Whatever your city apartment- prestigious or ordinary, large or small, comfortable or inconvenient, it is extremely difficult to allocate space for a home workshop. However, with a great desire and sufficient carpentry skills, a do-it-yourselfer can equip himself with a very comfortable workplace, which can easily be transformed into a flat cabinet with an area of only 0.36 m2 on the floor.
It is better to make such a cabinet from the ceiling to the floor and fix it between them using four screw jacks; there is no need to drill concrete walls, drive dowels into them and secure the structure to the wall with screws. In addition, a tall cabinet with the same space it occupies has the maximum usable volume.
The design of the transforming workshop resembles an ordinary secretary with a folding table top. In order to make it, you will need particle boards with a thickness of 16-20 mm (all dimensions in the drawings are in relation to Chipboard thickness 20 mm), some plywood and hardboard.
The production of a workshop secretary begins with the side panels (their width is about 300 mm, and the length should be 15 mm less than the distance from the floor to the ceiling), shelves and crossbars made of chipboard.
When processing workpieces, the most important thing is to strictly maintain their dimensions and the perpendicularity of the sides. Even small deviations from the drawing can cause irreparable distortions when assembling the secretary.
To connect parts, it is best to use a very durable and technologically advanced docking unit, consisting
only from an M6 bolt with a spherical head and a nut. In this case, a hole for the nut is drilled in the shelf or crossbar, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than its “turnkey” size, which allows the nut to be pressed into it with some interference. In the sidewalls, crossbars and shelves, corresponding holes with a diameter of 6 mm are drilled for connecting bolts. In order for the connection of the secretary parts to be neat, it is necessary to strictly follow a certain sequence of operations.
1 - cross member; 2 - screws; 3 - loop; 4 - countertop door; 5 - dowels
1 - tabletop; 2 - bushing (metal or plastic); 3 - retaining pin (steel); 4 - door of the lower compartment of the secretary
1 - upper compartment door (chipboard 820, 880×600, 2 pcs); 2 - handle (6 pcs.); 3 - tabletop door (chipboard 820.1200×900); 4 - overlay (s6 plywood, 1150×850); 5 - back wall(hardboard s5, 2660×1190); 6 - upper cross member (chipboard 820, 1160×300); 7 - side panel (chipboard s20, 2685×300); 8 - side-reinforcement (wooden slats 35×25); 9 - shelves in the upper compartment of the secretary (chipboard s20, 1160×250); 10.12 - middle crossbars (chipboard s20, 1160xx300); 11 - shelf in the middle compartment of the secretary (chipboard s20, 1160×200); 13 - reinforcement of the cross member (wooden slats 35×25); 14 - shelves in the lower compartment of the secretary (chipboard s20, 1160×250); 15 - lower crossbar (chipboard s20, 1160×300): 16 - lower compartment door (chipboard s20, 860×600, 2 pcs.)
1 - swivel leg (birch or beech, block 50×30); 2 - M6 bolt; 3 - door of the lower compartment of the secretary; 4 - wing nut M6; 5 - washer; 6 - gasket (rubber sЗ)
1 - gasket (rubber s3); 2 - bolt M8 or M10; 3 - ceiling; 4 - nut; 5 - side panel
1 - M6 bolt; 2 - side panel; 3 - M6 nut; 4 - shelf or crossbar
To begin with, one side panel is marked - on it the axes of all holes are depicted for the connecting bolts. It is desirable that the distance between the holes be the same: in this case, you can use a simple jig that will allow you to easily align the axes of the corresponding holes on the sidewalls, shelves and crossbars.
The conductor itself is assembled from two slats in the form of a kind of crossbar. A mark is applied along the axis of the holes, which, when installing the jig on the panel, is aligned with the mark on the panel. The jig is fixed to the parts with a pair of small nails.
It is also advisable to drill holes for the M6 nut in the crossbars and shelves along the jig. The latter is bent from a steel strip with a cross-section of 20×2 mm, after which two holes are made in the resulting corner: in the smaller shelf - with a diameter of 6 mm (the guide screw is fixed in it), and in the larger one - with a diameter 0.5 mm smaller than the size "under wrench" for the nuts used with M6 thread. As a rule, such nuts have a turnkey size of 10 mm, respectively, the diameter of the hole for the nut is 9.5 mm.
Assembling the secretary is, in essence, connecting the side panels with shelves and crossbars with M6 bolts. The nuts are first pressed into the latter and centered relative to the holes with a diameter of 6 mm in the ends of the shelves and crossbars using a rod with a pointed end. After completing the assembly, the “geometry” of the structure is carefully checked using a tape measure; for this, the secretary is laid face down on the floor and its diagonals are measured. If their sizes are equal, then to the back of the cabinet (to the side panels, shelves and crossbars) with small screws and glue (casein, PVA or " liquid nails") a sheet of hardboard 5 mm thick is attached.
The width of the secretary-workshop is quite large - 1.2 m, so chipboard shelves can sag over time. To prevent this from happening, it makes sense to strengthen them wooden slats cross section 35×25 mm. These slats, moreover, will prevent tools and materials from falling off the shelves.
The next stage is hanging the doors and countertops. The first ones are installed using standard furniture hinges, which ensure that the doors are secured both in the open and closed positions. Well, the tabletop is connected to the crossbar with reinforced hinges, since these hinge units will have to experience increased loads. It is best to use three or four window hinges with card dimensions of 60x40 mm. You can, of course, attach them to the tabletop and crossbar with ordinary screws, but it is better to purchase plastic dowels with a diameter of 5 mm, press them into the holes drilled in the parts, and only then drive the screws into the dowels. The fact is that the screws do not hold well in the chipboard and fly out of their sockets at the slightest axial load.
As can be seen from the pictures, the doors of the lower compartment of the secretary-workshop are the supports of the tabletop when it occupies a horizontal position. So that the load from it and the heavy tool located on it is not perceived as flimsy furniture hinges, and transferred to the floor, the doors are equipped with swivel legs made of wooden blocks, which are fixed in both the working and retracted positions with a bolt with a spherical head and a wing nut. And to prevent open doors from accidentally slamming shut, metal pins with a diameter of 6 mm are attached to them, and holes are drilled in the tabletop, which are reinforced with metal or plastic bushings with an internal diameter of 6.5 mm.
It remains to equip the secretary with four screw jacks - and the work on its assembly will be completed. As can be seen from the figure, the jack is designed in almost the same way as the docking unit connecting the crossbar shelves to the side panels. The only difference is in the diameter of the bolt and nut - for jacks you will need fasteners with M8 or M10 threads. When installing the secretary, a sheet of rubber 2-3 mm thick is placed under the bolt heads.
It's no secret that clothes love to be treated with care. In addition, careful owners try to store it so that a dress or suit, coat or raincoat is always ready to go out - cleaned, washed, ironed. Naturally, for such purposes one cannot do without a special storage facility. And if previously, for most families, having a wardrobe in an apartment or house was enough for storage, but today, with the increase in income and standard of living of the population, the range of clothing items has expanded significantly, and there is often not enough space.
Therefore, more and more often, owners are including a separate storage room in the layout of their homes - a dressing room, which solves numerous problems and simplifies the search for the necessary things. Services for planning and arranging such a room are widely offered by many companies or private craftsmen, however, it will not be cheap at all. Therefore, a convenient DIY dressing room can be the optimal solution to this issue, especially if the budget allocated for home renovation is quite modest. In addition, by creating and implementing the project yourself, you can plan the arrangement of shelves and hangers with maximum convenience for yourself.
Types of dressing rooms and where they can be installed
Having a dressing room in a house or apartment helps free up space from bulky closets. And besides, it brings a certain order to everyday life, since all the things of family members are in one place, and they are always easy to find.
However, taking into account the fact that everyone’s living space is different both in quantitative terms and in its “geometry”, we will have to do independent choice options for placement and configuration of the dressing room.
Dressing room along the wall
Considering the small areas modern apartments, most often the optimal option for placing a dressing room is along one of the walls of the hallway, bedroom, and sometimes you have to use the living room.
The convenience of this option consists of several points:
- Compact placement of the structure.
- Possibility of arrangement in most apartments.
- Additional soundproofing of the wall from neighbors.
- Material savings, since the cabinet's vertical spandrels can be fixed to the wall without using the back wall.
The disadvantages of wall-mounted storage organization include the following:
- It is difficult to make a storage facility of great depth, since in this case it will take up too much space.
- For the same reason, it is difficult or even impossible to install such a dressing room in a narrow hallway.
- Such storage will not become a separate room in which fittings could be carried out.
However, if it is not possible to allocate space for a separate storage room, a dressing room built along the wall is not the worst option.
Corner wardrobe option
A wardrobe located in the corner of the room is sometimes the only correct solution, since the design, to a certain extent, optimizes the space. So, areas of the walls in the corner, which are usually not used in the interior, can be allocated for such storage. For example, if there is not enough distance between this corner and the window or doorway to install some necessary piece of furniture, but it can be used to create a corner dressing room.
