How to make a dressing room so that things are stored in one place and you don’t have to look for them different rooms and cabinets. It is not required for installation large area, even in small apartments, if desired, there will be a suitable place.
The advantage of a dressing room made by yourself is that it will be made in a way that is convenient for you to use, it will cost much less, because the work will be done using the material found in the house. Another positive side is that its presence will eliminate unnecessary furniture in the apartment.
Where to start making
There are many ideas for equipping a dressing room. There are all kinds of systems and devices for storing things. When getting started, you should think about and plan the progress of the work in advance.
Layout and drawing
You should start by determining the location, dimensions of the dressing room and a drawing of the plan, indicating the dimensions. A drawing is drawn on a reduced scale, the planned systems, fixtures, and drawers are inserted. Systems should be distributed ergonomically without overloading the space.
When planning, it is necessary to take into account the distance between the shelves:
- for storing things - at least 30 cm;
- for shoes (without heels) - 20 cm;
- for shirts, jackets, jackets - 120 cm;
- trousers - from 100 – 140 cm;
- dresses - 150 – 180 cm;
- coat - 180 cm.
On top, it is more practical to make shelves for things that are not used often. And below, a place for a vacuum cleaner is recommended.
The dressing room is not located in a walk-through room; it is better to place it between the bedroom and the bathroom.
Filling
With limited space, it is not recommended to make furniture from wood, MDF, or chipboard in the dressing room. This material will reduce small area. Today, storage systems made of metal are popular; they are lightweight and modular. They are installed on special racks that are mounted on the wall, floor, or ceiling. The racks are equipped with many notches, with the help of which the height of the shelves can be quickly adjusted. Material for making shelves - wood, metal, plastic. The shelves are of the pull-out type.
These storage systems are sold, but are expensive. It’s more economical to make it yourself, from chrome-plated furniture pipe.
There are many options for arranging dressing rooms: rods for trousers, skirts, all kinds of shoe stands, drawers for small items. They are retractable - convenient and functional
Material selection
Suitable for production:
- Wood (chipboard) is a common material, able to withstand the load of things, absorbs moisture, and is economical.
- Plastic - used plastic panels different sizes.
- Metal - aluminum is most often used, it is light and durable. The structure is well ventilated. The cost is more expensive than chipboard.
- Glass - promotes visual expansion space. Suitable for high-tech, modern style.
The finishing is made from any material: wallpaper, glass wallpaper, ceramic tiles.
When finishing, you should take into account the location of additional lamps for the shelves, making holes in advance. The built-in mirror in the door looks original
How to make a dressing room: open and closed type
When choosing a type, you should take into account all the nuances: location and rational use of space.
Open view
An open dressing room is a structure for storing things, not separated from the living space by a partition. It must correspond to the general style of the room. Recommended for use in case of deficiency free space in small apartments.
The advantage of the open design is that everything is at hand. Minus - clothes gather dust, they should be placed carefully so as not to spoil them appearance rooms
Closed view
A closed dressing room is separated from the room by a wall and has doors. It ensures order in the room, since the contents of the cabinet are hidden.
The closed dressing room has a large area and has a well-thought-out organization of the storage system.
A closed wardrobe is convenient and allows you to try on and care for clothes right in the dressing room. The arrangement requires a large space, which ordinary apartments impossible
DIY dressing room example
The first step is to note the height and width of the shelves and sliding doors in the niche of the future wardrobe. In our case, the depth of the niche is 1.4 m, taking into account the protruding box
The box is necessary to hide the pipes and install the water meter. Let's not forget to leave space between the shelves, because... titanium will be present in the dressing room. We also provided space for an outlet between the shelves.
