Wardrobes for the attic under the roof: a way to organize space

MesterulManole June 15, 2018Specialization: many years of experience in finishing works of residential and office premises, dachas, country cottages, etc. Hobby: cycling in all its forms

Setting up a living space in the attic is not difficult, the main thing is to choose the right furniture

Built-in wardrobes with sliding doors are a popular solution when arranging apartments. But what about arranging an attic in a country house or in a country house, where, due to the sloping ceiling, an ordinary wardrobe will not fit? It turns out that there are special designs for attics and you will learn about them from this article.

About the difficulties of furnishing an attic

It is not for nothing that the attic is considered the most unusual room, the highlight of the house. Whatever you plan to arrange in it - a bedroom, an office, a nursery or a library, the original outlines will make the room cozy and romantic. However, there are pitfalls along the way of arranging an attic. A typically small space with a tapering ceiling and sloping walls can cause a lot of trouble in the furnishing process.

Great difficulties arise when choosing a suitable cabinet - it is useless to look for a ready-made model on sale with parameters that match the shape of your attic. The problem is solved in different ways. Sometimes (if the room is large enough), inclined structural elements are covered with plasterboard and you get an ordinary room with the correct geometry. If the room is small, such an operation will turn it into a storage room for unnecessary things. If you like the complex geometry of space, you can go another, more rational route; Using built-in wardrobes will help preserve the uniqueness of the attic and benefit from it.

Non-standard option Source pinterest.nz

Features of designing cabinets for the attic

When designing a closet for an ordinary room, it is enough to know the dimensions of the room. Designing a cabinet for an attic with a sloping roof is complicated due to the characteristics of the attic space, the configuration of which may have the following features:

• Sloping ceilings (with varying heights) and walls with projections.
• Non-standard window placement.
• Protruding support and load-bearing beams.
• Non-standard attic geometry : turned corners and rounded areas.

The attic space needs and can be used functionally; Cabinets can be of great help in this regard. Properly designed furniture of high quality allows you to use the space with maximum benefit.

Stylish office in the attic Source pinterest.co.uk

When creating a project (regardless of what needs the attic is equipped for), do not forget about some important points:

• Attic accent . In most cases, the closet is the largest and therefore the central element of the decor; At the same time, both its appearance and functionality are important. The design of any design must take into account the needs of the owners, fit into the interior and save space.
• Lighting . Natural sunlight in the attic is part of its charm. Therefore, when choosing materials for a cabinet under an attic roof, you should give preference to light options that will not create the impression of a bulky object that absorbs precious meters.
• Disguise . If the wall has an unevenness (slope), the built-in structure will help hide it. The top line of the cabinet, repeating the slope of the ceiling, will emphasize the uniqueness of the attic space and create the impression of completeness of the decor.

Children's room in the attic Source pinterest.com

Door opening mechanisms

The door opening mechanism can be:

• swing , when the doors move frontally in relation to each other. To open such a structure, you need to pull the handles and take a step to the side. To do this, you need to leave free space in front of the cabinet;
• sliding , when the doors move along metal guides, creating a slightly audible noise;
• foldable _ Such doors are called accordion doors when several panels are connected to each other by hinges.

Pull-out cabinets could be an interesting option. They can only be installed in large and spacious rooms.

The structure moves along a guide system quietly and quickly. Things are always in sight and easy to find in the closet.

Sliding and hinged - the most popular options for attic wardrobes

Types of cabinet designs

The choice of location for the attic closet is influenced by the relative position of the windows and doors, the arrangement of other furniture and the overall design idea. The easiest way to determine a suitable position is by measuring, taking into account the selected cabinet design, which can be one of three types:

• Cabinet (frame). The shape of the cabinet exactly follows the geometry of the walls and ceiling slope. This piece of furniture has a back and side walls.
• Built-in (with false frame). Shelves are installed in the chosen location, which are then covered with a façade or left open, as you like.
• Dressing rooms . A current type of attic arrangement that allows you to comfortably place clothes and shoes. The dressing room can be the size of a spacious closet, or it can occupy a significant part of the attic space, becoming a separate room.

Built-in wardrobe with a mirror facade Source yandex.com
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in house design.

In order for the built-in wardrobe in the attic to serve its owners properly, special attention is paid to the proper arrangement of doors. Sloping ceilings, which give the room an elegant look, at the same time create problems not only when arranging, but also during the use of furniture, if this is not taken care of in advance. Cabinets intended for use in the attic are equipped with the following types of doors:

• standard swing ;
• folding (tram accordion doors);
• compartment door.

