Types of furniture fronts for cabinets, popular materials

Design Features

The facade is the visible details on the surfaces of the furniture that determine the appearance and design. The main purpose of facades is decorative decoration of all types of furniture. Facade panels are called:

• doors;
• front walls of drawers;
• cornices;
• decorative overlays.

A variety of textures, materials, color shades and decorative elements make it possible to create a unique interior. Louvered facades have become widespread when decorating premises in country and eco styles. The peculiarity of the parts is that they are easy to change, thereby updating the appearance of the furniture and the interior of the room. Elements can be easily removed from their mounts, replaced with new ones and adjusted in height. The reason for changing facades may be wear and tear, damage by children or pets, or simply updating the design during renovations.

Decorative overlays

Cornices

Boxes

Doors

Facades in a kaleidoscope of finishing materials.

The successful development of modern technologies has affected the quantity and quality of materials for finishing the facades of sliding wardrobes. Today you can find an extensive collection of options for decorating the appearance of spacious furniture. Sliding panels can be in the form of solid panels from floor to ceiling or combined wide-format sashes with dividers.

Solid fabrics are:

1. Mirrors and glass, including:
   mirrored classic products with silver tinting;
2. mirrors with tinting in various shades (such as graphite, bronze);
3. matte classic mirror panels with silvering, gilding and other shades;
4. patterned silver mirrors;
5. glass with varying degrees of frosting;
6. colored opaque glass;
7. glass and mirror with sandblasted pattern, rhinestone trim, spraying.

• Chipboard in the form of: classic canvas with a wood pattern and imitation of natural texture;
• slabs with deep embossing to resemble wood texture with a 3D effect;
• canvases with deep, rich color;
• large-format slabs in pastel colors;
• panels finished with valuable wood veneer.

Varieties

Fronts for cabinets are classified according to shape, manufacturing technique, and type of opening. According to the production method, there are solid, paneled and framed facades. According to the design, they are divided into straight, curved, radius, and louvered types. The classification by opening type needs to be considered in more detail, as this determines the operational characteristics of the furniture:

1. A swing door is classified as a traditional opening type. The hinges are attached vertically and horizontally. In the case of horizontal fastening of panels, the type is called folding. Design features include ease of use, reliability, and safety. This type is not suitable for small rooms, as free space is required to open the doors. The facade with hinged doors is combined with the interior in the Art Nouveau, classic, and Provence styles.
2. Front doors for wardrobes in the form of a compartment are the best option for small spaces, as they do not require space to open. Most popular for built-in pantries and dressing rooms. Often a combination of wood, metal, glass or mirror surface is used in manufacturing. Despite the ease of installation, the use of combined materials makes the product more expensive. To reduce the cost of installation, it is not recommended to skimp on fittings. This will affect functionality, shorten the user life of the body kits, and also lead to malfunction or damage to the facades. Products with a compartment opening type require special care. It is necessary to prevent small objects, dust or pet hair from getting into the rack and pinion mechanism. All moving parts are subject to regular lubrication with special means, which will significantly extend the life of the facade.
3. Facade roller shutters are not very common. This is due to the difficulty of combining with most interiors. Basically they are made to order according to individual sizes. The materials used are metal, wood, plastic. At a company that produces roller shutters, you can always see samples for furniture facades and choose the appropriate option. Features of the model are that it is equipped with an easy-to-use, reliable mechanism that allows movement in different directions. This type of facade is suitable for cabinets on balconies, pantries, and when covering pipe distribution in bathrooms.
4. Accordion facades are popular for creating unique designer interiors. Saving space is the main feature of this type of design. Along with this, they are characterized by ease of operation, unlimited size, and the ability to replace one of the façade elements. Weaknesses include low wear resistance and the need for careful handling to avoid damage to the sashes.

When installing, you should not skimp on the quality of hinges, driving mechanisms and accessories for them. This will help avoid distortion of the facades and their rapid replacement.

Roller shutters Types and characteristics of furniture hinges, fastening rules

Swing door

Coupe

Harmonic

Hinged doors for wardrobes and dressing rooms

Dressing room for a girl with sliding and hinged facades.
[More] This is a classic version of furniture design that came to us many centuries ago. Hinged facades are used in the range of all furniture companies and factories. Among their advantages we note the following:

• Cabinets with such fronts are cheaper than other options, easy to use and uncomplicated.
• High-quality door hinges from leading European manufacturers (Hafele, Blum, etc.) operate silently and are durable.
• Modern hardware manufacturers produce hinges with closers that operate smoothly.