For example, if the bedroom in an apartment has a fairly large area, then a dressing room can be arranged in one of the corners of the room by installing a partition, the outer side of which will simultaneously serve as bookcase. In this way, the space will be perfectly optimized.
Another way to use a corner area is to install a wardrobe in it. This option is perfect for a hallway, of course, if it has sufficient area and a suitable configuration.
For square hallway A more compact corner wardrobe design would work well. It is convenient because you can go inside the closet to find the thing you need. But even such a closet is unlikely to become a fitting room, since there is not enough space for this.
So, the positive aspects of corner dressing rooms are the following:
- Optimal use of room space, that is, the use of areas that, as a rule, remain empty.
- When installing a partition to highlight a dressing area, this area becomes more functional than if it were left free.
- The room takes on an original configuration.
The disadvantages of this dressing room arrangement include:
- When installing such a partition, the dressing room most often has small area.
- When choosing a corner wall cabinet, the dressing room does not have a separate place for fittings.
Dressing room in utility room
In many apartments in multi-storey buildings, both old and new, a storage room is already provided in the layout itself. This is a great success, since such a mini-room can easily be equipped as a separate dressing room, especially since there is space for racks and shelves. Often such storage rooms are simply littered with rubbish accumulated over the years of residence and, in fact, do not serve any purpose. useful function. It is worth paying close attention to the available optimization opportunities.
Naturally, it is better if the pantry does not have a window - this way, a larger area of the walls can be allocated for shelving and hangers intended for large items. If the pantry is equipped with a window opening, then you will have to use the surfaces around it more efficiently.
So, under the window you can place cabinets or shelves for shoes, and the tabletop-window sill above them can be used to store bags or organize a place for ironing on it. Shelves can also be installed above the window for hats or other boxes, for example, with seasonal shoes temporarily stored for storage.
Another room in the apartment that is not always used to the full extent functionally is the loggia or balcony. But here, too, it is quite possible to place a wardrobe, thus freeing up space directly in the apartment.
However, if this room is chosen for a dressing room, several points should be taken into account, without which its arrangement in a loggia would be impossible:
- The room should be insulated, and all its surfaces. Naturally, high-quality glazing is required using double-glazed window systems. You will have to think over a heating system, otherwise things will deteriorate and become bad smell from the effects of dampness, inevitable at the border of cold and heat.
- Windows should be opened to ventilate the room, and also closed with blinds or thick curtains, since sunlight can negatively affect the color of clothes and shoes - things will simply fade. Especially blackout curtains will be required if the loggia faces the south side of the house.
Dressing room under the stairs
City apartments rarely boast of having a staircase. But in a private two-story house (or with an attic) convenient place The space underneath, which usually has good depth, can be used for storing things. can be arranged various options wardrobe - open, as shown in the illustration, closed with hinged or sliding doors, or a block model, in which each of the blocks rolls out using wheels. Shelves or crossbars for hangers can be installed inside the blocks.
It is important - when choosing such a place for arranging a wardrobe, it is necessary to make the ceiling of this under-staircase space very durable and reliable. Just so that when people move up the steps, dust does not fall on things placed below.
Dressing room behind the partition
If the room has a rectangular shape, then in the end area it is quite possible to install plasterboard partition, which will separate the main part of the room from the dressing area. If you want to maintain the visual spaciousness of the room, this can easily be achieved by installing mirrored doors in such a dressing room.
Build plasterboard construction It’s not at all difficult, especially since its construction does not require collecting certificates and permits. Such a partition has very little weight and will not burden the ceiling. So the option is quite suitable for both a private house and an apartment in a high-rise building.
If there is no desire or opportunity to install a solid stationary partition, then a thick curtain can be used as one. The fabric is hung on a cornice fixed to the ceiling, and a dressing room is installed behind the curtain. Such a simple enclosing structure will completely hide the storage of things, but it will always be accessible. In addition, a well-chosen curtain can add individuality and originality to the interior of a room.
This arrangement option is most suitable for the bedroom, since in such an improvised dressing room you can place not only items of clothing, but also bed linen. Such storage would not be very appropriate, say, in the living room.
Wardrobe in a separate room
It is possible to allocate a separate room for a wardrobe only in own home or in an apartment with a large area.
In a private house, it is recommended to provide a wardrobe room at the design stage of the building. Without words, it is clear that this is the best option, since the storage room can be arranged in an area of the house convenient for the owners. Most often, the wardrobe is adjacent to the bedroom, less often it is located next to the hallway. In some cases, even two wardrobes are equipped:
- One is next to the hallway, and outerwear, shoes, as well as bags and hats are stored in it. For this category of things, a wall cabinet is often used.
- The second wardrobe is arranged as a separate room and is located next to the bedroom. Designed for storing bedding, underwear and other delicate clothing.
It is necessary to separate different categories of things for the reasons that it is somehow inappropriate to store bed linen and underwear in the hallway, since all the dust that enters the home from the street first of all ends up in this room. Again, storing shoes and underwear in one place is not entirely correct, although in many of the illustrations shown, all shoes are in the same storage with the rest of the things.
Shape, size and wardrobe layout
Shape and dimensions of storage
From the information presented above, it becomes clear that the dressing room can have different configurations - this most often depends on the available possibilities for its arrangement. For example, corner storage takes on a triangular or trapezoidal shape, but most are square or rectangular. It is convenient not only to store things, but also to try them on.
As for the size of this room, it directly depends on the area of the apartment or house. But usually a wardrobe takes up 1.2÷1.5 m² - this is a rectangular room with dimensions of 1.0×1.5 m. It should be noted that a corner triangular dressing room with the same area is more spacious than a rectangular version.
A rectangular dressing room, designed for one-sided placement of shelving, must have a width of at least 1200 mm. If you plan to install shelves on two sides of the room, then you need to plan a width of at least 1500 mm. After all, the main difference between a dressing room and a regular closet is that you can go into it - this factor should also be taken into account when planning the placement of shelves.
Several principles for organizing the interior space of a wardrobe are used. Shelving can be installed only along one wall, in a U-shaped or L-shaped pattern. The most rational option is a U-shaped distribution of shelves, since it makes it possible to make full use of the entire space of the room, as well as move around it in search of the necessary thing. At the same time, it is possible to organize a storage system in this way even in a relatively small area.
If the room (bedroom) has a small area in which it is difficult to select and fence off 1500÷2000 mm, then you will have to limit yourself to a wardrobe installed along one of the walls. This option does not take up much space and has a well-thought-out distribution of internal space.
In the same situation, when a dressing room has to be organized in a passage room, for example, in a hallway, the best option would be to place the shelving along parallel walls. In this case, to prevent the room from looking sloppy, it is recommended to equip the shelves with doors. Placing shelves in parallel will not make it difficult to move around this room, but the capacity of the cabinets will be maximized.
Wardrobe doors
Due to the fact that when arranging a dressing room, every centimeter is usually saved, the doors for this room or closet should not take up much space when opening and closing them.
If the area of the next room allows, then you can use the simplest and most familiar swing structure doors. It is quite convenient, since when you open the doors you can see the entire room and things laid out on the shelves.
Another option for doors is an “accordion”, that is, when it is opened, the doors fold together. The option is quite interesting, but its installation will also require a certain space in the room adjacent to the wardrobe. In addition, the scheme itself is quite difficult to implement by an inexperienced master.
Therefore, the most preferred design, which will not take up extra space, is sliding doors, such as those installed on sliding wardrobes. At the same time, for comfortable operation of the storage facility, it is recommended to choose doors that open in both one and the other direction. The doors of such doors often have mirror inserts, which is convenient when trying on clothes.
The design of the compartment doors also cannot be called very simple. But with diligence, and even more so - with the use of special sets of metal profiles and the necessary fittings, the installation is quite feasible to carry out independently, without the involvement of an outside specialist.
Is it difficult to make and install sliding doors yourself?
Sets of special components and special aluminum profiles make this task quite feasible for any owner who knows how to handle a basic set of tools. A detailed illustrated version, with all the necessary calculations, is available to the reader on the pages of our portal.
Whatever door is chosen for the wardrobe, it must still match the design overall design the room into which it goes.
In some cases, instead of doors to close the dressing room, thick curtains of appropriate design are used.
Organizing storage on racks
The number of things that can be placed in it, as well as the ease of finding what you need, depends on how ergonomically the space in the dressing room is organized. Therefore, there are certain rules that it is advisable to follow when creating your own project rooms for storing clothes and shoes.
Shelving or wardrobes are divided into several levels:
- The lower level of the racks, as a rule, is reserved for storing shoes - this part of the structure is made in the form of inclined and sometimes pull-out shelves. The height of these sections is 300 mm for summer shoes and 400÷450 mm for winter shoes.
