the imitation is as close as possible to real stained glass.

New fittings

There are no trifles in the decorating process. Every designer knows that 40% of the success of any interior is details and accessories. In this case, you can transform the cabinet beyond recognition by changing all the fittings on it. New pens are important.

What is decoupage

Decoupage is an ancient technique for decorating various surfaces. It is used not only for kitchen cabinets. Decoupage patterns can also be found on chairs, beds, boxes, notepads and much more. Also, in addition to wooden surfaces, any other surface (glass or leather), except metal, can be used.

Decoupage is used for any furniture and other items.

Decoupage is a technique for giving old furniture a new breath, prolonging its life and prolonging its use. This is done using the simplest method. Various designs are applied to the surface, which are cut out from available materials. This could be paper, fabric, napkins and even wallpaper that was left over from the renovation.

You can decorate furniture with any available materials.

The definition of “decoupage” is originally French. Translated, this means “cut out of paper.” Actually, this is the whole peculiarity of this technique. It is possible even for people who have never restored anything, since it does not require the use of special materials or the presence of certain knowledge.

The concept of decoupage is of French origin.

Important! The decoupage technique is applicable to absolutely all products.

Review of beautiful cabinets, tips for choosing

Wardrobes are one of the most essential pieces of furniture in a home. Everyone strives to equip their home not only as rationally as possible, but also to choose furniture that will look as impressive as possible, without cluttering up the free space of the room. The developers offer a wide selection; anyone can purchase beautiful cabinets for their home. The variety of materials from which furniture is made is enormous, and the creativity of designers in the design of facades truly knows no bounds. Cabinets are produced in different shapes and sizes, using high-quality, environmentally friendly materials; the walls and doors are decorated with patterns, colors, glass and mirror inserts.

Restoration in Art Deco style

Art Deco gained its greatest popularity at the end of the twentieth century. The characteristic features of this design are luxury, shine, and high cost of finishing materials. The colors of the interior and furniture are predominantly white, black, and gold. Accenting with purple, red, green and brown colors is allowed. Black and white portraits of famous people of the past would be appropriate here. This style is inherent in the gangster layers.

Stylish dark purple wardrobe with golden elements

In DIY furniture design, this direction can be expressed in different ways. Regarding cabinets and chests of drawers, these can be either plain facades and panels painted with acrylic paint in one or two colors, or decorated furniture using decoupage.

Decoupage napkins or film are a universal and practical way to give the interior and furniture a creative look. Its shapes, patterns, colors, prints are widely represented in paint stores. In Art Deco, these could be the same faces of the bandits of the past, or, as has become very fashionable, the figure of the unforgettable Marilyn Monroe.

First, the entire cabinet is painted in primary colors. To make the borders clear, use masking tape.

Then the panels are decorated using decoupage technique

The final stage is applying a protective layer of varnish

It would be interesting to use a special varnish that has crackle properties when covering decoupaged furniture facades.

Beautiful facade design

An apartment with ordinary, standard wardrobes is no longer interesting. Progress does not stand still; the range of styles, finishes, and colors is so diverse that the customer often has difficulty making a choice, so before purchasing it is important to decide on the purpose of the cabinet and its location. This will not be difficult to do if you pay attention to the numerous photos of design developments on the Internet.

The facade is the part of the cabinet that people pay attention to first. There are many ways to beautifully and unusually decorate the facade of a cabinet using a variety of natural materials - bamboo, rattan, natural wood, leather. Glass or mirror doors for cabinets, with a pattern or photo printing on them, are very popular. The main types of facade design include:

• mirrored ones are good in small rooms because they have the property of visually enlarging the space;
• glass - frosted (lakomat) or colored (lakobel) glass is used, which has a special film on the back side that protects the surface and reduces the risk of breakage from impact;
• practical chipboard is a good budget option, but it cannot be called too creative; in order to attract attention, it is better to use this material in combination with other, more effective ones;
• processing glass facades using sandblasting patterns or mirror ones with original painting etched on them - there is room for the creative abilities of designers to roam.

A photo drawing can also serve as decoration for the front elements of cabinets. Using this technology, you can make a piece of furniture that will look aesthetically pleasing and beautiful. Today it has become fashionable to produce translucent panels and decorate facades using imitation embossing and artificial stone.

Beautifully designed furniture creates a mood, making the room more stylish, original and attractive. In the photos of furniture catalogs you can find different options for beautiful design of facades.

When choosing a cabinet with a front designed in a certain style (even if you are “crazy” about it), be careful, since the overall decor in the house may be at odds with the style of a particular piece of furniture. In this case, there will be some dissonance in the room, and you risk getting not an original piece of furniture, but a simple pile of furniture.

Source: mblx.ru

Nuances when measuring size and choosing a configuration

The height of the cabinet is limited by the height of the ceiling. If the room has a suspended ceiling, it is recommended to leave a gap of at least five centimeters between the ceiling and the top of the cabinet to avoid damage.

The optimal depth of the closet is 60 cm. Thanks to this configuration, clothes stored in the closet do not wrinkle, and the hanger remains in its natural position.

