Wardrobe - structure, models, internal contents and selection rules

It is difficult to imagine a comfortable home environment without such a functional piece of furniture as a wardrobe. A spacious piece of furniture will be appropriate in any room - from the hallway to the bedroom, helping to organize a logical storage system and keep your favorite dresses, suits, outerwear and other wardrobe items in order. In order for the design chosen in the store to serve you as long as possible, before purchasing you need to analyze the product not only from an aesthetic, but also from a practical point of view: evaluate the dimensions, build quality, materials used, ease of use and some other nuances, which we will discuss in detail in our article.

Types of wardrobes

Despite the very simple design, wardrobes have a fairly wide variety of options. Based on size, they are usually divided into the following groups:

• A pencil case is a narrow single-leaf structure 300-500 mm wide and 450-500 mm deep, consisting of one or two vertical compartments. The interior space is filled with shelves, a horizontal bar for storing clothes on hangers or a drawer for linen.
• A travel bag is a low double-leaf cabinet with legs, designed for storing everyday items. It is characterized by compact dimensions, as a result of which it does not take up much space even in the most modest bedroom. Not a very popular model among the mass consumer. Most often it is made to order.
• A wardrobe is a classic wardrobe with two hinged doors. It has medium dimensions and an ergonomic design. It is required to be equipped with a large mirror located on the inner or outer surface of the door.
• A sliding wardrobe is the most modern type of home wardrobe, which is in great demand among buyers. Thanks to the sliding door method, it helps to save free space in the room without restrictions on capacity. It has a presentable appearance and allows you to model the filling according to your individual needs.

The shape and dimensions of the wardrobe should be selected based on the architectural features of the room where it will be installed. For arranging a typical living room or bedroom with a ceiling height of about 2.3 m, furniture with standard parameters is ideal: depth 600 mm, width 1000 mm and height 2100-2200 mm. If necessary, the wardrobe can be supplemented with mezzanines - free-standing shelves with doors, which are made in the same size range and maintaining stylistic unity with the main product.

Purpose

Designs for storing things help hide them from prying eyes, providing quick access to them. They are installed not only in dressing rooms and bedrooms, but also in the corridor, kitchen, nursery and even on the loggia. The location of the furniture depends on its functionality. What types of cabinets are there? They are divided into several categories:

• For clothes - models are installed in any room. They are distinguished by a deep front, different heights of shelves, and can be supplemented with drawers, rods, mirrors and holders for accessories.
• For books - they have a small depth, a glass facade and a large number of shelves. Models are suitable for libraries, living rooms.
• For dishes - models equipped with a large number of shelves and several drawers are placed in the kitchen.
• For documents, work tools - such structures are installed in offices and storerooms.

Design features

Another important criterion that directly influences the choice of a suitable cabinet is its design features. Today, there are several types of storage systems on the market, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Linear cabinet

The most common and universal model, which is suitable for rooms with any functionality. It has a rectangular elongated body and is always placed close to the wall. The main advantage of a straight cabinet is the maximum accessibility to the items inside, which it provides. When the door is fully opened, you instantly see the filling of the entire compartment. All you have to do is reach out and take the desired part of your costume. The disadvantages of linear cabinets include their ability to “eat up” useful meters of space, which can become a hindrance when arranging small-sized locations.

Corner cupboard

Used if you need to use an empty corner of the room. Furniture of this shape allows you to complement the decor with a spacious wardrobe without creating a feeling of bulkiness in the room. Manufacturers offer 2 types of corner cabinets:

• L (L)-shaped - in the form of a combination of two straight models of different lengths;
• Asymmetrical - with a side wall forming an irregular trapezoid line.

Such designs are great not only for storing clothes, but also help to properly zone a large space, which is especially important for spacious studio apartments. Among the disadvantages is poor visibility of some areas due to the complex configuration of the product.

Modular cabinet

It is a set of autonomous furniture sections assembled into a single composition. Installation is carried out both with rigid fastening and without fixing at all, which makes it possible to later change the configuration at your own discretion. In some cases, modules are located in different parts of the room, filling niches or visually adjusting the geometry of the space. A modular closet is the optimal format for homes with complex layouts, making the interior more convenient and comfortable.

Radius cabinet

Special attention should be paid to radial cabinets. This is a fairly new phenomenon in the furniture market, attracting buyers with its original design and thoughtful ergonomics. Depending on the degree of rounding, models may have a convex, concave or wavy facade. The curved shape allows you to more efficiently use the space of the room, harmoniously fitting the product into places that are not convenient for ordinary furniture.

