Smaller rooms containing large storage pieces such as fitted wardrobes or even large stand alone wardrobes require a few little tricks to make the most of the space. Fitting the wardrobes with sliding doors is a basic way to preserve the space in the room and you can fit sliding doors that promote a truly modern appearance in the room.

Your clothes storage does not have to be an unremarkable piece of furniture that goes unnoticed in the room. It can be a stylishly designed wardrobe that stands out for all the right reasons. What would otherwise simply be a cabinet that contains shelves, hanging space and drawers could be turned into a noticeable piece of furniture with a set of sliding translucent wardrobe doors installed in the front.

In some cases the translucent effect of these kinds of doors creates a shadow appearance behind which can supply a subtle hint as to what might be lying behind. It will also allow the room a lighter shade that will give it the impression of being a little larger than it actually is. Clever mood lighting can be placed at the base of the wardrobe just inside the doors so that they cast a soft light from within the cabinets.

Pairing frosted glass panels with other materials such as wood, PVC/vinyl or composite materials gives you the option to mix the colors and styles as you please. A set of translucent sliding wardrobe doors are the kind of doors that you would have custom made so that they are designed to provide you with the exact look that you require. They will make up a large proportion of the room so no matter what you

Another variation on the translucent sliding wardrobe doors theme is an option from the Japanese culture known as Shoji screens. These screens are sliding doors that are made using translucent rice paper and wood. They are particularly delicate looking doors and provide a distinctive Asian flavour to the room.

As an entrance into a walk-in wardrobe a set of translucent sliding doors would create a stunning effect at one end of the bedroom. The contemporary appeal of a set of shiny translucent doors leading into a generous dressing area complete with hanging cabinets and open shelves creates a very appealing image indeed.

There are many ways in which wardrobe doors can be set up to provide real value to an existing bedroom. Even an older, more traditional room will find that it is suited to the inclusion of these sorts of doors that may replace the more solid (and darker) wooden doors.

A brief word about safety if you are planning on having a set of translucent sliding doors made for your wardrobes. Whenever using glass panels they must be made from safety glass in order to comply with building code regulations, so make sure that this is the type of glass you are using if you are commissioning the work to be performed by someone other than a building professional.

As with all types of furniture, your built-in wardrobe can be damaged in any number of ways and as the face of the wardrobe, the doors will bear the brunt of whatever knocks are going to occur. Replacement wardrobe doors can be bought in just about any style that you desire which enables you to alter the entire look of the bedroom if you feel the need.

In some cases it might be easiest to simply return to the wardrobe installation experts where you originally bought your wardrobe for a replacement quote. However, you don’t have to be tied to the one supplier. Sliding wardrobe doors are fairly standard in their operation and so you should be able to buy a replacement door from any supplier. This gives you the freedom to shop around and base your selection of a new door on the style, colour and look rather than be limited by the range from a single dealer.

When you have bought you new doors and have had them delivered, installing them yourself should be a simple process. It would probably be a good idea to have the old, unwanted doors taken away at the same time to avoid having to find storage space for them.

The simplest wardrobe doors to replace are obviously going to be sliding wardrobe doors because they can be simply lifted off their tracks and the new doors placed on. Hinged wardrobe doors will require the same careful measurements and may have to be custom made when you go out to buy new ones. Installing the doors yourself will simply take a little more work to ensure they are hung straight.

It doesn’t matter whether you require glass doors, mirror doors, translucent sliding doors, pine doors or laminate doors they are all available in a staggering array of styles and colours. Similarly you may want to update from mirror wardrobe doors to a solid, painted finish or change from louvered wood to frosted glass. By replacing the doors of your bedroom wardrobe you will be able to update the look of the room effortlessly and at little cost compared to the cost that some makeovers run to.

Your wardrobe may be fronted with sliding doors, a common door style of built-in or fitted wardrobes and something of a space saver, or the doors may be hinged, either single swinging doors or folding. The way in which they operate could depend on the amount of space you have in the room or the space they take up in the wardrobe cabinet itself.

