The functionality of sliding wardrobes is an order of magnitude higher than that of classic types. It has several hanging rods, a sufficient number of shelves, sections and drawers for linen. But due to its rectilinear dimensions, height and massiveness, it sometimes spoils the design of the apartment. Let's consider options on how to make a sliding wardrobe less noticeable in the room.
Visual Effect Methods
Before purchasing and placing, you already know where the cabinet will be located. It is recommended to critically inspect the room again and imagine the dimensions of the new furniture. There may be a solution for installing in another zone.If your room is rectangular, then the best place will be one of the short walls. This technique will shorten the length and improve the atmosphere of perception. You cannot place it along a long wall, as the room will turn into a corridor and become narrower. A square room provides more options for placement. But designers recommend choosing a wall that doesn't come into focus when you enter the room.
Facade color
The principle of color selection will help make the cabinet less noticeable. You can fit a large object into the interior. To do this, choose the color of the doors and facade so that the new furniture blends in with adjacent walls and curtains. For example, if you plan to place it on a beige surface, exclude dark rich tones. Choose a sand or cream colored façade. You can “play” with the texture of the doors. The matte surface is successfully combined with elements of soft shine and shimmer.
Mirror cabinet
All doors with a mirror, or even just one, help eliminate the oppressive effect. Even if the room has enough space for other furniture and free movement, monotonous oversized doors visually “eat up” the space. We install mirrors, and the bulky closet becomes lighter, weightless, and brighter. This option is especially relevant for small rooms, corridors, hallways. The result is a functional design with a mirror-like perspective surface.
Built-in option
If the apartment has a niche or narrow ends in a room/corridor, this is an excellent option for filling such space with a wardrobe. There may be a storage room or utility room. Consider dismantling them and installing a cabinet in this space. In this case, according to your dimensions, you make custom-made furniture. The price is not much more expensive than ready-made.The advantages of building into a niche: rational use of space, usable space is preserved, and the room acquires thoughtful functionality. There is also another way of embedding. For example, in the bedroom there are two wardrobes on both sides of the bed. It turns out to be a cozy bed in a niche.
Entrance area
A good location for the closet would be next to the front door. Entering the room, everyone’s gaze is directed forward, so the volume of the furniture will not be noticeable, and visually the closet will remain beyond attention. Can be placed on the sides or on one side. If the entrance space is wide enough and it is possible to occupy the wall behind the door with furniture, then this is the best option. Part of the cabinet will be completely closed.
In the hallway, it is recommended to use all vertical space up to the ceiling. This height will eliminate the division of the wall into fragments and create the illusion of a wall. Many people make a continuation of the closet above the door.
We transfer it to the loggia
Often apartments are so small that usable space has to be saved. It is possible that the width of the glazed loggia or its length allows you to place a wardrobe there. A standard model is unlikely to be suitable for this undertaking - you will have to make a custom-made design. Correct measurements of the end walls are important. It is recommended to make a trapezoidal bevel, with a reduction on the street side. This will not obscure the window, but will increase the functionality of the cabinet.We decorate
The best way is to decorate the surface of the cabinet. The most significant part is the doors, they attract attention and need to be changed. It is recommended to make perspective images on the façade that lead into the distance.
Landscapes, panoramas of attractions, streets, views of city blocks, public gardens are suitable for the apartment. For a country house, it is better to choose natural motifs, with elements of flora and fauna, possibly seascapes. Sliding doors can be made of glass, metal, natural wood or a combination.
Proper design of the wardrobe will create a harmonious combination with the style of the room and make it invisible.
Modern storage furniture differs from classic designs, for example, cabinets are now more functional. The well-known wardrobe can accommodate the entire family wardrobe, if you properly think through its contents: the number and size of sections, the presence of several rods, and drawers for linen.
At the same time, the question may arise where it is better to install a wardrobe, because such an object will most likely turn out to be quite impressive in size. Next, I will tell you what techniques will help you visually make a bulky (wide, tall) wardrobe more invisible in the interior.
