No matter if you live in a large house or small apartment, storage is a major topic for any homeowner – especially if you can’t stand clutter around you.
Storage can be found in the most unlikely of places. Think of under-stair built-ins, a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf in a narrow hallway, full-height storage cabinets in nooks or awkward corners, shelving around the perimeter of a room or drawers under your bed. In his Manual of Dwelling, Kevin McCloud even suggests lowering a bathroom ceiling to create extra overhead storage space.
To optimise storage in your home do a room assessment for each room. Ask yourself the question: What would I like this room to do for me? Think about what you want to keep in this space and work out how you can store or display your belongings. Your answers will give you an indication of storage units or containers you will need.
Think outside the box and work out if you can repurpose a piece of furniture and use it in another room, for example. Alternatively, make a list of things to purchase. Tip: Browse design emporiums or second-hand dealers for fabulous finds.
Let’s have a look at five rooms and how to conceal clutter in style:
Entrance Hall
A chest of drawers with finger pull handles for a streamlined look can do magic in hiding all the things you use on a daily basis: keys, glasses, phones, camera, notes, and pens. Use drawer organisers to keep things sorted and allocate a dedicated place for each item.
If you have a staircase with open space underneath consider custom-built under-stair storage cupboards to conceal bags, shoes, suitcases, umbrellas and other items you might need when leaving the house.
Living Room
A multifunctional storage system can make a big difference in your living room. The trick here is to surround yourself with the things you love and hide all the stuff you don’t want to see. Especially these days with TV screens becoming larger and larger and more and more tech gadgets and charging stations populating our homes, it is worthwhile researching clever products. Try Howard’s Storage World for electronic helpers or BoConcept for Scandi-style statement pieces.
Wall-hung and floor-to-ceiling storage units are available in many different shapes, depths and widths and can turn your organisation into a personal expression. Various types of finishes for doors and open-shelf modular designs let you create a distinctive wall piece.
For your media equipment consider a closed solution to conceal all devices and cables when not in use. Cleverly designed coffee or side tables with storage underneath make it easy to store away the living room essentials.
Dining Area
A sideboard for crockery and cutlery as well as space to display vases and sculptures is a welcome addition to any dining room.
If you own beautiful glassware or china, showcase it in a glass display cabinet. When sharing your possessions, you will surely have a conversation starter while entertaining.
Bedroom
To get a good night’s sleep, keep your sanctuary free of screens, clutter and mess.
Consider a bed with storage underneath. For favourite reads think of shelving along the wall behind the bed incorporating bedside tables at the same time. These shelves can display your art as well.
You can’t go wrong with a streamlined sideboard with as many drawers as possible. If you don’t have the space for a sideboard add drawers to your wardrobe for easy sorting and retrieval of your personal items.
Home Office
Opt for a sleek desk with drawers to have your study essentials at hand. Incorporate enough closed storage to conceal folders, files and messy paperwork. Check out USM Modular Furniture for functional and stylish office solutions with a minimal contemporary look.
Add an open shelf for books, magazines and favourite objects. A tidy shelf radiates a sense of style and order in your office. Find stylish storage containers for items on your desk and for those, which do not fit into your cupboards; a metal basket, for example, is a great option to store wrapping paper and adds some glam to your workspace.