- We purchased a 5x5 block to solve the problem of placing the rolling door. Reason: The ceiling height is 275 cm, but suspended ceiling takes another 10 cm;
- We will install aluminum rails at the top and bottom for door mobility;
- In a hypermarket Leroy Merlin, where we shopped, there is a service for cutting shelves using large machine. Having previously measured the length and width, and estimated everything on paper, we ordered shelves with a width of 30 cm and 60 cm. The service is very convenient, because shelves ready for installation will be delivered to your home. You will only have to use a hacksaw if the corners are uneven;
- Don’t forget about the addition for finishing the cabinet on top, which we buy in wenge color. The width of the extension is 10 cm. To attach the hangers, we purchase two round metal holders. We check again: the distance between the shelves is 40 cm, we fix the small corners 5 cm from the edge of the board. We place large corners immediately below them, so that later we can attach the end guide to the floor and wall (it will have to withstand a large load);
- We fix two large corners in width, and 4 in height. For this stage of work, we will take care of purchasing a level;
- We recommend using a long level. To install the end guide without any problems, you need to tighten the corners on the floor in advance. Don’t forget to measure the distance on the wall with a level. Then we proceed to installation;
- We initially planned to create a dressing room, although the box is made of plasterboard. Previously, aluminum guides were passed inside, which are attached using corners;
- We adjust the length of the aluminum guide using a hacksaw. On the right side of the wardrobe there is a rolling door that can slide to the side, and on the left there is a large shelf 60-2.70. Internal shelves are attached to the latter;
- Let us repeat that the top is trimmed with an additional 10 cm of wenge color;
- Inside the wardrobe, but on the left side, there is space at the bottom for boots and other shoes. There are also a lot of shelves installed here and a power outlet. We left room for titanium. Even further to the left is a niche with a depth of 25.5 cm. During installation, we used shelves 30 cm long so that more boxes could fit here;
Wardrobe type
Arranging a dressing room is an important point; it is worth considering the installation location, and based on this, choose the type of model.
Angular
An excellent option if you have a free corner in the room. A corner cabinet is more practical than a straight one. It can accommodate: shelves, drawers, rods.
Zoning corner cabinet carried out in different ways. Finish the corner with plasterboard and make doors, hinged or sliding. It is possible to fence off a corner with doors, like a coupe
Linear
Linear - similar to a large wardrobe. Mounted along a wall where there are no window or door openings. It is fenced off from the room in several ways:
- plasterboard wall with sliding doors;
- sliding doors on the entire wall;
- cornice on the ceiling with a curtain.
A linear model with open shelving, looks great in a loft style room. The main thing is to successfully select the material and color scheme of the cabinet to match the overall interior.
U-shaped
U-shaped - ideal for a long room. On one side there is a bed, on the other there is a dressing room. It can be in the form of closets or as a full room.
Having fenced off the space, you should think about the lighting, divide it into 4 zones: for outerwear, shoes, short items and for trying on
Parallel
Designers advise using this type in wide, long corridors. Consists of two cabinets facing each other.
A parallel dressing room can be closed, in the form of cabinets, or open, with racks and shelves
Wardrobe dimensions
The dimensions of the dressing room are determined taking into account its location and use. Ideally, it should have space for storing clothes and an area for changing clothes.
The optimal size is calculated individually, it is necessary to take into account:
- size, location, shape of the room;
- presence of a niche;
- location of windows and doors.
Measurements must be taken accurately so that no difficulties arise during the installation process.
The width varies and is calculated as follows:
- if the cabinet is on one wall, the width is its depth, plus the width of the doors;
- if there are no doors, but there are drawers, the width is two depths;
- when two cabinets are located opposite each other, the width is two cabinet depths, plus two door widths and a passage.
A prerequisite for size is that the doors must open freely and not interfere with unhindered entry into the room. If the dressing room is narrow, you should not make large cabinets
Ventilation and lighting for the dressing room
In the dressing room, ventilation is required, as odors will appear in a closed space. It should be planned in advance. There are two types:
- Natural - air comes in from below and comes out from above. To arrange ventilation, it is necessary to make holes in the closet, at the bottom and at the top, for air movement. This method does not always give full results.
- Forced - means installing a fan in the hole. It's better to put forced exhaust- will provide a suitable atmosphere for storing things.
The exhaust hole is made on the opposite side from the inlet. It’s great if the exhaust vent goes into the ventilation
The dimensions of the holes must be determined in accordance with the area of the dressing room.
