Modular hallway furniture: types, advantages and disadvantages

Increasingly, manufacturers are abandoning the creation of cabinet furniture models in favor of modular ones. The main advantage is that you can purchase only the modules (sections) you need and install them the way you like.

It should be noted right away that living rooms, bedrooms, children's rooms, and even upholstered furniture can be modular. But our conversation will focus on the hallways. What are the features of these models and whether it is worth making a choice in their favor, we will talk in the article.

A standard corpus hallway is usually a bulky wardrobe with various fillings (hangers, shelves, drawers) and a mirror. It can be built into a cabinet door or be a stand-alone unit fitted with a cabinet. At the same time, cabinet furniture is mostly sold in sets.

This rational approach ensures a high demand for these products, because sometimes the consumer is happy to buy the whole set as a whole, but there is simply nowhere to put it.

The second feature is the uniformity of the style of all sections. Although sold separately, any parts can be combined to create a system with an identical design. This greatly simplifies the choice: you will not have to run around all the stores and look for which mirror will match the style of the chosen cabinet or hanger.

Rarely hallways can boast of a large square, but still there are such options.Modular hallways are suitable for both spacious and very small spaces. By choosing the required number of modules, you will be able to equip your own corridor in the best possible way.

Standard ready-made kits lose in this parameter, because for some rooms they may turn out to be too large and not suitable in size, for others they may be too small, which will also not decorate a large corridor.

In typical buildings (Khrushchevka, Khrushchevka, Brezhnevka), the corridors are quite small. Even a small cabinet can hardly be installed there. But I still want to create coziness. In this case, from the modular set, you can choose, for example, an open wall hanger, a shoe cabinet and a mirror. Even this small ensemble will create a unity of style and design.

For spacious rooms, you can purchase several identical pedestals, wardrobes or other sections. Symmetry will only brighten a large corridor.

The final price will depend entirely on the number of sections you choose. Therefore, you can count on both a very budget option and a very expensive one.

Since all sections are separate independent parts, they can be easily moved, changed and combined with each other. Modular furniture is lightweight, so you can carry out rearrangement in your own hallway without assistance.

We have already mentioned this above. In addition to the fact that all components are perfectly combined with each other, manufacturers offer us a wide selection of these modular systems. In whatever style you have conceived your own hallway, you can definitely find a decent option.

Even if your city does not have a large number of furniture stores, you can always turn to specialized Internet resources. Another option is to contact a custom-made furniture company. In this case, you can not only choose the style you want, but also set your own sizes that are ideal for your room.

And these are not all the advantages that can be found in a modular hallway. But as for the cons, here everything is more complicated. It is necessary to search for them in comparison with standard case models. But for whatever parameter you start comparing them, modular will almost always win (or at least at the same level).

But skeptics will disagree with us and still try to find the cons. For example, we can safely say that for tight joining of one section with another, a flat floor and walls are needed... Otherwise, even a slight misalignment on the floor can cause a gap between the modules. But this is more a disadvantage of the premises itself than of such structures.

You can often hear negative statements about modular furniture for the following reason: the stores have fairly standard models that are devoid of sophistication, originality, and decorative elements on them are rare. This problem also exists. But this is more a question for manufacturers.

They focus on economic benefits. Complex custom designs are more costly to manufacture, transport and assemble. Therefore, more universal simple models are supplied to the mass market. This problem can be solved by ordering a hallway according to your own dimensions or by finding a suitable option on one of the many Internet sites.

It is difficult to describe all the possible combinations of a modular hallway, and there is no point in it. The main thing is to have an idea of ​​what sections can be included in its composition. And everyone can compose an individual system himself, based on the dimensions of the room and his own wishes.

• Open wall clothes hanger. It is a stand (can be a single plane or a combination of separate boards), on which hooks for clothes are located.From above, such a structure can be equipped with an additional shelf.

• The footwear stand. There are a lot of options for its execution. This can be an ordinary small wardrobe with shelves, a cabinet with pull-out drawers (or folding like a fan), a rack with open shelves, or a low bench with drawers.

• Mirror. Each manufacturer presents this modular hallway element in various sizes. The mirror can additionally have small side shelves or even closed drawers. If the manufacturer offers only a mirror, then the unity of style with the rest of the elements is achieved through a frame or framing.

