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Front door closets


10 tips for hallway closets |

Entryway closet ideas are a brilliant way to keep your home organized, but creating an entryway that is both practical and beautiful can be a difficult balance. 

An essential part of the home, an entryway closet is a space that needs to tick all of the boxes: it should be practical, work hard, be easy to organize – and good looking.

Factoring in plenty of closet storage for coats, bags and boots is an essential entryway idea if you don’t have a boot room as it will help keep the hallway clear making the space feel calm, welcoming. Having a clutter-free space will also help set you in a positive frame of mind as you exit the house so that you are ready to tackle the day ahead.

Entryway closet ideas – 10 tips for a clutter-free entrance

From interior details to inventive suggestions for entryway storage ideas, these design-led entryway closet ideas will inspire your scheme. 

1. Make use of every inch

(Image credit: The Cotswold Company )

'There is a plethora of off-the-peg pieces on the market which can help keep hallway storage at bay and add a design feature to an entryway closet,' says Paul Deckland, The Cotswold Company .  

'We recommend choosing pieces that are versatile and work hard for you, for busy family homes, an entryway closet is perfect for housing coats, shoes and keys conveniently by the front door.'

2. Invest in built-in closets for awkward spaces

(Image credit: Neptune)

'In old houses, you can be left dealing with awkward nooks and crannies that however hard you try, don't fit conventional cabinets and storage units,' says Melanie Griffiths, editor, Period Living. 'This is where it's best to invest in a joiner who can make you a bespoke entryway closet, the benefits far outweigh the costs as you really get to have what suits you and your family best.'

3. Opt for a mix of storage options

(Image credit: The Cotswold Company)

'For a family home, a hallway closest, shoe cupboard and modern entryway bench ideas are perfect to house coats and shoes for all the family,' advises Paul Deckland, The Cotswold Company . 'Using pieces with seating space, is also practical when there are several people leaving the house at once. '

4. Go for a truly bespoke entryway closet

(Image credit: Kitchen Makers)

'The entryway is often an under-appreciated area that offers great potential, both for style and shoe storage ideas,' says Ben Burbidge, Managing Director at Kitchen Makers . 'If space is limited, take a creative approach with built in cupboards and drawers. Try to use every available inch and wherever possible opt for dual purpose; such as a seating area with a shoe storage area underneath. 

An entryway is also the perfect space in which to experiment with color, or to add accents that complement the rest of the house,'

5. Make the most of existing features

(Image credit: VSP Interiors )

'Some old houses will come with entry closets that were built-in, potentially for different uses to what one may need today, but nonetheless, really useful spaces that can be converted with hanging and drawer storage for all of your entryway storage needs,' says Andrea Childs, editor, Country Homes & Interiors.

6. Go high with your cabinetry 

(Image credit: Roundhouse)

'The entryway performs as a gateway to the main house and kitchen,' says Ben Hawkswell, senior designer at Roundhouse . 'Therefore, we needed it to be stylish and hard wearing. Our Rough Sawn Oak textured veneer creates a natural feel, while also being durable, so the owners can be confident that it will stand the test of time in this high traffic space.'

'We took advantage of the high ceilings and built the cabinetry over and around the doorway and created a neat little bench in front of the concealed shoe storage dresser.'

7. Paint your entryway closet in a bold color

(Image credit: Garden Trading)

Liven up entryway ideas for apartments by painting the closet cabinets in a vibrant color. Be sure to use a durable, wipeable finish suitable for use on wood as these are high-traffic areas susceptible to knocks and scrapes.

'Create an all encompassing feel by painting your entryway closet and surrounding walls in a deep navy,' says Lucy Searle, editor-in-chief, Homes & Gardens. 'Add in some invaluable shoe storage, a peg rail to keep all your outdoor essentials in order.'

8. Create a two-tone scheme 

(Image credit: Little Greene)

A two-tone scheme is a simple way to breathe new life into any existing hallway paint ideas. This design feature means you can incorporate a splash of bold color with a calmer one, as well as making it easier for you to choose between your favourite colors.