A wardrobe is not a closet, but a room with shelves and drawers. To quickly find the right thing, good lighting is necessary. Better, multi-zone:
- on the ceiling - general lighting;
- for illumination of shelves - additional rotating lamps.
The ideal solution is to install a motion detector to turn on the lighting. It's economical and convenient. And the lighting of the shelves looks beautiful and stylish
Doors for dressing room
When making a wardrobe with your own hands, it is important to choose the right doors. The comfort and ease of use of the room depends on a well-chosen model. Common types are:
- Swing doors are practical, but require space. Protect from getting in sun rays, dust, with a high degree of sound insulation. They are the most affordable in terms of cost.
- Accordion doors are compact and fold like a screen. The structure is fragile and consists of many slats.
- Compartments are popular, the movement of the doors is carried out along the cabinet, no additional space is required.
- Roto door is a non-standard solution. Suitable for loft and hi-tech style. The door is installed on special mechanism, it allows it to rotate around its axis and open in any direction. Free space is required for installation.
- Pencil case - the doors are hidden in the wall, no extra space is required. Convenient for small apartments. But the installation of such a structure is complex; without experience, it is difficult to do it yourself.
Accordion doors look beautiful. They transform the room, adding some zest to the interior
The material for making doors is different:
- Wood - looks aesthetically pleasing and is environmentally friendly pure material. But a wooden door is heavy and expensive.
- Glass or mirror are popular today. Doors decorated with stained glass will decorate the room and make it larger.
- Plastic is light and cheap. Plastic doors less durable and not as beautiful.
To make the door to the dressing room look stylish, it should be decorated with inserts of mirrors with a sandblasted pattern or elements of relief glass.
The door looks original and unusual, giving the apartment a modern, fashionable look. But for classic style doesn't fit
Arrangement: filling and storage systems
For the practical use of a dressing room, you should properly arrange it and select acceptable options for storage systems. You should not come up with complex, intricate designs.
Clothes placement system
Exist different designs for storing things, the main ones include.
| Storage systems | Hull | Modular design, consists of sections with walls: side, bottom, top. It is located close to the wall and fixed into a single complex. Made from chipboard. |
| Frame | A model made of metal racks attached to walls, floors and ceilings. The following are installed on it: rods, hooks, holders. Installation is simple, it is possible to move elements and good ventilation of things. | |
| Panel complex | This decorative panels fixed to the wall, modular storage elements are attached to them. The system has no divisions on the sides; there is no floor or ceiling. The cost of the complex is not cheap. | |
| Mesh | The model is universal. A horizontal rail screwed to the wall onto which the slats are mounted. Brackets, shelves, and hangers are installed on them. |
There are attachments for skirts, trousers and tie hangers, and clips on them allow you to secure the item. Very convenient if the hanger extends
Shoe storage system
There is always a lot of shoes in the house, it is important to organize a system for storing them, compact and convenient. The ideal solution is to place shoes on shelves or in special cabinets. It’s good if there is a compartment of the appropriate size for each type of shoe. And when using pull-out shelves, space is saved.
If space allows, it is worth equipping a full-fledged built-in shoe storage system. It has special shoe sections - convenient to use, shoes do not gather dust. Shoe racks are available in different sizes and have various ways installation, so it’s easy to match any dressing room.
An original design for shoes - it looks like pins with modules on a retractable frame. Compact and convenient system
Shelving
Rack - a structure consisting of racks and attached open shelves. Usually it is metal. Access to things stored on racks is free. Their main advantage is modularity. They vary in size and number of shelves.
Where to make a dressing room
Not every apartment has room for a full-fledged dressing room; you have to arrange it in the most suitable premises.
Dressing room in the hallway
It’s convenient to make a dressing room in the hallway; you don’t have to clutter the room with large wardrobes. A dressing room in the hallway involves storing outerwear, but if the space allows, you can arrange storage for all things. A good option is a built-in wardrobe, finished to match the walls of the hallway itself. A mirror is a must-have detail; you can’t do without it in the hallway.
You can do:
- Closed - a large wardrobe, often with compartment-type doors.