In most dressing rooms, the use of hinged facades is justified. In the photo of the cabinets above you can see how such doors fit well into the interior of the room. Among the disadvantages of such arrangement of dressing rooms, we note the need for handles and space for opening. Although there are facades that open by pressing them (push-up technology).

Manufacturing materials

Wood, MDF, chipboard, acrylic plastic and aluminum are mainly used in the manufacture of furniture facades. When choosing, you need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type:

1. Solid wood is a traditional material for furniture. For production, solid oak, pine, beech, alder or birch are used. For luxury products, valuable types of mahogany are used - mahogany, teak, rosewood, kempas. Wooden furniture has been tested over the years, it creates a feeling of good quality. Only from wood is it possible to produce slatted fronts for cabinets, which have become popular recently. The advantages of wooden facades are environmental friendliness, strength and safety. Disadvantages include the high cost of products and difficulties in selecting shades of wooden slabs when making a large set. Also, owners of wooden furniture are required to maintain a constant temperature and humidity in the house to prevent it from drying out.
2. MDF facades are the most common composite material. The boards consist of sawdust glued together under high pressure using lignin and paraffin. They do not emit toxic substances when heated. The advantages of fiberboards are low price, presentable appearance, and good performance characteristics.
3. Glass doors give furniture a stylish look and make the interior airy. They are environmentally friendly and wear-resistant. With their help you can create a cabinet with convex fronts. Disadvantages include fragility, care features and cost.
4. Plastic surfaces are becoming increasingly popular. Cabinets with glossy fronts will look great in the kitchen, bathroom, or children's room. The material has excellent performance characteristics - wear-resistant, not afraid of moisture, and hygienic. From polymer it is possible to produce panels of any shape and color with photo printing. The only drawback is the ability to fade over time when exposed to direct sunlight.
5. Fronts for cabinets made of aluminum or stainless steel are new in the furniture industry. They are distinguished by their extraordinary design, so there is no mass production. They are made individually to order for design projects. The only drawback is the high cost, but this is compensated by the durability and originality of the products.

Reasons for the popularity of roller shutters for wardrobes, their types

In the production of the above-mentioned façade panels, no toxic or harmful substances are used. All materials are completely safe. When launched into production, raw materials undergo careful control to ensure compliance with GOST standards.

Aluminum

Tree

MDF

Plastic

Glass

How to choose the right cabinet fronts

To avoid making a mistake when choosing a façade, consider the following points when purchasing:

• Scope of application of the cabinet . If we are talking about purchasing a kitchen cabinet, then the facade must be moisture-resistant and resistant to temperature changes. Therefore, the best option is acrylic and PVC film.

If furniture is purchased for a child's room for a teenager, the coating must be resistant to mechanical stress. Therefore, it is better to refuse glass and PVC film;

For a child's room, the best option is a cabinet with a plastic surface.

• Budget . Often financial capabilities are the main factor of choice. If the budget is very limited, then there is only one option - a facade made of fiberboard covered with PVC film;
• Company manufacturer. Try not to purchase furniture made in artisanal conditions. It can be attractive due to its price and even appearance, but the harmful substances in such products often exceed all permissible standards. In addition, durability, as practice shows, also leaves much to be desired;
• Quality. Please inspect the product carefully before purchasing. Pay special attention to edges and ribs. They should not have any defects or damage.

Colors and decor

In addition to functionality, designers have certain color combination requirements for cabinet furniture facades. You should approach the choice responsibly and determine in advance the colors and facade decor that will organically fit into the style of the room. It is also recommended to adhere to the general rules for creating an interior:

• based on the size of the room;
• observe the contrast of shades;
• take into account the texture of the walls and floor of the room.

Design of wooden legs for furniture in different interior styles

Bright colors and stylish decor make furniture the most memorable element of the decor. For lovers of classics, it is better to choose the color of the facades in one of three tones of room decoration. Mirror or glass facades are considered universal, suitable for any style. You can choose the right colors and their combinations from catalogs by visiting a furniture showroom; it is advisable to ask to see a sample. An alternative option is to entrust the creation of the interior to an experienced designer who will professionally approach this issue.

Wardrobes.

The place dictates the conditions.

Sliding wardrobes fit perfectly into any room, help hide construction defects and maximally adjust the optical volume of space. However, in each specific case, you need to pay special attention to the location of their installation. By skillfully combining shades, textures, and the geometry of inserts from various materials on façade canvases, you can achieve stunning effects without expensive remodeling.

Hallway

A spacious or narrow corridor-type hallway is often characterized by a lack of lighting, so the logical solution would be to use wide-format, film-reinforced mirrors. They will help you increase the intensity of the existing light flux, as well as see yourself in full growth and evaluate the impeccability of your external image before going out.