'Rich dark greens have a receding quality that gives the illusion of walls being further away, doing away with the myth that smaller spaces should be painted in lighter colors to make them seem bigger,' says Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene .

9. Use symmetry with your entryway closets

(Image credit: Hush Kitchens)

Symmetry in interior design creates balance and a feeling of calm – and while it is wonderfully elegant in large rooms, it can also create a feeling of enhanced space in smaller rooms, and those that are very busy.

'In this Cotswold farmhouse, each side of the entrance hall is a mirror image of each other creating symmetry,' says Chris Spink, founder of Hush Kitchens . 'Bespoke floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinets stand either side of the door providing a variety of storage options (both closed and open shelving), while useful oak topped benches featuring useful pull-out drawers flank each wall.'

10. Utilize the space under the stairs 

(Image credit: Mylands)

'For the space conscious, under stairs ideas for a small entryway are just what you need to ensure one of the most cumbersome parts of the house is not being underused,' says Jennifer Ebert, digital editor, Homes & Gardens.

‘Awkward spaces like the one under the stairs present the perfect opportunity to be creative,’ says interior designer Emma Sims-Hilditch . ‘We make a point of devising intelligent entryway storage solutions for our clients to help them to get the most out of their home.’

Under stairs cupboards make great entryway closets, offering height at one end for tall tools and appliances. Plus, they can be painted to match the rest of the home, as demonstrated here. 

How do I organize my entryway closet?

The best way to organize an entryway closet is to make a list of everything you need when you enter and exit your home. Good storage makes or breaks an entryway – and you can never have enough hooks, hangers, cupboard and cubbies to keep all your kit in place.

A mix of open and closed cabinets, shelving, hooks, and shoe racks should all figure in your entryway closet ideas.

Foyer Closet Design Ideas

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A brown plank door on rails opens to a reveal a foyer closet fitted with a wooden bench placed beneath white overhead cubbies.

Rethink Design Studio

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A gray foyer closet door is accented with a white glass knob and a nickel plate.

AGK Design Studio

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Brown art deco style closets are accented with brass hardware and fixed beside a brown and gold beveled mirror lit by a brass picture light.

Tara Fingold Interiors

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Beside a blue front door, double closet doors are covered in confetti print wallpaper that continues on to a wall accented with a round brass mirror.

Zoe Feldman Design

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Sizable foyer features a closet with jib door, a magenta velvet bench, a gray rug, a black frame glass front door and a vaulted plank ceiling.

Amy Storm and Company

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Black and gold sconces flank an arched plank closet door contrasted with an oil rubbed bronze door handle and plate complementing gray and black floor tiles.

Refined LLC

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Entry features gray velvet closet doors adorned with brass nailhead trim and wooden floors.

Abode Home Design

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Blue foyer boasts a staircase wall clad in gray and blue textured wallpaper next to a small closet finished with a blue closet door.

Ella Scott Design

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Long, well-styled foyer boasts a red vintage rug placed on a light wooden floor between black closet doors with brass knobs a built-in floor-to-ceiling bookcase lit by Aerin Clemente Wall Lights and accented with framed canvas art.

Annette Tatum

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A foyer closet is concealed behind white shiplap jib doors positioned adjacent toa. black door with 4 glass panels.

Cortney Bishop Design

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Cottage foyer and stairs featuring a tan staircase handrail with white wooden balusters finished with a shiplap wall and a closet under the staircase.

Brooke Wagner Design

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A brown melamine sliding door opens to a condo foyer closet filled with modular brown melamine shelving units and drawers next to a clothes rails.

Organized Interiors

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A black front door with 8 glass panes opens to a chic foyer filled with a corner coat closet accented with a full length mirror illuminated by a glass semi flushmount light.

Services Rendered Interior Design

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Cottage foyer designed with a black front glass panel door, double closet doors, and a gray rug.

Timber Trails Development

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Double closet doors in a cottage foyer finished with oil rubbed bronze hardware complementing the glass panel black front door.

Timber Trails Development

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White and blue shade lights illuminate an entry boasting glossy gray wood-like floors and blue closet doors ending at a blue door with four glass panels.