- Open - racks, shelves, hooks for clothes. The option requires maintaining order, since all things are in sight, but takes up less space.
- Combined - consists of closed cabinets and open shelves. Convenient, things that are not used often are put away in a closed part.
The dressing room in the hallway should be installed along big wall. If the area is small, ideally - corner, from floor to ceiling
Arrangement of a dressing room in the bedroom
The bedroom is the room most suitable for a wardrobe. The models are different - with a large area, it is possible to make an entire dressing room. If the bedroom does not allow it, then it is better to use:
- open shelves and mobile hangers, decorated with decorative drawers;
- small built-in wardrobe made of plasterboard;
- partitions made of mirror or glass, which will visually enlarge the room.
A dressing room in the bedroom separated by a screen or curtain on a curtain looks good. This storage system is convenient in a small room
Design of a dressing room from a pantry
Making a dressing room in a pantry - good decision, especially for small apartments. It’s simple to do - you need to remove everything unnecessary, decorate it in a light color scheme (this will increase the space), replace the doors (preferably a compartment type) and fill it with: racks, racks, shelves.
Since the closets are small, you should equip them with mirrors, thereby making more space.
Dressing room in Khrushchev instead of a storage room
Khrushchevka is a small apartment with a standard layout. The only advantage is the presence of a storage room; it can be easily converted into a dressing room yourself. Depending on the size, you can make it into:
- built-in wardrobe - the niche already exists, all that remains is to install doors and install shelves and hangers;
- equip it with a full-fledged system for storing things - dividing it into zones and filling it with functional systems.
It is important to think about the arrangement of furniture and shelving. For rational use, space should be used from ceiling to floor
In the attic
The advantage of an attic dressing room is saving living space, the ability to collect things in one room, making them easy to find. In such a room there is room for all types of clothes and a fitting room.
The layout should be done based on the shape of the attic. If the attic is on a slope, then the dressing room should be located along the lowest or high wall. Rational use of the attic is achieved with a corner dressing room.
Attic dressing room - perfect solution, trying on in front of a mirror, choosing the right set of clothes in comfortable conditions
It is possible to organize convenient storage for things almost anywhere. It’s not difficult to make your own dressing room by separating part of the room with doors, chipboard leaves, and drywall. But this method, not acceptable in standard apartments, but in them there are often niches - an almost ready-made dressing room, the main thing is to arrange it correctly.
It’s easier for the owner of private houses, if space allows, you can give a whole room for a dressing room, especially suitable attic room. Experts recommend zoning the space.
The advantage of a do-it-yourself dressing room is the opportunity to design it for yourself, providing for the zones and elements that will be needed. In addition, the opportunity to show your design skills and create a one-of-a-kind dressing room.
Video
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-in bookstores 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: they are stored in stylized safes and hiding places. securities, expensive jewelry, important correspondence and documentation. 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. Can i home handyman try to create and arrange it with your 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 objects 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 the inner surface of the mirror | 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
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
Look various options dressing room finishing:
DIY shelves and doors
Doors
- You can choose any doors, but the best option would be to use 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, and 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. For this you can use small drawers.
- It is better to store bags on hooks or separate shelves.
- It is very convenient to use the 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. A dressing room is a completely realizable and affordable dream.
Video on how to make a dressing room with your own hands:
Preparing for work
- Wood glue.
- Screws.
- Sanding paper.
- Double-sided tape.
- Drill.
- Screwdriver or screwdriver.
Marking and cutting MDF
First we cut out the 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
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,
- The width at the ends is 170 mm.
Scheme of our secretary
Varnishing MDF parts
Assembling the secretary
The restoration of the secretary from 1830-1850 has been completed
Friends, we are pleased to announce that we have completely completed the restoration of an antique secretary, which was made between 1830 and 1850. It is known that starting from 1850 this secretary belonged to one of the Empress's ladies-in-waiting. In general, the history of his travels is unknown to us. He was transported to Moscow from St. Petersburg, where he suffered greatly from one of the floods.
So - a restored secretary from the mid-19th century:
Conditions AFTER restoration.
