Specialization: facade finishing, interior decoration, construction of cottages, garages. Experience of an amateur gardener and gardener. We also have experience in repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing the guitar and many other things that I don’t have time for :)
Bookcases with glass doors, at first glance, are quite simple furniture. However, when it comes to choosing them, people usually have a lot of questions. To help, below I will tell you about all existing varieties this furniture and its features, and I will also share other useful information on this topic, which will certainly help you make the right choice.
Types of cabinets with glass doors
First of all, let's briefly look at what kind of cabinets there are with glass doors:
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Books. Glass is usually used for some sections rather than the entire cabinet. We will talk about the functions that glass performs below. |
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Kitchen buffet and wall cabinet. Glass is usually used for the top of the sideboard or the entire front wall cabinet. In fact, it performs the same function as glass in bookcases - it protects inventory from dust, and also allows you to decorate the interior with beautiful dishes. |
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Wardrobe (compartment or with sliding doors). Glass performs an exclusively decorative function, therefore, as a rule, it is mirrored or frosted. |
Peculiarities
A bookcase is a special type of furniture, as it is intended exclusively for storing books and other printed materials. Therefore, as a rule, it consists of several departments:
- Shelves behind glass doors. Designed to store the main part of the library.
- Shelves behind solid doors. Typically used to store valuable books, folders, etc.
- Boxes. Used for storing papers, magazines, newspapers and other similar printed materials.
In addition, the product may have sections with open shelves, which are intended for frequently used books, for example, textbooks, as well as all kinds of stationery and souvenirs.
Main differences between cabinets
At first glance, it seems that all bookcases are approximately the same. However, in reality they have quite a lot of differences. The most important points are the following:
Dimensions
One of the most important differences is the size of the structure. Furniture can be either very compact or large, occupying, for example, an entire wall from floor to ceiling. To determine the size of the future product, adhere to the following recommendations:
- Measure the space in the room you want to allocate for the cabinet (depth and width).
- Focus on the volume of the library, taking into account the fact that the number of books will probably increase. The height and filling of the product will depend on this.
Depending on the depth, cabinets are divided into two types - for arranging books in one or two rows. The former, of course, are much more convenient to use, but take up more space. Therefore, if you have a small apartment and a large library, it is more advisable to purchase a deep cabinet that allows you to place books in two rows.
Material
The following materials are usually used to make bookcases:
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Solid wood. The most valuable material, characterized by environmental friendliness and the ability to regulate humidity levels. Wooden cabinets are the most expensive. |
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Chipboard. Wood-based material, not very durable and environmentally friendly, but cheap. Since the furniture in question is not exposed to moisture, a chipboard structure can last a long time, but only if you do not disassemble and reassemble it several times, for example, when moving. |
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MDF. This material is also made from wood waste, but it is environmentally friendly. In addition, unlike chipboard, it lends itself well machining, and it also holds fasteners better. Therefore, such furniture withstands the assembly/disassembly process better. |
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Plywood. In terms of strength and durability, it even surpasses natural wood. True, the cost of furniture made from plywood is higher than its counterparts made from chipboard. |
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Plastic. The most budget solution. As a rule, such cabinets are used in children's rooms. |
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From glass. This furniture looks interesting and modern. If taken care of, it can last for a very long time. |
Cabinet glass
Another important difference between bookcases is the type of glass, which can be as follows:
| Illustrations | Description |
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Transparent. It allows you to decorate the interior of a room with book spines, but in this case high demands are placed on the books themselves in terms of their appearance - they must look presentable and decorate the interior with their appearance. The main advantage clear glass is that you can select the book you want without opening the door. |
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Frosted glass. Allows you to hide books with unpresentable spines. In addition, it can protect valuable books from sunlight. |
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Stained glass. Serves as a decorative element that decorates the closet and the entire interior. Glass for stained glass can be used as transparent, frosted or even multi-colored. |
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With painting. It is an alternative to stained glass; in addition, it can hide books with unpresentable spines. |
Style
An important point when choosing any furniture is the style in which it is made, since its design must be in harmony with the interior of the home. Next, let's look at the main, most common areas:
| Illustrations | Description |
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Classic style. It has elaborate shapes and often contains stained glass and other features characteristic of the classics. |
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Rustic style (Provence, country, etc.). Usually it is a neat design with small doors. It can be decorated with milling or even carving of facades. The color depends on the style direction. For example, furniture in the Provence style is most often white. Country style products have a dark transparent finish. |
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Traditional style. It has a fairly calm and neat design, without any flashy elements. |
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Modern style. It is a design with clear, even lines. Modern wardrobe may be black, dark brown or white. |
Installation method
According to the installation method, all bookcases are divided into two main types:
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Floor-standing. As you might guess, they are installed on the floor. |
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Mounted. They are attached to the wall, so they are a compromise between floor models and shelves. |
Types of glass doors
Glass doors, which differ in two parameters, deserve special attention:
Design
Depending on the design, doors can be divided into two types:
| Illustrations | Description |
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Solid glass. These doors do not have a frame, so the awnings and fittings are attached directly to the glass. |
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Frame. The basis of the design is the frame, inside of which the glass is mounted. The frame may contain glass for the entire door or consist of individual glass inserts. |
Opening method
Based on the method of opening, doors are divided into two types:
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Swing. They are a classic hinged design. There are two types:
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Sliding panels. The doors slide to the side. As a rule, less susceptible to distortions. The ease of use depends on the quality of the fittings. |
What are the features of glass cabinet doors?