It is necessary to clarify that some dressing room owners prefer to allocate not just one lower tier for shoes, but an entire section of the rack, placing it from floor to ceiling.
- The middle tier of other shelving compartments is most often used to arrange crossbars for hangers with shirts, trousers or skirts. The height of these sections can vary from 870 to 1000 mm.
- Next comes the tier where they can be installed drawers or shelves on which small wardrobe items will be stored. In the middle tier, pantographs or rods are equipped for longer items - dresses, coats, raincoats, etc. The height of this compartment can be from 1400 to 1700 mm. It is convenient to put knitwear in baskets or on shelves, which are also located in the same tier with the above-mentioned items.
- The upper tier of shelving is reserved for storing items of periodic or seasonal use - suitcases, bags, hats, pillows, blankets, etc. Some of these items are stored in boxes or baskets.
IN modern designs racks and cabinets used in the dressing room, various holders, press hangers, drawers for small items, metal mesh baskets are used, convenient for storing knitwear, socks, underwear, etc.
Wardrobe ventilation
A dressing room is most often a closed, unventilated room with no windows. Therefore, it has to organize its own ventilation. Otherwise, over time, a musty smell will appear in the room itself, which will permeate all the clothes. And getting rid of it is quite a difficult task even with the help of the strongest perfumes and deodorants.
Ventilation is planned at the stage of drawing up the dressing room project. It is then that it is necessary to find the optimal option for organizing it or connecting it to a common ventilation system.
The principle of arranging ventilation in the dressing room is identical to the ventilation system in any of the rooms. Exhaust ventilation vents are planned in the ceiling surface or in the upper part of the walls. These vents are connected by air ducts to the home's ventilation system or have their own exhaust duct that goes vertically to the street. Sometimes, if necessary, it is installed exhaust fan. The flow of air into the room is ensured through the cracks under the door or through specially equipped windows in the lower part of the door leaf, closed with decorative grilles or overlays.
The air exchange organized in this way maintains a normal microclimate in the dressing room.
When choosing a fan for installation in the dressing room, you should pay attention to the noise level when it operates. This room most often borders the bedroom, so noise should be minimal. The fan can be controlled automatically or from a pass-through switch.
Lighting in the dressing room
A room without natural light in which things are stored requires the use of a considerable number of lighting fixtures. This is necessary to make it easier to find the item you need and then try it on.
An excellent help in organizing lighting is the presence of a large mirror in the dressing room, which enhances the light flux coming from electrical appliances. An important point in achieving a comfortable atmosphere is the choice of the color of the walls, ceiling, as well as cabinets, shelves and racks. So, if all surfaces have light shades, they will also enhance the brightness of the lighting.
Due to the fact that there should be a lot of lighting fixtures in this small room, it is worth thinking about their efficiency. You should not rely on using conventional incandescent lamps, as they not only consume a large amount of electricity compared to their counterparts, but are also not durable enough. Besides, high temperatures heating of such lamps makes their use unsafe under the conditions under consideration.
The best option for illuminating shelves would be tubes that provide bright, but not harsh light, designed for long term operation and are economical in terms of energy consumption.
You should not choose massive chandeliers or pendant lamps that hang from the ceiling by more than 250÷300 mm for overhead lighting. It’s just that when trying on, you can easily touch them with raised hands. The most suitable lamps for this room will be spotlight models built into the suspended ceiling of the room, as well as directly into the shelves.
Additionally, the lighting in the dressing room can be equipped with a motion sensor, which will eliminate the need to turn on the light with a regular switch - it will light up when the doors are opened, and turn off when they are closed. A motion sensor can be tied to the entire lighting system, or another option is to purchase ready-made lamps with a built-in sensor.
DIY dressing room
Independent arrangement of a dressing room will allow you to minimal costs get a practical and ergonomic space to store most of the necessary things. In addition, when creating a project with your own hands, it becomes possible to create a comfortable placement of shelves and cabinets for each dressing room owner.
What materials are most often used
To begin with, it is worth determining what materials the dressing room and shelving inside the room can be built from.
- The frame of the partition wall is usually mounted from metal profiles or wooden beam. This design will not place any serious additional load on the floor (floor).
- The walls of the room, as well as the frame of the partition, can be covered with plasterboard or plywood (fibreboard, OSB) sheets.
It is preferable to use for covering the frame, since this material is “breathable”, therefore it does not accumulate moisture and counteracts the formation of unpleasant odors. And it’s more environmentally friendly than wood composites.
- To fill the space of the dressing room, ready-made cabinets, as well as self-assembled racks or cabinets, can be used. The frame for shelving is also made of metal profiles, pipes or wooden beams.
It should be noted that making a frame from galvanized metal profiles is not the best option for small rooms. It will definitely have to be sheathed on both sides with plasterboard or other sheet material. The design will certainly look neat, but it will take up too much useful space.
- On sale you can find perforated metal profiles, specially designed for forming frames for shelves - usually it is with the help of such parts that shelving in stores is assembled. These guides are fixed directly to the walls of the dressing room. After this, ready-made lightweight shelf structures or holder brackets for mounting crossbars are installed in the shaped holes of the profiles - they have corresponding hooks. Such systems are the best option, especially for small rooms. Convenience also lies in the “flexibility” of such a design - if desired, you can easily change both the number and height of the shelves.
Video: Installation of a universal wardrobe system - quickly and easily
- Another option for creating a frame for shelves is metal tubes connected to each other with special fasteners and holders, with the help of which they are also fixed to the wall. There is a fairly wide range of fittings for such tubular structures of varying degrees of complexity on sale.
- Rack shelves are often made of chipboard, but it must be taken into account that this is a fairly heavy material that requires a reliable frame. You can use well-processed thin boards or plywood 10 mm thick to create shelves.
Usually, if a dressing room is created with your own hands, any suitable material, available in home “stores”. Often old furniture is disassembled and used for this purpose - these can be cabinets or cabinets. To ensure that all this variety of material looks neat upon completion of the work, it is recommended that the finished structure be painted in one light color.
Creating a Project
Whatever the construction of the dressing room is supposed to be, work on its creation begins with the development of the project, taking into account the materials that are planned to be used.
The project is a drawing made according to the measurements taken of the place where the dressing room will be organized. To know what a project drawing might look like, several options will be considered below.
When creating a project, it is not at all necessary to draw the things that will be stored in one or another compartment of the structure, but it is advisable to make signatures of their location. This will make it easier to imagine and decide how convenient it will be to use the shelves and hangers. In addition, all distances between structural elements must be indicated on the drawing. After such a substantive study of the scheme, you can immediately make a list of all necessary materials, parts, special components, indicating their required quantity.
- Wall-mounted wardrobe. This wardrobe option is suitable for installation in a hallway or bedroom. A closet is used if it is impossible to arrange a separate room or fenced-off space for storing things. In such conditions, such a piece of furniture will solve numerous problems, freeing up space in other rooms.
- This version of the project involves organizing, although small, a separate dressing room. In the example shown, the depth of the dressing room is 1100÷1200 mm, and its width is 2200÷2500 mm. That is, this project can be reproduced in the end part of the bedroom or other room bordering the recreation room. You can fit cabinets or even a cabinet of suitable parameters into the project.
- The third project option shown involves the use of an area measuring 2000x1600 mm. Such racks can be installed either in open form, that is, without building partition walls, and inside the dressing room. Cabinets have a large number of functional departments, including drawers, shelves, storage compartments outerwear and underwear.
Using the presented parameters as a basis, you can create a set of shelving from different materials without using the side panels of the structure.
Option for making wardrobe shelving using pipes
What you can use to build a partition for a dressing room was described above. In addition, our website contains many publications with information about working with drywall. Therefore, this section will describe the option of manufacturing shelving in a room already separated by a partition. And the frame for the shelving will be metal pipes. Moreover, in the example under consideration, these are completely ordinary VGP pipes.
How to install a light partition in a room?
By the way, a frame structure followed by sheathing with sheets of plasterboard is not the only option. There are other technologies that are very interesting and accessible to independent use. All this can be found in a special publication on our portal.
To manufacture this design, you can take any of the projects presented above, or you can create one yourself.
To work, you will need some tools that, as a rule, can be found in the “arsenal” of any home workshop:
- Construction level, tape measure, marker for marking.
- Electric drill,
- Grinding machine with a disc for metal.
- Pliers, hammer, adjustable wrench.
- and a jigsaw.
From the materials for installation of the structure shown as an example, you will need to prepare:
- Metal pipes with a diameter of 20 mm, which will become the load-bearing parts of the frame structure being created.
- Pipe flanges - for attaching racks and lintels to the floor, ceiling and walls.
- Holders for installing hanger bars.
- Connectors for perpendicular junctions of pipes and other fittings required for the project.
Chipboard, plywood 10÷12 mm thick or boards for making shelves and drawers.
Furniture fittings - corners, guides, hinges, handles, etc.
Boxes and baskets for storing things.