Classification of cabinets depending on how the space is used

All furniture is divided into the following categories:

• Corpus. These are models of classic cabinets that have back and side walls. The main advantage is the ability to move it to any place. The presence of all elements of the case reliably protects things from the ingress of dust microparticles and prevents the formation of an unpleasant odor. Ready-made models are sold, or the cabinet is made to order.

• Built-in. Its main difference is the absence of side walls. Many models are made without a back wall. All components and door panels are attached to the walls of the room. What types of built-in wardrobes are there, and where are they located in the room? It is advisable to install such furniture along the wall or in a niche, if there are any in the room. By choosing built-in models, you can realize your vision of the convenience and comfort of furniture, since such cabinets are made only to order. Modern manufacturers have tried to reduce lead times, reducing production time to a couple of weeks.

• Semi-built. It is one of the types of built-in furniture. Its main difference from built-in ones is the presence of one side wall. Typically, such models are chosen for a corner location. Semi-built ones are considered more universal, as they can be installed anywhere. Just like built-in furniture, it is made only to order. The most important thing when choosing is to decide on the location, since it will not be possible to move it to another place.

Manufacturing materials

The service life of any furniture structure, regardless of size and shape, largely depends on the quality of assembly and the materials used. In the production of wardrobes, products of different price categories are used - from expensive natural wood to affordable chipboard or plastic.

1. Solid wood cabinets. Representative and expensive products that clearly hint at the high financial status and impeccable taste of the property owner. Oak, maple, pine, birch, ash are traditional raw materials for furnishing luxury apartments, which require careful and regular care. Does not tolerate high humidity and temperature changes. May lose color intensity when exposed to sunlight. At the same time, wood is a natural, environmentally friendly material, which makes cabinets made from it as safe as possible for human health.
2. MDF cabinets. Cheaper than all-wooden analogs, but they look almost as decent. Such cabinets are characterized by a long service life and the ability to implement various design ideas. Facades made from compressed fine shavings lend themselves well to milling, which significantly expands the artistic potential of the models. A special manufacturing technology gives the slabs a tactile smoothness, without the slightest roughness or irregularities. The disadvantage of MDF furniture is its low resistance to mechanical damage, especially when a heavy object falls or receives a strong impact.
3. Chipboard cabinets. They are in the most affordable price segment, but, unfortunately, they are not very strong and durable. Particleboards quickly swell when water gets on the surface and fade in the sun, which must be taken into account when choosing a place to install the wardrobe. Do not forget about other negative properties of the material: the formaldehyde resins contained in chipboard, when heated strongly, can provoke the release of toxins into the atmosphere of the room. The risk of a dangerous situation can be reduced by using a high-quality finishing layer (lamination) covering all edges and open areas of the furniture.
4. Cabinets made of plastic. Lightweight, inexpensive and unpretentious to external factors, storage systems are very popular when decorating country houses or rented housing. Surfaces made of modern polymers are not susceptible to rot and mold, which makes it possible to install plastic cabinets in unheated rooms. Due to their low weight, the products have excellent mobility and do not create difficulties during transportation. The downside is that such cabinets are quite fragile, are not designed for heavy loads, are easily scratched and begin to melt when burned, releasing harmful substances into the air.

Choosing a color

Selecting a cabinet to match the color of the furniture set is no longer an unconditional rule. Tasteful eclecticism is in fashion now. Choose a color that will match the size of the room, the shape and design of the cabinet. Light pastel shades - light gray, peach, light blue - make the room visually larger. Colors such as orange, red, yellow, on the contrary, make the space smaller. If there is very little space in the room, then it is better to match the color of the cabinet to the color of the walls - then it will blend in with the walls and will not look bulky.

Door opening method

The last thing the average buyer is interested in is which door control system is equipped with the cabinet model they like. But in vain. After all, not only the ease of use of the furniture, but also its durability, as well as the general appearance of the structure, depend on this nuance.

Hinged cabinets with handles

The most common option for opening cabinet cabinets with doors that are attached to the frame using overhead, semi-overlay, inverse or piano hinges. The amount of fittings depends on the size of the sash. To securely hold a door leaf up to 1 m high, two hinges are sufficient. For larger dimensions, 1 or 2 additional canopies are added. Sometimes hinged cabinets are equipped with special closers that ensure smooth closing of the door without human intervention.

Open by pressing

A laconic and strict model that fully meets the concept of fashionable minimalist interiors. The absence of unnecessary parts on the facade is compensated by the built-in Push To Open mechanism, which allows you to open the door with a light touch of your hand. The method is especially appropriate for matte surfaces, since glossy surfaces may contain traces of touch and the furniture will look unpresentable. The introduction of automation into such a simple element as a wardrobe gives a certain gloss to the entire environment, although it also increases the price tag of the finished product.