Bedroom.

When choosing the optimal facade composition for the bedroom, you need to take into account the concept of the interior style and the range of shades. Everything here should contribute to a good rest. The comfort of the atmosphere is supported by a soft palette of pastel colors and natural high-quality materials.

Children's room

In children's rooms, it is important to use facades with safe, hygienic, easy-to-clean filling. Here it is better to give preference to economical chipboard in delicate colors or plastic panels in any combination.

Photo printing with images of your favorite cartoon characters or computer games will help emphasize the main idea of ​​decorating a children's room. As the child grows up, you will simply need to replace the facades with panels with current decor that supports the teenager’s hobbies or a special style concept.

Bathroom

Happy owners of spacious bathrooms will be able to appreciate the convenience and appropriateness of a sliding wardrobe with stylish fronts made of moisture-resistant materials.

A combination of mirrors and plastic panels with glossy or matte surfaces in milky shades will go well with the snow-white faience of sanitaryware. Light colors and reflective surfaces will help create an amazing effect of airiness and multidimensionality of space.

Living room.

When choosing the decorative design of the facades of the living room, you need to take into account the style of the room, the color scheme and the area of ​​the panels. There is no limit to imagination here. It is only important that the shades and texture of the materials of the cabinet doors are combined with the palette of interior tones, accessories, facades of existing furniture and niches with dishes, with a built-in stereo system and TV.

Wardrobe rooms

The fronts of the closed shelves in the dressing room are matched to the tone of the cabinets or shelves. In rare cases, it may be a contrasting shade. As a rule, the panels have a laconic decor, created in the spirit of minimalism, or a classic design, emphasized by ornate handles.

The best material would be solid wood. Its natural properties will help maintain a healthy atmosphere in a confined space.

When choosing the color scheme of the doors closing the entrance to the dressing room, the tone of the sliding panels is selected based on the principle of harmony with the shade of the walls. The material can be used as a mirror cloth or chipboard, finished with natural wood veneer.

Utility rooms and garages

Sliding wardrobes designed for storing tools, fishing tackle and accessories, sports equipment, bicycle and car wheels are always decorated in restrained, dark colors. In such cases, it is appropriate to opt for inexpensive, economical options made from solid chipboard or including special inserts with perforations for ventilation.

Care Tips

Caring for wooden furniture fronts for cabinets is special. In addition to observing the temperature regime, it is necessary to polish the panels with wax with UV protection and humidify the air. Eco furniture that does not have a varnish coating requires periodic treatment with special insecticidal agents against wood-boring beetles.

To care for polished or laminated surfaces made of MDF or plastic, you need a special product with an antistatic effect, as well as rags made of natural fabric, otherwise you can achieve the opposite effect of attracting dust.

Cabinet fronts made of glass or with a mirror surface require more frequent maintenance. A mild glass cleaner and a special microfiber cloth will do. It is strictly forbidden to use abrasive cleaning agents on glass or polished MDF and plastic surfaces.

Wipe metal surfaces with a soft, dry cloth. Wet cleaning is carried out once a month with gel-based cleaning products. The use of abrasive cleaning agents, hard brushes, and metallic sponges is also prohibited.

The use of unsuitable detergents and tools can cause damage to furniture facades.

The selection of facades for furniture is a responsible process; it is carried out taking into account many factors. Having considered the nuances, the available types, their main characteristics, you can choose the best option for the interior of the apartment, and knowing all the subtleties of care, you can significantly extend the life of the furniture.

For glass and mirrors, use a mild cleaner

To prevent furniture from deteriorating, you need to treat it with polish

To care for furniture, you should use a special microfiber cloth.

Combination of facades

A photo gallery of any seller or furniture manufacturer who can offer coupes to order or according to their own model range gives you access to finding the optimal solution specifically for your home.

Yes, sometimes you have to look at prices and think about buying materials and fronts separately and assembling the cabinet yourself.

Agree that it is necessary to determine the design of the structure. And then you can think about whether to buy to order, assemble it yourself, or purchase a completely finished product.

If we talk about the standard version of the coupe, then there is a facade based on chipboard or laminated chipboard with mirror facades and their combination. The most budget option that allows you to use mirrors beneficially for the interior. But combined products look much more interesting and unusual. They are beautiful, have different colors, light shades can be combined with dark ones, and the glossy facade can be replaced by a matte product.

