SLEEK AND STREAMLINED Make light work of everyday clutter
Neutral expanse Don’t waste an inch of wall in a double-height living room. Take the shelves right up to the ceiling with a fully customised design such as the Barnet Living Concept (above) from £3,000, Neville Johnson A library-style ladder makes it possible to access the higher cupboards Mixing open and closed storage means you can hide away the less attractive items and put pictures, ornaments and books on show In a multifunctional room, incorporating a study area into your built-in storage is a neat idea. Keep your computer behind a lift-up door so you can shut it away when the work is done The combination of white shelves and nude-pink doors creates a feeling of space in this light-filled room and contrasts beautifully with the dark-stained floor
Modern minimalism
Fill wall-mounted open shelves with beautiful ornaments and books so they work as both wall art and storage. Como wall system, £2,789, BoConcept In a small room, avoid obscuring floor space with furniture. Wall-hung designs will leave the maximum amount visible White shelving on white walls creates a contemporary gallery feel; you can then add pops of colour and texture with the items you display
Subtle tones
Make a fitted wardrobe almost disappear into the background by choosing an unfussy design in a similar colour to the walls. The Cool Lay-on Gloss Alabaster bedroom furniture with slim pewter handles is from £5,000 at John Lewis of Hungerford Don’t skimp on wardrobe space. Go as large as you can so you’re less likely to leave anything out in the bedroom
Industrial edge
Contrast a utility chic shelving unit with perfectly painted white walls and floors. The Good Lad bookcase, £695 from Loaf, makes a great addition to a home office with ample space for books and folders Coordinate the mesh shelves with a wire chair and pared-back aged wood and metal desk Woven baskets soften all the hard metal and add a splash of subtle colour and pattern
Straight symmetry
If you’re renting, go for easy-to-move freestanding units. These two ladder shelves, £249 each from West Elm, will be more convenient than one bigger piece Place matching shelves next to each other on a blank wall or position either side of a chimney breast Turn them into a decorative feature by interspersing neatly stacked books with ornaments