Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
Storage shelfies Tips to find your home’s storage potential and display your treasures
Make ordered beauty the name of the game...
too many possessions, too little space? By now, you’ll be expecting to be told to sort it all into throw, gift and keep piles. But we figure you know how to declutter and you’d rather be shown innovative ideas to seek out your home’s storage potential and how to best display your treasures – so here goes.
2 Lovin’ this framed book nook! It’s within arm’s reach of the day bed, cleverly ensconced between a pair of wardrobe cupboards. Following the rake of the ceiling, these cupboards manage to maximise the space for low- to mid-height storage.
3 Optimise your bookshelves by incorporating a dropdown, fold-up work desk, which closes to conceal pigeonholes with home office paraphernalia.
4 Commandeer wasted space under your staircase for an open closet to hang coats, scarves, hats, bags... Divvy it up so each family member can be allocated their very own cubby space. A bench in front makes a great perch for putting your socks and shoes on. Storage baskets underneath can hold items best hidden from view.
5 Give your bathroom a storage boost by turning a grain sifter into a smart shelving unit. Simply cut narrow boards to fit inside as shelves, angling the ends so they rest flush inside the sifter. Drill holes into the ends of each shelf and secure them in place with plasterboard screws.
6 Save space and create valuable storage with a built-in dining banquette. Consider what best suits you for ease of access. Under-seat drawers or a lift-up seat?
7 Book collectors, take note. If you simply can’t dispense with your books, turn them into a tool for decorating. Organise and colour block them, creating a display to please the eye. A tip for success – arrange the books in the same order as the colour wheel. Books with neutral spines can flank the display. PS, dress any worn tomes with coloured paper.
Every centimetre counts! Take shelves to the ceiling and around doors
9 Glass cabinets are your go-to units when it comes to displaying collectibles. Anything behind glass becomes precious beyond even the most humble of origins. Love this all-glass number, which highlights the wall’s diagonal paint line.
10 Well hello, kitchen storage! It’s amazing what the removal of a door and a can of orange paint can do for open shelving – even if stocked with everyday crockery and wicker baskets.
11 Customisation and the 20-teens go hand in hand. If budget allows, go bespoke and have a sideboard or storage cabinet customised. This lets you call the tune in regards to material, size and compartments – and whether open, shut, horizontal or vertical. Or, go down the refurb route: strip, sand, paint, remove doors, and add shelves and/or dividers.
Your possessions are your pride and joy, so store them in the open for all to enjoy
12 Re-deploy a flat-pack bookcase to alcove duties and use it as a bench with under-seat storage. Toss clutter into neat, same-type baskets. Plus, stacked oneabove the other, matching floating shelves are ideal for storage and display – just allow room for head height.
13 Line a glass china cabinet or dresser with a smart wallpaper to show off ceramics and glassware. Massed, even kitchenware takes on the status of a collection, giving prominence to items which individually may be uninteresting. But do choose the pattern and colour of your wallpaper with care.
14 Turn plain cupboards into a decorative plus. Here, they’re a tone or two lighter than the wall and stand out from patterned wallpaper in the best possible way.