Closets: Understanding the concept, types & features

This is a revolutionary time in our country where the demand for factory-built closets, cupboards, almirahs, laminate and plywood wardrobes, walk-in closets, aluminum profiles, drawers, doors, shutters, etc. are on the rise. While there is a great deal of resistance from the traditional professionals and contractors. Let me take you’ll back the to late ‘90s and early 2000 when modular kitchens were rebuked and shouted out, today we have 95% of people only asking for it.

If you look around almost all international brands from Europe are here in multi-city showrooms and a huge number of local manufacturers working to make it a success and convenient to end-users. It’s also a natural shift due to artisan shortage, availability, spiraling labour costs, and pressure on timelines, time is money!

 

 

What is a closet?

 

How do we define a closet? Is it a closed area or a structure meant for storing things, especially clothes? When it comes to keeping things, should we say a combination of beauty and function?

Whatever name we use to describe a closet, all definitions agree on one thing: it helps you tidy and organizes your belongings.

A walk-in closet is an architectural marvel with a variety of storage options that will leave you wanting more. The large storage area is frequently referred to as a room within a room. The closet might be as small as a few square feet or as large as a room, with windows to keep the temperature consistent. The closet remains tailored to the user’s specific requirements.

 

Also see: Wardrobes: How to customize by picking the right elements?

 

What is the difference between a closet, wardrobe, and a cupboard?

 

A closet is often built into the wall of the room instead of being a free-standing piece of furniture.

A wardrobe, on the other hand, is usually put in a bedroom as a free-standing furniture item to store clothes.

Moreover, a cupboard is generally found in kitchens to store tools, utensils, and other items such as plates, porcelain, etc.

 

What does the client look for in a closet?

 

machine-finished, glass and aluminium wardrobe design
Glass, aluminium, and plywood wardrobe design

 

The client looks for machine finished, efficient handling, contemporary looks, and finishes. The right balance of proportions and sizing that brands offer is the demand. Upon opening the door one wants the feel, organized storage, and comfort of operation.

Therefore the shift towards factory-made contemporary designs is happening. The discerning clients who travel and experience the comfort of well-organized closets to wear and the store are on the rise.

The world is now one large country, people are traveling to different time zones and seasons. One has to be ready with all types of clothing year-round. Given this situation, organized storage is required within the closets, and ease of retrieval comes on top. The extent of organizing is wide and many companies specialize in assisting with great ideas which attract the end-user.

Customization is a major attraction when it comes to local manufacture, which is a well-accepted norm in our conditions. People come looking for solutions and our job is to give them the needed help within reason of the asking and the suitability of the hardware being used.

It is in the bespoke category when customization is asked. The skill here is to design and manufacture and install flawlessly as opposed to creating a site by carpenters.

Input product companies like the surface material innovators aren’t lagging behind either. They are bringing out newer finishes and methods to apply. Hardware and accessorizing options are racing too. Also, closets are not limited to just storage cupboards. So, designing them requires well thought and planning for designers. That’s where focused people like me come in.

 

Also see: The art of classical interior design (incl. wardrobe door designs)

 

Caution to observe …

 

The challenge,  when one opts for a factory-made product, the civil work at the site has to be to the T. Geometry hits you hard, and handling the same subsequently is very difficult. So, good site supervision can lick this problem. Timelines will be controlled and favorable. The end product is superior in the finish, feel and longevity isn’t compromised.

All factory-made closets whether free-standing or walk-in are placed and we don’t anchor them to the wall. So, when the same is placed, the sides if in a niche, the top will have a clearance margin. This is a matter of detailing, you can address it. Or a groove too can be shown, there are solutions.

Also, with sliding systems, for the top hung mechanism, one has to leave a service gap of 60mm plus above it and the bottom guide requires space.  You can fix a filler behind the slider to avoid dust accumulation.

Basically, when a carpenter builds a closet on-site the errors of the civil work get hidden, camouflaged and on spot, decisions are made. So, once fixed, the carpentered closets can be only broken and taken out and have zero salvage value.

The raw material needs a sense of confidence that the product has quality. This is just a myth, manufacturers will specify everything and put it on paper and use the same and also offer a warranty with service for a period, 7 to 10yrs.

