Modern wardrobes

Sliding wardrobes appeared in the middle of the twentieth century. History is silent about the name of their creator: whether they were American librarians, or Italian developers of social housing.

However, everyone liked the idea of ​​putting the cabinet doors on the rails, making them sliding. The shortage of living space has been worrying mankind for a long time, and sliding doors save it in comparison with conventional swing doors. Sliding wardrobes have taken root.

Let's talk about what's new in these home helpers over the decades.

A classic wardrobe is externally similar to a regular wardrobe - a rectangular shape, wood-like colors. It can be built into a niche or cabinet (independent design). Simple filling - shelves and rails for clothes.

Gradually, constructions, technologies and designs were supplemented and improved.

The main materials used in wardrobes are Chipboard, MDF and solid wood.

Laminated chipboard and MDF - budget materials from shredded wood. They are covered with a film - laminated to increase resistance to moisture, protect against crumbling and make them more environmentally friendly: the coating prevents the evaporation of harmful substances used in chipboard. MDF is initially more environmentally friendly, durable and more expensive.

Solid wood is superior to budget materials in terms of strength, durability and environmental friendliness. Many are attracted by the aesthetics of natural wood: nice to touch, nice to look at. On quality material, "open pores" are left - the tree undergoes minimal processing. The array is used in expensive models, it is more expensive in itself and heavier, therefore it is demanding on the quality of the fittings and the rigidity of the structure.

Fittings include fasteners, frame and sliding door mechanisms.

The door guide profile along which the doors move can be made of steel and aluminum.

The cabinet door slides on a bottom or top sliding system. In the top support, the main load is on the upper door track. This sliding system is considered more reliable, it lasts longer and is unpretentious in maintenance. However, it needs reliable support, it is usually fixed directly to the ceiling, and the structure of the cabinet must be verified and extremely rigid.

The lower system rests on the lower rail, it is cheaper, but requires regular cleaning of the rail from dirt and debris.

Modern door systems are equipped with:

• closers - allow you to move the doors with minimal effort and make it possible to make wide and heavy doors, for example, from natural wood or glass;

• stoppers - stop the doors against the wall, preventing impact and breakage, make braking noiseless;

• buffer brushes - they are mounted on the ends of the doors, in essence, they are a budget option for the stopper;

• dust brushes - fastened in the gaps between the doors, prevent dust from getting inside;

• locks - blocks the door, additionally protecting your property;

• remote control - opening and closing, mobility of internal elements, lighting control, - maximum user convenience and assistance to people with disabilities.

Another innovation is the coplanar sliding doors. These doors have two parallel lines of movement. When closed, they are located in one line. When opened, the movable door "flows" forward to another line, when closed, it returns back.

This system is not very common due to the high cost, but perhaps over time this novelty will become more affordable and conquer the world.

Classic filling of sliding wardrobes: wooden shelves and metal rods.

The desire of people for maximum comfort encourages manufacturers to constantly complicate and specialize the "stuffing" of cabinets:

• the shelves are made movable, rotating, mesh;

• drawers and baskets can be retractable partially and completely, with closers; wooden, metal, mesh; with cells, separators and inserts;

• rods for clothes are located parallel to the plane of the door or perpendicular (in narrow cabinets); are retractable, lifting (pantograph), rotating in a circle .;

• there are special modules: hangers for trousers, ties, bags, belts, scarves, jewelry, straps with hooks; all this can also move and turn;

• mirrors inside the cabinet can be retractable and swivel;

• built-in ironing board, iron holder - relevant for the hallway or bedroom;

• lighting can be installed in the closet, which will react to the opening of the doors; equip a place for the work of household appliances: washing machine, TV, printer;

• a retractable shoe bench may come in handy in the hallway.

The design of the wardrobe is in most cases the design of the door.

The classic design is woodgrain design. And this option is again in trend, because it is easily included in the Scandinavian style so popular in recent years.

Laminated chipboard and MDF in various shades of wood are budget options. More expensive - covering with natural materials: veneer, bamboo, rattan.

Bamboo and rattan can be used to complement the trendy tropical style.

An array of precious woods with minimal woodworking can be seen in expensive minimalist interiors.

Moreover, mirrored furniture is one of the trends of this year, so mirrored coupes are presented in different price categories.