HOW TO HIDE A WARDROBE
Take a critical look at the room in order to correctly assess its shortcomings and advantages - they will tell you the best area to place a sliding wardrobe. As an example, in a rectangular room, it is better to install a wardrobe near one of the short walls - the length of the room will be reduced somewhat, and the atmosphere will become more comfortable. If, on the contrary, you place a closet along a long wall, the room will seem even narrower, reminiscent of a corridor, which will be less pleasant to live in.
TO TONE THE WALLS
When choosing the configuration of a sliding wardrobe, its size and contents, do not forget about the facades of those same sliding doors. In order for a large item to fit better into the interior of the room, you should choose it so that the color of the cabinet almost merges with the shade of the adjacent walls.
For example, beige walls - cream or sand facades, although you can experiment with the texture of the door material so that they shimmer with a soft shine against the background of a matte surface.
BEHIND THE MIRROR FACADES
Even if the space in the room in which a large wardrobe is installed is sufficient for the rest of the furniture to move freely, a pressing sensation may arise. In this case, mirrors on the facades of sliding doors would be appropriate - they will visually lighten a bulky closet, make the space lighter and brighter.
This type of wardrobe design is especially suitable for small rooms, such as hallways: everything unnecessary is hidden and, in general, the design is even more functional.
BUILD INTO A NICHE
It is better to hide a large piece of furniture, such as a wardrobe, in a niche, if there is one in the room. Ideally, the design should initially be ordered according to the parameters of the niche - the usable area of the room will be preserved, and the space will become more thoughtful and functional.
Perhaps your apartment has a small utility room like a pantry, which means that it can be transformed by simply installing a wardrobe here. Often, such storage rooms are located near bedrooms or hallways, therefore, a built-in closet next to them will be a very convenient acquisition.
IN THE ENTRANCE AREA
You can hide a large wardrobe by mounting its structure on the sides (or on one side) of the entrance door to the living room or bedroom. When you enter the room, you will leave the closet visually behind each time, and the main part of the room will gain volume, being freed from unnecessary pieces of furniture.
For a dressing area with a wardrobe, it is better to use the entire wall area around the doors from floor to ceiling, including above the opening. This simple technique will create the illusion of a solid wall protruding slightly above the entrance to the room.
MOVE TO THE LOGGIA
Placing a wardrobe outside the room, if such an option is possible in your apartment, will be most effective if you need to hide furniture or free up useful space.
It is worth noting that most average loggias do not have significant dimensions, which means that if your closet is quite wide, placement on a loggia is out of the question. If you are just about to order a wardrobe design based on an individual sketch, we recommend considering the option with a loggia and taking measurements of its end walls.
DECORATE
In order to make a large wardrobe more inconspicuous, or to successfully fit it into the interior of the room, you can order a special design for the door facades, which will attract attention in the first place.
For example, perspective images, panoramas of cities, streets and other areas look beautiful and unusual. Such pictures on the cabinet doors will visually take you beyond its boundaries and can become one of the main decorations of the room.
Also, for the facades of sliding doors, the characteristic texture of wood, metal, and glass can be used. Externally, the cabinet will become a continuation and best complement to the image and style of the interior, while remaining quite inconspicuous and integrated.
1. use architectural features. Since the doors to open the cabinet slide apart according to the principle of a carriage compartment, they do not require space. Consequently, sliding wardrobes can be a very ergonomic way to organize a storage system in a bedroom or hallway. This property allows you to use the entire area of the room as much as possible.
2. fill in the corners. Often the corners of rooms are not used very rationally or are empty. In this case, your option is a compact corner wardrobe. It will not take up much space, but due to the angle it forms such a capacious storage system that everything you need will fit there. Only if you slightly expand the standard dimensions of such a cabinet can it turn into a real dressing room.
3. add footage visually. Mirrored sliding wardrobe doors will allow you not only to correctly “Hide” it in the space of the room, but also to visually expand the volume of the room. Install mirrored wardrobes so that the doors reflect daylight, and the room will acquire new volumes and perspectives.