Finally, let's take a look at the features glass doors and consider why they are good and what shortcomings they have. So, among the features we can highlight the following points:
- Practicality. They do not require any maintenance; any contamination can be easily removed from the surface.
- Durability. Glass does not lose its attractiveness over time.
- Possibility of replacement. If the glass breaks, it is easy to replace since it does not require finishing, such as painting to match the color of the cabinet.
Glass doors can be decorated using special films that imitate sandblasting or even stained glass.
Do not forget that glass requires careful handling and does not tolerate shock loads. Another disadvantage is that hand marks, dust and any other contaminants are clearly visible on the surface of the glass. Therefore, glass doors will have to be wiped frequently. To reduce dust accumulation on them, you can wipe them by special means for the care of glass furniture.
Conclusion
Now you know what types of bookcases with glass doors there are and you will probably be able to choose the optimal model. But, if any difficulties arise with this, contact me in the comments, and I will be happy to help you with advice.
June 22, 2018If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!
Today I would like to touch upon important topic, which relates rather not to interior design, but to decorative art - that is, in fact, to what we can easily do on our own in our free time. And I want to talk about the design of the rack or bookshelves. It would seem, what is there to discuss here? Placed the books/figurines and you're done. But you shouldn’t write off shelving as an exclusively functional thing. With a few principles and tricks, you can transform your shelves into stylish decor that reflects your passions and matches the style of your home.
Anthony Gianacakos
Here your imagination is limited only by the items available. You definitely shouldn’t stop at books only. Put on the shelves everything that makes sense to you: your collections, souvenirs brought from travel, photo frames, cups and awards, beautiful dishes, etc. And we’ll talk below about how to combine all these items and avoid chaos.
Marika Meyers Interiors
lingeredupon.blogspot.com
nicety.livejournal.com
mattsoncreative.com
Limit the number of colors you use
Hide everything unnecessary in boxes and baskets
Beautiful boxes, caskets and wicker baskets look neat and aesthetically pleasing. Remove small items, magazines, books, and dishes that are not intended for display.
thewickerhouse.blogspot.com
How to arrange objects?
1. Build triangles
I especially like this principle, and I bet 90% of the people you know have never thought about it! Pay attention to the shelving designed by a professional decorator. Everything looks logical and harmonious. But how to achieve the same effect?
Now visually connect vintage Kushinas, white books, figurines, aged greenish bottles with lines... do you see the triangles? Each object in this composition has its own clear position, corresponding to the triangle rule.
Moreover, the triangles do not have to be identical and isosceles. Triangles of different shapes add dynamics to the composition.
Emily Henderson, the famous American decorator, is a true genius of composition. Each item in her works is carefully selected and takes its place for a reason. Pay attention to this rack. Golden rooster tail – bowl trim – chain; blue vase – book cover – plate; gray vases – picture in frame; milky dishes.
And here - do you see the golden, white, black, blue triangles?
An endless number of examples can be given. On this rack you can find a lot of triangles, due to which the composition looks balanced and logical.
Kriste Michelini
Now you can easily notice the ratio of vases with flowers, metal objects, vintage items and book cover colors in this photo.
meganbrookehandmadeblog.com
Here are a couple more examples:
2. Layer: Use the height and depth of your shelf
All items on the shelf should be harmoniously combined in height: if you want to place a low vase or small figurines on the shelf, place them on stacks of books. This way you will place them on a pedestal and draw attention to them.
lamorechanel.tumblr.com
prepfection.tumblr.com
If you're placing a short item on a shelf, place a book or photo frame behind it to balance the height of the arrangement.
thepursuitaesthetic.tumblr.com
cotedetexas.blogspot.com
Use layers to make your composition interesting and dynamic.
twentytwoavenue.blogspot.com
The same effect can be achieved by combining stacks of books laid horizontally and arranged vertically.