Mirrors can be of different shades, popular are the colors of bronze, gold, pink, red, purple.

Doors can be made of glass. Options are also possible here:

• Clear glass suitable if you want to showcase the contents of the cabinet: books, collections. The door serves as a showcase - it protects against dust and damage. Such a wardrobe can look good in the living room.

• Frosted glass comes in varying degrees of transparency. Translucent glass is often placed in wardrobes with clothes, so it is more convenient to navigate in the wardrobe. White is in demand in Scandinavian and classic styles and minimalism styles.

• Colored glass obtained as a result of coating with colored film or varnishing. The film allows you to create a huge number of variations and quickly change designs. The varnish gives brighter colors.

• Glass with photo printing. There are three technologies for applying a pattern to glass: direct printing using a film, triplex printing - a film between layers of glass; printing the image on the glass itself. The last two methods protect the image better.

• Stained glass most often it is a drawing, but sometimes a metal wire loop is made, filled with varnish. Stained glass is a bright accent for interiors in the style of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, avant-garde.

• Decorative glass with relief looks impressive and has many variations for different styles.

When choosing a door with an image-film, pay attention to the observance of the sticker technology: the film should not bubble, peel off, there should be no dirt and sand under it. A well-glued film will last a long time.

Another modern trend is doors covered with leather. As a rule, it is artificial leather, the so-called eco-leather. It repeats the texture of a natural one, is unpretentious in care, is resistant to moisture, durable, does not cause allergies and is affordable.

The shape of the cabinet also belongs to the design qualities of the cabinet. The classic shape is straight. But a modern wardrobe can be either corner or radius. The corner cabinet is designed to take advantage of the corner area of ​​the apartment. They are often placed in narrow corridors.

A concave radial cabinet gives a small gain in living space, a convex one - cabinet area. But still, radius cabinets are more often a design move, because this design is more expensive. The elegant shapes of the radius cabinet soften the rough functionality of this piece of furniture, concealing the corners. It will be good in the hall or in the bedroom.

Handles, if any, play a role in the design of the cabinet. As a rule, they are made vertical; they can be metal, glass, plastic, wood. Handles are often recessed into the door leaf, unobtrusive.

There are many ways to make drawings on the door leaf:

• The most common - drawing on film, with which a wooden base is laminated, glass is covered;

• photo printing can be applied to both glass and wooden doors;

• engraving Is a method of applying a monochrome image to glass or mirror. Using a stencil and special technologies, they form micro-scratches that create a pattern. There are diamond, laser and sandblast engraving;

• Drawings on the mirror can be laid out with rhinestones or crystals.

There are several interior trends that can help you choose the right color and pattern:

• Scandinavian style supportive of white, gray, black, shades of wood. Three or four bright accents are allowed: blue, red, green.

• Monochrome geometry. Contrasting combination of two or three colors and geometric shapes.

• Pink color. The bedroom of a young girl or a nursery of a little princess will happily fill with any shades of pink.

• Still trending minimalism... Contrasting combinations, monochrome, wood shades. Minimum embellishment, maximum simplicity.

• Combined facades - this trend is set by the manufacturers themselves. More and more options for the combination of textures, colors and decors appear on the market. You can experiment or follow the prompts of famous brands.

Large brands are trying to keep up with the times, meet the needs of consumers, and surprise.

Market novelties include:

• Attic cabinets that allow for the most challenging roof corners.

• A wardrobe in which not only doors move, but also entire sections.

• A wardrobe-screen, which has no roof and walls, only doors and filling.

• Cabinets with decorative niches in the doors.

1. The primary question is the tasks that you want to solve with the help of the cabinet. Where will he stand? What will be stored in it? Choose a suitable shape - angular, straight, radius.

2. Decide on the design: built-in or housing? Built-in fills space more efficiently, cabinet is more mobile and easier to purchase.

3. Sketch the filling scheme based on what you plan to store in the closet.

4. Consider the designs you like, stick with two or three.

5. Use an online price comparison service or a constructor calculator, it can be found in almost every online furniture store. Calculate the approximate cost.

6. Choose the store that gives you the best price, quality installation, suitable service conditions, or “your” design.

For more information on how to choose a wardrobe, see the next video.

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