Features of office wardrobes, an overview of models
When arranging a new office, you should consider the location of furniture for storing clothes for both office employees and customers. All kinds of hangers have long lost their popularity and will only spoil the interior design of the room. In recent years, an office wardrobe is in great demand, which is distinguished by a variety of designs and modifications.
Appointment
The main purpose of wardrobes is to place outer clothing for employees and visitors. Quite often in them is a shift uniform, suits for holding important or solemn events, negotiations, business meetings or conferences.
It may also contain some personal belongings of employees (handbags, cases, perfumes, cosmetics, umbrellas). When choosing a wardrobe in the office, it is recommended that you opt for deeper models, which provide enough space to accommodate rungs or hangers on which you can freely place outerwear. Some products are equipped with special mechanisms that can change the position of the hangers from the front to the side, which is a very convenient factor.
Wardrobes have several advantages:
- the clothes do not wrinkle or get dirty;
- things do not touch each other;
- Sufficient sizes allow accommodating things of all employees;
- There are shelves for storing additional wardrobe items (shoes, hats, gloves, umbrellas).
Varieties
With all the variety of models of modern office cabinets, they can be divided into the following main types according to their design:
- closed cabinets - products consisting of one or several compartments, including drawers, hangers, shelves. A mandatory attribute of such cabinets is the doors, which are solid deaf, glass or combination. They can be equipped with locks to provide reliable protection of documents, personal items;
- open cabinets (racks) - products that are, as a rule, ordinary shelves in the absence of doors. Often, such structures do not have a back wall, the role of which is played by the wall of the room itself. These products are designed to store documentation, stationery, office equipment and items in them are readily accessible to employees. The disadvantage of such cabinets is the insecurity of the contents from unauthorized access by outsiders, unhindered dust penetration;
- Combined cabinets are the most versatile and sought-after model. Such products combine open sections with closed elements. They allow you to save not only money, but also the area of the room. Combined cabinets are used for storing documentation, stationery, product samples, award items, diplomas. They may also contain clothing compartments. Open departments store everyday items most often used by employees (it is important that they are in an area of optimal quick and easy access). Closed compartments are intended for valuable documentation, archives, items of clothing.
The most functional model is a double-leaf office wardrobe for clothes, which allows you to place things and clothes that are not needed so often. It gives the office and the whole interior a harmonious, complete look. Each of the two departments serves specifically selected purposes.
A double-wing cabinet today has a variety of modifications, so it will not be difficult for the buyer or customer to choose the most suitable version for the specific purposes and premises of the finished product or made to order. Popular are models with mezzanines, creating an additional place for storing wardrobe elements or other items, as well as combined double-wing cabinets, which consist of shelves, sections, drawers. Such cabinets often have external shelves that perform a practical function, while at the same time they significantly improve the design of the office interior, giving it individual features.
ClosedCombinedOpenMaterials of manufacture
In the manufacture of wardrobes, the choice of materials used is very large.
Particleboard, MDF
The most common and optimal material for manufacturing and price and quality are MDF and particleboard. At the same time, a product made of MDF is more environmentally friendly, although chipboard is cheaper. When choosing material, it is necessary to study the labeling of environmental safety. E1 marking corresponds to the highest class of material safety. If the humidity in the room is increased, it is preferable to use chipboard, as it is more moisture resistant.
Wood
Wooden furniture looks richer and more massive. But the most environmentally friendly, durable, beautiful material is at the same time the most expensive. The price of the product depends on the type of wood used. Hardwood (walnut, ash, maple) require complex processing. The price of the finished product will be higher than that made from less hard species (the softest ones will be spruce, pine, hornbeam, birch, cherry, oak will be harder).
Wooden office furniture should be covered with a special composition that prevents swelling of the material in conditions of high humidity or prevents drying out when the atmosphere is too dry.
Metal
Strong, but heavy material, which is used mainly in the manufacture of cabinets that carry the largest weight load (for example, archives with documentation). In the manufacture of office cabinets for clothes, metal is used in combination with other materials: a metal frame is made of it, and the panels are made of laminated particleboard. Products are quite durable, look modern. Use should be aluminum or steel profile.