Condition before restoration:
A detailed article about the damage is posted here. An article about the restoration process is here.
Let us now list the difficulties that we had to face. And there were difficulties here on every centimeter:
Numerous and varied damage to veneer. In some places there are very large swellings and detachments of huge fragments.
State BEFORE
After restoration:
The secretary's central fragment of the top was broken off long ago and lost. One old photograph survived, from which we recreated the lost element.
The pommel was entirely hand carved from solid anegri.
And here is a short video about how the production took place.
Almost every corner of the product had numerous chips. Many panels were missing.
The secretarial doors were covered with mammoth bone linings. Only 2 survived. We ordered the production of the missing ones. The handles on the pull-out cabinets had a similar story - of all the handles, only 2 survived and the rest were also made of bone.
PAINTWORK:
The old coating on the secretary was almost all erased, and where it remained, it was covered with layers of dust, grease and dirt. We completely washed all surfaces and removed dust and dirt layers. After removing all the damage and thoroughly sanding and polishing, we first coated all the elements with stain, and then all the internal cabinets and drawers were coated with shellac (about 50 layers). The outside of the secretary is covered with oil and wax.
Interestingly, in the photo you can see the secret compartment of the secretary:
a special section (it now stands on the left) in the form of an open shelf is fixed with a lock. If you remove it, there are 3 retractable drawers inside.
How to make furniture with secrets and hiding places
Each has a soft leather handle, as it fits tightly to the wall of the shelf lid.
We are glad that the owner of the secretary spoke very flatteringly about our work. All final photographs were taken at his home and there were no complaints about the restored family heirloom. Thank him very much for the opportunity to take these pictures. The restoration of the antique secretary is completely completed.
Our workshop is open to accept new orders. You can use the quick contact form under this news right now and send us photos of your antique furniture. We will promptly answer you about the cost of restoration.
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Restoration workshop of Viktor Morozov.
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Furniture restoration. Repair of antique, antique and old furniture in Moscow.
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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 open door served as a table for writing love letters, and pearls and diamonds glimmered in the locked hiding places. 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 can 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 top and back covers made of 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 out the 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 lid 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.
A secretary is an excellent workspace for small apartments
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.
Varnishing MDF parts
Assembling the secretary
Now let’s get down to the main task of how to make a secretary with your own hands:
As a result of our efforts, an original mobile product appeared in the house, which will eliminate the problem of lost papers, pens, paper clips and other small things necessary in everyday life.
Today, secretaries are made with a touch of antiquity, using dark wood and various decor.
This furniture is ideal for classic interiors, Art Nouveau style and many other established styles, but not for modern ones.
Buying a beautiful, comfortable and modern secretary will not be difficult if you turn to the wide range of luxury Chinese furniture from the Meb-Elite company. The Meb-Elite store has been supplying high-quality, beautiful, reliable and practical furniture to residents of Moscow and Russia for a long time.
Choose a secretary for a classic interior; you will need to change your approach and choose more laconic forms, where there is no room for flashy decoration. Such modern secretaries were previously made exclusively from solid wood, but today this furniture can be made from MDF, modernized chipboard with veneer finishing.
In most cases, antique secretaries have impressive dimensions, are made from expensive wood, have rich dark colors and carved decorations. Such aristocratic, solid and chic furniture will fit perfectly into a classic interior.
Art Deco secretaries have elegant shapes and are often made in white or black colors. Desk cabinets country music often has simple form, unfinished and with some wear on the body. As for modern interiors, here the secretary is assigned the role of a component of a furniture set, one of the wall segments.
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Similar built-in workplace will not require much space, also remaining an element of the headset.
It is often customary to place universal secretaries within the living room. This compact workspace allows you to easily place a laptop, lamp, various papers and books. Upon completion of the work, the described accessories are removed, the lid is closed, after which the secretary becomes like a traditional cabinet.
However, no matter how high the convenience and spaciousness of the secretary, such furniture is not created for long-term activities. It’s not possible to install a full-fledged personal computer, and sitting with your feet resting on the drawers is also not always comfortable. However, a secretary is quite capable of becoming an alternative to a home office. The most important thing is to choose the right place for such furniture so that it is appropriate and functional.
