Small closet, pros and cons, and selection rules

Built-in cabinet furniture helps to maximize the use of useful areas of apartments, without cluttering up open spaces with things. For example, a small sliding wardrobe installed in the hallway can easily accommodate non-seasonal clothes and shoes, voluminous winter accessories and household chemicals. At the same time, miniature furniture does not clutter up the room, leaving enough space for a small family.

Advantages and disadvantages

Small-sized sliding wardrobes have a lot of advantages, the main ones of which are:

Affordable - most modern cabinet furniture is made from chipboards that are durable and yet inexpensive. Depending on the wishes of the homeowners, various methods of decorating cabinet furniture are chosen;
structural stability - as a rule, sliding wardrobes do not have legs and rest on a long base made of chipboard. Therefore, there is no need to carefully level the floors of the room so that the piece of furniture is level;
at the request of customers, the integration of side elements into the walls of the living room is carried out. This modification is used for corner sliding wardrobes, often enclosing the storage area from floor to ceiling with two wide doors;
compact storage system - when there is not enough space, multi-level storage systems decorated with a glass door are installed in the living room. In order to make the best use of the free space, all the internal contents are baskets, hangers, brackets and supports for things;
the appearance of such sliding wardrobes is limited only by the imagination of the owners, and their functionality is many times superior to conventional modifications;
Sliding doors - the main difference between the furniture that gave it its name - high doors made of solid fabric (particleboard, glass or mirror), conveniently opening and closing using guides installed on the upper and lower edges. Opening and closing the cabinet does not create a “blind zone” necessary for access to things stored there. Therefore, such interior solutions are often installed in the corners of rooms near interior doors and windows with doors opening inward.

Often, a small sliding wardrobe is complemented by a mirror, rounded side sections with shelves, lights and decorative stickers. Decor elements are also inexpensive and easy to install, so the original design of the project does not increase the price of furniture many times.

The built-in modification involves fixing the guides on the wall and ceiling of the living room and installing the door in the height of the room. Thus, there is a significant saving on cabinet materials. This allows you not to save on internal content, decorative elements, which give the room style. Expensive interior solutions made from natural materials are also on the market, requiring special care and serious financial investments.

Similar designs have disadvantages, among which are:

massiveness - high requirements to the stability of furniture for storage of things make manufacturers neglect decorative elements and elegance of forms in favor of practicality and reliability. For example, the robust design of a sliding wardrobe is simple, if not boring. Parallel boards, adjacent to the floor, walls, look quite heavy. A compact modular system with sliding doors will contain all the necessary things and save space, but visually it will look pretty impressive;
quick wear of load-bearing structures - as a rule, the doors of such a cabinet are formed by an aluminum profile. This material is quite soft, so it can become deformed over time, injuring other elements of the supporting structure. Installation of more wear-resistant profiles will require serious financial investments for the installation of additional fasteners;
access to different parts of the cabinet in turn - unlike standard storage furniture with hinged doors, sliding wardrobes open one at a time, so part of the space is always closed for viewing. The solution is to install an internal lighting system or narrower glass doors that do not block a large area of the cabinet;
regular maintenance of load-bearing structures - the guiding structures provide the operability of the moving parts of this type of furniture, therefore it is necessary to regularly monitor their serviceability and cleanliness. A large area of aluminum profiles is quickly clogged with dirt, so the hostess receives an additional amount of homework.

Despite these drawbacks, with regular maintenance a small closet will become an interior decoration, and will also save a lot of living space by organizing a compact and affordable place to store the right things.

Kinds

A consistent approach to the purchase of furniture guarantees a practical, useful purchase at home. In accordance with the needs of the family, the desired materials, as well as the affordable budget, there are several types of cabinets with sliding doors.