Morgan Harrison Home

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Contemporary blue foyer is lined with blue walls holding a frameless mirror over a sheepskin stool on hairpin legs sat on stunning wood floors in front of a double closet door.

Ashley Darryl

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A rustic bench sits against a wainscoted staircase wall facing a jute herringbone runner lit by a bronze sphere pendant hung in front of white double coat closet doors framed by white wainscoting accented with Phillip Jeffries Indo Ikat Linen and Grey Wallpaper in this beautiful white and gray foyer.

Anne Chessin Designs

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Incredible foyer features walls clad in white and gray print wallpaper framing closet accented with carved wood bi-fold doors.

Rachel Halvorson Design

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A white and gold foyer table sits in front of a white wainscot staircase wall on a blue rug beside a closet hidden beneath a white lattice staircase.

Lauren Leonard Interiors

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Fabulous foyer features staircase wall adorned with board an batten and fitted with an under the stairs closet illuminated by an iron and glass lantern.

Blue Water Home Builders

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A brown melamine sliding door opens to a closet filled with modular brown melamine shelves next to a clothes rails.

Organized Interiors

in the room, wall-to-wall, l-shaped, with mezzanines

In this article I will talk about the design and features of the cabinet around the doorway. I will consider the pros and cons, materials and door opening systems. I will give examples of cabinets for all types of rooms with a photo and talk about the rules of operation.

Advantages and disadvantages

Positioning the cabinet around the doorway along the entire plane of the wall helps free up a few square meters and visually expands the room.

There are no serial cabinets around the door - they are always made to order.

Furniture is indispensable:

The main disadvantage is that it cannot be moved to another place. That is, you need to be prepared that the structure will stand in one place for more than one year.

But there are many more advantages:

To position the structure along the plane of the wall, it is necessary that there is a space in front of it - at least 70 cm.

It is desirable that the depth overlaps the door leaf when open.

Wardrobe can be made invisible, or vice versa, it can be the main decoration of the room

Types of wardrobes around the doorway of the room

When properly designed, wardrobes around the doors are suitable for all types of rooms from the bedroom to the hallway. There are many ready-made projects and design ideas. It is not necessary to copy them, you can explore good options and, by combining them, assemble an original and convenient one according to your preferences and features of the room.

Most of the completed projects are U-shaped structures with mezzanines. They use two walls around the opening and the space above the door. Ideally, if the door is located in the middle of the wall. This helps keep the symmetry.

Basically, all cabinets around the door are made with mezzanines.

L-shaped structures are made for rooms where the door is offset to the wall. Asymmetries can be hidden by using the same design of the door and cabinet. In this case, the owners additionally installed a mirror.

But there are exceptions. In this apartment, the ceilings are decorated with wide strips of stucco. Installing mezzanines will spoil the overall appearance of the room.

Spacious sliding wardrobe with mezzanine g-shaped

Entrance hall

For entrance halls, models with the most closed facade are suitable. The abundance of open shelves with things will create a feeling of chaos already at the entrance to the apartment. The maximum that can be allowed is 1-2 open sections with hooks for outerwear and bags.

Wardrobes around doorways similar to furniture with mezzanines in the hallway

Bedroom

The bedroom should have a calm atmosphere - without visual noise.

Better to do without open shelving, bright details and colors.

This bedroom has a roomy and fully enclosed model, done in soothing colors. Additionally, the design disguises the passage door to the bathroom combined with the bedroom.

Wardrobe around the doorway - a stylish and economical solution

Living room

Depending on the interior and preferences of the owners in the living room, you can install any type of wardrobe. It can combine open shelving, pull-out shelves and closed wardrobe sections. The cabinet can be taken as a library, decorative elements, and a TV can be placed on it.

But in small apartments in the living room it is better to install cabinets with a closed front.

Wardrobe and seasonal items can be placed here.

It is necessary to choose the right color of furniture and combination of materials

Children's room

In the children's room, combined models are often installed, where clothes and bedding are stored in closed sections, toys and books are stored on open shelves.

