Most homeowners don’t have to look too far past their bedroom door to notice that built-in wardrobe designs haven’t evolved much over the last 25 years.

JELD-WEN Australia, parent company of iconic Australian brands Stegbar and Regency, and the country’s leading window, door, showerscreen and wardrobe maker, is looking to the future with an innovative design and new technology that meets homeowner demand for a more contemporary and customisable sliding door system.

JELD-WEN Australia’s director of marketing, Bruce Tosello said for far too long designs for sliding door systems haven’t kept pace with changing household needs.

“JELD-WEN developed the new HIRO sliding door system to give homeowners complete design control, with the added benefit of innovative technology that makes the door system significantly better. Now homeowners can have the sliding door system they want – contemporary look, modern materials, customised, completely sealed, and free from the wobble and rattle of existing systems,” said Bruce.

Although the functionality on the inside of a wardrobe has evolved with homeowners able to customise the internal configuration of their wardrobe to accommodate their lifestyle and storage needs, the external look and functionality of wardrobe sliding door systems has stayed the same.

Original designs for built-in wardrobe systems were introduced in the late ’70s to early ’80s and comprised a cavity space with a single shelf and a hanging rod, fitted with either hinged or sliding doors in wood or mirror. Not much has changed since then; sliding wardrobe systems haven’t been completely sealed – leaving unsightly gaps; and have mostly had doors with bottom rollers that allow dust and dirt to accumulate and let the doors wobble, bounce off their tracks, and feel anything but secure.

“The improved performance in the HIRO sliding door system comes from the combination of a low profile PVC top and bottom track with integrated track and door seals and a self-levelling quad roller system, that prevents door rattle and removes unsightly gaps, two of the biggest customer concerns in existing door systems,” said Bruce.

Aesthetically homeowners will really notice the difference in the HIRO sliding door system with a contemporary wide frame and optional chair rails, allowing the flush-mounted infill panels to be completely customised in terms of size, placement and material – with multiple choices of panels that can be grooved, patterned or painted; glass, mirror or veneer.

“The uniqueness of the HIRO sliding door system is that panel layout and infill material will largely only be limited by the homeowner’s imagination. Similar to the days of the free-standing wardrobe which was often a handcrafted piece of furniture, homeowners can now make a design statement that reflects their personal taste and style, just like a custom piece of furniture,” said Bruce.

HIRO isn’t just a new sliding wardrobe door; the design also creates a sliding door system that can be used as a room divider as it is equally attractive when viewed from the front or the back – the possibilities are endless.