Sliding doors

The “compartment” doors are not fixed on the sides of the cabinet, but slide along monorails installed on the upper and lower profile (or only on the upper one, if we are talking about a model with a hanging support system). The durability of the sliding structure depends on the weight of the canvas, the quality of the fittings and the frequency of cleaning, since debris and dust accumulating in the guides can cause rapid wear of the rollers. In some products, ease of control is provided by automatic closers, which facilitate smooth and silent adjustment of wardrobe doors.

Accordion facades

The accordion wardrobe combines the operating principle of hinged and sliding doors. In general, the operation of the device is similar to the system of vertical roller shutters. By grasping the edge of the two-section sash, you can fold them in half in the form of a book (or accordion) in one motion, gaining a clear view of the entire storage area. The canvas moves along the upper guide track, thereby eliminating the risk of damage to the floor covering. With all the advantages of the design, it is worth noting that the service life of such cabinets rarely exceeds 5-8 years due to the rapid wear of parts and careless use of furniture.

How to choose furniture

When choosing a structure for storing things or other items, you should focus not only on its appearance. First of all, the buyer needs to consider in which room the furniture will be installed. The types of cabinets in the hallway, bedroom, living room or kitchen delight with their variety. They can be made in the style of Provence, classic, minimalism, loft, modern. Doors are decorated with sandblasting patterns, photo printing, and glass. Additionally, when choosing a design, you need to consider:

• The quality of the material of facades, shelves and other elements.
• Size, shape - corner models with sliding doors are perfect for small rooms. For large rooms, you can choose any design.
• Internal content, number of doors - depends on the number of things that will be stored.
• Capacity - the standard depth of the product is 50 cm. To determine the number of shelves, drawers, hangers, you should count all the clothes, shoes and add 25% to this amount.

Taking into account all the specified criteria, you can choose a strong structure that will fit all your things. The Massive Murom company is ready to take into account all customer requirements and offer a suitable cabinet option. The company produces both standard and non-standard models that will delight you with their quality, functionality and spaciousness.

Filling secrets

In order for all your things to fit in the wardrobe, you need to develop a filling scheme in advance and choose furniture according to this scenario. If the traditional shelf + rod option does not meet your needs, you can modernize your favorite model using various modern devices: laundry baskets, shoe boxes, trouser racks, bag hooks or accessories organizers. The presence of a pantograph, a kind of wardrobe “elevator” in the form of a bar, side levers and a lifting mechanism, will significantly facilitate the use of a large wardrobe. By operating the handle or pressing the electric drive button, you will bring distant items of clothing closer to you without forcing yourself to reach for them yourself.

For the functional organization of the interior space of the cabinet, experts recommend following some simple rules:

• in the center there is a compartment for clothes on hangers, with metal crossbars;
• at the bottom there is a shoe rack, drawers with linen, baskets or trunks;
• at the top there are mezzanines with seasonal hats, scarves, home textiles and other things that you use least often.

If the design and size of the cabinet allows, you can place a built-in ironing board inside it. It can be retractable or folding, purchased ready-made or made by hand, but it must have a solid base, reliable fastening and high-quality fittings.

Optimal arrangement of sections and mirrors

Sections in closets are thought out by designers in order to store things and use them as conveniently as possible. Therefore, it is convenient to store everyday clothes on shelves with a distance of 30-35 cm between them. Long clothes hanging on hangers require a compartment with a height of 140 to 180 cm.

A mirror on the closet in the hallway will be convenient if there is space opposite the closet to step back and see yourself in full height. Also, mirror surfaces make a dark room brighter, and a small room visually larger, so use this life hack!

Posting rules

There is a general rule for placing office wardrobes - they are located against the wall near the door, as they are for general use and should not interfere with staff or clients.

The cabinet should be combined with the overall interior of the room by:

• material of manufacture;
• style;
• color;
• purpose;
• size.

It is necessary to take into account the overall occupancy of the room with various pieces of furniture. Today, office furniture is so diverse that it requires a serious and attentive attitude to its choice. Properly selected and arranged furniture provides not only comfort and convenience for employees. The client's first impression of the office is when he sees the office interior.

Many office furniture manufacturers offer their customers not only ready-made product options, but also the ability to design and implement projects taking into account all the customer’s wishes and interior features. Specialists will select and offer the best option not only in terms of price, but also design, material, color, size.