4. think about the bends. The so-called radial wardrobe - a compartment, devoid of sharp corners, semicircular and smooth - will fit especially organically into the space. This version of the cabinet itself does not attract unnecessary attention, but due to its rounded design it makes the space feel noticeably airy and light.
5. remove excess. If the room itself is small, and the closet occupies the entire or almost the entire wall, just give up the intricate decor, photo printing on the doors or accent dark colors. Choose a cabinet with the most light, smooth, laconic facades: this way it will look light and unobtrusive. A glossy or matte varnish coating will reflect light sources, and the room will seem more voluminous.
In our age, non-standard solutions in apartment decoration are especially valued. This could be a self-leveling floor with a 3D image, a stretch ceiling that seems to be floating in the air, and, of course, a hidden door. The last option is interesting because it can perform both decorative and practical functions. Installing a secret door would be appropriate if you want to create a stylish, minimalist interior. Also, using this design you can make a room hidden from prying eyes. What types of secret doors are there - read on.
Hidden doors allow you to create a truly unique interior. They absolutely do not stand out against the background of the walls or look like a decorative element of the room.
It is not necessary to decorate a ready-made door; you can order an option with a design that suits you, for example, a door designed to match the color of your wallpaper.
At first glance, it may seem that a secret door is a difficult-to-install element that cannot be made with your own hands. However, with a little imagination and effort, you can install invisible doors yourself.
Basic requirements that must be met when masking a door structure:
- The door structure should be disguised as the surrounding finish. To create a favorable basis for decoration, the door frame with the canvas can be covered with plasterboard.
- The hinges and sliding mechanism must be of a hidden type. Otherwise, these small details will give away the entire structure.
- The door handle should also not be visible. You can use mortise fittings or a rotary mechanism.
- To make the door as invisible as possible, you need to install a piece of plinth under it instead of a threshold.
- If you mask the door with a mirror, a picture, or want to make it a single structure with the wall, then it should be installed flush with the wall.
These rules will allow you to make the door in the interior of the room invisible to prying eyes. Some options will simply align the door with the wall, while others will make it a real highlight of the interior.
You can achieve the effect of door invisibility in a variety of ways, but it is important to fulfill the basic conditions of camouflage. Next, we will give you several options for installing an invisible door; you can use one of them, or, based on the main nuances, come up with your own.
Hidden invisible doors disguised as a wall or cabinet
One of the most popular ways to make invisible doors is to disguise the panel with the frame as a wall. This option looks the most natural and minimalistic. If you want to create an interior in a minimalist, hi-tech or modern style, then this method is perfect for you.
How to disguise a door as a wall:
- The easiest way to disguise a door is to cover it with wallpaper. You must use the same wallpaper that you used to decorate the walls. If canvases with large patterns are used for such finishing, they must be matched to the pattern on the walls.
- You can hide the door by painting it. This technique is appropriate if paint was also used to decorate the walls.
- Interior doors can be disguised with panels decorated to match the color of the walls.
- If you use colored inserts in the interior, then the door can be decorated to match one of them. In this case, the junction of the door and the wall will be almost invisible.
- If you decorate the door with tiles, then thanks to the seams between the ceramic elements, the door leaf will be almost impossible to distinguish from a monolithic wall. This design is best suited for the bathroom. The tile must be chosen in such a way that it matches the style of the interior.
When disguising the door as a wall, you should think carefully about how it can be easily opened. Sliding doors can be installed even without a handle, and for opening doors, mortise handles or a special mechanism are suitable.
Another interesting option with which you can hide the door to the pantry or to any other room is to install a cabinet on the door leaf. This option was most often used in ancient locks, and in order to open such a mechanism, it was necessary to turn one of the books. Nowadays it is not necessary to complicate the design so much; you can order a standard opening door made in the shape of a cabinet.
Using a closet you can disguise the entrance to the pantry, which very often spoils the overall interior of the room.
All decorative elements located in such a cabinet must be attached to the shelves. For example, you can use mock-ups of books instead of actual literature.
A door decorated to look like a wall or cabinet is most invisible in the overall interior of the room. Such options are the most difficult to implement, but they look the same.