Self-tapping screws for fastening structural parts to walls, floors and ceilings.
Having prepared everything you need, you can move on to the first stage of work:
- The first step is to inspect the walls of the dressing room and, if necessary, make repairs - covering with plasterboard or plywood, painting or wallpapering. It is better to carry out this process before installing the frame, while the wall surfaces are free and easily accessible. The sheathing should be attached directly to the walls, so they must be relatively level. Drywall is fixed to brick walls using special glue, then additionally fixed with self-tapping screws. On wooden walls, both plywood and drywall are screwed with self-tapping screws, the heads of which are recessed into the material “under the counter.”
- At the same stage, ventilation is arranged and electrical cables are laid for installation. ceiling lamps. All these communications are covered with a suspended ceiling, into which spotlights are usually embedded. Thanks to this design, all the unsightly moments associated with fixing the wiring and ventilation ducts are hidden. The only negative suspended ceiling for the dressing room is that it will not be possible to securely attach shelving racks to it.
- Next, according to the drawn up project, taking into account all the dimensions marked on it, markings are made on the walls. It must be quite clear and accurate, since the evenness of the placement of racks and shelves will depend on the correctness of its application.
- The next step is to assemble the racks and lintels for arranging the shelving. In the example under consideration, the master decided to use ordinary VGP steel pipes. Connections are made according to the coupling threaded principle using standard tees and bends. Pipe flanges are used to attach the racks to the wall.
For assembly, you will either have to purchase pieces of pipe of the required length with already threaded threads, or do the cutting yourself. In principle, this is also not particularly difficult if you purchase or rent a socket (ratchet) and a die of the appropriate diameter. A long threaded section at the end of the pipe is not needed - 12÷15 mm is enough.
When using furniture pipes, no threading operation is required - all connecting units are mounted using the appropriate parts, tightened with screws.
- To make the structure look aesthetically pleasing and prevent rust from appearing on the pipes, they should be coated. This process is best done by spraying using paint in an aerosol can.
- Finished metal structures, according to the marked lines and marking points, are fixed to the wall and to the floor. Horizontally located frame parts will serve as support for mounting the shelves. After the fasteners for the frame are marked on the wall, the frame is disassembled for their further installation along with the wooden shelves.
- The vertical parts of the frame are connected to each other through a tee. Before assembling the next connecting unit onto the racks through drilled holes threaded through. These shelves at the rack rest on the body of the tee, and at the wall - on upward-pointing bends, screwed to horizontal crossbars, due to which they occupy a horizontal position. So, starting from the first tier, the entire rack is gradually assembled.
- In the same way, slowly, step by step, the remaining racks are assembled. And then they are fastened together with jumpers. These jumpers will perfectly cope with the role of crossbars for hangers.
Pieces of pipes with flanges are screwed to the upper ends of the racks through bends for final fixation to the wall. Very high reliability of all connections is achieved. And at the same time, such a structure, if necessary, does not take long to disassemble, modernize, increase or decrease the number of shelves, etc.
- In this case, the finished structure looks as shown in the illustration. The free space between the shelves can be used for installation finished cabinet or for mounting a large mirror.
A simpler option for making shelving
If there is no opportunity or desire to tinker with connecting sections of pipes, and there are enough chipboards accumulated in home storerooms to make shelves, then you can use another option.
In a furniture fittings store you can purchase special corner holders-brackets, which are fixed to the wall, and pre-prepared shelves are placed and fixed on top of them. This method of forming a structure is much simpler. Moreover, you can start assembling racks from a finished piece of furniture - a pencil case or cabinet, “tying” the remaining structural elements to it and the wall.
The preliminary work, before starting to fix the shelves on the walls, is identical to the first option for arranging a wardrobe with shelving on pipes.
We deliberately do not dwell on the independent production of cabinets from chipboard or MDF furniture panels - a separate detailed publication is devoted to this on our website.
How to make built-in furniture yourself?
Inexperienced home handyman Sometimes it’s scary to take on such a task—the fear of failure overpowers it. But there is no need to worry - there is nothing supernaturally difficult about it. About the technology, including the wardrobe for the dressing room, in a special publication on our portal.
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So, above were presented only a few simple options that can be used to create a personal dressing room. However, when arranging a storage room, much will depend on the characteristics of a particular room. Therefore, when creating a project, it is necessary to take into account not only the size of the allocated area, but also the materials from which the walls and floors are built.
And information about the basic principles of organization and the stages of creating a dressing room will greatly facilitate both the design and implementation of your plans.
Agree, it’s quite convenient when all things are placed in one place. There is no need to run around the apartment looking for individual items; everything can be seen and tried on in one place. You can arrange it even in a small area. A rationally arranged dressing room with your own hands (drawings, diagrams and photos will be presented below) will serve you well for many years.
Our comfort depends on correct organized system storage Agree, when every thing is in its place, it is easy to find. The main rule is space and convenience. But in small apartments this is difficult to achieve. They come to the rescue modern technologies, thanks to which modern ones are reduced in size, miniature flash drives have replaced books. All this frees up additional space.
Before you plan a permanent storage system, you need to sort your things. Items that we have not used for a long time can be disposed of or sold, and for the rest we can choose the optimal dressing room.
Storage rules divide things into two rotations.
- Hot– items of daily or frequent use. It's not just clothes. This includes boxes of shoes. The size of the storage area depends on their dimensions;
- cold These are items of seasonal or rare use. For example, travel bags, household items.
Installing a separate wardrobe is much more practical than purchasing one. It is made to order, which allows for the most efficient use of all space with ideal filling. You can install a dressing room with your own hands according to ready-made drawings and diagrams. Photo selections on the Internet will help you make your choice.
DIY dressing room drawings, diagrams, photos
After determining the basic parameters, it is necessary to complete a drawing and layout diagram. It will help determine the location of all structures as accurately as possible. The main parameter when drawing up a plan is the area. It is she who determines the filling of the dressing room.
Minimum sizes should start from 4 sq.m. First you need to determine the installation location. You can allocate a separate room for this. However, not everyone has this opportunity. A small dressing room from a closet in small apartments is perfect option.
To install a dressing room, it is enough to arrange it in any room. As clear example you can contact ready-made solutions dressing rooms in photo catalogs and choose your ideal dressing room.
Corner dressing rooms in the hallway
As we determined, the placement will make the most efficient use of the corner of the room. It is enough to allocate an island of 2 square meters for the dressing room. Photos of interesting projects are posted in our catalog.
The partition can be done. This arrangement provides sufficient volume in a minimal area. Drywall is easy to use, the design is lightweight, and there is virtually no debris after installation.
Internal filling can be done in two ways.
- All structures are lined up along one wall surface;
- the filling is installed harmoniously along both walls. This is a more preferable location as the space is used more efficiently.
Designers offer several options for corner elements, with the help of which maximum ergonomics of a small space is ensured. The installation of a spiral lintel will help increase the space and smooth out the sharp corners of the dressing room.
Advice! It is better to leave shelves in storage systems open.
In the design of a dressing room in the hallway, it is necessary to provide an entrance with a maximum width. As an option, a device that will allow you to open as much as possible and combine the storage area with the common space in one motion.
Linear layout is a simple and accessible design. The structures are built along the wall surface. This arrangement is more like a niche. The entrance can be made using an accordion door, which can easily slide to the side, revealing a small world in front of you.
Using retractable hangers will allow you to bring your clothes closer with one movement of your hand. For a comfortable location, the dressing room is planned to be at least 1.5 m deep. It is better not to install partitions; they will take up useful space without adding any functionality.
Racks are also used for corner systems. Ready-made ideas for wardrobe room designs can be viewed in galleries on the Internet.
Parallel type
To create parallel placement, you only need to arrange and fill the room with furniture along parallel walls. However, not all premises are suitable for this type. For example, for walk-through rooms this is an ideal option. A completely different matter is a blind room, for which it would be more practical to place a U-shaped dressing room.
For a comfortable location, the parallel dressing room must have a width of at least 1.6 m, otherwise it will be very difficult to stay there. The racks should be located at a distance of at least 80 centimeters.
Filling can be done with end hangers and retractable panels.
L-shaped walk-in closets
This arrangement does not require partitions. It can be made an integral extension of the room. Systems in the form of shelving increase the area of the room.
Since the main cost of installing a storage system falls on the design of the partition, the L-shaped system allows you to significantly save money on the dressing room.
U-shaped wardrobes
The U-shaped system is arranged both in large and in small space. This is a separate kingdom of the owners. You can install all the elements of dressing rooms in it: closed drawers, separate sections and shelving.
Arranging a U-shaped system allows the designer to show maximum creativity when filling the space. At the same time, the main task is to create a room with maximum space. For such a system, a narrow and long room is best suited.
To fill the dressing room, the upper shelves are made wider so that rarely used items can be placed there, such as travel bags or large boxes.