These days the types of wardrobe doors available are seemingly limitless with new and creative materials used to front them. In the past a pine wardrobe would contain pine doors and an oak wardrobe would be closed with oak wardrobe doors. This sort of uniformity is no longer the case with modern wardrobes custom built to have doors that are made of the same materials as other features in the room.

Mirrored wardrobe doors are old hat in some people's eyes and are really only found these days on antique wardrobes. Materials such as stainless steel, laminate and an assortment of plastics are the preferred facings for today’s wardrobe doors with the ultimate in a contemporary new look being the use of translucent sliding doors. Within these materials are various creative designs and colors created to give the wardrobe a unique appeal.

Another important feature of wardrobe doors that you have complete control over is the hardware used to open and close them. Just because the wardrobe you buy contains door handles that are particularly ugly doesn’t mean you’re stuck with them. A wide selection of wardrobe door handles can be found at any hardware or furniture store and are very effective at changing the entire tone of the wardrobe.

There are so many options for wardrobe doors from the color used to the wood used. You may feel as though you need to stick with the original antique wardrobe that you bought and that’s perfectly acceptable. It’s all a matter of style. Different décor styles that these doors have to offers would be anything from plain wood sliding doors to gorgeous stained wood or even stained glass. There are a number of online retailers and a lot of different retailers that have these doors in stock and ready to go and just as many custom-made door suppliers who will be able to build wardrobe doors from your own design.

Mirror wardrobe doors are especially convenient for both storing clothes and dressing in small rooms. The wardrobe contains the clothes and the doors can thereby be used as a full length mirror, for the convenience of dressing in a small space without the obstruction of a standing full length mirror.

Mirrors are useful in creating unique decorative opportunities. Large mirrors can achieve the optical illusion of making a room appear larger than its actual size, which is an especially nice feature to add the illusion of space to a small room. Opposing door mirrored closets look as if they reflect two separate reflections rather than one solid reflection, and opposing door closets also take up space when the doors are opened. Sliding mirror wardrobe doors reflect the room more consistently and conserve the space by sliding one door under the other on a track. The frames for the closet mirrors are made out of materials which can be chosen to coordinate with the decor of the room. A wooden frame for a mirrored wardrobe door is one type of frame, and silver and gold are some other frame choices which shine like the glass.

Though the mirrors for the doors are usually made out of tempered glass which resist breakage, mirrored doors are still more suitable for adult rooms rather than children's rooms. Glass can easily get marked up and finger printed by a child, so to keep the doors clean and minimize the amount of cleaning which will need to be done to the glass, keep the mirrored wardrobe doors in the adult rooms where the glass will not be touched directly.

Instead of taking up wall space with a full length mirror or wall and floor space with a full length standing mirror, mirrored closet doors provide a wall of mirrors which are built into the closet, so the room can be used for two purposes without sacrificing space. If the wardrobe has wardrobe mirrors, the doors can be used by two different people at the same time, making it easy for couples to get dressed together. Mirrored closet doors can also extend from the floors up to the ceilings, and can be as long as 10 feet, or longer. This is a much larger field of view to dress in than the field of view created by a hanging full length or a standing full length mirror.

Mirror wardrobes are not only restricted to built in wardrobes with free standing units also available sporting full length mirrors installed within them. Again, these wardrobes are extremely useful over and above the mere storage capacity they afford.

When you go out to buy a new free standing wardrobe one of the options you should be sure to investigate is the range of wardrobes that contain mirrors. Mirrored wardrobes don’t necessarily cost any more than wardrobes made using other materials. However, they will be heavier than, say, a pine wardrobe due to the added weight of the glass.

Even when there is a basic choice ahead of you such as a wardrobe containing mirrored sliding doors, difficult decisions such as choosing the trim color and the height that the mirrors will extend must still be made. You may also go for the more modern look of a softer mirrored finish from a translucent sliding door. This is all done as part of the wardrobe design and should be decided on early in the process. Making the decision too late could prove to be a costly exercise.

If you are looking for a unique way to personalize a closet, and add a little style then check out the types of sliding wardrobe doors available for you. What type you ultimately choose may be determined by factors such as price or style taste. The range is going to be extensive enough that choosing may well take up a good proportion of your time.

