Design, materials, location, and content – we made a detailed guide for choosing the perfect wardrobe for any apartment.
Previously, the dressing room was associated only with luxurious homes and a certain standard of living. Now it is convenient to organize the storage of clothes in several squares, keeping within a small budget. The main thing is to think over to the smallest detail the filling of the wardrobe in the bedroom, corridor or a separate room. In this article, we will tell you how to do this, which design to choose, and what to look for.
Advantages and disadvantages
Regular closet or dressing room? Both options are valid, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. And you can also combine them! Consider the main pros and cons of a wardrobe closet
Pros
- There will be more space for things. You can plan the design exactly according to your preferences: more sections for hangers or, conversely, ordinary shelves, a compartment for bags or a large collection of shoes, etc.
- There you can store not only clothes but also all accessories and jewelry, shoes, bags and backpacks, suitcases, and sports equipment (and some find a place for a mini-laundry room !). This frees up space in other areas, and you can refuse additional storage systems in the apartment.
- If you have enough free space between the shelves, it is also convenient to change clothes here – you don’t have to run to the bedroom mirror every time or worry about privacy.
Cons
- The most important (and practically the only) minus is that you need to allocate space for a full-fledged functional area. Yes, you can arrange everything you need on 2-3 m2, but remember the elementary rules of ergonomics. It is important not only to accommodate the hangers themselves but also to lay enough free space between them, otherwise there is no point in a separate room.
- Costs are also a disadvantage. As a rule, it is more expensive to equip a full-fledged clothes storage room than to buy a conventional storage system – especially if you will be making components to order or from expensive materials. But, fortunately, furniture manufacturers now offer fairly budget-friendly ready-made solutions.
Designs and materials
Design
Despite the large selection of models, the design of all cabinets can be divided into three groups:
- Case – free-standing models with rear and side walls, bottom, and doors. This is a self-sufficient product that is ready-made and placed in the room so that complex assembly is not required. The main disadvantage is bulkiness. In addition, such a closet must be deep and roomy enough to be called a dressing room, and not an ordinary wardrobe.
- Built-in – designs that are built into the available space. They may not have back, top, or side walls, as they are replaced by a floor, walls, and ceiling. As a rule, they are made to order for the required dimensions or assembled as a designer if these are modular systems.
- Combined – sometimes both types are combined in one wardrobe system. For example, one part can be a hull, and the other can be mounted in a niche or built from a column.
Material
When planning a storage system, not only does its size and design matters but also the material from which the elements are made.
What is used:
- Array. Natural wood (for example, oak, walnut, ash, pine) is an environmentally friendly, durable, and noble material that will not lose its relevance, and also adds solidity and warmth to the interior. Visually fits into any design, but due to the high cost and premium look, it is most often used in luxurious classics, art deco, modern or neoclassical.
- MDF and chipboard are cheaper alternatives to solid wood. They are plates pressed under high pressure. MDF is considered a more environmentally friendly and high-quality material, chipboard is the most budgetary. The first one is considered optimal since it will last longer and is suitable for living rooms since there are no potentially harmful resins in the composition.
- Metal – long associated with fireproof products or lockers in schools, but now metal wardrobes have become popular as well. They are made of durable sheet steel, which is enameled on top. It is she who gives the product a beautiful look.
- Glass – stylish, spectacular, and airy products are obtained from it. A great option for a small or dark room in which you need to create a feeling of lightness and spaciousness. And if you need to hide the contents of the mini-dressing room from prying eyes, use tinted frosted glass for facades.
Where to place
The apartment has several accommodation options: in the bedroom, hallway, pantry, or as a separate full-fledged room.
Of course, the first option is the most successful. If the area and layout of the apartment allow, allocate an independent zone for storing clothes – or even several. It is better to place them next to private rooms: for example, in the bedroom, guest room, or nursery. If this option is not suitable, you will have to cut out square meters.
Here are helpful tips:
- Incorporate architectural elements. Often, ledges, niches, columns, wall bevels, and uncomfortable nooks and crannies cause many problems: it is not clear what to do with them, and they only interfere. But such a design feature can be taken as a basis and, for example, placing a small straight or corner wardrobe there, choosing the design of the desired shape and size.
- If the room is long, place the storage system at the end – this is both convenient and visually adjusts the proportions. This is a universal option for a bedroom or a nursery and for a wardrobe closet in the hallway.
- In the old fund, most often there is already a small utility room, so the easiest way is to use it for your needs. As a rule, there is enough space to organize everything you need.
- If you are making a wardrobe in a small bedroom, it is important not to overload the space and turn it into two cramped rooms. To do this, give up blank walls in favor of a glass screen or translucent doors (for example, tinted glass looks very stylish).
Filling for cabinets and wardrobes
The internal organization of the storage system depends on various factors: the shape and size, how many people use it, and the number of things that need to be placed, in addition to clothing.
However, there are a few universal principles for organizing a wardrobe:
- Zoning is required. Even at the planning stage, consider which sections and in what quantity you need. Highlight them on the drawing, or at least write a list. Usually, these are shelves, closed boxes, and compartments with a bar. You may additionally need space for suitcases, bags, shoes, and special systems for jewelry.
- What you wear most often should be placed in the center, closest to you when you open the doors. Usually, this is an area with hangers and open shelves. It is better to place shoes and heavy overall objects at the bottom and put away what you rarely get at the top.
- Ideally, there should be several rods: for long and short things. If there is space, add a pantograph (a special design that can be adjusted in height) or a special hanger for trousers and ties.
- Closed boxes also come in several types. For example, deeper ones for bulky items, with dividers for underwear, and wide and flat ones for watches, sunglasses, and jewelry. They are good not only because the contents are not visible, but dust will also not fall on it.
- Rational use of space will help organizers, dividers, inserts on shelves, boxes, and baskets (including drawers). In the latter, it is convenient to hold clothes and textiles that do not need to be ironed.
- Thinking over the area of the structure and the dimensions of the elements, consider the basic principles of ergonomics. For things on hangers, you need at least 60 cm of depth, and 6-8 hangers are placed on a standard bar – so that clothes do not wrinkle. From here, calculate how many rods you will need. For clothes on hangers, the height of the compartment is also important. For example, if you store outerwear there, then for a long coat you will need from 120 to 140 cm, depending on the height of the person and the model.
- Add little things that will make using the closet more comfortable: a mirror (preferably full-length), closers for pull-out elements, an ottoman or an armchair where you can put clothes, and shelf lighting. It can be organized both at the stage of arrangement and later – for example, using self-adhesive LED.
The most important thing about our X that it is for
those who are in a hurry