Cabinets with sliding doors (sliding wardrobes) have plastic or metal casters. The latter is preferable, since they will last much longer than plastic, although metal is more expensive.
Glass
It is used rather as a decor, since glass is a rather fragile material and is not suitable for active use because of the high risk of damage. Effectively decorated shelves or doors will look more appropriate in the office of the head, and not in rooms for ordinary employees.
Decor elements are made of transparent, tinted, mirrored or frosted glass. Moreover, they can have relief, etched or other patterns. Externally, the glass goes well with plastic, chromed metal, wood.
Plastic
Plastic is used in the manufacture of shelves or certain parts (rollers, pens, shelves, drawers), it is often combined with wood and metal. Plastic itself is a cheap but not durable material.
The type of material chosen also depends on the purpose of the part of the cabinet where it will be used. About profiles, rollers, shelves mentioned above. A separate issue is the cabinet front. Its main distinguishing feature is practicality. Often it is pasted over with a laminate made of wood veneer. Laminate looks quite attractive, it is quite durable, resistant to mechanical, temperature influences, it is not afraid of high humidity.
You can clad the cabinet facade with leather, acrylic, and decorate with prints. But these more expensive options are not quite suitable for ordinary offices.
Shape and size
When choosing a specific model, it is necessary to take into account the area of the room itself. The cabinet should be allocated minimal space, it should be roomy, positioned so as not to interfere with the movement of workers and customers. Its size should be calculated from the total number of employees. Sometimes it is more expedient to purchase not one bulky office cabinet for two-winged clothes, but a couple of smaller models.
Office cabinets for clothes in their form can be:
- linear (rectangular) - the most common classical form, they are conveniently located almost everywhere;
- angular - the most profitable option in saving space, made in the shape of the letter G, placed in the corners of the room;
- cabinets in the shape of the letter P are located to the right and left of the door (often with a mezzanine above the door connecting them).
An important role is played by doors, more precisely, the way they are opened, according to which they distinguish:
- hinged - a very popular type, they are mounted on hinges, open outwards. Their disadvantage is the presence of a certain sufficient space at the opening;
- sliding (or compartment doors) - an excellent option in small areas, open to the side by moving the rollers along the guides. The best option is when the guides are at the top, not the bottom. This allows you to increase the load on the door (for example, add mirrors) and prevent excessive ingress of dust or small objects that make door opening difficult. Such doors do not need much space, but the opening of one section overlaps another;
- folding doors (or accordion) open outward and fold double. Compared to the compartment doors, they take up a bit more space, but there is simultaneous access to several compartments;
- Rolleta - a door that goes down from top to bottom, opening several compartments at the same time, it saves space;
- hinged doors can be located in the upper (hats, umbrellas, gloves) or lower (shoes) sections of wardrobes.
A few words about the handles on the doors. It can be a traditional format ("brackets", "drops", "buttons" or another). The PUSH-PULL system has been quite popular recently, when there are no handles: you need to lightly press the panel and the doors are open.
SlidingSwingRollsFilling
The ideal office wardrobe is equipped with:
- a separate compartment with an arm (partition) for hangers;
- compartment for removable, uniform or other type of clothing;
- top shelf for small items (gloves, hats);
- holders for umbrellas;
- bottom shelf for shoes;
- drawers or shelves for storing other wardrobe items and personal belongings of employees.
However, the specific content of the cabinet depends on the size of the room and the product itself, the number of employees (visitors), the purpose of the cabinet, and some other factors that should be carefully considered in advance.
Posting Rules
There is a general rule for placing office wardrobes - they are against the wall near the door, as they are for general use and should not interfere with staff and customers.
The cabinet should be combined with the general interior of the room by:
- material of manufacture;
- style;
- color;
- appointment;
- size.
It is necessary to take into account the overall filling of the room with various pieces of furniture. Today office furniture is so diverse that it implies a serious and careful attitude to its choice. Properly selected and arranged furniture provides not only the comfort and convenience of employees. The client’s first impression of the office is when he sees the interior of the office.
Many manufacturers of office furniture offer their customers not only ready-made product options, but also the ability to design and execute projects, taking into account all the wishes of the customer, and interior features. Specialists will select and offer the best option not only in terms of price, but also in design, material, color, size.