Children's room - the location of the child, you need to equip it in a practical and rational way

Kitchen

Before designing a kitchen cabinet, you need to take into account the characteristics of the room and the main purpose of the installation.

In a small room, functional models for storing food and utensils are installed.

But if the room allows, the cabinet can also play an aesthetic role, masking the passage door.

The kitchen is a special room, the shape, configuration and filling of furniture here can be different

Cabinet layout

There is no standard layout of shelves, drawers and niches. But in furniture companies they always offer ready-made schemes for realized cabinets. You can always see good ideas in them.

General recommendations for wardrobe:

A good example of the interior of a cabinet. Here the owners placed not only clothes and bedding, but also household items.

The disadvantages of such a design of the cabinet will be the impossibility of moving it to another place

Production materials

The quality and appearance of the material determine the service life and comfort of using the cabinet, the overall aesthetics of the interior.

Solid wood

This is the highest quality material for luxury furniture. Advantages - naturalness, safety, variety of textures and shades, long service life. On a tree, you can perform the most complex carved details. Cons - high price, heavy weight, need for special care.

Furniture panel

These are wooden bars glued together in width and length. They are made from different types of trees: oak, birch, beech, spruce and pine. The material is highly durable, environmentally friendly, subject to restoration. The appearance of the furniture board is distinguished by a characteristic checkerboard pattern.

Needle furniture board

Chipboard

This is a board made of wood shavings and sawdust, pressed and glued with formaldehyde resins and covered with PVC film. There are two types of chipboard E1 and E2. The first type (E1) contains less formaldehyde resins, therefore it is considered more environmentally friendly.

Advantages - low price, large assortment, moisture resistance. Cons - not suitable for cutting curly parts, not strong enough.

MDF

Fine sawdust is pressed at high temperature to make these boards. During hot pressing, lingin is released from sawdust, which sticks small particles together. In this case, a very strong, but rather plastic material is obtained.

Veneers:

Laminated furniture plywood

It is possible to make carved furniture and details from MDF board, apply engravings and patterns on it. Another plus is moisture resistance and environmental friendliness. Cons - the price is significantly more expensive than that of chipboard.

Chipboard and MDF can be distinguished by their appearance.

Glass

Various types of glass are used to decorate the façade. They visually lighten the design and expand the space of the room.

Types of glass:

Tinted mirror glass

Plastic

This material is mainly used for decorating the facade of furniture or making models in rooms with high humidity. Differs in a practicality and low price. Cons - possible toxicity when heated, fading over time, low resistance to mechanical stress.

Door opening systems

Cabinets around the doors are equipped with one of three door systems.

Hinged doors

This simple and time-tested design provides a complete view of the interior. Swing doors can last up to 50 years, open silently and are relatively inexpensive.

On the frame, the sashes are mounted with hinges, and a handle is fixed on the outside. You can purchase models without handles, which are controlled by an automatic closer and open by pressing a hand on the canvas.

The only conditional disadvantage of hinged doors is the need for a functional space in front of the cabinet front.

Swing wardrobes

Sliding doors

These are 1-2 or more panels of the same or different widths. They move along the frontal plane along the guides. The door leaves move one after the other, opening the opening. The main advantages of this door system are space saving and aesthetic appearance.

More minuses:

The service life of compartment doors is 10 years or more shorter than that of hinged doors.

Sliding wardrobe around the doorway

Folding doors

The third option is folding doors. Their facade consists of several canvases, which, when opened, fold like a book or an accordion. Movement occurs only along the upper rail, so the doors may break during intensive use.

Folding doors are good because they allow you to fully see the inside of the cabinet and at the same time save space in front of the facade. The disadvantage is low reliability, due to the large number of connecting moving mechanisms.

Wardrobe around the door with folding doors

Wardrobe and interior

Furniture should echo the interior, not feel like a random item.