Furniture with hinged doors is considered unsuitable for an attic room. Such door facades can rarely open completely - in a certain place the moving door will rest against the slope of the ceiling. Another option is common when the ceiling does not interfere, but an open door will not allow you to use the area in front of the cabinet more efficiently. It is also not always possible to improve the situation by rearranging the furniture.

Symmetrical wardrobe Source pinterest.ca

See also: Catalog of projects of houses with an attic presented at the exhibition “Low-Rise Country”.

Considering such inconveniences, it seems right to choose models with folding or beveled swing doors, or a more common type - a sliding wardrobe. Popular solutions for attic cabinets under slopes are as follows:

• Wardrobe design . The standard design is equipped with rollers sliding along guides. The beveled design is equipped with an additional set of guides and rollers.
• Design of a hinged attic wardrobe . It differs from the usual one in the way the hinges are hung - they are secured so that the beveled sash opens freely.
• Combination _ Sometimes the design combines both options - a swing system and a straight wardrobe.

Energy efficiency is important for attic spaces

The temperature in the room should be comfortable for you and for proper storage of things.

You also need to take into account the fact that it is advisable to ventilate the room. Dormer windows cope well with these tasks.

Through the glass, not only a sufficient amount of light enters, but also heat, which dries the air, preventing the formation of mold.

You should also think about a window, at a minimum, and at a maximum about a design that allows you to ventilate the air well and effectively.

Beautiful furniture with an elegant facade against a wooden background looks especially elegant

When installing the roof, an experienced roofer will be able to advise you on the possibilities of adding such clearances.

They would also be appropriate on the ceiling, especially if wall mounting is not suitable for you.

Even a small window between the rafters can provide both better lighting and a more dramatic wardrobe look.

But it’s worth knowing when to stop, if you allow yourself a lot of windows, then you should take care of both cooling and heating systems, taking into account the climatic conditions of your latitudes.

Cabinet shape

For attics it is necessary to make structures of various shapes; the most popular include:

• Cabinet furniture . Common types: linear sliding wardrobes, radius (concave and convex), corner models (L-shaped), trapezoidal (symmetrical and asymmetrical). Such products are inferior to their built-in counterparts in terms of capacity and ease of use.
• Built in furniture . The popular ones include both a trapezoidal model (with two bevels in the upper part) and models with one bevel, or angular. The door leaves follow the shape of the structure - the side facades have bevels.

Built-in model Source pinterest.com

Recommendations for choosing a cabinet

Most specialized organizations involved in the manufacture of furniture recommend choosing built-in rather than cabinet models for the attic space. This advice is based on the significant advantages of such products:

• Cheaper . A built-in wardrobe is much more practical than bulky traditional furniture with a solid body. Making a full-fledged cabinet, the shape and dimensions of which must be adjusted to the profile of the ceiling, is a painstaking and time-consuming process, the results of which in the end will still be hidden from view.
• Ease of use . Thanks to well-thought-out shelving systems that serve as the basis for built-in furniture, the closet under the roof slope is stylish, comfortable to use and spacious. The cost of shelving shelves does not have a strong impact on the final price, being compensated by savings on the manufacture of the cabinet part.

Video description

About coplanar cabinet sliding systems in the following video:

• Variety . Often, owners give preference not to a wardrobe, but to open shelving sections. In this case, not metal systems, but laminated chipboards (laminated chipboards) can be used to make furniture.

There are also some disadvantages to using built-in wardrobes:

• Inability to move . Built-in furniture is designed to fit the dimensions of a specific opening in the attic; You won't be able to move it to another location.
• Increased assembly cost . The sliding wardrobe does not have a back wall and other planes, which makes it cheaper than its cabinet counterpart. However, installing a built-in structure takes five hours or more, while assembling a cabinet product takes an average of three to four hours.
• Attention to quality finishing . If you decide to install open shelving, you need to make sure that practical (non-staining and wear-resistant) materials are chosen for the finishing of the room.

Paneled facade Source eduinfoline.com

Design options for the men's area in the dressing room

When decorating a dressing room, men give preference to functionality. The space should be organized as conveniently as possible. Boxes, drawers, complex mechanisms, organizers that complicate the search are excluded. All things are located on open shelves.

