• CUPBOARD LOVE
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE SOOTHING POWER OF GOOD STORAGE… GET YOUR LIFE IN ORDER WITH WELL-ORGANISED CABINETS, AND LOTS OF THEM!
With a place for everything, the right storage will keep you forever organised
OPEN AND SHUT CASE
Open plan is still very popular, but it can cause problems for storage. Rows of built-in cupboards will make the space seem smaller and darker. To avoid this, find a gentle balance between cabinets with doors and open shelving. Consider what the purpose of the units is and what you will need to house in them, as this will dictate the shape and size of the cabinets and shelving.
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
‘Storage is a key consideration for us when designing any interior,’ says designer Emma Sims-hilditch. Here, a clever mix of built-in storage options provided total flexibility, as the closed cabinetry allows the space to stay uncluttered. ‘The shelving offers a great opportunity to be creative with styling, displaying a variety of artwork, books and ornaments to create character and style in the room,’ adds Emma.
GOOD TO GO
In high traffic areas such as boot rooms and porches, clever built-in storage is key to helping keep things organised. Shoe and welly space is top of the agenda, so incorporate shelving units with varying heights for these. Be sure to include a bench to make switching footwear easy and for all those miscellaneous items, from dog leads to gloves, consider adding baskets to the shelves, which will keep things ordered while hiding the mess. Including a tall, wellventilated cupboard makes it easy to store muddy anoraks and damp raincoats.
HIDE AND SLEEK
If you’re working with built-in cupboards, one solution is to disguise them by covering the doors with the same wallpaper as the walls. The architraves of the doors can be painted with a subtle, coordinating shade, or can be removed for a more seamless look. If you’re taking the latter approach, do try to pattern match to disguise the doors as best as possible – the larger the pattern repeat, the easier this will be. Covering cupboards like this works especially well in smaller bedrooms as it stops wardrobes dominating the room.
COLOUR POP
Built-in storage is far more than a purely practical addition to your home. Designed correctly, the cabinets can become a joyous feature in their own right. Take inspiration from this space belonging to interior designer Elizabeth Hay, who used bright turquoise paint in her built-in shelves to tie in with the rest of the room. If replicating, ensure that you paint all the insides of the boxes rather than just the back – this will increase the impact of the colour as it will be visible from every angle.
UP IN THE EAVES
Many country homes, especially older buildings, have architectural quirks to work around. Eaves are one of the most common and they can pose a problem when incorporating storage into a space. Built-in joinery removes this issue as you can make use of every square inch available. For the corner sections include open shelving, both to avoid dealing with awkwardly shaped cupboard doors and to add easier access to items in these tighter spaces. For smaller rooms, add one or two mirrored doors as the reflections can make the space feel bigger.
COOL AND COLLECTED
‘Well designed joinery can bring a sense of both quality and calm to a room,’ notes
Clara Ewart, head of design at Kitesgrove. ‘The built-in storage in this guest bedroom optimised the space available to us – the full-height cupboards offer generous functionality to hide things away without taking over the room. We decided to make a feature of the cupboards and painted them in a statement colour – which also coordinates with the paler wall colour – and finished them with contemporary brass handles.’
LIBRARY LOVE
‘Made to measure from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, no part of this furniture is unused,’ says Simon Tcherniak, senior designer at Neville Johnson. ‘The library ladder is a practical addition that allows access to the upper shelves and by matching the colour of the cabinetry it won’t look obtrusive.’ A similar piece would look beautiful in a home office and by choosing a bold colourway, you’re turning it into a unique focal point.