Here are a few rules:

  1. The texture and material of the door and cabinet must be similar. For example, a wooden door against the background of painted MDF will look bad.
  2. Mezzanines must be installed over the entire length of the structure. Otherwise, the design will look unfinished and asymmetric.
  3. If the width of the model is more than 3-4 meters, do not make a plain facade. It will look bulky. In this case, you need to play with different materials and shades, diluting them with mirrors or glass.
  4. The optimal depth of the built-in model is 60 cm. If you make it smaller, then the functionality will suffer greatly. Deeper models are visually suitable for wide or double doors.

All you need to design your model is paper, pencil and ruler.

It is much more convenient to use online programs for 3D furniture modeling.

Programs have free versions: SketchUp, Volumetric.

Built-in wardrobes around the door

Instructions for use and care

Built-in, will last and look good twice as long if you follow the recommended usage guidelines.

Permissible vertical load on:

Take into account the possible deformation of the shelves when taking things out. Therefore, heavy things are placed at the bottom, and light things are stored at the top.

Aggressive environmental conditions can lead to rapid deterioration and change in the appearance of the model. For most materials, direct sunlight, excessive humidity and dryness of the air, high and low temperatures are harmful.

Comfortable room temperature range for furniture from +10 °C to +25 °C, average air humidity - 70%.

Do not wipe or wash the cabinet with random detergents. Unsuitable household chemicals can corrode surfaces, leave permanent marks, or discolor furniture. Therefore, for each type of material, special tools are selected.

Regular care comes down to wiping with a dry flannel or felt cloth

We have a fairly small apartment, so from the very first days of purchase, the question arose of proper planning of the interior space. First of all, we thought about the most bulky piece of furniture - the closet. The furniture company offered us a wardrobe around the door, made several sketches for the bedroom, taking into account the main interior. As a result, the closet became a natural extension of the interior and helped to save space.

Wardrobe around the door in the bedroom, living room, nursery and hallway

Wardrobe around the door is an unusual design solution that saves space, visually expands the room, eliminates the need to use multiple storage systems. Such a wardrobe cannot be bought in a store, it is only made to order, so the decor and filling must be designed independently for personal needs. To streamline your thoughts before going to a furniture store, I will tell you about the features of the construction, design, facade, filling storage systems, and at the end I will show examples.

Content

Pros and cons of construction

Furniture around the doorway is mounted in cases where the rest of the room is planned to be left relatively free. Large dimensions and practical use of space allow you to place a huge number of things in the storage system. It combines the functions of a wardrobe, chest of drawers, bookcase, TV stand. Design Pros:

Japanese style in the bedroom looks very stylish

The inability to move such a closet can be called a minus. When changing the layout of the room, the structure will have to be completely dismantled. But according to the data provided by the ROMIR research holding, only 11% of Russians do major repairs every 5 years. Therefore, I recommend putting this item at the end of the list of shortcomings.

Frosted glass covers all the insides from prying eyes

How the cabinet is arranged around the door

Usually it occupies the entire wall with a doorway. It makes no sense to leave empty openings at the edges, it would be better to make the structure built-in, in accordance with the size, shape and layout of the room. Consider the main points:

Before mounting the cabinet, all irregularities, cracks, and roughness of the walls must be carefully repaired, otherwise the loose contact of the parts will look ugly.

Installation in different rooms

Furniture of this type is rarely placed in the hallway due to the small space next to the front door. She plays the role of a dressing room and storage for shoes. The facade is made simple, closed, with hinged doors. Installing open sections is undesirable, as this creates a sense of chaos in the corridor. You can leave a narrow corner section with hooks for clothes open. Sometimes a mini-seat and a mirror are built into the closet.

In the living room, the closet around the door is better to make bright and catchy. A large number of open and glazed sections allows you to display souvenirs, photographs, figurines, decorations. In closed parts you can store dishes, personal items. Often a closet in a room with a classic design style is made into a library. If the design of the hall is hi-tech or minimalism, complete the design with a TV shelf, retractable disk storage (if you still have them), sections for a video player, game console, speakers.