According to the material of manufacture

Given the material of manufacture of the structure there are:

a budget option for such an interior solution is a sliding wardrobe made of chipboard panels. Lightweight and affordable wood chip panels, carefully soaked with glue, are the optimal solution for installing a sliding wardrobe in a small room. In terms of strength and functional features, particle boards cannot compete with more expensive materials. Particleboard is subject to mechanical and thermal stresses, and can also emit toxins during prolonged exposure to the sun;
more aesthetic, wear-resistant and expensive option - MDF finish. This material is a thin fiber of wood, pressed under high temperature and pressure. The external characteristics of MDF are not much better than chipboard, but this material is more durable and not subject to moisture and temperature extremes;
solid wood trim. As a rule, the use of natural materials looks very aesthetically pleasing and emphasizes the high social status of the owners of the dwelling. On the other hand, the price and weight of such materials stop most people. Natural wood not only requires careful processing and ordering from proven specialists, but also subsequent thorough care. Not every housewife is ready for such labor.

Chipboard

MDF

Wooden

In shape

Small cabinets can vary in shape:

classic rectangular designs with a straight guide running along the wall. A simple form involves an intensive investment in decorative elements so that the furniture does not look primitive. This modification of furniture occupies the central part of the living space, most often decorated with mirrors, sandblasting or wood inlay;
minimalistic corner constructions - the smallest modification of the sliding wardrobe is a wide door that encloses a part of the corner of the room for storing things. Such sliding wardrobes will decorate the apartment of modest sizes. If the living space allows it, then you can supplement the classic diagonal cabinet with two rectangular modules. In this case, there will be more storage space, and the corner with furniture will take on a finished look;
radius modifications - when creating such models of furniture for storage, guides and doors are made to order. As a rule, individual door designs are used: convex, concave, combined, round, oval. The cost of such cabinets does not apply to the budget segment, but the choice of finishing materials is much higher.

Rectangular

Radius

Corner

By location

Depending on the location of the structure, there are:

separate structures of small size - this option can be easily installed anywhere in the living room, it does not need to be dismantled during repair work in the room. In fact, freestanding models are similar in their properties to freestanding furniture, the only difference is in door modifications;
recessed constructions - this view requires minimal expenditure of living space. In fact, it occupies only the space needed for the flat sliding door mechanism. The only significant drawback of such a design for storage is the inability to move it during repairs or moving. On the other hand, the reassembly of finished furniture in any case weakens the fastening mechanisms, so the furniture may lose its operational properties after moving.

Built in

Standing separately

Dimensions and filling

The classic filling furniture for storage - brackets for long-sex clothes on hangers, as well as horizontal drawers. This type of filling will cost a small amount, but will allow you to comfortably place a small amount of clothing.

The standard modification is a cabinet with a length of 1800 mm and a height of 2400 mm, the filling includes drawers, wide open corner shelves, as well as sections for placing shoes.

A small modular system for storing things, supplementing cabinets of modest length (from 1200 to 1300 mm) and small height (2000 mm) - unlike the first option, these systems take up less free space. For example, drawers, brackets, drawers located at a minimum distance from each other, easily accommodate non-standard large items. Thus, even in a small-sized section, artificial Christmas trees, bicycles, and vacuum cleaners fit.

Selection rules

Since built-in cabinet furniture is most often made to order, for a good choice you should independently determine the technical characteristics. Going to the seller with a consultant with clear characteristics, it is easier to choose the best furniture. Things to consider when choosing:

dimensions - for use in small rooms it is best to dwell on tall narrow models that visually look miniature, not taking away extra space. When making measurements, it is recommended to add about 5 cm to each dimension to the dimensions obtained so that installation work does not damage external surfaces;
storage system - a dense modular system of drawers, baskets, as well as brackets - the optimal solution for elegant furniture of modest sizes. For example, a diagonal corner cabinet with wire containers will be a good replacement for a finished cabinet entrance;
exterior decoration - the choice of finishing materials and decorative structures should fit into the overall interior of the room, and also not require special care. Therefore, it is recommended to use MDF, particleboard or plastic panels;
the size and number of mirrors - the presence of a mirror surface built into furniture will visually expand the space, but will require additional care. To reduce contamination, it is recommended that mirror panels be placed above the waist level.