Dressing room in the bedroom
The installation of a dressing room is the most successful location of the storage system. If the area allows for the installation of one of the structures, you can safely begin to implement the project. Moreover, it is quite possible to do it yourself.
For a large area, a U-shaped design can be called ideal. It will unload the room as much as possible, while leaving enough space to move around.
An interesting solution would be to install a dressing room. Partitions can be made in the form sliding structures or permanently.
If the bedroom area is very small, there is no need to be upset. He will come to the rescue. To place it you will need only about 1 meter of the width of the room. Properly selected filling will allow you to place all your household items in it.
For narrow spaces, a corner dressing room in the bedroom is suitable. Photos of designs are selected according to the overall design.
A parallel storage system is suitable for a walk-through room. You can make preliminary drawings and visualize the final design.
Construction of a storage room in a Khrushchev-era dressing room, layout with dimensions
Architects of the last century, when designing mass development areas, included a small storage room in small-sized apartments. Designers suggest converting it into a small dressing room. This is the most good option to arrange an entire room for storing things.
The placement of the pantry in the Khrushchev house was carried out with an entrance along the long side of the common room or an end entrance. Let's consider both options for reorganizing storage rooms.
Placing the entrance along the long side of the room
Before filling the pantry, the old arrangement should be dismantled. To increase the width of the pantry, you can move the wall structure deeper into the room.
You should know! To transfer load-bearing structures, it is necessary to complete the project and coordinate it with the architecture of the area. Unauthorized redevelopment is not allowed!
A U-shaped or linear structure is placed on the enlarged area. A useful option There will be a placement of a two-layer structure. Racks or shelves are attached to a long wall surface for open storage. In front of them is a hanging bar. In order to take things from the shelf, you just need to move them apart.
Placing the entrance at the end of the room
It is impossible to move structures with this placement. In this case, the choice of location system must be made based on the parameters of the pantry. If the width of the room is up to 1300 mm, you can arrange an L-shaped system. Open ones are installed on the narrow side. Along the long side there is a rack with hangers and drawers for storing shoes.
For narrower spaces great solution There will be a roll-out hanger. Open shelves for storage are rarely placed on the end surface of the room.
used things. The hanger rolls out into the common room.
You can find an interesting option for creating a dressing room with your own hands from a closet in photo catalogs and master classes on the Internet.
Proper dressing room lighting
Good is important for the whole house and especially for the dressing room. It is advisable if the storage system is organized with a window. But, unfortunately, such placement is not always possible. Let's consider alternative lighting options to natural lighting. It is important to choose lamps with warm lighting.
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This is interesting! Furniture in small dressing rooms can be made with glossy surfaces that will reflect radiation and create the illusion of volume.
Requirements for dressing room ventilation
The storage system requires sufficient ventilation. It’s good if there is a window in the dressing room. However, it is not always convenient to keep it open. You can leave the doors open. But, as practice shows, this is also not always convenient. In this case, the solution would be to use a natural or forced ventilation. This work must be entrusted to specialists who will select equipment taking into account the area of the room.
It will not only properly get rid of unpleasant storage odors, but will also protect against the occurrence of fungus or mold.
Doors for dressing room
Doors to the dressing room must be selected based on the overall style of the room. The design must be comfortable and reliable, because it will be used several times a day. Manufacturers offer a wide range of products, the choice of which can lead to a dead end.
Each storage system has its own recommendations for choosing doors.
Swing
To install them, free space is required along the opening direction. According to the rules fire safety doors should open into the common room.
Sliding
This design is suitable for small rooms. They do not need to provide extra space. Door leaves move freely along horizontal guides. The structures are quite easy to install with your own hands. Photos of wardrobe systems are posted in the catalog at the end of our review.
Designs in the form of a book or accordion
In the first case, one part of the mechanism is fixed to the box, while the second moves on rollers. The system is in the form of an accordion or consists of several canvases interconnected by loops.
Sliding doors
The blades move on rollers along guides. One canvas is enough for a storage room.
Pencil doors
This is the most complex system. The canvas is hidden in a plasterboard box or in a wall surface. Externally they look very beautiful and unusual.
Filling the dressing room
Manufacturers offer a wide range of fillings for cabinets and dressing rooms. After all, not only the comfortable search for the necessary items, but also the service life depends on the correct placement. Therefore, it is important to approach rationally internal filling storage systems.
Clothing storage systems
The middle compartment is selected for clothes. For placement on hangers, it is necessary to provide a height of up to 100 cm for shirts and about 170 cm for dresses and outerwear. Placement can be on rods and pantographs.
Small items are placed on shelves or in drawers.
Shoe storage systems
A lower compartment with a height of no more than 80 cm is allocated. Additionally, you can install horizontal or slightly inclined shelves. Installation will be convenient retractable structures, the height of which must be at least 30 centimeters for summer shoes and at least 45 centimeters for winter ones.
Related article:
In the publication of our portal you will find out what they are, what types they can be, and whether it is possible to install such structures in small apartments or whether they require a separate room.
Description of designs
At proper storage clothing and household items, we extend their service life. Let's take a closer look at manufacturers' proposals for rational use of dressing room space.
| Photo | Description |
 | Rods for long (up to 170 cm) and short (up to 100 cm) clothes. |
 | Pantograph is a sliding design. |
 | Fastenings for trousers with a height of at least 60 cm. Can be single or double. Hangers with tucks are suitable for skirts. |
 | Large and small drawers for storing bedding, linen, jewelry, accessories. |
 | Pull-out or stationary shelves up to 40 cm wide. To store things on the mezzanine, you can use shelves up to 60 cm wide. |
 | Boxes and baskets for storing various items that do not need to be ironed. |
 | Modular systems for shoes. Shoes are placed on them or hung visually on the lasts. |
 | Holders for ties, belts or scarves are usually offered with clips. |
Where can I buy the filling?
Many furniture stores sell items for filling storage systems. It is important to first decide on the exact quantity and size of the products. A wide range of products is also available in online stores selling furniture fittings. The price will depend on the material used and the complexity of the filling.
Is it possible to install the filling yourself?
There is no need to call a professional technician to install the wardrobe filling. Even a schoolchild can do this work. The only tools you need are a drill and. All fasteners must be purchased along with the cabinet filling.
How to make a dressing room with your own hands?
The process of installing a dressing room is not complicated. Before starting work, it is important to complete the drawing with maximum accuracy and select everything Consumables and filling. Step by step process Installing an open structure will allow you to avoid installation errors.
| Photo | Description of work |
 | Necessary tools for work. |
 | We place the supporting rail at the selected height, level it using a level along the bottom side and mark the locations of the holes. |
 | Drill out the marked holes. |
 | We hammer dowels into the holes using a hammer. |
 | We fix the supporting rail with a screwdriver |
 | Installation of vertical guides into the grooves of the horizontal rail. |
 | We fix the vertical guides to the wall. |
 | We install the brackets at the selected height. |
 | We install horizontal shelves into the middle grooves of the brackets until they click. |
 | We install decorative plugs on the edges of the bracket. |
 | We connect the rod and the suspension, then install plugs on the rod and hang hooks. |
 | Similarly, we install a basket with dividing strips and a shoe rack. |
 | Ready wardrobe. |
You can watch the video master class in more detail.
A walk-in closet behind a curtain will help hide storage areas from prying eyes. Photo examples are posted in catalogs.
Wardrobe rooms: design, projects, photos
A dressing room in an apartment is no longer a luxury, but a necessity of late. The speed of modern life does not allow us to waste time searching for missing things. Everything should be rational and convenient. You can install a storage system in any room. The latest wardrobe room designs can be found in the photo selection.
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Every girl dreams of a personal dressing room. Having watched enough films about the lives of rich people, many believe that with an average salary they cannot afford such luxury. But if you are at least a little familiar with repairs, then this will not pose huge difficulties and costs for you.
You can afford a dressing room not only in a spacious apartment, but also in an ordinary one. It is not necessary to make it huge, like a separate room.
For example, a small corner dressing room
DIY dressing room made of plasterboard
See various dressing room finishing options:
DIY shelves and doors
Doors
- You can choose any doors, but the best option will be used sliding doors or accordion doors. This will save space.
- This type of door can be installed in both square, rectangular and corner wardrobes. They can be wooden, glass, plastic, fabric, louvered and even mirror, It's all a matter of taste and family budget.
Shelves
- Shelves and racks can be do it yourself or order it from a furniture store. The traditional set includes rods with hangers, hooks, laundry baskets, closed drawers, various shelves for clothes and shoes, racks.
Options for wardrobe shelves
It will be cheaper, of course, to do everything yourself; to do this, make shelves from metal mesh. It is better to use welded fine mesh. It is produced chrome-plated, galvanized, with PVC coating. Such scraps can be purchased very cheaply in the store, since they are no longer suitable for sale, but just right for shelves.
- IN small dressing room It is best to make more open shelves and several drawers. The most optimal placement of shelves is “letter G” and “letter P”.
