Our last month's photo challenge – Creative Storage Solutions – was a popular post, but judging by the lack of actual photo submissions, it would seems that creative storage is much easier said than done.
Well, I'm a BIG fan of creative storage, and for this edition of Top Five Friday, I've rounded up some (many) pretty nifty ideas fit for every home (OK, most homes).
Books and Things…
Photo credits: Curbly Blog (left), Country Living (right)
LOVE the fireplace full of books. Filling a dud fireplace with decorative items is not new, but using it as storage is just that one step further, inspiring countless possibilities. Many older homes have closed-in fireplaces, and if you can't afford to open it up to function, do it for the unique storage!
On the left is a classic example that despite its ubiquity, people still overlook in their own homes: if you can't build out, build up! Why stop at book-shelf-height? Keep on to the ceiling! And it almost always looks great. Note: Many people think that floor-to-ceiling shelving can crowd a small space. While it is a possibility, the secret is in the depth. The smaller the space, the shallower the shelving should be. Stick to this rule, and you can make it work anywhere.
The Closet Home Office
Photo: Lowe's Creative Ideas
Work at home? Why hide? Well… actually, because it's cozy, convenient and kind of an ingenious use of space. This may look like something you perhaps can't do, but I assure you, this is a pretty standard-sized closet. This can be done in most condos, and virtually any home (some Victorian closets may need a little sledge-hammering), providing of course, that you can afford to lose the closet space.
The Staircase That Could
Photo credits: Inhabitat Blog (left), Move Trends (right)
Earlier I mentioned staircases in the context of book storage, but these examples above show you how you can tap into that unused space to store almost anything. Most homes can implement the drawer system below the staircase leading from the basement floor up to the ground level, as the space beneath the stairs leading to the second floor is usually taken up by the passage way to the lower level. There are ways around anything however, and a quick consultation with a contractor can solve it.
The example on the left is something anyone with a staircase can do, providing the step can be secured to still hold your weight when climbing. Pretty cool, no?
Just a Good Idea!
Photo: DIY Ideas Blog
Well someone's thinking outside the storage bin! How cute! And how clever. Add that to the list of "why didn't I think of that?"
Stuff Baskets Wherever You Can…
Photo credits: Pottery Barn bed (left), Pottery Barn table via NJ.com (right)
Again, some of the recent ingenuity in dual-purpose furnishing I mentioned in my previous post on book storage, but these examples above are less 'designy', and not a million dollars from an Italian retailer not servicing our Northern lands. Both the bed and table are from Pottery Barn, actually, however I'm not sure that these exact models are still available. The point of the matter is, that bed storage need not look like those awful '80s kids beds made from brittle MDF board, nor is it impossible to put storage beneath your kitchen/dining room table. Here you see the proof!
Make Those Dormers Work for You!
Photo: Artisan Homeworks
Lastly, if you have a pitched roof and have opened it up to house a room, then you should definitely consider this space-yielding project. The "knee wall" that results from opening up an attic hides behind it oodles of unused space. If you can't sit there or put in a small bathroom, then turn it into storage! The example above seems like an elaborate job, but you can actually turn this into an easy DIY with some basic dry-walling knowledge; simply cut out a square between the joists, and fit in an existing chest of drawers. How you finish it is up to you, but the basic idea is essentially the same.
Have you made use of any of these ideas in your home? Want to share your own creative storage ideas?
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Top 5 Friday appears every Friday on Style Sheet