• Shelf for hats. As we already said, it can be connected to a hanger, but more often it is sold separately, because this is the plus of modular furniture. For large hallways, it will be possible to purchase several of these elements and hang them close to each other. This will create the illusion that this is one item.

• Wardrobe. A similar cabinet can be found in the case version. This is the largest and most massive piece of modular hallway. If space permits, then it is better not to give it up. With a closed type of storage, clothes will become less dusty and will not absorb odors.

• Open pencil case. It is a cross between a wardrobe and a wall hanger. Most often, the top of this design is open (although there are back and side walls), the upper part is equipped with a shelf for hats, and the bottom is a shoe cabinet. Its advantage over a conventional cabinet lies in the shallower depth of the entire structure. And visually, such an object looks lighter and more compact.

Despite the abundance of various modern materials, the most accessible and popular are traditional chipboard and MDF.

Both one and the second material imitate wood. So why not just take an array and make a good quality hallway out of it? The question is quite logical, but if you were interested in the prices of solid wood furniture, then all questions disappear by themselves. Yes, this material is very strong, durable and looks many times better than any, even high-quality MDF.

But most consumers don't see any point in this. Therefore, manufacturers supply furniture made from cheaper chipboard and MDF.

This is the most budgetary option of all. Although the material has good physical characteristics, it is far from the same MDF. It should be understood that chipboard can be of different quality. Accordingly, the price of the final product will vary. You should not give preference to a cheaper and lower quality product. In its production, most likely, formaldehydes, harmful to health, were used.

But high-quality chipboard has its drawbacks. It may swell on contact with moisture. It is important to remember this when cleaning and to wipe the furniture with a damp, but not wet, cloth or sponge. The joints are especially vulnerable to moisture: getting into them, water is quickly absorbed into the compressed shavings, which causes swelling.

This material cannot be called wear-resistant or shock-resistant. If you accidentally hit it with a hard object, it may leave visible dents and scratches. There is no need to count on a long service life either. Over time, the top layer may begin to chip off or detach from the base.

More expensive material. But this is justified. First, it is superior to particle board in terms of external characteristics. Secondly, the choice of colors and textures is huge here. But this material cannot be called moisture resistant either. It is better to protect all the same joints from direct exposure to water and not to operate in rooms with a high level of humidity.

Basically, the color palette of modular hallways imitates natural wood. It can be wenge, white oak, maple, pine or birch. In some model lines, there are also monochrome options. They are more suitable for interior styles such as modern or high-tech.

If we talk about the best choice for the hallway, then there can be no universal advice. For spacious and light corridors, you can choose a hallway in dark colors, but you should not clutter up an already small room with black cabinets.

When choosing a hallway, pay attention to its dimensions. If we talk about cabinets, they usually have a depth of at least 40 cm. Thus, your corridor will lose these precious centimeters, becoming even smaller.

But you can easily pick up narrower options. Manufacturers offer standard widths of modular sections of 30 and 35 cm. This is quite enough to place shoes (if we are talking about a curbstone) or hats (if we are talking about shelves).

Pay attention to the height as well. Cabinets, pencil cases, and hangers may vary. High options are not always the best. For example, children and people with a height below average will find it difficult to get a hat or remove outerwear from a hanger.

Measure your own corridor and determine which sections and what sizes will fit here easily. Every hostess dreams of an abundance of drawers and shelves where you can put everything you need. But the cluttered space ultimately turns out to be uncomfortable and ugly. More doesn't always mean better.

In small rooms, it is better to abandon bulky cabinets in favor of open hangers and pencil cases. In this case, the hallway will take on a laconic look, and you can easily place outerwear and shoes in it.

Pay attention to the quality of the materials. It is better to pay a large amount once than go for a new set of furniture in a year. The low cost of a modular hallway should alert you. Most likely, it is made of low-quality chipboard, which will quickly deteriorate. And do not trust sellers too much, who will refute it with all their might.

A modular hallway has a number of advantages over cabinet options. But it is not devoid of some shortcomings. Approach her choice wisely, and then she will delight you for a long time with her appearance and physical characteristics.

Below you can see a video review of hallway furniture from Russian manufacturers.