- Racks conditionally divide into zones. For example, lower, middle and upper. It is better to place shoes, knitwear, and linen at the bottom. Place your casual clothes (pants, skirts, dresses, bags) in the middle zone. The top is most convenient for storing items that are rarely used, such as seasonal clothing.
How to arrange a dressing room with your own hands
- When arranging a dressing room, do not forget that there is no natural light there. The most popular today is LED lightening. Spot lighting and built-in lamps are also widely used.
- Large chandelier would also be a good solution to the problem.
- Can be done shelf lighting, which is very convenient on the lower shelves with shoes.
- To place things conveniently, buy a variety of hangers, brackets and hooks.
- They are very convenient two-level dressing rooms, as well as structures with turnstiles.
- If the apartment is very small, then you can use it as a dressing room storage room, niche, balcony. They can be equipped with narrow shelving, racks up to the ceiling, and mobile hangers.
Dressing room from the pantry
- Can be mounted on walls metal or wooden rods, on which clothes will be hung.
- Make it from below shelves for storing shoes. It is important to take into account that they do not interfere with free movement around the dressing room.
- Don't forget about ventilation, since things have the peculiarity of staleness, acquiring at the same time a not very pleasant aroma. Periodically air your clothes on the balcony.
- Hang special ones in the dressing room sachet with your favorite scent.
- Can hang a mirror it will not only be a convenient part of the interior, but will also visually increase the space of the room. For greater comfort, you can attach a backlight to it.
Storage system in the dressing room
Everyone chooses their own convenient system storage, but still taking into account the shortcomings of many owners of dressing rooms, I would like to give some advice.
- Designate a storage area for seasonal clothing. It could even be a separate shelf on top.
- Hang your pants separately.
- Use a separate compartment to store shoes.
- Designate three or more drawers for each family member.
- Install 2 pipes, hang long things with hangers on one, and short things on the other.
- Things that do not wrinkle can be laid out on open shelves.
- Take care of the compartments for accessories - ties, belts, jewelry. You can use small drawers for this.
- It is better to store bags on hooks or separate shelves.
- It is very convenient to use a basket for dirty laundry, which will save space in the bathroom.
In conclusion, I would like to note that everything is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. In addition, this is, first of all, a guarantee of reliable and durable storage of things, a guarantee of protection of clothes from fading and moths. Walk-in closet- this is a completely realizable and affordable dream.
Video on how to make a dressing room with your own hands:
Each time dictates its own styles, including in furniture design. However, in addition to beauty, many interior items should also have additional functionality: have drawers, drawers and shelves. And in some cases - hiding places, small safes disguised as ordinary bedside tables, chests of drawers or other pieces of furniture, as well as built into bookcases and wardrobes.
Secretary with curved legs, decorated with carvings
Their presence always had its own meaning: here it was possible to hide something that was not necessary for others to see. And, starting from the 18th century, in any rich house one could find a secretary, or in the Russian version, a desk where the owner kept especially valuable documents: bills, money, jewelry.
Various hiding places and secret drawers are often discovered inside antique furniture that has survived to this day.
Furniture with secrets - table and cabinet with additional drawers
In past centuries, in the homes of wealthy people, a mandatory part of the office was a table or a cabinet with secret drawers, which were used to store especially important documents, money, and jewelry, which made it possible to protect them from thieves. Later in France, a special table-cabinet was invented, called a secretary, because it was really possible to store various secret documents and small valuables in it.
The drawers were often equipped with secret locks and secret locking mechanisms
The popularity of secretaries and other furniture “delicacies” equipped with various secret spaces was not accidental. Their design has its advantages that ordinary tables and cabinets do not have, and features that are unique only to such products.
They are no less relevant today: valuable papers, expensive jewelry, important correspondence and documentation are stored in stylized safes and hiding places. Among the obvious advantages of such furniture are:
- storage of valuables without access to them by strangers;
- their arrangement in different furniture elements;
- the possibility of making secret storage facilities with your own hands.
Among the factors characteristic of furniture with a secret, the design features of such products are highlighted, making it possible to prepare places for storing a specific type of valuables. As a rule, if hiding places are specially equipped, they are equipped with secret locks, and today - with an electronic security system.
Today, the furniture market offers products not only for personal use, but also for enterprises and organizations. In addition, it can be made to order according to individual drawings.
To open this table you need to place a special magnet in the right place, there are no more handles or levers
Hiding places in ordinary furniture
Hiding places are often installed under furniture - in the empty space between the legs
Antique furniture is a storehouse of secrets and mysteries. Old cabinetmakers turned furniture elements into real works of art. Today's craftsmen make modern furniture in the old style, helping to create a special interior and complement it with hidden elements.
Hiding places in antique furniture
Purchasing special tables, cabinets and bedside tables with hiding places is quite expensive. But this does not mean that especially important documents and jewelry will remain on the shelf in the closet.
Option for a hiding place in the house on a bookshelf
Ready-made furniture with hidden niches
Wall mirrors and specially designed paintings can also make great hiding places.
Available today different kinds ordinary furniture equipped with secret spaces. Secret places can be located in any part of it, and they can be equipped either by the owners themselves, or by ordering their production by craftsmen, secret places can be located:
A secret drawer or safe disguised as an outlet
Do-it-yourself or custom-made caches
Custom-made desk stash
There is not always a need to buy expensive exclusive furniture equipped with secret places. Can be used a budget option by ordering the desired element of the furniture interior to specialists based on your own drawings. Or a home craftsman can try to create and equip it with his own hands.
These can be equipped secret places under or inside countertops, in the doors of cabinets and bedside tables, as well as shelves and drawers on which locks can be installed.
Of interest are small “turnkey” niches equipped in the depths of the desk drawers with a secret.
An interesting option for hiding in a chest of drawers
Hollow furniture legs and uprights
A simple hiding place in furniture - in the hollow legs of a chair
A hiding place arranged in these pieces of furniture is considered a classic. Making it is quite simple: you need to drill a hole of the selected size inside the furniture element. It is assumed that only one person will know about such a “secret” - the one who made it.
It is clear that the place for storing valuables equipped here does not imply a large number of them, which must be remembered to be disguised in a convenient way.
Advice. You need to make holes very carefully and not overdo it with their diameter, so as not to weaken the structure and lead to its breakage.
Stash inside the chair seat
Hides in boxes
The double bottom drawer is a true classic that still works today
Traditionally, hiding places are located in drawers of a desk or chest of drawers, where a “second bottom” can be made. For its equipment, take the same material from which the furniture itself is made, of the same size, secure it:
- Velcro;
- magnetic strips in a plastic frame;
- other convenient ways.
Small hiding place idea - a box within a box
You can put flat objects there:
- documentation;
- cash;
- photos;
- securities.
Hidden “treasures” must also be secured on the “second day”.
Drawers with secrets for regular cabinets
Hides in closets
Secret drawers, securely hidden in the most ordinary-looking bookshelves
Cabinets provide a wide field of activity for equipping secret places from thieves. Their large internal and external space allows you to hide a large number of items of various configurations.
Hiding places built into a regular closet
| Cache location | What can you hide? | How to secure |
| Under the bottom of the cabinet, in the far corner | Jewelry, small valuable items | ·Fold into a box of suitable size and place on the floor; ·pack in a bag and attach with Velcro to the bottom of the cabinet |
| Behind the back wall | Documents, securities. Jewelry, art paintings |
Secure in bags and attach with tape or glue |
| Behind inner surface mirrors | Only flat objects | Use tape |
| At the bottom of the cabinet - the formation of a second bottom | Any objects corresponding to the height of the second bottom | Fold into a niche, cover with the second bottom |
| In the far corner inside the closet, disguised as a shoe box | Items that fit the box | Place a drawer with a lid that locks with a key in a shoe box secured with screws to the floor of the closet, put a pair of shoes on top that no one uses, cover with a shoe box lid |
Pull-out panel in the closet, hidden from prying eyes
Attention! Before hiding a thing, you need to decide who may know about the existence of the cache and have access to it, so that if it is discovered by household members, you will not end up in a stupid position.
Video: how to make - The simplest cache
Many people mistakenly believe that multifunctional furniture appeared quite recently, when it was time to furnish not luxury apartments, but small apartments. Meanwhile, history takes us several centuries into the past to tell about the emergence of one of the most interesting and functional types furniture - secretary. Indeed, today the secretary is as popular as it was in the 18th century, when it first appeared. Today, together with the “Dream House” website, we will plunge into the world of retro furnishings and learn a little more about this furniture.
A little about the history of the creation of the secretary
As mentioned earlier, the secretary appeared in the 18th century, but some sources date its appearance to the 12th-13th centuries. It was behind the secretary that the ladies of that era wrote thousands of letters; in their numerous boxes they kept love messages and state secrets. Thus, the secretary cabinet easily replaced both desk, and a safe, and a closet.