Sliding wardrobe doors come in a variety of colors, material make up, and a choice in added accessories. The average closet will have basic wooden sliding doors, with a functional rather than flashy hardware knob for opening and closing the door. But if you are looking to add style to your bedroom or closet area you may need to check further into the differing styles of sliding wardrobe doors. Take for instance the clear glass sliding wardrobe doors shown above. This is a perfect exacmple of how far you can take it.

If you have a particular style design to your home decor, then choosing wardrobes with sliding doors that complement this style is a must. If you have a more modern style to your home, then you can check into the more contemporary sliding doors with a metallic-like finish, and up to date hardware. If your house follows a more classic style, then a sliding wardrobe door with that classic wood finish and perhaps something a little more showy such as gold hardware is an excellent complement.

When you have decided between going with a more modern look of sliding wardrobe doors or a classic wood finish you can turn your attention to added features such as the style of hardware and mirror accessories. The hardware for a classic wood style can range anywhere from a basic gold knob to more elaborate options and metals such as brass, chrome or steel door handles. Always check to make sure that the hardware for the sliding wardrobe doors flows with the rest of the houses design. The hardware for a modern style of sliding wardrobe doors is often complemented with a silver color square like handle, or anything that is contemporary in style.

Besides the hardware to match your sliding wardrobe doors there is also the consideration of placing in mirrors on the outside. Sliding mirror wardrobe doors are more often seen on the modern style of sliding doors, but they will look good with just about any style or design. If you decide to place mirrors onto your sliding wardrobe doors, make sure they also complement your overall style. You don’t have to limit yourself to merely opting for complete mirrored wardrobe sliding doors, a look that has been very popular for a long time. You can also get creative with the way the mirrors appear, perhaps opting for an array of small mirrors placed together to give the doors a more modern style.

Overall, sliding door wardrobes are a great way to add to your home decor. Once you decide on which style of door to go with, the task of settling on the type of trim, handles and door railings will complete your project.

For more options you can also visit the wardrobe doors page.

A really nice option and one of the more popular types of door for a wardrobe is the sliding door option. There are any number of types of sliding wardrobe doors to choose from starting with glass sliding doors, wood finishes in maple, oak, walnut or pine or combination wood and glass doors. Move on to doors with mirrors and you can get some very nice fitted sliding mirror wardrobe doors, it's simply a matter of choosing the kind that fit in with the existing room.

In the past installing sliding doors on wardrobes was fraught with all kinds of danger because the tracks were often not built to withstand the constant use that a wardrobe gets. These days this is no longer the case with a smooth sliding door almost guaranteed for life.

A sliding door allows you to make the most use of whatever space you’ve got. Swinging doors require enough room to allow them to open fully and still have the space to walk past them. In a bedroom space is often at a premium. Sliding wardrobe doors can be made to measure so that they fit your space perfectly. They give you a smooth closure and will keep on working for years.

Installing Sliding Wardrobe Doors

When you have a fitted wardrobe installed the normal procedure is have it done by the professionals to ensure that the job is guaranteed. However as a means of saving on costs or if you have changed the doors and must put them in yourself, there are a few considerations to take care of.

It is important to get the size of your doors right the first time. It may be possible to trim the doors if they are too large and you are using a solid wood material, but this won’t work with other types of doors.

As long as the tracks are already installed you can use them as a template for your new doors. Measure the old track so that you can work out how long the new track needs to be. After removing the old track you will have to cut the new track to size and then secure it to the top edge of the opening making sure the screw heads are flush with the track.

If your new door has top rollers to help keep it stable check to see whether they are pre-installed. If they are not you will have to attach them to the top edge of the door.

When putting the doors into place, seat the top rollers first angling the door so that the bottom is angled towards you. Once the top is in place allow the bottom of the door to swing into place so that it slides into the bottom track.

This job should only be a single person job although for some of the large and heavier glass doors it would be advisable to make it a two person job when attempting to seat the doors in the tracks.

It is worthwhile taking your time over the selection of your new sliding wardrobe doors because this is what everyone will see as the face of your wardrobe. You will want them to match your room’s décor so that it looks as though the wardrobe is an established part of the room.