3. Free space sometimes matters more than the decor itself.
You shouldn’t fill every centimeter of the shelf with books and decor. Even nicely grouped interesting items may form a shapeless heap if you do not visually separate objects from each other. Free space on the shelves will make the room visually more spacious, which is especially important when working on.
desiretoinspire.net
If you have great amount books and you don’t know where to put them, make several compositions: arrange the books on coffee table, put them on shelves in other rooms, put books that you have hardly opened in the last few years in boxes.
4. Symmetry and paired objects
Another a win-win: Use several identical items in a row or symmetrically on adjacent shelves.
cocopearl.blogspot.com
beneathmyheart.net
cotedetexas.blogspot.com
5. Heavy on the bottom, beautiful on the top
Here we mean not only physical, but also visual weight. Place large encyclopedias and stacks of magazines on the lower shelves. Place small books in beautiful covers, decorative items, and candles higher - at eye level. The lower shelves solve functional problems, the upper ones solve aesthetic problems.
homemydesign.com
desiretoinspire.net
Beautiful design Anyone can create a shelving unit or bookshelf; you just need to know a few key principles and not be afraid to use your imagination. I wish you success in this exciting activity!
If there is a sideboard in the kitchen, it is given the second most important role after the table. It influences the style of the room and the mood. It would seem that what could be difficult about arranging dishes in a sideboard? Are there any special instructions? No, but there are rules that every housewife should know and follow.
About the article:
Style is everything
It is important not only to choose for yourself stylish wardrobe, but also take care of the “image” of the sideboard. The dishes placed in it should be harmoniously combined in terms of purpose and the material from which they are made. Crystal and ceramics cannot be placed together. Shot glasses, glasses and wine glasses are not suitable “neighbors” for tea sets.
If you have expensive dishes, but you practically never use them, it is not rational to take up space with them in the sideboard. It’s better to put there what you use every day. This will simplify the process of setting the table, and there’s no point in hiding luxury dishes behind glass.
Important! Dishes should be combined not only in quality and purpose, but also in cost. The photo shows how you can stylishly and neatly place plates, cups, and gravy boats in a sideboard with glass doors.
Keep it in moderation
In order to beautifully arrange the dishes in the sideboard, you should not clutter it with all the “dowry”, in the hope of surprising the guests. If it costs a lot, it is impossible to evaluate the quality and originality of the dishes. Therefore, when arranging, adhere to the golden rule: let there be fewer cups, vases and decanters, but they will be visible.
Attention! You shouldn’t go from one extreme to another; half-empty shelves on a sideboard look poor.
There will be ceramics!
Ceramic sets often surprise unusual design, original design. Why not display a piece of art for everyone to see. The main thing is not to place porcelain and crystal items next to each other.
Ceramic dishes can perfectly highlight the sophistication of the interior and your taste.
note
After you select the dishes that you plan to arrange in the sideboard, one question remains: how to do it beautifully? The main thing is not to build “army” ranks according to “height”. This is a primitive and outdated solution. Create an original composition from glasses and wine glasses. Use your creativity and surprise your guests with unusual design solutions.
Don't build towers by stacking glass on glass. The same goes for plates; there is no need to stack them. Leave your simple designs for closed cabinets.
There is no point in putting a full dinner service in the sideboard; just putting out a tureen, a salad bowl and a gravy boat is enough. The same rule applies to coffee and tea sets. In the first case, it is enough to put a coffee pot, cups with dishes and a sugar bowl. In the second there is a teapot, a milk jug and a couple of cups and saucers. In the photo you can see an example of the ideal arrangement of dishes in a sideboard.
Small thing, but nice
Most women cannot deny themselves the pleasure of displaying their favorite small trinkets, souvenirs, vases, etc. in the sideboard. Of course, this is all far from the concept of “dishes,” but if you have good taste and you can harmoniously fit them into a composition of cups and mugs, then why not?
Remember that even ideal options The arrangement of dishes in the sideboard must be periodically updated. Otherwise, the composition will become boring not only for you, but also for your guests.
Open shelving takes up impressive space in often modern living rooms, bedrooms and dining rooms. This is not only a way to store books and memorabilia, but also an opportunity to decorate the interior. To ensure that the shelves do not look like a dump of things, but play along with the overall style and harmony of the house, you need to follow a few simple rules.