All combined facades for compartments can be divided into the following categories:

• Classic. A solid facade made of chipboard sheets, on top of which a decorative wood-like film is applied. One or more facades are mirrored;
• Geometric. Each facade is a separate rectangle, made with a mirror, glass or other coating. Finishing options to choose from;
• Diagonal. The facade has metal profiles that divide the structure into separate parts, which are directed towards each other at a certain angle. Different finishing materials are combined;
• Sectoral. Using profiles, the façade is divided into cells, each of which is designed in a specific style;
• Wave. Straight-line profiles are replaced with curved ones. This creates soft and smooth lines on the wardrobe. It is made mainly to order and is quite expensive due to the complexity of execution.

The choice is yours. All kinds of combinations of facades look equally beneficial in the design of a corner and classic straight cabinet.

It also remains to consider the types of facades and their content. This directly affects the design and appearance of the entire room where the compartment is located.

Chipboard and MDF

The most common variants of facades are made of MDF and chipboard, which is explained by the affordable price. Coupes with such facades are the cheapest. But at the same time, chipboard, MDF and laminated chipboard have a number of advantages:

• long service life;
• resistance to mechanical damage;
• a large assortment;
• various color techniques;
• basic care;
• safe operation.

At the same time, the cabinets look quite modest. A simple white or beige facade for a compartment is suitable for those who need an inconspicuous, good wardrobe that will not stand out from the general background. Still, many want to achieve invisibility.

Wood

If wenge wood is used for the facades, this will create an incredible look for the structure. But the material is expensive.

If you are attracted to natural wood, choose it. Remember that the material is quite heavy, so the structures are usually massive.

Wood for facades can be used by combining different materials, or wood can be used as one independent component. Decorative milling improves the appearance. Such solutions are more relevant for classic interior styles than for modern trends.

Mirrors

Mirror facades are not new on the market, but they are still a fairly unique and original design option.

Fully mirror designs are expensive, so they are often combined with chipboard. It is recommended to choose a thickness of at least 4 mm.

Be sure to make sure that amalgam is applied to the inside of the mirror facades. This is a special protective material that prevents damage. When using chipboard, protection is not so necessary.

Lakomats

This is a special type of frosted glass. The matting effect is achieved by etching with a special acid. In such facades, the thickness of the varnish is approximately 4 mm.

The peculiarity of the material is that it has a translucent structure. That is, it kind of covers the contents of the cabinet, but at the same time allows you to navigate where everything is.

It looks impressive and is quite effective. The matte surface is quite easy to clean, unlike gloss.

Lakobel

It is often used as part of combined facades, since as an independent material it is too bright and attracts a lot of attention.

The essence of lakobel is that glass is used as a basis. It is coated on one side with varnish. Moreover, colored varnishes are used. The result is an extremely interesting glossy surface with a mirror effect.

It looks great, but you will have to take care of it carefully. It looks most advantageous when combined with other materials for compartment facades.

Decorative mirrors and glass

Here you can divide facades into 2 subcategories:

• Sandblast. Using sandblasting, a pattern is applied to the surface of frosted glass. They are ready-made or made to order;
• Etching. Etched mirrors and glass involve etching of matte designs. This facade, complementing the less bright and expressive elements, acts as decoration. Looks great in combination.

Both options are popular and outwardly have excellent characteristics. Choosing your own pattern will give the coupe extra personality.

Plastic

Surprisingly, plastic facades are very inexpensive, but at the same time diverse and versatile. They allow you to combine all sorts of options when creating a cabinet.

Plastic facades can be divided into transparent, translucent and opaque. There are also products with matte and glossy finishes.

What is especially surprising is the variety of color palettes and the ability to apply almost any designs, patterns and images.

Rattan and bamboo

Bamboo is an absolutely natural material that is widely used in creating facades for compartments. Fits perfectly into ethnic and oriental styles. Bamboo strips are glued onto MDF or chipboard panels. The stripes themselves have different parameters and color palettes.

Rattan is also natural. It is obtained from a tree with the same name. The core and also the bark of the tree are used. The material is intertwined and then fixed on chipboard or MDF panels.

Decorative acrylic

Or just decoracrylic. The idea is to combine natural and artificial materials.

This requires two panels made of acrylic. They come in transparent, matte and glossy. The main feature is the ability to lay natural materials between the panels. Often they use tree leaves, bark, herbs, some butterflies or shells.

Looks impressive and lasts a long time. It is better to use in combination with other facade materials.

Natural and artificial are used. The second option is no different in appearance, plus it allows you to make the coverage more diverse. And it costs less too.

Leather finishing of panels based on MDF or chipboard is relevant for those cases when a sliding wardrobe is purchased for an office, library or other similar room. In the bedroom and living room it looks appropriate only in some interior styles.