A secret door decorated with a mirror, painting or curtain
There are simpler options for designing a hidden door. You can bring them to life with your own hands, even without experience in installation work.
Simple options for decorating doors:
- Decorating a door with a curtain is the simplest option for creating a hidden door. This design does not look so modern and original, but with the right choice of textiles it can make the interior brighter and more interesting. Typically, curtains are used to disguise the old door leading to the pantry.
- Disguising doors as mirrors. This mirrored entrance structure, in addition to looking very original, also serves as a full-fledged mirror, so it is especially appropriate to decorate the entrance to the dressing room in this way. The handle on the door should either be made of the same mirror material, or be mortise. You can also use a prop frame instead of a pen.
- Also, to hide the door, you can decorate it with a picture. This interior element looks very unusual and interesting. You don't have to spend money on a real oil painting; you can simply decorate the canvas with a box of photo wallpapers decorated with frames.
Secret doors decorated in this way look no worse than canvases imitating a wall or cabinet. To make the doors in your apartment original and beautiful, you only need to use a little imagination and practical knowledge.
Pencil door hidden in the interior
Another option for installing a hidden door is to use hidden sliding doors. In this version, the compartment panels go deep into the wall.
The pencil door when closed is very noticeable, but when it is open and hidden inside the wall, it gives the impression of free passage. This design not only looks stylish, it also saves free space, since when open it does not form a dead zone.
There are two ways to make such an input structure. In the first case, the niche in which the door will be hidden is cut directly into the concrete wall. This option for installing a pencil case is very complicated and requires a lot of time.
Another way is to build a pencil case from plasterboard. To do this, part of the concrete wall is destroyed, and in its place a plasterboard structure is built, in which a niche is made for sliding doors.
Sliding doors that slide into walls are suitable for both classic and modern interior styles. With their help, you can increase the space of a room, while separating it from other rooms. This type of hidden door is the most difficult to implement. However, thanks to its original appearance, it looks especially interesting.
DIY secret door (video)
Hidden doors in the interior look very original and interesting. Installing such a structure with your own hands is easier than it might seem at first glance. Fantasize, use the most unusual ideas to decorate your apartment, and you will get a unique and inimitable apartment design.
Switch box- an integral part of the house, but, unfortunately, unattractive. With a beautiful renovation of the hallway, this object will stand out and spoil the whole look. Usually, it looks small enough to hide, but large enough to be noticed.
Often, it is left on the wall to stand out and spoil the appearance of the apartment. But there are many interesting and simple options for hiding the shield from view. No one will even guess that instead of this original thing, there is an unattractive and bulky electrical panel.
There are many different, simple ways to disguise the electrical panel in the hallway. They are suitable for both creative individuals and those who do not like to invent something new.
Electrical panel - you need to know the enemy by sight
Firstly, it’s worth figuring out why this object is in the apartment. It's simple, the electrical panel distributes electrical energy and ensures the safety of the residents of the house.
The electrical panel helps in the household by being responsible for electricity. It prevents overloads and supplies electricity, evenly distributing it throughout the apartment to avoid short circuits and overloads.
In ancient times, electrical panels were large and had many tangled wires. They were scary to look at, much less use. Fortunately, evolution does not stand still and has taken care of the compact and safe appearance of the modern electrical panel. Now he is the way we see him.
Secondly, it should be noted that electrical panels are different and depend on the installation, which can be:
- external (used most often and protrudes above the wall surface);
- internal (needs to be bricked up after installation).
Residents can install electrical panels with external installation themselves, which helps with the process of hiding it. It is possible to think through and place it exactly as necessary to disguise it.
Before installing an electrical panel yourself, you should consult a qualified professional.
An electrical panel designed beautifully, expressively and creatively will no longer be an enemy in the house, but will become a pleasant addition to the interior, so you should approach this issue creatively and boldly.
How is an electrical panel most often masked?
There are many ideas for designing an electrical panel to make it look good in the hallway. It depends on the capabilities and creativity. Everyone uses a method that suits the nature, interior and complexity of the work. A method that is difficult to implement will not always end up being better than an easy one.