Symmetry and geometry
Classic symmetry techniques also apply to the design of shelving. Place objects that are the same or similar in color, size and shape symmetrically vertically, horizontally or diagonally. This does not mean that all objects must be symmetrical; a couple of key ones will be enough to create a fulcrum. The technique where some identical items are placed on shelves in pairs also maintains symmetry.
A stronger version of symmetry is mirroring. Place items on the two halves of the rack as if there was a border in the middle in the form of a mirror. Again, the objects or the form of their arrangement must be similar, but not absolute, otherwise all interest will be lost.
Another geometric technique is the rule of triangles. Arrange similar objects so that they form the vertices of triangles. These imaginary triangles can intersect and do not have to be isosceles, this will add dynamics. In addition to the items themselves, triangles can be made from the backs of the rack cells, painted in different colors, or sections closed with doors.
Dynamics of height and depth
Identical rows of books on shelves cause boredom. At a minimum, you can alternate horizontal and vertical stacks of books, and even better, dilute the books with various objects.
For greater harmony, use the entire height of the shelves. Small objects can be placed on stacks of books or boxes like a pedestal, or tall, flat objects such as large-format books or paintings can be placed behind them.
The second option will also save space by occupying the entire depth of the shelf. Don't neglect this space when creating multi-layered compositions.
Games with colors
Don't forget about color. It is best if the contents of the rack support color scheme rooms - 2-3 colors (4 are possible if one of them is basic neutral). To do this, books that do not match the color will have to be wrapped in covers or put away in boxes.
The shelves can be left colored if the interior allows it. But here there are a couple of interesting tricks: books can be arranged in a gradient, according to the colors of the rainbow, or you can assign your own color to individual shelves and collect books and decor on them only in shades of this range. It would be good if not every shelf was bright, but only a few accent ones.
The color of the back of the shelves is also very important. Photo examples below will help you understand it great value for the overall composition.
Free space and lightness
Air between objects is the best visual separator. Without it, the entire decor, even carefully arranged according to the rules, risks turning into a single spot. Give each object or group additional empty space around it.
Sometimes it's even better to leave entire sections empty. If this seems wasteful to you, doors on some bins or neutral boxes that fit exactly to size will do just as well.
Another rule for maintaining visual lightness: heavy (not so much in weight as in feel) objects down, light ones up. The lower shelves can be densely packed with heavy volumes of encyclopedias, and the shelves at eye level can be flaunted with several elegant objects. If the rack is very high, up to the ceiling, the most upper shelves You can again force it, but it is important that they do not draw attention. The ideal solution there will be a number of identical boxes, paper folders or books of the same series. 
Folders can help not only in storing papers, but also serve as a kind of vertical boxes - behind the beautiful spine of the folder several books with unpleasant covers or small equipment such as a router can be hidden.
Photos: hgtv.com, greenstylegallery.com, homeofficedecoration.net, kristenheaven.com, 9todesign.com, housebeautiful.com, elledecor.com
A shelf is one of the simplest inventions that allows you to compactly arrange things and objects in a certain order. Today it is used in the interior of many rooms, where it acts not only as a functional item, but is often important element decor. This article presents photos of shelves in the interior of living rooms and discusses the main examples of their use.
Shelves fit many design trends and are therefore found in most modern living rooms. This is a universal item that complements the decor of the room well, and in some cases, decorates it. For example, in spacious living rooms shelves are often used small sizes, which become the highlight of the room, connecting various interior elements. Especially if the room has a square or oblong shape.
Bookshelves
The classic version with bookshelves is used in the interior of many modern rooms for guests. In most homes, books are stored either in Soviet walls or in ordinary bookcases. However, today designers recommend placing books on hanging shelves, which can be metal or wood. Sometimes combined shelves consisting of both materials are used. To give the interior a zest, designers develop unusual shapes for bookshelves. For example, they can be located at an angle or in the form of several crosses.
Forms wall shelves are different, let's look at the most common ones:
- with rear or side walls;
- single-tier or consisting of several levels;
- with a vertical or horizontal arrangement;
- open and closed;
- massive or sophisticated;
- with right angles, as well as inclined or rounded.
The appearance of the shelves should be based on the design direction that is used when decorating the room.
Shelves above furniture
When decorating modern living rooms, the main emphasis is on maximum space, but too a large number of free space can be harmful. The most weak point is bare wall above the sofa and armchairs, on which paintings or family photographs are usually hung. This solution is not always able to effectively solve the problem of empty space, and it is not suitable for some design areas at all. Instead of an art gallery, experts recommend hanging a couple of narrow shelves above the sofa, and putting several family photos on them.
