Furniture in Vazrazhdane

In older buildings the same wall can be a different length at the floor and at the ceiling, and the angle between two walls is rarely square. Ready-made furniture leaves gaps, and a kitchen made of standard modules leaves empty spaces that are filled with “fillers”.

That is why at the visit we measure every wall at several heights and check the corners. The kitchen and wardrobes are made exactly to these measurements – tight to the wall and up to the ceiling, with no visible gaps.

Most people replace the kitchen while living in the apartment. So the old kitchen stays while the new one is being made in the workshop. It is removed shortly before installation, so you are without a kitchen for as short a time as possible.

On request we handle removal and disposal, as well as plumbing and electrics – in older apartments the sockets above the worktop almost always need adding or moving.

Older kitchens often have one or two sockets, and not where they are needed. For the new kitchen it is worth planning sockets above the worktop for small appliances, separate circuits for the oven and hob, and water and drainage for the dishwasher.

We decide this at the visit so the plumbing and electrical work can be done before installation. That way the kitchen is fitted onto finished services, with no chasing of walls afterwards.

Some older buildings have higher ceilings and deep niches of non-standard sizes. A custom wardrobe uses the full height: the top row for suitcases and seasonal things, with the niche filled tightly from wall to wall.

If the ceiling is very high, the upper cupboards can be in two rows. More: fitted wardrobes.

In older buildings the staircases are often narrow and there is no lift, or only a small one. So larger pieces are designed in parts that fit up the stairs and are assembled inside the apartment.

We check the route to the apartment at the visit – the width of the doors, the turns of the staircase and the lift – so there are no surprises on installation day.

In the district’s new buildings we furnish the whole apartment at once – kitchen, wardrobes, bedroom, children’s room. One design keeps everything in the same style, and installation goes room by room, to a schedule.

If the apartment is off-plan, send us the plan – we will advise where water and sockets should go. More: apartment furniture.

The hallway in older apartments is often a narrow corridor. A shoe cabinet with pull-out shelves, coat hooks and a shallow wardrobe with sliding doors hold everything without getting in the way.

In Vazrazhdane we often make children’s rooms too – a bed with storage, a desk the width of the wall and shelves up to the ceiling. The furniture is designed with the future in mind, so it grows with the child. See also custom bedrooms.

In older buildings ready-made furniture almost never sits tight – the wall is crooked, the corner isn’t square, and a gap is left that collects dust. In niches of non-standard size a ready-made wardrobe either doesn’t fit or leaves empty space.

Custom furniture is made to the real measurements of every wall and uses the full height up to the ceiling. For the kitchen and fitted wardrobes in an older apartment, that is the difference between furniture that “just stands there” and furniture that looks part of the home.

In older apartments with high ceilings, both classic kitchens with routed MDF fronts and modern smooth matt fronts look good. The choice depends on the rest of the home – the floors, doors and living-room furniture.

Solid wood is another option if you want natural timber. We bring samples of all of them to the visit. More: solid wood kitchens and MDF kitchens.

The worktop is the surface that works hardest, so it is chosen according to how you cook. We recommend technical stone (Compact) – it is durable, doesn’t absorb moisture and resists scratches and high temperatures. On a tighter budget, an HPL laminate worktop is a good alternative. The splashback between the wall and base units protects the wall from splashes and grease and can match the worktop or be a contrasting colour.

We bring worktop samples to the visit together with the fronts, so you can see the combination on site. In older kitchens the splashback often also hides unevenness in the wall.

When renovating an older apartment, the kitchen is decided first, then the plumbing and electrics, walls and floors are done, and finally the last measurement and installation. If the walls are going to be straightened, we measure afterwards – otherwise the furniture would be made for walls that no longer exist.

The ceiling light shines from behind you and leaves the worktop in shadow. LED lighting under the wall units lights exactly the work surface and makes the kitchen cosier in the evening. It is planned at the design stage so that power can be provided and the cables hidden.

Wardrobes and display cabinets can have lighting too – it switches on when the door opens and makes things easier to find.

The visit is quicker and the first design is closer to what you want if you have a few things to hand:

• The sizes of the appliances to be built in – or at least their models.
• Photos of furniture you like – from the internet, catalogues or friends’ homes.
• A rough budget – so we suggest suitable materials straight away instead of several versions.
• Whether there is a lift and how wide the staircase to the apartment is.

You don’t need to know everything in advance. Most decisions are made together at the visit, with the samples in hand.

Custom furniture lasts a long time if you follow a few simple rules. Wipe water around the sink straight away rather than letting it sit on the edges. Don’t put hot pans directly on the worktop. Clean the fronts with a soft cloth and a mild cleaner – gloss and matt finishes don’t like abrasive sponges.

Blum hinges and runners rarely need adjusting, but if a door shifts over time it can be readjusted in a minute. Workmanship comes with a 10-year guarantee and Blum hardware with a lifetime guarantee.

If the ceiling is higher than usual, the kitchen can have wall units in two rows – the lower one for everyday things, the upper one for things you use rarely. That way the height isn’t wasted and the kitchen looks finished, with no gap between the units and the ceiling.

The same applies to wardrobes – the top row holds suitcases and seasonal clothes.

Handles define the style of the kitchen and wardrobes more than it seems. Classic handles suit the routed fronts in older apartments, slim metal ones suit modern kitchens, and hidden profiles and handleless systems make the fronts completely clean.

We discuss them at the visit together with the fronts and worktop, because the three have to look good together.

Carcasses are made of highly moisture-resistant chipboard, and fronts of chipboard, matt or gloss MDF, or solid wood. For a more classic interior in an older building, routed MDF fronts or solid wood work well. The hardware is Blum.

We usually come within 24 hours of your call. We measure the walls at several heights, check the corners, services and the route to the apartment, and talk about what you want.

After the visit you receive a 3D design and a written quote. Changes before manufacturing are free.