- Hiding the shield by attaching a key holder to it is the most practical and popular way. You can buy or personally make a key holder, which you then simply need to attach to the electrical panel door. It will look interesting and will also be practical. You can store your keys without fear of losing them and have easy access to the electrical panel.
- One of the simplest and most commonly used methods is to wallpaper and make an extension of the wall or cabinet. This method is easy and affordable, because wallpaper is often left behind after renovation. A shield that stands out less on the wall will be invisible under the wallpaper.
- For creative people, for example, artists, painting the electrical panel with paints is suitable. It will look fresh and creative. The painting can be unusual, or simply paint the electrical panel to match the interior. There are many painting techniques that will always look beautiful and hide an ugly box.
- Another interesting and noteworthy way to disguise an electrical panel is with a mirror. It's quite simple, and the result is nice:
Fix the mirror on the door with glue, double-sided tape or any other method of your choice;
- glue the edges with cardboard, fabric or other material using a glue gun;
- design the result as you wish.
There are no restrictions in such a matter. There are a variety of ideas for creating beautiful and unusual things that will go perfectly with the hallway and hide an unpleasant object.
Mistakes when masking an electrical panel
Even if there are no restrictions on imagination, it is worth noting that ideas may not always be convenient or practical. Mistakes are often made that lead to wasted money, broken furniture, or misperceptions of size. It is important to think through every step so as not to get upset later.
Mistake #1. Practicality
The electrical panel is often disguised with cabinets. It is mounted in cabinets, breaking the back walls, installed behind cabinets, but this is impractical, because at the right time it will be difficult to get to it, and the cabinet will be damaged.
Just like wallpapering - this leads to the fact that the electrical panel will be inaccessible at the right time. Tearing and cutting the work of hiding the electrical panel will lead to the initial stage of the work of disguising it.
The shield should be disguised so that it can be easily reached when necessary.
Mistake #2. Dimensions
If you are making an extension, you should pay attention to the size of the idea. Considering that the shield is located at some distance from the wall, the extension built around it will be larger in size. It is important to correlate the extension plan with the dimensions of your hallway so that you don’t have to bump into it or redo it.
Large extensions to disguise the electrical panel can be turned into bedside tables, inside of which the panel is hidden, and on the outside there is a beautiful, practical object.
Mistake #3. Quality
There is no point in skimping on materials for a good idea. It will be more expensive if you have to redo it. The disguise must withstand time and use. If the thing made quickly breaks or deteriorates, then there will only be negative emotions from the work.
Its appearance will depend on the quality of the work. Sloppy work will lead to poor results that may look even worse than before.
The goal is to ensure that the new, sophisticated interior of the hallway is not overshadowed by a prominent box or awkward work.
You need to make sure that the layer is well glued before you paint it or glue the next one.
How to hide an electrical panel: step-by-step instructions
There are many methods and ideas for disguising an electrical panel, but few words about implementing them at home. There is no one exact instruction for all methods, but there are important points that you need to pay attention to before starting work on masking the electrical panel.
If you do not think through these aspects, this can lead to errors that stop or ruin your work:
- Having decided on the idea and having an idea of what should happen, you need to prepare the materials that will be needed.
- Based on the above errors, you should not use unreliable materials. You should ensure that the place where the process will take place is suitable for dirty work, if any. It is worth sealing the walls and covering the furniture so as not to stain or spoil anything.
- You should work slowly, think about what should be done first. Wipe the electrical panel (the box, not what’s inside) so that dust particles and lint do not spoil the work afterwards.
- After completing the creative process, carefully clean the workplace and compare expectations with the reality that turned out during the work.
3 ideas for extraordinary design of a hidden electrical panel
You can draw attention to your interior with unusual ideas. There is an opportunity to dilute the boring, boring atmosphere. It’s worth coming up with something more interesting than just painting the electrical panel. Creative design ideas always fascinate and delight.
Often, the simplest available materials are used to realize the most beautiful or interesting ideas. It is not necessary to purchase unusual boards or fabrics, which, apart from their appearance, are no different from ordinary similar materials. You can use what you have at home.