The photo shows a men's dressing room, decorated in a loft style

A three-tier storage system provides the most convenient arrangement of clothes. Shoes are stored at the bottom, suits and jackets at the top, and shirts and trousers in the middle.

The photo shows a modern dressing room, designed in the spirit of minimalism

The interior of the room is distinguished by strict lines, black, white and gray shades. If there is free space, an armchair and desk can be installed in the dressing room. Men prefer to decorate their dressing room in a minimalist, loft, and hi-tech style.

Facades and their design

The filling of attic cabinets and dressing rooms does not differ from the filling of traditional structures; The same accessories and fittings are used. Built-in wardrobes in the attic under the slopes are equipped with drawers, shelves, consoles, rods and baskets of any system. Door facades have a beveled shape and can be designed in several ways:

• Whole cloth . Made from solid wood or MDF; the facade can be paneled, veneered, painted, laminated.
• Frame canvas . It consists of a frame (usually wooden) and insert material. The latter can be glass, bamboo, rattan or plastic.

Women's area design

For women, design plays an important role in arranging premises, especially when it comes to the dressing room. They prefer to hang clothes by color and buy hangers made of the same material. Baskets, racks, and drawers are often used to organize things. Special organizers are used to store linen and small items.

The photo shows an example of the design of a women's dressing room in a classic style

In women's dressing rooms, 2- and 3-tier storage systems are often found. At the bottom there are shoes, in the center there are rods, at the top there is space for things that are not intended for frequent use. A mandatory element is a section for dresses and outerwear with a height of 140 cm. Organizers, hanging cases, and hangers are provided to accommodate bags, small items, and other accessories.

Open wardrobe in a women's bedroom decorated in shabby chic style

When decorating such rooms, light delicate shades and natural wood textures are most often used. The most popular styles are Provence and shabby chic. Important elements of the dressing room are a mirror, dressing table, armchair or ottoman.

Cabinet lighting: beautiful and practical

Very often, despite a sufficient number of windows and artificial light sources, attic closets and dressing rooms are equipped with an additional lighting system. Such a technical addition solves two problems at once: aesthetic and utilitarian - it’s convenient when there is an illuminated area in front of the mirror, and it’s easier to look for the right things in the light. Lamps are installed in a mortise or overhead manner; Depending on the type of lamps used, there are halogen, LED and fluorescent lamps, as well as LED strip.

Lighting in the dressing room Source pinterest.fr

LED lamps are increasingly used when designing cabinets; They are attractive due to their efficiency, long service life and operational safety. The spectrum that closely matches natural light makes them convenient for use in both external and internal lighting. Lamps with LED elements can be found in the canopy of the dressing room and in the internal sections, where their combination with a motion sensor would be practical. Such an automatic system will save you from having to turn on the light when opening the door and remembering about it when closing it.

Maximum use of space Source pinterest.com

How to organize space

The purpose of a dressing room is to accommodate the largest possible number of things or clothes, which means that not only its physical volume is important, but also the location of all its internal elements and fittings:

• Inside the wardrobe there should be several types of different rods, for example for outerwear, trousers or skirts, shirts. This will speed up the process of choosing clothes. If the shirts are placed above the trousers, the final look is ready. The effect of functionality will increase if such departments are open. A bottom section with shoes will complete the idea with an instant suit selection;
• There can never be too many drawers and shelves - it’s better if these elements are of different sizes. Large niches will become a place for boxes or baskets where you can place bulky items. Drawers and shelves should be placed at such a level that you can easily see their contents. If closed drawers are installed, then it is better to make their front panels transparent or translucent;
• the uppermost tier is organized for less necessary things that are used extremely rarely. It can be made high, but not very deep, as this will interfere with the removal of objects. This applies to dressing rooms that will be located at the gable of the roof;
• Hooks or small rods for ties and belts can be attached to the inside of swing doors. Mirrors are also attached to the doors.

In the dressing room on the attic floor you can create zones, dividing it into men's, women's and children's. This is more suitable for large rooms. This method of organization should be discussed in advance, before the cabinets are designed. For example, for men, the main section will be occupied by two rods for trousers and shirts, while for a woman, one, but high section, will be more suitable for hanging dresses, fur coats, and long coats. If the dressing room is spacious enough, a closet up to one meter high will be perfect in the middle. It will serve as a chest of drawers and a table at the same time.

The dressing room on the top floor will become a useful room in the house. Its attractiveness and practicality directly depend on the ideas of the designer and the skills of the installer.