Bye bye Schrankwand

[dieastra]

I'm never sure what the right official term for "Schrankwand" is. Wall unit? Wall of cupboards? Do people outside of Eastern Germany even have those? LOL I mean, from visiting furniture shops/stores once in a while I know that nowadays you only have a couple of shelves and I always wonder where people store their stuff. Then again, not everyone HAS as much stuff as I do ;)

Anyway, the pictures show my old "Schrankwand" ("Schrank" means cupboard and "Wand" means wall, we always put two words together to create a new one). It was bought in 1982 when my family moved to a bigger flat/apartment and I finally got a room for myself at the age of 9. When I moved out of home 14 years ago I took it with me and it stood in the sleeping room since then. But in two weeks some people will come and take it away, and it will go into the G.D.R. museum! We have a museum where you can look at all the old things from the former Eastern German life, I love that they are collected there instead of just thrown away, I mean, it is my childhood after all and lots of memories. And I can visit my Schrankwand there if I want to see it again ;)

And a week after that a new one will be delivered which is even higher (to use that empty air till the ceiling) and so I will have much more well needed space for all my action figures and all the miniature things I buy for them.

At the left side was a wardrobe/clothes cupboard and underneat some drawers for socks and underwear etc.:



And at the right side was an inbuilt desk with a lamp and this is where I did my school homeworks:



And the whole thing together:

Comments

[hiddleasaurus.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what you would call that, maybe a wall cabinet? Either way, it's awesome that it's going to a museum! :)

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

But have you ever seen one in the States? A friend just told me in a comment below that she mostly knows them from dormitories in colleges to save space for students.

And yeah, yay for the museum!

Everyone used to have them over here. Since we lived in those buildings that were made from concrete panels, it was funny when you visited the neighbours - you immediately felt at home. As there was only one wall where the furniture would be able to go, and on the opposite wall the couch, and in the corner at the window the table. All flats looked the same! And sometimes even the furniture looked the same, given that there was not as much variability.

The exactly same one from my pictures above was also in the room of one of my class mates.

Just for comparison, here is a picture of the one I have in my living room, bought 14 years ago. Back then it was what I wanted. It might look a bit old fashioned now and I wouldn't mind going for something more modern, but as I said, it is hard to come by nowadays. All there is are those open shelves and maybe a drawer or two. That is not enough for me!

(http://s137.photobucket.com/user/DieAstra/media/Dresden%202013/PC120017600x450.jpg.html)

[matrixmann]

Die Idee mit dem Museum ist gut.
Viel zu haltbar, um es wegzuwerfen.

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

Ja, es hätte mir echt leid getan. Ich entsorge Dinge erst dann, wenn sie wirklich kaputt sind. Aber ich brauche den Platz, den mir die neue Schrankwand bieten wird.

Bei mir haben auch noch viele andere Dinge von früher die Jahre überdauert, mal schauen, ob sie noch mehr gebrauchen können!

[facethestrange]

In Poland it's called (translated) "furniture wall". :D I don't think many (if any?) countries outside of the Eastern Bloc had those things. It's so cool that you can give it to a museum! :)

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

Then your word is almost the same like ours!

It's a really interesting question I need to ask my English and American friends, if they ever had/saw anything like that. As I said, where do they store all their stuff? I'm very happy that the first museum I asked already said yes! Otherwise I would have asked others as well.

[jackwabbit.livejournal.com]

They have them here, but not much. They are often found in dormitories in colleges to save space for students. They don't exactly have a name.

Now days, you can find stuff like this at IKEA and they, again, are popular for saving space in small living areas. Sometimes, they are called "built-ins" if they are actually part of the wall (and they often are), but they are falling out of favor in exchange for more portable things.

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

Thank you, very interesting! Especially that there is actually not really a name.

I don't know, I don't think IKEA is my style. When I was looking for the new one, I went there as well, but nothing clicked with me. I didn't need anything fancy, as it is just the sleeping room guests usually will not visit, but for me IKEA somehow means it's for people with small budget, like students, having their first flat, but later, when they work and earn proper money, they might get something better. As I left home very late, I jumped that stage and went straight to the better ;)

Everyone used to have them over here. Since we lived in those buildings that were made from concrete panels, it was funny when you visited the neighbours - you immediately felt at home. As there was only one wall where the furniture would be able to go, and on the opposite wall the couch, and in the corner at the window the table. All flats looked the same! And sometimes even the furniture looked the same, given that there was not as much variability.

The exactly same one from my pictures above was also in the room of one of my class mates.

