With more people now working from home, creating new spaces has become more important than ever and installing sliding doors can be a versatile solution.

Great British Life: Sliding doors are an ideal way to add storage and save space. Picture: SpaceslideSliding doors are an ideal way to add storage and save space. Picture: Spaceslide (Image: Archant)

Andy Briggs, head of creative and interior design at Spaceslide, which focuses on sliding wardrobes and bedroom furniture, says there are many benefits to its stylish products.

1. Versatility

Although 80 to 85 per cent of our bespoke sliding doors tend to be for bedroom wardrobes, we have recently seen huge demand for room dividers to create home offices. Sliding doors can also be used to make open-plan living into broken-plan living; to create different areas so people can have time away from each other, especially now when we are all at home so much.

Great British Life: Design a bespoke wardrobe with a finish that matches your decor and is made-to-measure for any space and height. Picture: SpaceslideDesign a bespoke wardrobe with a finish that matches your decor and is made-to-measure for any space and height. Picture: Spaceslide (Image: Archant)

They can be clear or semi-translucent to retain a sense of space and we can fit them into pocket walls so they can be tucked away. Sliding doors are less permanent than solid walls as they can be removed easily if needs change.

They can be installed in hallways to hide clutter or upstairs to create walk-in wardrobes. They can be fitted in lofts, where varying heights might be required, and in older houses with high ceilings – the possibilities are endless.

2. Space-saving

Having sliding instead of hinged doors saves space. In some of the bedrooms we work in, there is not a lot of space once a bed is brought in. The very nature of a sliding door, simply gliding along a track instead of swinging open, means no extra space is required for the door arc. Sliding doors eradicate the problem of having to hunch between the bed and cupboard to open the door and allow you to have your bed in any position you wish.

3. Space creating

Creating a wardrobe with sliding doors will also allow you to create useable space – both in front of your wardrobe and inside it. Hinged wardrobes often have just one shelf and one hanger bar.

However, our wardrobes can be made-to-measure for any space and height, thus we can install multiple shelves and drawers, and sometimes up to three hanger bars. The other key benefit is that unlike most hinged wardrobe doors, they can encompass one big, full-length mirror so you won’t need a freestanding dressing mirror.

4. Made-to-measure

Probably about 60 to 70 per cent of the market is for wardrobes to be fitted into alcoves. Ours can be made to fit any space perfectly, whereas you could spend days hunting for a hinged wardrobe to fit into your alcove. You do have the option of buying a handmade, bespoke-built hinged wardrobe, but that is likely to cost the earth.

5. Cost

Sliding doors can be a much cheaper option than hinged. You will find some cheaper hinged wardrobes from major DIY and furniture companies, but those are a fixed size.

If you want a hinged wardrobe that has been handmade by joiners to fit within a particular space, then it is likely to be a lot more expensive – you can run up to five-figure sums whereas our high-end wardrobes with sliding doors will be half that and our cheaper ones start at around £400. We keep our costs down in various ways, including by doing virtual surveys.

We are also able to offer very competitive prices against other sliding door manufacturers.

6. Interior design

Sliding doors and their interiors can complement your décor. We focus very much on our finishes and designs, as well as ergonomics, frames, and materials. We have taken contemporary and classic trends from Europe and brought them to the UK. We make sure every single colour works – people need to know that what they have bought will sit well in their homes. With our sliding doors and interiors, people can experiment, colour match, mix, and match, and we have a sample service.

7. Adding value

Sliding doors that create space and storage add value to a home. A hinged wardrobe is taken away when the previous owner moves, whereas our fitted wardrobes become part of the property. When people are buying a house, they like to know it has plenty of storage and they won’t have to worry about sorting it out after moving in.

For more information visit spaceslide.co.uk or book an appointment to visit the Hale showroom.