In the kitchen, the wall at the door plays a decorative or functional role. In the first case, it consists of light shelves and racks for decorative dishes, plants, fruit baskets, expensive wines and other decorations. In the second option, fill the cabinet with drawers and shelves for spices, products with a long shelf life, cutlery, pots and other kitchen utensils. Under frequently used household appliances, allocate special open compartments, the rest can be stored on the mezzanine.

In the bedroom, put a large but discreet closet with the letter U. The simple design of the facade with a minimum of open sections will not clutter up the room, creating a peaceful, calm atmosphere. The design hides the door, additionally protecting from noise and fuss. The filling corresponds to the classic dressing room - the basis is made up of sections for hangers, complemented by drawers for personal belongings, shelves for linen, pillows, blankets.

Install combination models in the nursery. A single storage system on the entire wall will allow you to get rid of separate cabinets for toys, books, clothes, school supplies, which will save space. Leave the facade discreet or decorate with drawings, photo wallpapers. Additionally, select a section for a desktop with a computer.

Filling and accessories

Depending on the purpose of the room, the number of things stored, their nature, select the necessary accessories. There are no universal filling schemes, but there are several recommendations for organizing the internal space:

Consider the needs of all family members when planning your storage system. If there is a child in the house, take the lower part of the closet for toys, books, children's clothes, since it is difficult for him to reach the upper shelves.

Front materials and design

Cabinet fronts consist of several doors. There are options with 2 symmetrical halves or an asymmetrical combination of open and closed shelves, drawers, racks. Structural materials:

The decor of the facade depends on the design of the room. The material, texture, style, colors of the cabinet should be combined with other furniture. The easiest option is to make one-color white or light doors with 1 mirror section. This design is practical - it fits into any room and does not draw attention.

One mirror in the door is enough for the hallway

Complex options include decoration with carvings, drawings, patterns. It is common to combine different materials that differ in color and texture. They make up a mosaic - a chess pattern, wavy lines, complex compositions in the form of objects, plants, animals. In addition to standard materials, leather, metals, bamboo stems, rattan are used.

Large full-wall cabinets consist of many sections that form a single decorative composition. It is important to observe a single style so that the cabinet looks like a single whole. This will help the same frame, handles, voluminous inserts made of wood or drywall. They will combine doors of different shapes, colors, sizes.

Doors - hinged, sliding, folding

The minimum number of doors in the cabinet is 3. 2 of them are located on the sides of the opening, the rest - on the section with a mezzanine. In practice, the number of doors is greater. In wall structures with open sections, 8-12 doors can be counted, differing in size, height, and method of fastening.

Cabinets use 3 opening systems. Classic swing doors are hinged and opened with a handle on the outside. They are reliable, durable, do not require additional maintenance, unlike sliding options. The service life of the opening system is 50 years with regular operation.

Expert's opinion

Bashir Rabadanov

Woodband furniture company technologist

The maximum width of a hinged sash is 65 cm, otherwise it will warp and break. To use it, you need to allocate space in front of the cabinet, which reduces space savings. Poor quality swing systems are noisy and stick, so it is advisable to check them before ordering an installation.

The second type of doors - sliding, like a compartment. They move along guides on wheels, driving off and opening the opening. The closing system is smooth, silent, does not require additional space, looks aesthetically pleasing. The disadvantages include the high price and the need to constantly care for the rollers, wiping and cleaning the dust. The service life of a structure with a sliding door is 20-40 years.

The third type is folding doors. They are rare, only in wide models. The system consists of several canvases fastened like a screen or accordion. When opened, they fold shut like a book. This allows you to see the entire contents of the cabinet while saving space in front of it.

The disadvantage of the folding system is low reliability. Due to the load on the top rail, the doors break easily when opened frequently. Their service life is 10-30 years.

When planning doors, make sure that they do not intersect with each other, do not close the entrance opening, do not interfere with access to other furniture. Attention is paid to free movement on loops or rails.

Care and maintenance

To keep your cabinet looking its best, follow the care instructions. Standard procedures are processing with a special furniture composition, cleaning rollers on retractable elements, washing glasses and mirrors. When operating a storage system, you should pay attention to the following points:

The built-in closet is vulnerable to overload, carefully plan the placement of things.

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