Furniture is an integral part of the interior, so when creating the decoration of a children's room, you should pay attention to this aspect. Furniture maintained in the same style not only speaks about the aesthetic taste of the owner, but also helps to create a pleasant atmosphere of comfort and warmth.
When furnishing a room, remember that pieces of furniture should not occupy more than 50% of the area. In general, a children's room should have less furniture than a living room or hall.
Do not place too much furniture, otherwise the child will have little room to move. Also when large quantities Furniture accumulates dust faster, which requires considerable time for cleaning. When planning, you need to leave space for passages.
Furniture must first of all be aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. Convenience means a location that creates favorable conditions for work and household chores. Aesthetics is expressed in the fact that the furniture should be in harmony with wallpaper, lamps, carpets, etc.
When buying furniture, you should pay attention to its style. Furniture can be of various shapes and made in any style. Nowadays, some people prefer to make custom-made furniture. This is a rather expensive way to create an interior and is available only to wealthy people. However, in this case the costs are completely justified: the room takes on a unique look.
If we take into account the functional characteristics, then all pieces of furniture can be divided into three groups.
1. Furniture that serves to store things. These are primarily bookcases and wardrobes, sideboards, bureaus, secretaries, cabinets, etc.
2. Furniture intended for relaxation. This group includes beds, sofas, couches, stools, and chairs.
3. Pieces of furniture with a working plane, such as tables, dressing tables, etc.
Furniture is divided into upholstered, cabinet and lattice. Upholstered furniture includes items intended for relaxation: sofas, beds, etc.
Cabinet furniture includes items used for storing things: cabinets, sideboards, secretaries.
Lattice furniture includes chairs and tables.
According to the manufacturing method, furniture is divided into non-dismountable and collapsible. Separate place occupied by built-in furniture.
Non-demountable pieces of furniture are used separately or in composition. The design of such objects is indivisible (Fig. 40).
Rice. 40. Non-dismountable furniture
Collapsible items are included in the sets, but they can also be used separately. They are easy to transport and create compositions at your own discretion.
Collapsible structures include sectional and shelving furniture. Sectional furniture consists of individual multifunctional items (Fig. 41). The only drawback of such furniture is that it looks bulky.
Rice. 41. Sectional furniture
Shelving furniture is a structure made up of many shelves, sections and cells (Fig. 42). It houses not only various Appliances, but also decorative items interior: vases, lamps, artificial flowers.
Rice. 42. Shelving furniture
Built-in furniture (Fig. 43) is convenient to use in small apartments, as it takes up little space. Furniture of this kind is often used in children's rooms. During the daytime, sufficient space is created for children to play. Built-in furniture is installed in special construction niches, the arrangement of which should be taken care of in advance.
Rice. 43. Built-in furniture
If the child is still small, then at first he is in the parents’ bedroom. In such a room there is a bed or two beds if there is enough space, a trellis, a pouf or a small chair. Sometimes the size of the room allows you to install armchairs or chairs.
Most often stored in the bedroom various items. Therefore, the room should be equipped with bookcases, wardrobes for linen and clothes, and bedside tables for audio equipment. You cannot place audio equipment on window sills, because this part of the apartment is usually damp, which contributes to the appearance of an electric field.
If there are two beds in the room, then the distance between them should be at least 60 cm.
Assembling components and parts into products, finishing furniture
A workspace for needlework, a sewing machine or a computer is arranged in the room.
If the room is long enough, it is divided into two parts: for rest and work, or a crib is placed instead of a work table.
Ventilation of the bedroom is mandatory, especially if there is always a small child in the bedroom. The room contains everything necessary for the child. For these purposes, you can arrange a separate children's corner.
The children's corner is located in a well-lit place, near the window, but not under the window itself. It is better to place the crib against the inner wall. If the room is large, the crib can be placed at the end of the parents' bed. If the child is an infant, you should also provide a changing table, near which you can hang a shelf with baby cosmetics.
