STORE AND ORDER

Storage ideas to help your home run smoothly

IN FULL VIEW

Not everything needs to be hidden away when it comes to storage – in fact decorative solutions can make a huge difference to your look and feel. A cluster of simple floating shelves work particularly well in a kitchen, where there may be a fair amount of closed cabinetry taking up space along the walls. They add an element of interest that draws the eye, all while helping to keep countertops clear. It’s best to mount open shelving just above eye level and within easy reach if you intend for the shelves to hold day-to-day items, such as plates and mugs. For a stylised look, stack collections of your favourite crockery, line up fresh herbs and incorporate small pieces of art along a run of open shelving.

OPEN BOOK

Creating your very own library in a living room or home office with a built-in wall-to-wall design works in both classic and contemporary homes alike. By combining open shelving and closed cupboards, you can have a display of books and objets d’art while also hiding away heavier items down below. Alcoves are an obvious place to add floor-to-ceiling storage, even if your room is small as bespoke solutions can utilise the full height of the space. ‘Although this may not sound like it will make much of a difference the reality is that a bespoke design will offer, on average, 40% more space,’ says Rachal Hutcheson, national retail manager at Sharps. Finish off with a block colour and let the books provide the detail. →

“OF COURSE, THE REAL

WAY TO EFFECTIVE STORAGE IS TO REDUCE

THE VOLUME WITH A REGULAR AND RUTHLESS

EDIT AND DECLUTTER”

SUZY HOODLESS, interior designer,

suzyhoodless.com

EXPERT SYSTEMS

Practising what she preaches, interior designer Suzy Hoodless has adopted smart yet stylish storage in her kitchen. ‘The secret to clutter-free surfaces is that everything has to have its place, which makes for a neater and ultimately easier-to-clean kitchen,’ she explains.

CLEVER CORNER

Try thinking outside the box, as shown here in this up-and-over bespoke storage unit. Hallways and landings are perfect places to maximise. These spaces can have a dedicated function, but keep the look understated to ensure a cohesive link between each room.

CUPBOARD LOVE

Free-standing storage furniture, such as this dresser with glazed door fronts is characterful and useful for everyday tableware. While it has a plain white exterior, the interior is lined with a decorative blue linen fabric to match the coastal theme of the rest of the space.

NEW HEIGHTS

Bringing vintage or reclaimed pieces into a new interior scheme can be one of the most exciting parts of decorating your home. They instantly add character, especially when you have a personal attachment. Here, wooden wine cases take centre stage in wall-to-ceiling shelving complete with ladder for ease of access. ‘Within every project we look to maximise storage by finding clever and innovative solutions, without sacrificing spaciousness,’ explains Amos Goldreich of Amos Goldreich Architecture. ‘Crucially, you have to really explore your property and find any forgotten spaces that you can exploit to maximise your storage opportunities. Within smaller properties, sometimes you have to think laterally – or vertically.’ →

MATERIAL MATTERS

‘Creating a walk-through wardrobe is a good approach to separating your bedroom from your clothes storage, and is a good way to have a more serene sleeping space,’ says Lucy Barlow, founder and director of architectural interior design studio Barlow & Barlow. ‘Especially if you don’t have the space to create a designated dressing room,’ she adds. In this project the design team decided to lacquer the wardrobes in a rich emerald green colour, to make a luxurious statement entrance to the bedroom. Lacquer finishes are not only a useful alternative to paint when it comes to incorporating colour into furniture, but are a practical option too, as the coating sets into a hard, durable finish.

VANITY FAIR

When it comes to the bathroom, you need to consider the size of your storage as Kirsten Wain, designer at West One Bathrooms explains. ‘If you have tall bottles, shallow drawers will be useless. Likewise, if you have lots of small cosmetics, a deep drawer will be too vast.’

“THERE IS A PERENNIAL

CALL FOR STORAGE IN BATHROOMS, BUT BUILT-IN JOINERY CAN SOMETIMES FEEL COLD. ADDING A VINTAGE PIECE LENDS WARMTH AND CHARACTER”

NICOLA HARDING, interior designer, nicolaharding.com

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Fitted wardrobes are one of the most efficient ways of creating storage space in a bedroom or dressing room. Discuss this along with your interior specifications and precise size requirements at the early stages of your planning, to get an accurate quotation.

ROOM TO MANOEUVRE

‘Using something that lets you see the floor beneath makes the room feel larger,’ says interior designer Nicola Harding. Indeed, storage is a necessity in a bathroom, but as often one of the smallest rooms in the home, pieces with legs can help free up floor space. →

LINE OF SIGHT

As the old saying goes, a tidy room is a tidy mind – so it is important we keep our bedrooms clear in order to feel calm and relaxed. Here, an awkward corner has been transformed into useful space with a boxed-out design. It allows any electrical wires to be hidden away safely while also creating a clever recessed shelf for bedside essentials. This contemporary design is made more effective with varying widths of panelling used throughout the whole room, which when combined create illusions of depth and lengths to help the space feel bigger. The textured wooden finish completes the scheme for a warm and welcoming look. To achieve a similar style, opt for a real oak, pine or walnut wood veneer panelling.