Woven wonders

Baskets have many uses

The world of interiors is currently obsessed with all things woven, braided, crocheted or knitted. Relatively inexpensive, decorative and — above all else — useful, baskets have come out of the closet and into the living room. Here’s how to make the most of them.

Use them as storage. A basket’s charm lies in its cosy utility but they are so much more than mere holders for toys, firewood or excess toilet rolls. Small, shallow baskets are great at corralling cosmetics and can be tucked away tidily once you’ve finished applying your makeup. Far nicer than plastic, wicker adds relaxedness to a home office and will make a child’s room feel snug. Baskets with lids can be used as side tables or used to store shoes in an entranceway.

They can turn overstuffed cupboards into spaces that would impress declutter queen Marie Kondo. And their usefulness as catch-alls for keys and knick-knacks is unlimited. Make them part of the decor. Shallow baskets make great tray alternatives. Pop a shallow one on the coffee table and use it to stash, for example, a display of books, a candle or a vase of flowers. (The result will be far more relaxed and summery than a standard tray.) And they make great planters for your fig tree, assuming the pot it’s growing in has adequate drainage. Use them as artwork. Baskets are also currently employed — some might say over-employed — as substitutes for framed prints on gallery walls. But as faddish as the trend may seem, it fits as seamlessly into farmhouses as it

does chic apartments.

Use them as shelves. Mounting baskets to the wall with brackets in lieu of shelves is a novel way of upending your storage ideas. Use them to stash books, small toys or bathroom bits and bobs.

So much more than receptacles for unwanted stuff, woven baskets are once again a decor must-have.