But, to fuse and merge a factory-made closet with the rest of the furniture, wall paneling, beds, study, and dresser requires a keen eye and prior understanding, that’s where our role comes in. All it requires is a discussion prior to closing the job.

 

Also see: 9 trendy sliding wardrobe door designs for all decor schemes

 

Types of Wardrobe

 

minimalistic wardrobe for homes with a walk-in feel with internal aluminium profile
Soft-closing hinges, openable doors, minimalistic wardrobe design

 

1.Openable doors with soft-closing hinges

2.Sliding, with two-three and four doors

3.Walk-in concepts

4.Full glass in aluminum profiles on hinges

5.L shaped wardrobes with a corner

 

Also see: Are walk-in wardrobes really worth it?

 

Basic Construction of the closets

 

When one opts for 4 options out of 5, the structure of the wardrobe is plywood of requisite thickness, 18 mm or 25mm duly finished with a laminate of your choice on both sides and edge band on the sides. Levelers too ensure it remains placed at the water level. Also, all partitions, shelves too will have one of the two thicknesses fixed with hardware, one can remove it and move it up or down.

The back panel is 6/8mm ply. Also, the wardrobe drawer will have under-mounted rail soft-closing, bottom, back and sides, and front in plywood. The 5th option is all sides glass closets with structural side profile Tetrix and Glix doors and glass back panel.

 

Organizing, Internal Accessories, and other features

 

  • LED lights, with and without sensor
  • Digital locking
  • Hanging rods
  • Pull down hanging, manual and motorized
  • Trouser pull-out
  • Top-mounted hanger
  • Side-mounted tie rack
  • Drawer storage box (inserts)
  • Metal box Drawer
  • PVC Rattan Baskets Drawer
  • Tray and rack pull-outs
  • Belt hangers/rack
  • Mirror slide out
  • Shoe rack pull-out
  • Rotating shoe rack
  • Side storage pull-out racks
  • Safety locker
  • Slide-out mirror
  • Valet rods
  • Anti-skid mats

 

Special features

 

  1. Preventing mildew, fungus, mould, moisture, odour on your clothes, and any stored items by installing dehumidifiers. Low on electric consumption and maintenance-free with no noise.
  2. Air Purifier is an ionizing process combined with air freshener.

 

Openable doors with soft-closing hinges for closet

 

openable doors wardrobes with slim profile
Smooth openable doors with soft-close hinges wardrobes

 

The core material of the wardrobe will be plywood and the surface of one’s choice, such as laminate, acrylic, veneer with high gloss, veneer with matt finish, ceramic, lacquer in high gloss, matt. They will be lockable.

Aluminum profile with glass, back painted, tinted, rimless, or with edge duly anodized in a standard range. Moreover, the aluminum profile is duly anodized in a few options doors with glass.

 

Heights- up to 2700mm

Depth – 600mm

Width 450-600mm

Hinges – Clip Top soft closing

 

Sliding wardrobe with two, three, and four doors/Inline doors (Coplanar system)

 

sliding door wardrobes with aluminum profile
Wardrobes with sliding doors for space-efficiency.

 

Sliding doors of plywood wardrobe, the surface can be laminate, acrylic, veneer with high gloss, veneer with matt finish, ceramic, lacquer in high gloss, matt.

Moreover, sliding on aluminum profile, the surface can be laminate, acrylic, veneer with high gloss, veneer with matt finish, ceramic, lacquer in high gloss, matt.

 

Heights – up to 2700mm

Depth – 600mm

Width – depends on the number of doors and the sliding system selected.

Hardware – we use only European sliders

 

Walk-in closet concepts

 

walk-in closets for big spaces with aluminum profile
Glass and aluminum profile walk-in closets.

 

Walk-in closet concepts work on broadly three options, a full carcass of wardrobe in plywood and movable shelves, drawers, hanging rods.

Moreover, walk-in closet with aluminum profile and structures (Tetrix Structural side profile) by few brands and you build your configuration of shelves, drawers, hanging, shoe racks, open baskets. The structure uses floor, wall, or ceiling fixtures.

Also, walk-in closet concepts (Boiserie ) with back panel fixed on a wall with a profile which has slots to hang shelves, units, hanging rods, and make organized storage.