Comfortable children's furniture is furniture made from natural wood. The design should be well thought out and not have sharp corners or edges. Small children spend a lot of time on the floor, so it is better to lay a soft, warm carpet on the floor. Linoleum coating will keep the floor clean at all times.
All items of children's furniture can be made with your own hands. If the child is already quite old, then he needs a separate room. In order to increase the space for games during the day, you can install in the room bunk bed(Fig. 44).
Rice. 44. Children's bunk bed
The material for making the bed is wooden posts with a section of 40 x 45 cm and boards with a section of 2 x 13 cm. For side and top railings, boards with a section of 2 x 11 cm are used.
Space in a children's room can be saved with the help of a folding or movable bed built into the wall. For a spring shock absorber, take two pipes, one of which must fit freely into the other, and a spring. A pipe with a larger diameter is attached to the wall using a bracket, and a pipe with a smaller diameter is attached to the bed using an angle. The spring should be of such a size that when the bed is lowered, the smaller diameter pipe will clamp it.
A cabinet-secretary for a children's room will also allow you to significantly increase the space (Fig. 45). Lamps are mounted behind the blank side of the secretary, and two pull-out stools are placed in the lower part.
Rice. 45. Cabinet-secretary for a children's room: 1 – shelves for books, 2 – lamp, 3 – folding cover of the secretary, 4 – back wall, 5 – hinge holder, 6 – hinge, 7 – pull-out stool
You can use any materials to decorate children's furniture. The main thing is that the furniture is pleasing to the eye and easy to clean from dirt.
In a schoolchild's room, a work table the length of the entire wall (Fig. 46) can serve not only for performing homework, but also become beautiful element decor. On the right side the width of the table is greater, which allows the child to take correct position while doing homework.
Rice. 46. Desk for a schoolchild: 1 – table cover, 2 – front side of the cover, 3 – metal stand with tubes and brackets, 4 – volumetric radiator shield, 5 – rear side of the cover
A hanging shelf for a children's room is also quite easy to make yourself. The convenience of such shelves is that they can easily be moved to another place (Fig. 47).
Rice. 47. Hanging shelf for a children's room
The shelves are attached to the wall on sheet steel profiles. In order to embed a profile into the wall, it is necessary to punch holes in the wall with a diameter of 2 cm every 30 cm. The depth of the hole is measured and wood plugs are made according to the size. A little gypsum mortar is placed in the hole and a plug is inserted, and excess gypsum is removed. The profiles are applied to the wall within a day. Holes up to 4 cm deep are drilled into the plugs and screws up to 6 cm long are screwed in. The shelf itself is made of plywood 2 cm thick.
Many people incorrectly believe that functional furniture appeared quite recently, when it was time to furnish not luxury apartments, but compact apartments. Meanwhile, history takes us several centuries into the past to tell us about the appearance of one of the most fascinating and multifunctional types of furniture - the secretary. Indeed, nowadays the secretary is as popular as it was in the 18th century, when it first appeared. Now, together with the Dream House website, we will plunge into the world of retro furnishings and learn a little more about this furniture.
Furniture secretary photo
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 own countless drawers they kept both love messages and municipal secrets. Thus, the secretary cabinet could easily be replaced immediately and desk, and a safe, and a closet.
Modern models have been slightly modified, but, as before, they are a cabinet with drawers and folding shelf, which acts as a working surface. A huge number of drawers allow you to keep all your writing utensils at hand, but at the same time, in impeccable order. And secret locks and reliable locking systems protect important papers from prying eyes.
What is a secretary
Snow-white secretary photo
Modern secretary - desk
At first considered ladies' furniture, the secretary quickly fell in love with the male half of the world's population, becoming a workplace for kings and rulers. 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 later, doctors liked this multifunctional furniture, allowing them to store doctor’s instruments and medications in order.
Currently, written secretaries decorate modern interiors, combining work area and a spacious closet.
Do-it-yourself secretary - a useful design for organizing your workplace
The aristocratic look of furniture with a retro touch fits perfectly into both traditional and modern interior styles. The main thing is to choose the right shape, color and finish of the secretary.
