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Icer October 23, 2018Specialization: master in the construction of plasterboard structures, finishing work and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.
If you live in a small apartment, then the issue of saving space and rational use of every corner is one of the highest priorities. In this review, I will tell you about the main features of multifunctional cabinets and the design differences between different solutions. You can find interesting ideas and organize multi-purpose and functional furniture even in a small area.
Multifunctional designs combine different elements and serve different purposes
Types of cabinets
The cabinet comes in different sizes and different thicknesses. The doors are mirrored, wooden, glass. The cabinet comes with mezzanines (large hollow niches with doors located directly on this piece of furniture).
Look at the photos of cabinets in the interior, how competently and beautifully they fit into the design of any apartment.
Cabinet classification
Living room cabinets
They are most often found in small apartments, where any free corner is allocated for storing things, from the under-bed drawer to the mezzanine. Thus, bed linen, books, expensive alcoholic drinks, out-of-season items, festive dishes and tablecloths, various figurines or souvenirs make their way into the hall, and the closet combines the functions of a library, a china cabinet, a wine and wardrobe. Depending on whether you need to hide the contents of the drawers, there are cabinets with transparent or solid doors. In this case, glass can be combined with metal (for a modern-style interior) or wood (to match the classics).
Kitchen cabinets
Mandatory components of a kitchen set are floor or wall cabinets, which are more convenient than a bulky sideboard. However, sometimes with the help of a tall cabinet you can hide a gas water heater or various household appliances. Previously, in spacious kitchens one could find open display cases and sideboards with glass doors, which made it possible to display family tureens, large dishes and painted decorative plates for everyone to see. A wine cabinet is an inhabitant of cellars where there are temperature conditions that allow you to preserve wine for a long time.
Bedroom wardrobes
As elsewhere, such cabinets can be located along the wall or in a corner, thereby freeing up the transit area as much as possible. Most often, not free-standing ones are purchased for the bedroom, but cabinet or sliding wardrobes (the option of being built into a niche is possible). The color and material of the facades must match the chosen style and color scheme of the room. Today, bedroom wardrobes can be decorated with patterns, inlays, mirrors, overlays, etc.
Wardrobe for hallway and bathroom
What is needed here is a shallow cabinet with light-colored fronts or to match the wall surface. It is better to order a design that will completely fill the free wall of the hall or bathroom. Most often this is a wardrobe with a mirrored door to visually expand the space. If necessary, you can buy a model where the open and closed parts of the structure will alternate. If you can’t place a closet 60 cm deep in the hallway (to accommodate clothes on hangers), then you can limit yourself to 40 cm and a cross bar. At the bottom of the structure there should be drawers for shoes and a place to sit.
It would be a lie to say that cabinets are rare in the interiors of modern apartments. They never go out of style. Industrial designers constantly delight us with creative models that require special interior design. Such designs are bright accents around which the entire composition is built.
How to choose a cabinet?
Choosing a beautiful cabinet is not difficult. It is important to consider the basic selection rules. You need to measure the free space of the room to accurately determine whether the closet will fit. Incorrect measurements will lead to the need to move all the furniture. It is important to measure the width and height of the doorway. If you purchase a one-piece cabinet, it is likely that due to its dimensions it will not be able to fit into the room.
The best cabinet is considered to be one made from natural materials (oak, pine). True, the cost of such cabinets is beyond the means of the average resident of the country. Cabinets are much cheaper made from chipboard. They are not inferior in strength to cabinets made of natural wood, and they look impressive, high-quality, and stylish.
Next, you need to determine which specific cabinet is suitable for a particular room. If we are talking about the living room, the wardrobe plays an important part. It will store all kinds of outer, demi-season clothing.
Design options
Most often, the central element in the room is the closet, so it should harmoniously resonate with the rest of the interior. Combination of furniture and main design trends:
- Modern styles - minimalism, hi-tech, modern, loft - laconic, restrained, preferring simple solutions, without decoration, with clear symmetry. Cabinets with a smooth glossy or mirror surface are suitable for such an interior. The facade can be one-color or two-color, complemented by fittings made of plastic or chromed metal.
- Provence. A closet in this style should be neat and bright. The facades are solid or glass. Curved legs, threads, and forged handles are required.
- Country. The style prefers solid wood products. The cabinet should be unpainted, natural, so that the grain of the wood is visible. You can supplement the front surface with glass inserts or milling.
Classification of cabinets with shelves, options for internal filling
It is customary to decorate the facades of modern cabinets. For mirror and glass surfaces, sandblasting patterns or photo printing are suitable. You can choose drawings of various styles and directions. They are easy to apply and the finished surfaces are easy to maintain.