If there is a niche in the wall, you should choose a built-in wardrobe. This approach will save a lot of material, because the wardrobe will not have part of the walls. The elements will be attached directly to the walls.

The disadvantage is that the structure cannot be moved - it is made specifically for the niche. The advantage is that it saves a lot of space in the room, especially if the room is small. In a small room it also makes sense to install a corner wardrobe.

How to decorate the end of a cabinet? Easy to implement and effective ideas

The end of the cabinet is usually called the front edge of the side panel. Most often, it is hidden by an overlay facade and covered with a simple melamine tape or PVC edge. Also, the end of furniture is sometimes called the entire plane of the side, and there are many more ways to decorate. Let's look at how to decorate the end of the cabinet beautifully and effectively in both cases.

Overlays for decorating the end of the cabinet

Usually the ends of the cabinet or any cabinet furniture are covered with simple melamine tape or PVC edge. If the equipment uses an overhead facade, this is quite enough. After all, the end of the cabinet will be completely closed by the door.

But there is always an opportunity to play with this inconspicuous element of furniture in a beautiful and interesting way! Moreover, the thickening on the sides gives the cabinet a more solid and respectable appearance. There are several ways to do this.

For example, use special overlays for the end of an MDF cabinet. At the same time, some changes are made to the design of the box.

A simpler, budget-friendly way is to cover the end of the cabinet with a plank made of the same material, chipboard. It will cost much less than MDF overlays, and the look of the furniture will become more interesting.

How to beat the end of a wardrobe

The sides of the wardrobe serve as a stop for sliding doors. Some manufacturers of sliding systems provide special linings for the ends of sliding wardrobes, made in the same design and from the same material as the profile itself.

To visually make the sidewalls more massive and solid, and to decorate them in the same style as the interior, special moldings and MDF profiles are used.

In a modern style, the end of the wardrobe is designed more concisely, but no less beautiful. Most often it is played with contrast using an edge (for example, a light edge against a dark body) or chipboard overlays.

Preparation

Preparing a cabinet for decoupage is the most labor-intensive process, accompanied by dust.

Moving from the center of the napkin, use a brush to carefully straighten the paper, pressing lightly, avoiding soaking and wrinkling.

To work you will need

• Abrasive meshes: significant surface irregularities are processed with coarse-grain, then medium-grain, fine-grained and polished for finishing.
• Grater for attaching the mesh.
• Dry rag, sponge or brush.
• Wood putty.
• A rubber spatula is soft and will seal all the holes and cracks.
• Roller.
• Primer – acrylic can be used for all types of finishes.
• Respirator.
• Acrylic paint.
• Roller.
• Narrow brush.

Periodically it is necessary to moisten the pattern with diluted PVA glue.

Shelves at the end of the closet and more

If the wardrobe is designed for clothes on hangers, then its depth is quite large, about 600-700mm. If this space is located facing the hallway entrance, it is better to use it for an “extension”. For example, in the form of additional corner shelves of various shapes.

Shelves at the end of the closet can also become a full-fledged open hallway, designed as a continuation of a row of furniture with hangers, a cabinet for shoes, etc.

So they should be quite compact, designed for storing small-sized items.

Stick rivets

To create a brutal effect for a loft or steam punk, cabinet doors can be decorated with metal rivets or staples. Nails with decorative heads will also work. Let the chest of drawers look like an old chest, and the wardrobe look like a door to a submarine. You can use other metal fittings for decoration, and support the style by painting or covering it with fabric.

Mirror on the end of the cabinet, how to attach it?

If the closet is located at the end of the hallway, then you can hang a mirror on its side and attach a couple of shelves with hooks for all sorts of small things. This method expands the functionality of the furniture and adds convenience to its owners.

You can stick a mirror on a cabinet in any of three ways:

1. Using double-sided tape. Degrease the surface well with solvent and alcohol so that the chipboard-mirror “adhesion” is as reliable as possible!
2. Using special glue or liquid nails . In construction stores you can purchase special glue designed specifically for gluing mirrors. Before gluing the mirror onto the chipboard, you must also degrease the connecting surfaces. It is recommended to apply the glue in strokes in one direction to avoid excessive tension inside the mirror sheet.
3. Overhead fastener . Special corners and clips can be either extremely simple or interestingly designed; they will allow you to not only securely, but also beautifully fix the mirror on the chipboard. Be careful when choosing: some fasteners are designed for mirrors with through holes.

If there is no need to expand the functionality, you can simply decorate the front side of the cabinet with special interior decor - acrylic mirrors in various designs. Such decorative elements are glued to double-sided tape.

If you are interested in decorating the end of a cabinet specifically from a design point of view, we recommend reading about furniture decoupage. Perhaps this will help you decide on a way to beautifully beat the “boring” standard look of the cabinet.

Change color

The easiest and fastest way to refresh furniture is painting. The options for working with color are endless.