Modern models have been slightly modified, but, as before, they are a cabinet with drawers and a folding shelf that acts as a work surface. A large number of drawers allows you to keep all your writing utensils at hand, but at the same time, in perfect order. And secret locks and reliable locking systems protect important papers from prying eyes.
Modern secretary - desk
Originally considered ladies' furniture, the secretary quickly fell in love with the male half of humanity, becoming a workplace for emperors and kings. For example, Napoleon Bonaparte took a folding travel secretary with him on trips - when folded, it took up little space, but the desk was always nearby, even on the battlefield. And then doctors liked this functional furniture, allowing them to store doctor’s instruments and medicines in order.
Currently, written secretaries decorate modern interiors, combining work area and a spacious closet. The aristocratic look of furniture with a retro touch fits perfectly into both classic and modern interior styles. The main thing is to choose the right shape, color and finish of the secretary.
Secretary in the interior: application possibilities
Nowadays, secretaries are most often made “antique”: from dark wood, with carved decor. Such furniture is perfect for both Rococo and Rococo styles, but will absolutely not fit into modern styles. When choosing furniture for such an interior, you need to change your approach and look for more laconic forms with the absence of conspicuous finishing. Such modern secretaries are also present in small quantities on the furniture market. And if previously they were made exclusively from solid wood, now this furniture can be made from MDF, laminated chipboard, finished with veneer. And only a few can afford a secretary made of solid wood.
Secretary – antique furniture
Vintage secretaries usually have big sizes, they are made of expensive wood, have a rich dark color (brown, burgundy) and are decorated with carvings. Such aristocratic furniture, which emanates solidity and chic, is ideal for classic interiors.
Art Deco style secretaries have elegant shapes and are most often made in black or white. And writing cabinets in country style are, as a rule, simple in shape, unfinished, and sometimes have scuffs on the body.
IN modern interiors A secretary is sometimes part of a furniture set and represents one of the “wall” sections. It’s kind of built-in, which doesn’t take up much space and, at the same time, is part of the headset.
Where can I put a secretary?
This versatile type of furniture is mainly placed in the living room. Representing a compact workplace, it easily places a laptop on its surface, and there is still room for all kinds of folders and books. After work, all these accessories are removed, and the lid is closed, turning the secretary into an ordinary cabinet or.
But no matter how convenient and capacious the secretary is, it is not intended for long work behind him. You can’t put a desktop computer on it, and it’s not very comfortable for your feet to constantly rest against the drawers. However, it is great as an alternative to a mini-home office.
The secretary can be placed not only in living rooms, but also in the library, office and even in the bedroom. The main thing is to find a place for a compact workplace, where it does not interfere and does not take up extra square meters. A corner secretarial chest of drawers fits this description perfectly, allowing you to store various things in a large number of drawers, and when the lid is open, it serves as a desk.
A compact workplace is necessary not only for adults, but also for children. Sometimes a secretary cabinet for a schoolchild is placed in the nursery; in this case, it replaces a desk and houses portable computer equipment and other study supplies. Perhaps the best option would be to use a large desk for work and study, and a secretary for a laptop or computer, but each parent chooses furniture based on the dimensions of the children's room, so there are no need for advice here.
The secretary and the bureau are two siblings
Often, along with the secretary, they also look for a bureau. Both types of furniture represent a compact workplace, only a secretary is more of a cabinet with a retractable or hinged lid, and a bureau is a type of table with an add-on. The latter stands steadily on four legs and has small dimensions that fit perfectly into almost any interior. Meanwhile, the presence of a work surface and shelves for papers allows you to use it for short-term work, for example, while sitting at it you can pay bills or write a shopping list for the store.
Both the secretary and the bureau are types of multifunctional furniture, but the first one performs more functions, but the second one is more compact. There is probably no need to have both of these pieces of furniture in your apartment at once, so it’s up to you to choose which is more necessary or which is better.
The classic secretary is a chest of drawers with a door that folds down from top to bottom, behind which there are many secret drawers and compartments. At first, this furniture was considered ladies' furniture. The folded door served as a writing table. love letters, and in locked hiding places pearls and diamonds shimmered. However, the design turned out to be successful, and it was borrowed for more prosaic purposes: storing documents and writing instruments. Let's try to assemble a simple secretary with our own hands so that markers, disks and folders with papers can finally find their permanent place.
Let's make a very simple secretary
Preparing for work
Our secretary will have the simplest device, but in terms of convenience and functionality it will not be inferior to the factory one. To make it you will need the following materials:
- Ready-made desktop stands for folders made of plywood (sold in office supply stores) - 6 pcs.
- MDF blank for the top cover – 890x330x16 mm.
- MDF blank for the back cover – 890x325x16 mm.
- Wood glue.
- Screws.
- Sanding paper.
- Double-sided tape.
The tools we will need are:
- Jigsaw with blade for curved cutting.
- Drill.
- Screwdriver or screwdriver.
As we see in the picture, our module is mounted on an ordinary dining table with a tabletop size of 100x80 cm. The add-on for placing papers looks like a complex of interconnected horizontal and vertical stands, united by the top and back covers from MDF.
In conditions small apartment It would be nice to figure out how to make the secretary mobile. This condition is precisely included in our design. The trick is that our shelf module is removable, which means that if necessary, it can be quickly removed to any other place.
Marking and cutting MDF
First we cut it out top cover. To do this, we place the stand on the sheet with its side so that the back side of the future cover is flush with the horizontal shelf. The front side of the cover should protrude forward beyond the horizontal shelf by 1.5 cm. Mark the position of the first part of the shelf.
Mark the outline of the lid
We turn the stand over and mark the position of the second, mirror part of the shelf.
Cutting out the top cover
We cut out the top cover with a jigsaw, installing a file in it for a curved cut. The pendulum stroke must be turned off during operation. The dimensions of the cover should be:
- Length – 890 mm,
- Width at the junction of horizontal supports – 320 mm,
- The width at the ends is 170 mm.
We cut out the back wall in the form of a rectangle, according to the given dimensions - 890x325x16 mm.
Scheme of our secretary
We sand the finished lids and coat them with furniture varnish 2-3 times or cover them with self-adhesive film.
In the age of high technology, people quickly forgot that just two decades ago letters were written by hand and sent by mail. Today, progress has gone so far that there is no longer a need for paper correspondence, but still, in offices and bedrooms, many people need functional and beautiful furniture for working, for example, on a laptop.
This article was written to remind you of such pieces of furniture as a bureau and a secretary, and also to tell you about the origins of their occurrence and the features that distinguish one item from another.
The design of the bureau was created at the turn of the 17th and 17th centuries, in France, and was nothing more than a large casket on high legs with a hinged inclined lid above the tabletop, which was complemented by compartments or drawers for writing instruments. Such an item was often installed in bedrooms and served as a desk and jewelry box. The bureau took up little space and was comfortable to sit at; these qualities prompted furniture makers to develop the very idea of this item; as a result, a certain cabinetmaker J. Aubin, a courtier of Louis XV, modified the design of the table and decorated it with a cylindrical lifting lid, for which it received the name “ King's Bureau", and today it is a symbol of its era, one of the main attributes of an interior in a classical style.
A related item for a bureau is considered to be a secretary - a tall bookcase, equipped with pull-out shelf or folding board for written work. Even at the very beginning of its existence, the secretary was an element of the furnishings of purely luxurious, aristocratic interiors
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Secretary in a modern interior
These days, interior design is no longer bound by any technological framework, fashion trends or other restrictions. Everyone is free to dispose of their personal living space at their own discretion and according to personal preferences. For some, the layout is important, taking into account the location of all technical innovations, while others need the spirit of tradition, a unique atmosphere and aesthetics in each item.
Such an object can be furniture with history, some kind of cult object that will transform the decor of a bedroom, living room or office. The secretary today is again becoming a popular piece of furniture, because it is not only very effective, but can serve as a chest of drawers, a desk and a bookcase at the same time, which is especially important in the space of a small room.
First of all, a secretary cabinet will be appropriate in a classic elegant interior with the same high-quality furniture, expensive fabrics and natural materials.
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Use this item good also in the neoclassical interior of the living room, bedroom french style(furniture made of light wood or painted), Art Deco office.
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Note that the choice of room for the location of the secretary in the house is not important; it can be installed in the dining room, hallway and even children's room in order to conveniently store all the essentials in one place.
Types and features of office designs
As was said, the bureau is an extraordinary object, very characteristic and catchy. It is simply impossible not to notice him in the surroundings, thanks to the unusual appearance, which, by the way, can vary somewhat, and contain features of other pieces of furniture familiar to us.
Desk bureau
Can be presented in the form of a familiar one, but compact table, with a convenient design of compartments for accessories built on the surface of the table top, which, in turn, can be retractable or folding.
A more modern minimalist model looks like an ordinary desk, but with hidden system drawers and a lifting table top.
The bureau table is undoubtedly an excellent purchase for modern practical interiors, and is especially useful in small children's rooms, cozy bedrooms or built-in home offices.