Another option for decorating facades is half-timbered timber. It imitates the design of houses made using the same technology. Most often used on mirrored models or cabinets for children's rooms. Designer painting is suitable for a façade made of any material. The main thing is to choose the right colors and come up with a design option. So, from a typical, unremarkable product you can create a unique piece of furniture.
Minimalism
High tech
Modern
Loft
Classic
Provence
Country
Sandblasting patterns
Photo printing
Half-timbered
How to choose a wardrobe
A wardrobe is necessary not only for women, as it might seem, judging by the name. This piece of furniture can store any clothes that are in dire need of hangers. The hangers protect clothes from excessive creasing; the shoulders do not leave unpleasant bends or creases. The wardrobe stores all kinds of dresses, jackets, various cardigans, outerwear (jackets, fur coats, down jackets, coats, raincoats).
Choose a wardrobe so that your longest item hangs freely in it. The height of the cabinet should be more than two meters.
By purchasing a wardrobe with a mirror on the doors, you also get a full-length mirror, which is so necessary in every home.
Decorating different rooms in the house
When choosing a wardrobe for the hallway, you need to take into account that, as a rule, outerwear and all seasonal shoes will be stored there. For these purposes, it should be equipped with a section with hangers for free placement of coats, jackets, fur coats and similar things.
It is better if the inside of the wardrobe is equipped with comfortable shelves where everyday items will be stored: an umbrella, a bag, accessories for caring for clothes and shoes.
For the bedroom, you should select a more spacious wall-to-wall closet, which will look more like an entire dressing room. Usually, the center of the bedroom is the bed, which is visually complemented by that very large closet.
But keep in mind that it is better if it is placed opposite the bed, since their width is approximately equal. It is for this reason that both pieces of furniture harmoniously complement each other, and the room itself will visually increase. Between the closet and the bed it is reasonable to place a cabinet, chest of drawers, or an armchair.
In a small bedroom, you should not place the wardrobe near the window opening in order to increase the flow of natural light from the window. It is recommended to choose the wardrobe itself either with hinged doors or a corner wardrobe.
It is better to buy a pencil case for the bathroom, which takes up a minimum of free space. Inside the product there should be many small shelves, and on the lower tier there should be drawers for storing cleaning and detergents.
When choosing an important part of the interior - a closet, you should remember a few simple rules:
- The wooden model should not be placed near heating devices to avoid drying out of the material.
- The distance from the ceiling to the cabinet should be approximately 15 centimeters.
- It is recommended to place the item away from the window.
- Along a long wall, in addition to the closet, it is better to place additional pieces of furniture (chest of drawers, coffee table, mirror, dressing table).
- A wardrobe in black or a similar dark shade should be diluted with bright accessories (gold or silver handles, colored edging, ornaments).
How to decorate a closet
Just as there are a lot of interior designers now, there is a great variety of cabinet designs. Designers contribute to each of their creations. Various ornaments, stucco, mirrors, stained glass, various beautiful unique handles. You can always contact any designer and he will tell you how best to decorate your closet. Of course, the services of such a specialist are not free.
If you're on a budget, you can try decorating your closet yourself. To do this you will need sandpaper, glue, putty, paint, varnish, and a little inspiration.
Sliding wardrobe and its role in the interior
A wardrobe is very convenient and functional in everyday life. Its outer side is mirrored. The consumer receives a full-length mirror in his home. Behind the mirror there are many shelves, space with hangers for outerwear for demi-season clothes. There is also a separate section for shoes, which can easily be converted into shelves for bed linen, towels, and various clothes.
The mirror doors of the wardrobe run on so-called rails. Due to them, the cabinet takes up incredibly little space, because the doors of such a cabinet do not open outward, but slide apart and slide back.
Often a wardrobe is built into the wall in such a way that it does not take up a centimeter of space at all. True, such a trick can only be reproduced in an apartment with thick walls. Such a cabinet can be corner. True, in terms of functionality it is inferior to standard long cabinets.
The doors of the wardrobe can be without a mirror, covered with the same wallpaper as the entire room where it is located. Visually, it will seem that there is no closet in the room at all and only the most attentive will be able to notice it.
Absolutely any interior with a wardrobe will be much more advantageous than an interior without it. This piece of furniture gives comfort to the room and also creates visual order. Hide all small things that are unnecessary to the prying eye in the closet.