Just for comparison, here is a picture of the one I have in my living room, bought 14 years ago. Back then it was what I wanted. It might look a bit old fashioned now and I wouldn't mind going for something more modern, but as I said, it is hard to come by nowadays. All there is are those open shelves and maybe a drawer or two. That is not enough for me!

(http://s137.photobucket.com/user/DieAstra/media/Dresden%202013/PC120017600x450.jpg.html)

[jackwabbit.livejournal.com]

In looking at this one, we'd call them "wall cabinets." Or simply bookcases, for while some sections have doors and such, it's essentially a bookcase.

And yes, that is what IKEA is, in general. They have some stuff that isn't that way, but it's mostly for young folks who need to save space in small flats.

These used to be much more popular here, too. Falling out of favor due to size and bulkiness. I guess as housing has gotten more varied, so has furniture. As you said, back in the day, everyone lived in cookie cutter houses, and often space was limited, so these things were used a lot.

EDIT: "wall unit" is also used here, and if they are part of the wall, again, they are called "built-ins." My mother-in-law's house has an entire wall like this. It's a built-n. Shelves up top, cabinets down low (the most common arrangement, it seems), with an area for the TV in the middle. It's one wall of her living room and looks great. But it is part of the house. That's the typical way it's done here now, and it's a feature in some houses (meaning it is looked upon favorably, as built-ins give you lots of storage but don't take up space or require moving like separate units would).

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

I didn't know if I could call it book case, as for me that really would imply open shelves with just books and nothing else.

Them being built right into the house/wall sounds good indeed if you don't have the trouble with moving. But then everyone has a different taste and when you go househunting, not only the house needs to be to your liking, but the furniture as well. Doesn't that make it harder to find the right perfect thing? And what if something is broken, can you go somewhere to buy replacements?

[jackwabbit.livejournal.com]

Google "wall unit," and you get tons or results.

Here is one like my mother-in-law's:

http://www.rockvillecustomcabinets.com/images/Rockville%20Custom%20Cabinets%20Wall%20Unit%20001.jpg

These are done here, just a little differently.

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

Thank you, that one looks very nice! I never had considered white furniture, as it can look too much like from a Doctor's, but it works surprisingly well. I don't like those really dark furniture, that's depressing. I love the many drawers also, I am hooked on drawers.

[tardisjournal.livejournal.com]

The picture you enclosed in the comments looks like what we'd call a "curio cabinet", but it's a lot bigger. As for the first thing, no those aren't common over here, nor do they have a name that I'm aware of!

The only time I've encountered something similar, though a lot smaller, was in my tiny dorm room freshman year in college. It came with the room and had a loft bed on top, desk underneath, wardrobe on one side, and drawers for clothes on the other, along with a few shelves. I loved it. It held everything I needed in one compact space!

That's so cool yours is going in a museum! How exactly did that come about?

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

Now I just looked up the word "curio" in the dictionary. Do you mean, like for displaying collections? Like the glass vitrine I bought for my figures? Because there are some glass doors in there? I did only want small displays but usually there is also a huge part with glass, where you display your porcellain cups and plates, for example. Here is an example for that one: http://static.findix.com/data/adpix/picture_L/eiche-rustikal-schrankwand-massiv-27158.jpg

In my comment picture, the long thing at the left side is a bar btw. It opens downwards and inside I have glasses and bottles.

Now I am curious though, why in your opinion there is a difference between this one from the comments and the other one? I mean, technically they are the same. Of course, the style is different, one is more simple and one more advanced, but both are a wall of cabinets. I have seen some in the earlier Eastern German life, which people had in their living room, and it also had a desk, but it was hidden and you only flapped it down when needed. And usually also there is a big hole where the TV is supposed to go, but I have that somewhere else.

But I think the reason could be indeed that in the G.D.R. not everyone had a house like nowadays. It was hard to build one, as you could not just go and buy the items needed, you know. So most lived in apartment buildings, which where small (you should see my parent's kitchen, it is not a kitchen where you can sit inside, it is just too small), same goes for the bathroom. Just the necessary items in there.

So yeah, since we don't have an attic and don't have a garage and don't have a basement, where maybe you store all your things, all of it has to go into the apartment actually! That makes sense.

Edit: Sorry, forgot your question. I just asked them! As simple as that. I had no idea how otherwise to get rid of it, you know, if I had put it into the trash I would have needed some men to help me to take it apart and carry it down the stairs. Now it is not my business anymore ;)

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is massive. But lots of great room for storage, which I would love. So cool that your is going in museum.