Everyone has individual, creative ideas that can be implemented at home.
A sketch of an idea that you would like to turn into reality will help you later draw up a plan for its implementation.
Idea No. 1
It looks beautiful and unusual, and most importantly interesting. If there is a small child in the house, then this will be an additional plus, because children love big, fascinating, creative projects at home. This idea is made using paints. An example of an atypical idea working.
Such wonderful work can be diluted with several interesting solutions:
- Make a fence from thick cardboard or an unnecessary box: cut out a fence shape that will fit in the hallway, glue it to the wall and paint it. Thus, the fence will look more realistic and remarkable.
- The tree trunk can also be made from thick cardboard or a box, but add twine. Glue the thread to the cardboard, paint and glue the structure to the wall. Such a simple idea will bring naturalness to the tree in the form of imitation bark, which will look atypical.
- You can take real leaves. Dry and glue, but this is a very painstaking job that requires attention and patience. Another option is to paint the leaves in the desired colors and print them on the wall, which will look unusual and beautiful.
A good solution would be to create a layout on which you can make a smaller version of the idea for clarity.
Idea No. 2
It is easier to hide an electrical panel that is built into the wall than an electrical panel located a few centimeters above the wall surface. For such shields there is no need to come up with designs, and the costs will be lower.
The easiest way to hang a picture is to block the unwanted object from view. The picture is selected a little more than a shield to hide for sure. It could be a landscape, a portrait, anything that suits the interior of the hallway.
Alternatively, it is worth considering photographs. Depending on the size of the electrical panel, it is worth considering the size of the collage. There are a lot of ready-made interesting photo collages for sale, but why waste money when you can create everything yourself? There are many impressive and mesmerizing works that can be replicated. Is it worth repeating someone else's work when you can create your own masterpiece?
It is necessary to draw up a sketch and select materials immediately before the work itself.
Creating a collage from photographs is very simple, and the impression will be pleasant later:
- The size of the base that will cover the electrical panel is measured. The base can be any solid flat thing (box, plastic, glass). You can cover the base with fabric, paint it, or leave it in its original state.
- You can freely edit the selected photos (make a frame variation for each, stick funny or romantic phrases, stick magazine clippings).
- The next step, without gluing, is to place the photos on the base. There may be additional clippings, significant things, drawings that need to be placed according to plan.
- Carefully, step by step, glue photographs and other materials to the base.
When gluing materials to the base, do not move the rest to the side so as not to confuse the composition. After gluing the item, carefully wipe it with a napkin so as not to stain anything.
Idea No. 3
The method of masking an electrical panel using a cabinet is simple. You need to select the right size cabinet and install it. But such a cabinet in the hallway may stand out or be out of place. Therefore, you should make a little more effort to ensure that it fits beautifully into the interior and does not look boring.
There are no fewer options for design than for designing one door for an electrical panel mounted into the wall. They are easy to implement, so even for people who don’t like creativity, they are suitable, and the result will make them proud:
- It will look beautiful if you attach a mirror to the door. If the cabinet already has a mirror, then this is also an area for action. The mirror can be decorated with beautiful stones, interesting clippings, drawings or photographs.
- A cabinet without a mirror has a little more room for action. A collage of photographs will look unusual here. Just cover the cabinet with photographs and additional materials that fit the theme. It will look nice and family-friendly.
- You can use your locker to make a reminder board. You just need to cover the cabinet with material, then paint it, if necessary, and beautifully decorate the sides of the cabinet with cutouts, stones, and drawings. Attach sheets, for example, from a block, to the door so that they can be easily torn off. Before leaving home, you can read all the reminders that you might have accidentally forgotten.
Any design of the cabinet should be done before hanging it on the wall, hiding the electrical panel.
Conclusion
Of course, these are not all the ways you can disguise an electrical panel in the hallway. There is a wide variety of them, they are born during the creative process of decorating the hallway, they require strength and patience, but they amaze and delight with their results.
Hiding an electrical panel for outdoor or indoor installation is equally easy. It is important to think through the sketch, prepare competently for the work, patiently and slowly implement the plan and enjoy the result.