Varieties of design
Modern cabinets are characterized by a wide range. Products are divided into the following types:
- Corpus. This is a separate structure consisting of a back wall, sides, doors, bottom and top cover. Most often installed along walls. Doors can be hinged or sliding. Such furniture can be easily disassembled, moved around the room, and transported to another room.
- Built-in. The elements of this design are the walls, floor, and ceiling of the room. Most often, to arrange cabinets, room niches are used, into which the internal contents are installed - shelves, drawers, baskets, pantographs - and closed with sliding doors to save space. Ultimately, the structure becomes an integral part of the interior and cannot be moved.
- Partially built-in. They differ from the previous version in that they provide a housing on one side. Such models are mounted in the corner of the room. Indispensable for small apartments, they save space.
- Modular. They consist of several sections, similar in style, color, and material. They can be combined, connected or placed separately in different parts of the room. Such a system is mobile, functional, and allows you to benefit from the space of the room.
Functionality of cabinet partitions, furniture placement options
Hull
Built-in
Partially built
Modular
In addition to design features, the shape of the furniture is also taken into account when classifying. According to this parameter, the main types of cabinets are as follows:
- Direct. The most common and universal model. Located along the wall. Serves for storing clothes, shoes, dishes, linen. Such designs are spacious and consist of many drawers, shelves, and rods. Provide easy access to items. They are made in different sizes and colors, so you can choose the right option for any room.
- Angular. They have an L-shape to save space. Great for small rooms. Used to store clothes, shoes, accessories. Placed in the bedroom, hallway. They are often made to order, so the design can be adapted to any room.
- Radial. Modern models that are distinguished by streamlined shapes. The facade can be convex, concave or wavy. This piece of furniture can fit into any interior style. The wardrobe will not take up much space; thanks to its functionality, it can replace a chest of drawers, a cabinet, or a wardrobe. Such models are located in bedrooms, living rooms, hallways.
Both straight and corner cabinet models are radius. Their main advantage is the rational use of space: thanks to the curved design, the products fit into places inappropriate for other furniture.
Straight
Angular
Radial
Life hacks for closets
A life hack is a useful tip that not everyone knows about. Perhaps one of these tips will make your difficult home life easier.
In order to fit as many things as possible on the closet shelves (this could be T-shirts, trousers, underwear, a towel), place these items in a roll one on top of the other. Unlike standard folding, the roll takes up little space. Things don't bend or wrinkle in it.
If there is an unpleasant smell in the closet, place orange, lemon, or grapefruit peels on the furniture shelves. Choose absolutely any bright-smelling citrus fruit. You can also put sachets of various herbs in your laundry. If you don’t have fruits and sachets on hand, a regular sample of eau de toilette, eau de parfum, or perfume will help. Simply open the sample and place it next to your clothing.
If there are moths in the closet, hang lavender sachets inside, next to fur and knitted items.
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Bed linen should be folded into a pillowcase (duvet cover, sheet, pillowcase), rolled into a roll. The roll turns out narrow, plus the bed linen will lie separately from each other. This will make it easy to navigate in the closet.
Restoration of an old cabinet
If you inherited an old wardrobe from your grandmother, do not rush to get rid of the junk. Old furniture can be easily and simply restored. You can even do this yourself.
The easiest way is to cover an old cabinet with self-adhesive film with a wood pattern. The film is moisture-resistant and does not peel off due to the durable layer of glue. And not a single ordinary person will doubt the authenticity of the cabinet covered with film.
Another option is to sand the furniture with sandpaper, then smooth out all the unevenness with putty. Apply paint (water-based, enamel, acrylic). Apply several layers of paint, it all depends on your preferences. It is most advisable to choose acrylic paint - it contains natural resin. It has no unpleasant odor, dries very quickly, is waterproof, and does not fade in the sun.
Acrylic paint looks as if varnish has already been applied over it. If you have chosen a different paint (enamel, water-based), apply a layer of varnish after it has dried. It will give your cabinet a natural shine. But keep in mind that the varnish takes a very long time to dry.
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After all the manipulations done, the new cabinet will start life again. If desired, this piece of furniture can be decorated with various ornaments and patterns (for an even application, you can use a stencil).
Necessity of a closet in every home
Among the huge number of different lockers, it is quite easy to choose the one you need, the main thing is to determine specifically what you are looking for. You must first measure the room in which the furniture will be located. Be sure to measure the height and width of the doorway. We are talking not only about the front door, but also about the opening of the inner room.
If you purchase a one-piece cabinet, it is likely that due to its dimensions it will not fit into the apartment. In this case, it is better to choose a collapsible cabinet. You will have to assemble it yourself directly in the room where it will be located.