Secretary with folding desk for computer
Secretary in the interior photo
Secretary in the interior: implementation capabilities
At the moment, secretaries in most cases are made “antique”: from dark wood, with carved decor. This type of furniture is perfect for traditional style interior, also in the Art Nouveau, Baroque and Rococo styles, but will absolutely not fit into modern styles. When choosing furniture for such an interior, it is necessary to change the approach and look for more laconic forms with the absence of conspicuous finishing. Such modern secretaries are also found in small quantities on the furniture market. And if previously they were made only 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.
A wonderful secretary in the interior
Secretary - ancient furniture
Ancient secretaries are usually huge in size, they are made of expensive wood, have a rich black color (brown, burgundy) and are decorated with carvings. Such aristocratic furniture, which emanates solidity and chic, is perfect for traditional interiors.
Ancient secretary photo
Old secretary in the interior
Secretaries in the Art Deco style have stylish shapes and in most cases are made in black or snow-white. And writing cabinets in country style are usually of ordinary shape, without decoration, and from time to time have scuffs on the body.
Secretary in the interior
IN modern interiors The secretary is sometimes part of a furniture set and represents one of the “wall” sections. This seems to be a built-in workplace that does not take up much space and, at the same time, is part of the headset.
Modern secretary photo
Where can I put a secretary?
This universal look furniture is mainly located in the living room. Representing a small-sized workplace, it easily places a laptop on its own surface, table lamp and there is still room for various folders and books. After work, all these accessories are put away and the lid is locked, turning the secretary into an ordinary closet or chest of drawers.
Secretary-desk photo
Modern secretaries in the interior
Snow-white secretary-chest of drawers
But no matter how comfortable and capacious the secretary is, it is not intended for long-term use. You can’t put a desktop computer on it, and it’s not very comfortable for your feet to constantly rest against the drawers. But as a candidate for a home mini-office, it is amazing.
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 small-sized workplace, where it does not interfere and does not take up unnecessary space. square meters. A corner secretary-chest of drawers fits this description perfectly, as it allows you to store different things in a large number of drawers, and when the lid is open, it plays the role of a desk.
Snow-white secretary for a children's room
Secretary desk photo
Where to put the secretary
A small-sized workplace is needed not only by adults, but also by children. From time to time, a secretary cabinet for a schoolchild is placed in the nursery, in in this case it replaces a desk and houses portable computer equipment and other study supplies. May be, the best option will 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 advisers.
Secretary-chest of drawers photo
Cabinet-secretary photo
Wooden secretary with carving
The secretary and the bureau are two siblings
Often, together with the secretary, they also look for the bureau. Both types of furniture represent a small-sized workplace, only a secretary is basically a cabinet with a retractable or hinged lid, and a bureau is a type of table with an add-on. The latter stands stably on 4 legs and has small dimensions that fit perfectly into 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.
Wooden secretary with carving
Wood secretary photo
Ancient secretary with carvings photo
Secretary-bureau photo
Both the secretary and the bureau are a type of functional furniture, but the first one makes more features, but the 2nd one is smaller. 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.
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Secretary, cabinet and other wooden furniture are most often presented in wood color (walnut, cherry, beech, wenge...). But this doesn’t always happen. When is the furniture in progress? finishing acquires a color that hides the wood pattern, then many people have the question: “Why hide the wood under paint?” Probably a fair question. By the way, this same question can often be heard from master craftsmen.
What's the point, really?
Look at this photo report on the construction of a secretary and a cabinet made of wood. These items were planned for the living space of one of the country houses in the Moscow region. Try to get into the content of the project and most likely you will find some interesting points for yourself, and maybe an answer to the question posed.
Work in the workshops began, as usual, with the preparation of workpieces. First, we prepared the blanks for the cabinet. We sawed plywood and maple boards. At the stage of preparation of blanks, it is extremely important to maintain the correct geometry and dimensions of future parts. At all corners of the workpieces an angle of 90 degrees must be maintained, and the error linear dimensions should be no more than one third of a millimeter. And only with this approach will the product be assembled in the end.