Classic bureau
A traditional bureau will also not take up extra space, but will look much more distinctive than a table.
This item must be completed hinged lid, inclined or cylindrical, hiding two or three tiers of mini-compartments for office supplies and personal belongings.
Models of traditional offices today are made from practical, high-quality MDF material, and the straight lines of the silhouette allow the use of similar furniture in modern styles: contemporary, boho and even loft.
A bureau made according to a classic model, always made of solid wood, with figured legs, decorative fittings, often with artistic painting or carvings on the facade. Such a thing should be used when decorating interiors in vintage, retro, classic, and also boho styles, if the owner of the house likes such an item.
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Chest of drawers
The combination of the design of several objects in one testifies to the endless desire of human thought for functionality and comfort in everything. The hybrid of the furniture industry was no exception - a chest of drawers, where you can store personal belongings and, if necessary, use a folding tabletop for work.
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The design of a bureau-chest of drawers can be completely varied, from classic to ultra-modern, which allows you to use the item in any interior style, in any area of the room convenient for you.
However, the most unusual models of bureau-chest (varnished figured, or in the constructivist style with clear forms) will organically fit into equally bright interior styles: pop art, boho classic, empire and art deco.
Bureau-console
The most amazing version of the bureau, in our opinion, is combined with a console. It can be used even where the area is very modest: in a bright but narrow corridor; small bedroom, kitchen-living room, compact hallway.
The design of the console bureau is light and compact, often having only two support legs and wall mounting. A narrow, long tabletop is sometimes complemented by a pull-out shelf and lined rows of compartments for accessories.
Vintage, shabby chic, classic style - this is the environment in which such an item looks appropriate for a setting with a touch of time.
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Whatever your city apartment is - prestigious or ordinary, large or small, comfortable or inconvenient, it is extremely difficult to allocate space for a home workshop. However, with a great desire and sufficient carpentry skills, a do-it-yourselfer can equip himself with a very comfortable workplace, which can easily be transformed into a flat cabinet with an area of only 0.36 m2 on the floor.
It is better to make such a cabinet from the ceiling to the floor and fix it between them using four screw jacks; in this case, there is no need to drill concrete walls, drive dowels into them and secure the structure to the wall with screws. In addition, a tall cabinet with the same space it occupies has the maximum usable volume.
The design of the transforming workshop resembles an ordinary secretary with a folding table top. In order to make it, you will need particle boards with a thickness of 16-20 mm (all dimensions in the drawings are in relation to chipboard with a thickness of 20 mm), some plywood and hardboard.
The production of a workshop secretary begins with the side panels (their width is about 300 mm, and the length should be 15 mm less than the distance from the floor to the ceiling), shelves and crossbars made of chipboard.
When processing workpieces, the most important thing is to strictly maintain their dimensions and the perpendicularity of the sides. Even small deviations from the drawing can cause irreparable distortions when assembling the secretary.
To connect parts, it is best to use a very durable and technologically advanced docking unit, consisting
only from an M6 bolt with a spherical head and a nut. In this case, a hole for the nut is drilled in the shelf or crossbar, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than its “turnkey” size, which allows the nut to be pressed into it with some interference. In the sidewalls, crossbars and shelves, corresponding holes with a diameter of 6 mm are drilled for connecting bolts. In order for the connection of the secretary parts to be neat, it is necessary to strictly follow a certain sequence of operations.
1 - cross member; 2 - screws; 3 - loop; 4 - countertop door; 5 - dowels
1 - tabletop; 2 - bushing (metal or plastic); 3 - retaining pin (steel); 4 - door of the lower compartment of the secretary
1 - upper compartment door (chipboard 820, 880×600, 2 pcs); 2 - handle (6 pcs.); 3 - tabletop door (chipboard 820.1200×900); 4 - overlay (s6 plywood, 1150×850); 5 - back wall (hardboard s5, 2660×1190); 6 - upper cross member (chipboard 820, 1160×300); 7 - side panel (chipboard s20, 2685×300); 8 - side-reinforcement (wooden slats 35×25); 9 - shelves in the upper compartment of the secretary (chipboard s20, 1160×250); 10.12 - middle crossbars (chipboard s20, 1160xx300); 11 - shelf in the middle compartment of the secretary (chipboard s20, 1160×200); 13 - reinforcement of the cross member (wooden slats 35×25); 14 - shelves in the lower compartment of the secretary (chipboard s20, 1160×250); 15 - lower crossbar (chipboard s20, 1160×300): 16 - lower compartment door (chipboard s20, 860×600, 2 pcs.)
1 - swivel leg (birch or beech, block 50×30); 2 - M6 bolt; 3 - door of the lower compartment of the secretary; 4 - wing nut M6; 5 - washer; 6 - gasket (rubber sЗ)
1 - gasket (rubber s3); 2 - bolt M8 or M10; 3 - ceiling; 4 - nut; 5 - side panel
1 - M6 bolt; 2 - side panel; 3 - M6 nut; 4 - shelf or crossbar
To begin with, one side panel is marked - on it the axes of all holes are depicted for the connecting bolts. It is desirable that the distance between the holes be the same: in this case, you can use a simple jig that will allow you to easily align the axes of the corresponding holes on the sidewalls, shelves and crossbars.
The conductor itself is assembled from two slats in the form of a kind of crossbar. A mark is applied along the axis of the holes, which, when installing the jig on the panel, is aligned with the mark on the panel. The jig is fixed to the parts with a pair of small nails.
It is also advisable to drill holes for the M6 nut in the crossbars and shelves along the jig. The latter is bent from a steel strip with a cross-section of 20×2 mm, after which two holes are made in the resulting corner: in the smaller shelf - with a diameter of 6 mm (the guide screw is fixed in it), and in the larger one - with a diameter 0.5 mm smaller than the size "under wrench" for the nuts used with M6 thread. As a rule, such nuts have a turnkey size of 10 mm, respectively, the diameter of the hole for the nut is 9.5 mm.
Assembling the secretary is, in essence, connecting the side panels with shelves and crossbars with M6 bolts. The nuts are first pressed into the latter and centered relative to the holes with a diameter of 6 mm in the ends of the shelves and crossbars using a rod with a pointed end. After completing the assembly, the “geometry” of the structure is carefully checked using a tape measure; for this, the secretary is laid face down on the floor and its diagonals are measured. If their sizes are equal, then a sheet of hardboard 5 mm thick is attached to the back of the cabinet (to the side panels, shelves and crossbars) with small screws and glue (casein, PVA or “liquid nails”).
The width of the secretary-workshop is quite large - 1.2 m, so chipboard shelves can sag over time. To prevent this from happening, it makes sense to reinforce them with wooden slats with a cross-section of 35x25 mm. These slats, moreover, will prevent tools and materials from falling off the shelves.
The next stage is hanging the doors and countertops. The first ones are installed using standard furniture hinges, which ensure that the doors are secured both in the open and closed positions. Well, the tabletop is connected to the crossbar with reinforced hinges, since these hinge units will have to experience increased loads. It is best to use three or four window hinges with card dimensions of 60x40 mm. You can, of course, attach them to the tabletop and crossbar with ordinary screws, but it is better to purchase plastic dowels with a diameter of 5 mm, press them into the holes drilled in the parts, and only then drive the screws into the dowels. The fact is that the screws do not hold well in the chipboard and fly out of their sockets at the slightest axial load.
As can be seen from the pictures, the doors of the lower compartment of the secretary-workshop are the supports of the tabletop when it occupies a horizontal position. So that the load from it and the heavy tool located on it is not taken up by flimsy furniture hinges, but is transferred to the floor, the doors are equipped with swivel legs made of wooden blocks, which are fixed both in the working and in the retracted position with a bolt with a spherical head and a wing nut. And to prevent open doors from accidentally slamming shut, metal pins with a diameter of 6 mm are attached to them, and holes are drilled in the tabletop, which are reinforced with metal or plastic bushings with an internal diameter of 6.5 mm.
It remains to equip the secretary with four screw jacks - and the work on its assembly will be completed. As can be seen from the figure, the jack is designed in almost the same way as the docking unit connecting the crossbar shelves to the side panels. The only difference is in the diameter of the bolt and nut - for jacks you will need fasteners with M8 or M10 threads. When installing the secretary, a sheet of rubber 2-3 mm thick is placed under the bolt heads.
If the particle boards were not lined with plastic, then the easiest way is to finish them with self-adhesive film, matching its texture to the surrounding furniture. The ends of the panels are pre-puttyed, sanded and painted with tar of a suitable color.
A sheet of 6 mm plywood is fixed to the tabletop: practice shows that the surface of a workbench in a workshop deteriorates quite quickly, but the plywood overlay can always be replaced if necessary.
In the middle compartment of the secretary there are installed desk lamp or fluorescent light and multiple power socket.
I.EVSTRATOV
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