Advice! The interior will turn out to be very original if you arrange the shelves in a checkerboard pattern, and to prevent such a composition from looking massive, you should choose short and narrow shelves, their length should be up to 1 m, and their width should not exceed 15 cm.
For rooms decorated in art deco and pop art, shelves equipped with hanging elements are often used. They are usually placed above sofas, armchairs and other pieces of furniture. A long and massive shelf is hung just under the ceiling, with multi-level shelves extending down from it. To ensure that items do not overload the interior, but rather organically complement it, experts recommend using shelves only in light colors.
Shelves between window slopes
Window shelves - quite unusual option for decorating the living room. This solution is perfect for those people who like to decorate their room with numerous colors. It is not at all necessary to block the entire opening with window shelves, depriving the room of sunlight. You can use compact options in which the flowers are placed on special shelves that occupy only part of the window opening. Violets, cyclamen and other small flowers will look great on such shelves.
If your living room has wall niches that are difficult to use for any needs, you can build small shelves into them. They will help hide the shortcomings of this architectural element, making it the highlight of the entire room.
The length and width of the shelves should be selected depending on the parameters of the wall niche. The style of the material must be fully consistent with the surrounding interior. Let's consider the basic recommendations of designers for embedding shelves in wall niches:
- you can equip a niche LED backlight to make it look more colorful;
- if the wall niche is small, it is better to completely equip its space with shelves;
- In addition to shelves, the niche can be decorated with textured trim, and the color scheme should be different from the rest of the living room interior elements.
Many housewives love to grow flowers, and some are truly passionate about the process. As a result, there may not be enough space on the window sills, so to accommodate flower pots worth equipping hanging shelves. The advantage of this solution is that the plants will not block the penetration of daylight into the room. If there are any defects on the wall, flower pots will help to carefully hide any defect.
Advice! If you wish and have free time, you can make such shelves yourself.
In addition to living plants, artificial flowers look great on open shelves. Decorate the interior well climbing plants. Their branches can be gracefully spread over the wall or ceiling, decorating a corner of the living room with some semblance of small garden. The photo of shelves in the living room interior shows the most striking design options that many designers focus on.
Unusual shelf shapes
Today, interior specialists are developing many extravagant solutions when decorating a living room, including shelves. Designers offer the most unusual shapes.
For example, shelves with a slope of 45 degrees, which are supported on special racks, look very original. Functionally, this slope is useless, but as a decorative element it looks quite creative. There are also entire furniture compositions made from shelves designed in the form geographical maps or avant-garde figures.
Shelves in interior styles
Designers love to use shelf arrangements to divide a room into functional areas. For each style, a specific shelf arrangement system has been developed. Let's look at some basic examples.
- High tech. In such a living room, wooden or metal shelves of a zigzag shape are used. Accessories here should be present in minimal quantities so as not to overload the decor. Such shelves initially look very original, so there is no need to fill the interior with unnecessary decorations. It will be enough to put home phone, photo frame or watch.
- Modern. For this style, shelves may seem like a bulky element, but there are many successful examples such design. Usually they are hung separately, but in some cases they act as component modular wall. Art Nouveau style does not require a large number of accessories, so you can put several books on the shelves and put a vase or figurine.
- Provence. In this direction, open shelves are rare, and functional shelves on which things are stored are not allowed at all. Typically only used here decorative shelves made of glass. The material used is durable strained glass various color shades, which in combination with vases and figurines looks truly elegant. Also, whitewashed shelves decorated with flowers and hearts are well suited to the Provence style.
- Country. In this direction, rustic motifs are used. IN rural houses traditionally there was a lot of homemade wooden furniture, among which the shelves occupied a special place. Modern living rooms use painted wood shelves. In terms of decor, they are quite simple, although they are allowed forged options with openwork design.
- Baroque. Such an interior involves a large number of decorative elements, so the shelves must be decorated with elegant patterns, carved details or stucco. It is very important that they contain a touch of luxury and solemnity inherent in this style.
Conclusion
In the interior of most modern living rooms, shelves play one of the main roles. They store objects, use them to divide space and provide a unified style for the room. At correct design they are able to qualitatively transform the decor of a room. It doesn’t matter at all whether the shelves are part of the furniture or act as a separate composition. They will always shape appearance rooms along with other items. That is why designers pay the closest attention to them in their work.