Stacey

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

Did you also see the other picture I posted in the comments? That's the one I have in my living room right now. The long thing at the left side is a bar btw. It opens downwards and inside I have glasses and bottles. Usually there is also a bigger hole for where the TV is supposed to go in, but I have it somewhere else.

Here is another picture of a modern one, with a huge glass cabinet, where you can display cups and plates: http://static.findix.com/data/adpix/picture_L/eiche-rustikal-schrankwand-massiv-27158.jpg

I just figured out why you might not have those in America! I think the reason could be indeed that in the G.D.R. not everyone had a house like nowadays. It was hard to build one, as you could not just go and buy the items needed, you know. So most lived in apartment buildings, which where small (you should see my parent's kitchen, it is not a kitchen where you can sit inside, it is just too small), same goes for the bathroom. Just the necessary items in there.

So yeah, since we don't have an attic and don't have a garage and don't have a basement, where maybe you store all your things, all of it has to go into the apartment actually! That makes sense.

And then I AM a packrat, I have so many stuff but can't bring myself to throw it away. I love memories of the past, and now with all my figures, I need all this space.

Yeah, the museum part is really cool!

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw the other picture. They both look great!

Really like the modern one! I wouldn't mind having something like that in my house.

Yeah, without all of those extra rooms for storage it makes sense why you guys have something like that.

I like having old mementos, too. I have a lot of plastic tubs I keep stuff in .

Stacey

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

I think it is important to have memories of the past. I know some people move a lot and throw away all their things but I couldn't do that. Those plastic tubs are awesome, if they are clear plastic you can see what is inside.

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

I definitely couldn't throw everything away. Like you said memories are important and it's good to have little keepsakes around.

Yeah, them being see through, pretty much anyway, is good. Makes it a little easier to figure out what's in what.

Stacey

[owensheart.livejournal.com]

We call that a wall unit in the UK, it looks nice.

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

Thank you, great to hear you have those things as well. I started to feel rather lonely and unique after all the other replies ;)

[l-jade.livejournal.com]

I think that wall-cabinet is a European thing...
My families who used to live in Germany/Netherlands for many years, when they came back to Asia, they built that kind of cabinet in their new homes.

I like those thing too.. they are just practical to keep everything in one place..I guess in US, they put their things in the garage or attic.

Congrats on getting that to the museum & getting even BIGGER one in place..

I bet getting all your stuff out of the old one & putting aside & then put them all back INTO the new one is a pain in the mik'ta ...:P

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

I bet your family was the star of the neighbourhood then and everyone came to look at this strange thing LOL

I am always amazed how different the cultures are sometimes. When you only know your own world, you think the rest of the world is the same. But yeah, I also figured, since people in America usually have big houses, they store their stuff in the garage or attic or in the basement. But in an apartment, you don't have that much space.

Did you see the picture I posted in some of my other replies? That's the one I have in my living room right now. They seem to come out of fashion though, nowadays I don't see them in the shops anymore.

I already started packing last week, when the date was set, and continue a bit each day, so it is not too much at once. I also look through things and found more old stuff I might offer for the museum, if they want it. I guess I shall do a picture when all the boxes are stapled upon each other, just for LOLs ;)

The putting back in will be fun though, as I can sort out a system and have it all in one place, based on themes, rather than scattled around.

[bloodsong13t.livejournal.com]

i like the look of the old-fashioned one better. but i bet it is harder to dust :X

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I don't really dust LOL Not every week at least.
But yeah, the desk usually looks not that tidy, it's usually full of stuff. So I figured, get rid of the desk, you never have to bother with it filling up anymore!

It sounded like a good plan at the time.

[bloodsong13t.livejournal.com]

hahahah!

i don't dust, either. that's why i always look for cabinets and storage things that are dust-proof. like the flat drawers and doors won't catch any dust. but the carved filigrees and designs? they catch dust on anything that faces upward. :X

they do look pretty, though.

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

That's true, but yeah, flat surfaces would not look so good in a living room. My new one for the sleeping room is much simpler as well.

I finally found a dusting cloth which actually removes/keeps the dust instead of just shoving it from one corner to the next. Cleaning will be more fun now. It's not when afterwards it looks the same like before.

[tinny]

Ha, it's great that there's a museum for your Schrankwand. :D

They definitely exist in West Germany. My parents have one, I had one, our current apartment has one.

I know from the American army settlement here in town that they have similar things, but they are actually built into the apartment, like parts of the walls. Like walk-in closets, almost - which I think is the equivalent for saving space.