 

Height – up to 2700mm

Depth – since it opens the shelves can be 450 to 550mm

 

Full glass in aluminum profiles for closet

 

glass and aluminium wardrobe profiles
Wardrobe profiles- glass and aluminium

 

Glass closets with structural side profile Tetrix and Glix doors and glass back panel. Also, glass on all four sides or three depending on where you place them. Many a time they serve as room dividers.

It comes with accessories, a hanging rod, glass shelves, a shoe rack, a set of drawers, trouser holders, raster module.

 

Height – 2649mm max

Depth – 578mm

Width – 468/660/960mm modules

Hinges – Soft closing

 

L shaped closets with a corner

 

L-shaped wardrobes for space-efficient furniture with a walk-in feel
Utilize corners with L-shaped wardrobes.

 

When you need to utilize a corner, you can do the hinged door, hinged combined with sliding. Also, all other features will be as per the above-described options except the full glass closets. Long hanging or just two levels of hanging or even to park a trolley bag in the corner. So, a lot can happen in the corner, it’s sheer space.

 

Where to buy? (Click on the “Buy Here” button)

 

You can either purchase closet hardware and material separately. A fabricator will; thereafter, assemble the fittings together and design a bespoke wardrobe. Or, you can purchase designer wardrobes from some premium brands.

 

Sliding Plisse by Novamobili

sliding store furniture types- walk, in, hinged, sliding
L-shaped sliding storage furniture
B U Y  H E R E

 

Gliss Master-Blade Closet by Molteni 

glass master blade moltini white storage furniture
Smooth and glossy white wardrobe
B U Y  H E R E

 

Tumidei Wardrobe

storage furniture with TV unit
Storage furniture with TV unit
B U Y  H E R E

 

Core by Caccaro 

foldable doors of storage furniture
White storage furniture with foldable doors
B U Y  H E R E

 

Miria Smooth wardrobe by Garofoli

textured surface of storage furniture with a feel of a walk-in
Stylish textured storage furniture
B U Y  H E R E

 

Flou closet

Flou textured grey storage furniture
Sleek and stylish textured storage furniture
B U Y  H E R E

 

Okina closet by Form bar

Okina storage furniture with doors and shelves
Multiple-door storage furniture
B U Y  H E R E

 

Maxima closet by Laurameroni 

Walk-in closet storage space with aluminum profile
Luxurious walk-in closet
B U Y  H E R E

 

Tonelli Wardrobe by Shoji

sliding storage furniture with aluminum profile
Beautiful sliding wardrobe
B U Y  H E R E

 

Stars multi-shade storage furniture that gives the feel of a walk-in closet
Shades of brown
B U Y  H E R E

 

Nilkamal Aster 4 Door Wardrobe

nilkamal wardrobe in walk-in closet style design
Dual-tone wardrobe
B U Y  H E R E

 

Aristo Linea Novelty Display Units

aristo wardrobe in walk- in closet
Customizable display units with glass wardrobe doors and aluminium profile
B U Y  H E R E

 

Conclusion

With the above, we can additionally make beds, TV Units, dressers, chest of drawers, shoe storage units to maintain the language of wardrobe design, colour, door style, feel and finish & material such as plywood, wood, etc. We can also make bathroom vanities with them.

You can shorten the timeline and achieve a given targeted date. So, no more stress for the client, designers, or architects with a factory-made range of furniture. I am sure we are all moving in that direction, finally!

 

Wardrobes-Various types and Features - Balbir Singh

The author – Mr. Balbir Singh (www.balbirsingh.in) has over 20 years of experience in designing for multiple international brands in India. He is based out of Mumbai and can be reached at info@balbirsingh.in

 

If you want to buy top-quality wardrobes from the best brands, click on the link given below to check your options and submit your inquiries:
Complete Wardrobe Range

For more details, contact below:

  • Email: support@buildingandinteriors.com
  • WhatsApp: +91 9811057547 (Message only)

 

 

 

Ayushi Mishra

A writer for BuildingandInteriors, Ayushi curates long-form content for top brands. She also interviews leading industry professionals. Besides developing copies, she leads a team of writers who deliver unique content. When free, Ayushi occasionally slips into the world of literature.

Subscribe Our Newsletter

whatsapp
arrow Scroll to Top

Subscribe to our Newsletter