Stylish Storage Solutions for a Family-friendly Home

We all know very well that storage space in Hong Kong's small apartments is at a premium. However, it does not have to be unpleasant and an inconvenience; here are some ideas on how storage can also be stylish.

Go vertical

The key is shelving, so add as many shelves as you need. Consider all your unused wall space like above doorways, windows, headboards, and even above the toilet. These are ideal places to accentuate with shelves; just make sure they are properly installed and secured. To avoid looking unkempt or messy, opt for bins and containers made from jute, sisal, wood or even cardboard. These can be easily labelled to avoid confusion and with different colours and sizes, it can add a personal touch to your home.

Multipurpose areas

Think coffee tables, side tables, ottomans or other variations that allow you to store things inside of them. Chests can serve as magnificent places to keep clothing, children's toys, and even pet food. For cat lovers, the litter box is often an unsightly necessity. However, there are now more aesthetically pleasing variations that look like pieces of furniture, fitting into your home perfectly, like side tables that house and conceal the litterbox completely with a door to prevent unwanted odour from escaping. Storing items under beds is no new discovery but there are better, more stylish ways to do it. Hydraulic beds, with the aid of lifting mechanisms, enable easy access to storage spaces; plastic boxes can help categorise and instantly become a way to store items in an orderly manner.

Behind closed doors

Whether it is an armoire, a bedroom door or a cabinet, most doors have space on the back for you to utilise. These surfaces are often overlooked but they offer a perfect blank canvas for storage. For example, adding racks to hold small items can be a practical solution in the kitchen. For larger items, you can place coat hooks at equidistant heights and hang items inside matching tote bags, which adds a sense of unity and sophistication to any door.

Bunk beds and lofting

A simple yet effective idea, children's bedrooms can be optimised by using bunk beds or even lofting a single bed; this will create nooks that offer room for storage or homework space. Once again, make sure elevated items are secured and set in place to avoid accidents. These unique configurations will add personality to a room while encouraging children's creativity to be nurtured by involving them in the design journey.