Cupboards and chests of drawers

Looking for a new favourite chest of drawers? Great! There is a (wardrobe) solution for every need and every room situation.

A home without cupboards, shelves and chests of drawers? Unimaginable. These pieces of furniture enrich our home by making shoes disappear, keeping personal items close at hand or storing items of clothing for us. Since new acquisitions need to be carefully selected, it makes sense to think about them before you go to the department stores'. Well prepared, you can then shop to your heart's content!

Cupboards and chests of drawers are part of the basic furnishings of every home. You have the choice between many different styles in different price ranges. High and narrow or wide and low? Many drawers or just a few doors? Made of wood, plastic or metal? Discreet colours or eye-catching patterns? No problem with the huge variety of products on the market. But first you have to measure. First determine the exact place where the new piece of furniture is to be placed and how much space it can take up. Then measure the available space and write down the measurements on a piece of paper so that you don't get confused later on in the furniture store.

Then there is the question of the style of the chest of drawers or cupboard. Should it blend in with the existing furnishings or should it be a style break? Should it stand out from the other pieces of furniture in terms of colour or blend in unobtrusively? Also consider how much storage space you need. Do you prefer many drawers or rather large compartments? Can you have open shelves or do you want to protect your objects from prying eyes with doors? Once all the basic questions have been answered, you're ready to go!

The many different designations can be quite confusing. But here's a remedy: a sideboard is a half-height cupboard that is much wider than it is high. The minimum width is about 120 cm, but a width of 200 cm with a height of 70 to 100 cm is more common. The highboard, on the other hand, is on average about 110 to 130 cm high and less wide. In terms of fittings, both come in different variations. The cabinets often have a mix of drawers, doors and open compartments. A tall cup board is at least 175 cm high with a maximum width of 60 cm. The storage space here is shifted upwards, which is why these cabinets are part of the typical bathroom furnishings.

A chest of drawers has only drawers and is usually smaller. With the exception of the high chest, which resembles a highboard but is much narrower (50 to 60 cm). Lowboards are particularly low (only about 25 to 50 cm) and are therefore often used as storage space for the TV. TV lowboards also have several open compartments for DVD players, receivers, games consoles and other media equipment. Indirect LED lights and glass tops further support the entertainment feeling. But doors and drawers are also common on the lowboard.

Cabinets made of solid wood, such as beech, oak, walnut or spruce, are particularly robust and therefore very durable. However, solid wood furniture is usually more expensive than veneered wood furniture. A veneer is a thin, high-quality wood sheet that is glued to a less valuable wood (for example, chipboard or medium-density fibreboard). This cover sheet enhances the appearance of the piece of furniture.

Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is easier to manufacture, which is reflected in lower production costs and thus in the price for the end customer. Nevertheless, well-made cupboards made of MDF can withstand a lot. However, if you move frequently and assemble and disassemble the good piece several times, you might have difficulties with its stability after a certain time.

Metal furniture is very resistant and easy to clean. However, stainless steel elements can easily leave fingerprints on the surface, which many people find annoying. Plastic furniture is easy to transport, durable and easy to clean because of its smooth surface. However, plastic furniture is less stable under load than wood or metal.

With a beautiful chest of drawers or a high-quality sideboard made of wood, a natural cosiness enters the living room, which also has a positive effect on the room climate. So-called Skandi sideboards are popular, which convince with their clear lines and shapes and also combine this simplicity with sophisticated functionality. The sideboard offers various storage options and compartments on the inside, behind whose doors all kinds of odds and ends can be stowed (or hidden). And on top is the perfect place for family photos, plants or decorative items.

But a lovingly selected and cleverly placed piece of furniture can also become an eye-catcher in itself. Shabby chic chests of drawers, for example, exude a touch of romance with their used look and sometimes detailed ornamentation, while white, grey or black sideboards and highboards blend in well with clean interiors. And if you like to stroll through flea markets: here you can often get hold of great vintage or retro individual pieces in unusual wood or bright colours. But decorative antiques from flea markets also catch the eye on simple furniture!

Sideboards and highboards are also versatile in the dining room. They offer storage space for glasses, coasters, place mats, tablecloths or napkins, but also writing materials, letters, mobile phones or reading glasses. In addition, the cabinets can be used as temporary storage space for drinks and food that cannot be placed on the table. In some dining rooms, there are also so-called sideboards. These are half-height cupboards with a surface for serving food in buffet style. You can store cutlery and various household items behind the cupboard doors. A crockery cupboard, on the other hand, is characterised by its glazed top. In the past, valuable silver or porcelain was presented behind the glass panes. Nowadays, display cabinets with partial or full-door glazing have largely replaced the china cabinet.

If there is no walk-in wardrobe, the wardrobe is part of the fixed furnishings in the bedroom. As the name suggests, it is mainly clothes that are stored here. Therefore, the wardrobes are mainly equipped with shelves for folded items, clothes rails for hanging storage and drawers for smaller utensils such as belts or ties. With many manufacturers, you can also put together your bedroom wardrobe individually according to your wishes. With this customised modular system, you can choose between different shelves, baskets, rails, bars, hooks, pull-outs and much more.

You already have a wardrobe, but it's too small? The socks have no fixed place and the ties are hanging somewhere between the shirts? No problem either. A nice chest of drawers in the bedroom offers additional storage space and gives you quick access to your clothes and accessories. In addition to clothes and underwear, you can also store jewellery, watches and other personal treasures in style.

In autumn and winter, when it rains and snows, our shoes get quite a beating. Wetness, mud and snow are carried into the house. Then it's good to have a shoe rack in the hallway where the shoes can be left to dry in a well-ventilated place. Then the winter shoes can be stored in a stylish shoe cupboard with sturdy folding compartments until the next time they are needed. But a cupboard or shoe tipper for sneakers and sandals is also a must in every hallway in summer. Rotating solutions are also practical, with a wardrobe mirror on the other side.

You can store coats, jackets, bags and umbrellas in a large hall cupboard. In the past, this wardrobe had two large doors and was primarily used to store linen and clothes. Nowadays, it comes in many different versions, including sliding doors. Multifunctional wardrobes often have an additional bench or an integrated mirror.

A chic chest of drawers also enhances your entrance area. Depending on the season, you can place special decorative pieces on it, such as a vase with summer flowers, Christmas lights or ceramic Easter bunnies. You can store keys, scarves and other things in the drawers. A highboard for the hallway serves several purposes at once. Some models combine closed flaps and doors with open shelving elements. These are ideal for displaying beautiful hats, bags, sports trophies or unusual shoes (e.g. high heels). This way, your piece of furniture becomes a decorative eye-catcher in the reception area of your home.

What must a wardrobe or chest of drawers be able to do? Be useful and look great! The new piece of furniture should house all the small and large things of everyday life and at the same time be a visual highlight in the home. While modern cupboards in unusual shapes make the hearts of design lovers beat faster, bright colours delight retro lovers and pastel shabby chic chests of drawers the romance fans among us. Whatever the decision, those who choose their furniture carefully are sure to enjoy it for a long time!