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Decorative built-in book shelving between two closets and above a bed. (Adam Miller/The Epoch Times)
Unused space underneath staircases can be maximized and presented beautifully. A basic closet can be added under a staircase. Where it opens to will decide its purpose—near a kitchen, it will be a pantry; in a den, it may be a home for coats.
Another way to add storage is via a side access under the stairs: forming open shelves, drawers glass cabinets. These add visual appeal and easy access. Some creative individuals have even installed drawers inside the stairs, where stair risers become actual drawer fronts.
If there is a doorway that rarely gets used in a home, and particularly if the home also needs a boost in character, a rotating door/hidden bookshelf can be installed. Hidden doors make hidden rooms, adding intrigue. Search for ideas at The Hidden Door Company.
Opportunity lies inside the walls, between the wall studs. Where in a home will built-in shelving nooks most improve architectural appeal while increasing function? As long as wiring, piping or ductwork is absent behind the wall, a built-nook is possible.
Nooks are fun and useful, and can work in rooms and hallways to hold small practical or decorative collections. Even a half-wall in the bathroom, with cut openings, will increase toilet or tub storage, or can be made into a medicine cabinet.
Pocket doors are built-in doorways that allow wall space to remain free and open around them. They have a modern, clean look and can be effective in a variety of spaces. It is best to plan a pocket door at the time of construction, as adding one later will call for a wall to be demolished and reframed.
The back of a bathroom door can stow items; by painting the door in magnetic paint, magnetic hooks and towel bars can be attached.
Corner shelves and tables can convert room corners—which would otherwise act as empty space—into unique storage opportunities. As with art and furniture, corner shelves and tables have the power to dress up a room.
John Ruskin, a nineteenth century arts and architecture critic, whose writings were inspiration for the arts and crafts movement, said, “Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.”
While, to a degree, this speaks truthfully, people today will continue to purchase things. This means in the modern world storage is a precious commodity. When applied to Ruskin’s thought, clever storage may be the only true weapon to battle the weariness that comes with all our stuff.