• You can make your closet monochromatic by choosing a deep, rich palette;
• The combination of drawers highlighted in bright colors with a calm shade of the frame looks interesting;
• An unusual move is a gradient fill. Transitions can be left smooth or separated by contrasting stripes;
• Multi-colored stripes, drips, splashes and, of course, the author's painting always look original and emphasize the artistic taste of the owner.
• Chalkboard paint will not only help hide the aged surface of the cabinet, but will also add a playful mood and creativity to the entire interior.

At the preparatory stage you will have to get rid of the old coating. Use sandpaper to remove cracked varnish and paint. The surface is washed, dried, degreased, and primed. For a dense color, paint is applied in 2-3 layers. To preserve the effect of antiquity, on the contrary, the coating is made slightly uneven, as if slightly faded with time. Secure the work with several layers of clear varnish.

How to decorate the ends of kitchen cabinets

The desire to somehow decorate the ends of kitchen cabinets can be dictated by several reasons:

1. Due to the standard sizes of the facades, there was an unoccupied bottleneck that needed to be somehow used. Various variations of open shelves come to the rescue.
2. It is necessary to give the end of the kitchen row of cabinets and cabinets some kind of streamlining in order to visually make the modules less massive. Here they mainly use beveled and radius closed modules or open shelves.
3. I would like to use the free sides of kitchen cabinets more functionally and use some original and effective solution.

Although the tasks are different, their solutions are somewhat repeated.

To “conceal” the depth of kitchen furniture, the best technique is to use rounded or beveled modules. They can be either closed or open.

In general, you can decorate the ends of kitchen cabinets with open shelves. This solution looks equally appropriate in both classic and modern kitchen interior styles, in small and large spaces.

The functionality of the kitchen will be added by placing such shallow “secret” cabinets with doors at the ends of the kitchen cabinets.

It is very convenient to store household products and household equipment for cleaning and maintenance separately from food and kitchen utensils. Interested in the storage idea?

How to decorate wardrobe doors?

A sliding wardrobe is a practical way to store things in the house. It makes efficient use of space and provides enough space to hide all the necessary elements. To these functional advantages of sliding wardrobes, if desired, it is also worth adding decorative ones: large sliding doors are an excellent “canvas” that can become a real decoration of the room.

Fortunately, decorating wardrobe doors today is not difficult; the companies where they are made will probably offer you not only standard monochrome MDF options, but also a wide range of decorative ones - a variety of colors, textures and materials, the ability to print photos on the doors or decorate mirrored ones surface by sandblasting. The main thing here is to choose a solution that will match the interior design of your room. However, it happens that you already have a wardrobe, but you want to change its appearance, give it a new look and unique character. Don’t be sad, it’s quite possible – there are several simple and effective ways.

Decorate with fabric

You can cover the unattractive worn parts of an old wardrobe using fabric, PVA glue and fixing varnish. Cotton and linen scraps, burlap, and guipure are suitable. To create an oriental mood, you can use silk with a traditional print. A chest of drawers decorated with lace would be appropriate in a classic interior.

The range of fabric colors is huge. You can support the original design of the furniture with similar textiles on the windows or decorative pillows. To avoid excessive diversity, it is not necessary to completely cover the cabinet with fabric; it is enough to decorate the doors or drawers.

Design options

There is a huge selection of facades with different decor options. First, you need to choose the material from which the furniture will be made: chipboard, MDF, plastic, mirrors, glass, plain and with colored film, bamboo, rattan and much more. Once you've chosen your color and material, you can think about how to combine them to achieve the desired aesthetic effect.

Wardrobe doors can be:

• plain (suitable for office, office);
• with inserts (glass, mirror, eco-leather, stained glass);
• with aluminum dividing strips (vertical or horizontal);
• with frosted glass or with a pattern on it;
• with photo printing;
• with mirrors of various shades;
• with sandblasting pattern;
• with the effect of artificial old age (for Provence style, for example);
• with pilasters, carved plinth and other decorative elements.

As you can see, there is more than enough money to decorate your closet. If your interior is decorated in a classic style, then it is best to opt for doors made of natural wood with carved patterns or other discreet design. Bright furniture made of plastic of different colors or Lakobel or Oracal glass is perfect for modern interiors.

Design for different rooms

The design of the cabinet is also influenced by its model: sliding system or swing doors. You can choose one option or make a combined cabinet, where one part will slide and the other will open. Mirrored facades always visually expand the space, and light ones help illuminate a dark room.

Doors that expand space can be:

• light color;
• in the form of full-length mirrors;
• glossy texture with reflective lighting;

in the form of an arrangement of materials of different degrees of reflectivity (plastic and mirrors).

Sliding doors are best chosen for cramped spaces, while hinged doors are suitable for spacious living rooms or halls. Sliding doors are often chosen for bedroom closets to increase the space between the bed and furniture and make passage more free.

Using closet doors alone, you can make a room feel less elongated. This happens due to the fact that the closet becomes a bright color accent of the interior, and the attention of everyone who enters the room involuntarily turns to it.

Cover with film

Self-adhesive film will help hide all the imperfections of cabinet doors or dresser drawers in a couple of simple steps. The range of films is huge, you can choose one color or with an interesting pattern, golden or imitating wood. Do not forget to degrease the surface before application, or even better, sand it and cover it with a layer of primer.