Wardrobes are a staple storage solution in all homes, whether you simply use them for clothes, as is their intended use, or, as many of us do, get creative and use them to store a range of additional tid bits and knick knacks. They truly do provide a convenient and practical space to suit your storage needs.
There are many different types of wardrobe out there, but we think one of the most versatile options that suits almost any home is the sliding wardrobe. In this guide, we’ll tell you all you need to know about sliding wardrobes, including how you could benefit from one and the different options available to you. So, let’s get right to it!
Why Choose a Sliding Wardrobe?
You may be wondering why you should choose a sliding wardrobe as opposed to a regular hinged wardrobe. Well, firstly, sliding doors are a much more convenient option when space isn’t at a premium. If your room is more of a cosier size or you have additional furniture that may get in the way when opening a hinged door, then this can actually make your life more difficult than it needs to be when using your wardrobe.
Rather than worrying about having limited space to work with when your wardrobe door is open, sliding wardrobe doors don’t eat into your floor space, rather they allow you to access the wardrobe easily and without any disturbance to your surroundings.
Another great thing with sliding wardrobes is that they tend to be slightly larger than regular hinged wardrobes, offering you even more storage space than you bargained for! On top of that, they provide a sleek, contemporary finish that looks great in any room.
These types of doors can also be designed bespoke. Rather than being limited to simply choosing the door material and handles, as you would with hinged doors, there are plenty more options with sliding doors - from mirrored doors to coloured gloss doors and even the option to mix different materials and colours together.
Finding the Right Type of Bespoke Wardrobe
While sliding wardrobes are a category in their own right, there are many different subcategories of sliding wardrobe, but which is right for you? We’ve listed these below, explaining the advantages and limitations of each to help you decide which may be the best fit for your home.
Traditional
If you’re not fussed by all the latest bells and whistles and simply want a practical storage space to store your clothes and any additional items, then a traditional wardrobe design is ideal for you. These designs use sturdy materials, with the option for a range of finishes, including wooden, matte or gloss.
The great thing about this style of wardrobe design is that it can easily fit in with the rest of your room’s interior, complementing the aesthetic rather than distracting from it. Furthermore, because of the sleek design that comes with the sliding doors, they appear much more seamless and unassuming.
Mirrored
If you can’t decide on a material style to best suit your room, or simply feel that none of the available options look just the way you want them to, then an alternative finish is to have mirrored doors.
The great thing about having mirrored doors is that they provide you with a two-in-one utility; rather than having to take up floor space in your room with a standalone mirror or limit yourself to a wall hanging mirror (whereby you can usually only see the upper half of your body), mirrored doors offer you a full-body reflection without compromising on any space in your room.
Another great thing about mirrored wardrobe doors is that they reflect the light, which helps to give the illusion that a space appears and feels more open and larger than it actually is. This makes mirrored doors especially great to use in small rooms; unlike most storage features, which take up space and make a room feel more cramped, mirrored sliding wardrobes instead help to make it feel less cramped and appear more spacious.
These mirrors also tend to have a safety backing film, so if an accident does occur that causes the mirror to break, it will stay intact rather than shattering into multiple pieces - which would require a large clean up and pose a safety hazard.
Glass
Another alternative wardrobe door material is glass. If you don’t want a full mirror nor are you a fan of the more traditional materials and opaque finishes, then glass is a happy medium. There are different options available to you when opting for glass as your chosen wardrobe door material.
Firstly, you have the contemporary option of choosing a completely transparent glass door. This is a unique stylistic choice if you keep your wardrobe organised, which can actually work to appear as a very chic design choice within your room and you could even incorporate mood lighting within your wardrobe to further emphasise this.
Alternatively, you have the option for textured or colour glass. These both offer a more translucent finish, if you’re after a solution that’s not fully transparent nor fully opaque. The great thing about colour panels in particular is that these can be chosen to fit the style and colour palette of your home.
Glass panels also tend to have the same safety backing as mirror panels.
Fitted
As well as different door materials, there are different ways to have a sliding door wardrobe installed in your home, also. One such option is a fitted wardrobe. These are ideal for both large and small spaces.
In large spaces, you have plenty of room to work with, meaning you can make your wardrobe as large or small as you want it to be and can even turn it into a walk-in space. As for smaller rooms, though fitted wardrobes may not always be feasible depending on the space available, they can actually work out as offering more space than a freestanding wardrobe.
Fitted wardrobes can be installed to fit different shapes, such as within walls where there is a slanted ceiling, to really maximise the space available to you that would otherwise be left unusable.
Freestanding
If you haven’t got the floor space for a fitted wardrobe, then you can still get a sliding door freestanding wardrobe. This way, you can have a smaller scale wardrobe to fit in your room, but still benefit from the space-saving feature of a sliding door as opposed to a hinged one.
Furthermore, these are ideal if you don’t want to spend the money getting a wardrobe fitted into your room if your house isn’t necessarily going to be your forever home, since you are able to take the wardrobe with you.
These also come in a variety of shapes, colours and finishes.
Bespoke
The great thing about the versatility of sliding wardrobes is that they can be made exactly to your requirements. Bespoke wardrobe design allows you to mix and match the aforementioned wardrobe styles to suit both your home and design tastes.
For example, you could choose to have a built-in three-section sliding door wardrobe with mirrored door panels on two of the sections and a glass door panel on the remaining section. Or, perhaps you’d prefer a freestanding sliding door wardrobe with a matte finish that matches the colourway of your room.
Media Wall Installations & More from MDC
Whatever sliding wardrobe solution you’re looking for, you can count on us here at MDC The Mirror Door Company to create a wardrobe that meets your requirements and works seamlessly in your home.
We can design and construct a custom sliding wardrobe that meets your needs for usability, storage capacity and aesthetics. We confidently handle measuring and fitting - even providing consultations in the convenience of your own home. As for completion and installation, we can typically have everything done within a period of just 48 hours.
We are confident in our products, materials and services, which is why you get to benefit from our 5-year warranty.
Not only do we offer a range of wardrobe solutions, but we can also install fitted home offices, kitchens and media wall designs.
For more information on our products and services, or to arrange your free consultation, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
Comments