To accommodate the whole family's clothes, shoes, accessories, sports equipment, it is not necessary to set aside an entire room for storage. A properly organized wardrobe compartment, which can be ordered in the workshop or made by hand, will help to cope with the organization of the space.
Dressing rooms: what they are
A wardrobe with a convenient storage system is a versatile option for a small apartment. It will successfully replace numerous and not very comfortable wardrobes, chests of drawers, mezzanines. The choice of configuration and size depends on many parameters:
- the number of clothes, shoes and accessories to be placed;
- the presence of niches, storage rooms and other auxiliary rooms in the apartment;
- general interior;
- owner preferences.
Before you start drawing up a sketch, you need to determine which items prevail in the wardrobe. Long dresses, fur coats, jackets and jackets are more convenient to place on brackets. Knitwear is placed on open shelves or in boxes; special baskets are needed to store linen, scarves, tights. A separate space will be needed for the hangers that hold the skirts and trousers. You need to think over a place for hats and bags, organize closed or open shelves for shoes. Bulky sports equipment is placed in separate compartments.
Home dressing room can be made in the form of:
- cabinet-pencil case;
- niches with curtains or doors;
- shelving system;
- corner.
For a small apartment with a lack of free space, a corner dressing room is suitable. Standard sizes are 1 m wide and 2-2.5 m long. Despite its modest size, this design is much more spacious than a conventional cabinet. In addition, it looks more modern and fits into almost any interior.
Choice of material and design
A home dressing room is best made of wood. It is not necessary to buy expensive materials, you can use the remains of timber, boards and chipboards, construction hypermarkets sell them at minimal prices. The store will also help to saw the boards in accordance with pre-compiled measurements.
Among the advantages of chipboard:
- affordable price;
- the ability to absorb excess moisture;
- durability;
- attractive appearance.
To decorate the dressing room, you can use elements from old cabinets: roof rails, shelves, doors. In addition to conventional swing doors, sliding doors can be made, like wardrobes. An equally interesting option is wooden or plastic blinds. If the wardrobe is organized in a niche or closet, the door can be replaced with a curtain made of dense decorative fabric that matches the color of the walls.
How to make a dressing room with your own hands
Before starting construction, you need to draw up a drawing. The standard depth of the wardrobe is from 65 to 100 cm. Such dimensions will help to freely place hangers and shelves, the doors will close well.
The size of the compartment for outerwear is 150 cm from the floor to the bar for placing hangers. The height of the shelves for knitwear and linen ranges from 250 to 450 mm. It is impractical to make higher shelves, the stacks of clothes will turn out to be too bulky, and it will be difficult to maintain order in the closet. The height of the shelves for shoes and hats starts from 10 cm. So that things do not wrinkle or warp, an individual cell is created for each. Bags can be placed in the same compartments.
Having determined the size of the dressing room, you need to evaluate the space around it. If the room is very cramped, it is better to choose not swing doors, but sliding doors. In such a room, it is better to refuse drawers or baskets, limiting ourselves to open shelves.
In accordance with the measurements made, a sketch is drawn up. The height, width and depth of each element must be marked on it, the places for fittings and other details are marked. It is imperative to accurately determine the required number of shelves, drawers, hangers, and also to understand on which side it is more convenient to place them. For example, a hanger bar should be installed on the right, and compartments with shelves on the left. The shoe compartment is located at the edge or at the bottom of the wardrobe, while the compartments for bags and seasonal clothing are allocated at the top.
You don't have to make a plan from scratch. It is much more convenient to use a ready-made drawing made by a professional, adding individual additions to it.
Most of the material will be needed for a rack type wardrobe. You will need boards for the walls, floor, ceiling and doors. Internal elements (stops and rods) are attached directly to the wall. It must be strong enough, brick or concrete. Lightweight plasterboard partitions will not withstand the load.
If the storage system is organized in a niche, you will only have to make doors on the frame, shelves and drawers. A wardrobe corner is also inexpensive. All storage systems are fixed on the walls, doors are installed on the side. A more sophisticated option is sliding panels, which also serve as storage space. In their inner part, shelves are installed for shoes, bags and other small items.
It is most convenient to assemble a wooden wardrobe frame using self-tapping screws. If natural wood is used, it is treated with antibacterial impregnation or stain, and then dried thoroughly. If the wardrobe is being made during the repair, the frame is mounted immediately, and the decoration and interior equipment are taken after the completion of the repair work.
Interior fittings: options and ideas
A standard dressing room consists of several compartments. In one place, outerwear, suits and dresses are placed, in the other, boxes or open shelves for knitwear and linen are installed. It is convenient to use lightweight wire baskets instead of regular boxes.
If it is decided to install several cabinets, pencil cases, one of them can be equipped with shelves, and in the other mount a bar for hangers. The most affordable and convenient option is to use ready-made internal elements made of lightweight metal. They are easy to install, do not need special care, do not rust or break. However, metal baskets and mesh shelves are not to everyone's liking. Those who prefer the classics should make shelves and drawers from chipboard or timber.
A very important point in any dressing room is lighting. There are special mini-lamps that are placed in the ceiling. They should not be too powerful; energy-saving bulbs with an auto-shutdown system will do.
There are various devices for convenient placement of clothes and accessories:
- System of horizontal plackets with clips for skirts and trousers. It can slide in and out, depending on the size it can hold from 5 to 10 items of clothing.
- Horizontal or vertical tie hanger. Looks similar, but smaller.
- Retractable clothing brackets. An alternative to the usual hanger bar, you can place twice as many items.
- Downward-going clothes bar (pantograph). You can hang clothes on it in 2 tiers by moving the bar with a special handle. Not suitable for very heavy clothing (e.g. leather and natural fur).
- Hanging organizers for small items. They can be made of plastic or fabric and can be placed in any free space. This category includes hanging baskets, mini chests of drawers, special hooks for bags or boots.
A properly organized dressing room is a guarantee of order and impeccable appearance of clothes. By installing the frame, you can change the interior equipment depending on your needs and tastes.
