Nontraditional storage options for your smaller home
Looking for ways to create more storage space in a little house? Borrow space from nontraditional places. There are dozens of ways to make any room function better by using space that has been hiding in plain sight.
To do this, you have to become open to breaking a few conventions.
One basic tenant of creative storage is, when you live in a cramped space, try not to take up floor space with something that only has one purpose. Dual use is the covert way to create the best layout for any room.
For example, in this dining room, the built-in sideboard is equipped with deep file drawers instead of cupboards. Imagine the convenience of keeping all your files located in one central place. China and glassware can be stored inside the cabinets above. This way, your dining room can double as a home office day or night. You can install locks on the drawers, too, if privacy is a concern.
This design is less cluttered, making it feel like a more sophisticated display than a standard china cabinet.
The flat surface above the file drawers can be made of any number of kitchen countertop materials that can withstand heat. When considering this design solution, research materials, such as Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Corian or a natural stone. The counter space will be more useful if it can handle hot or warm serving dishes, a coffee pot, or a hot pan out of the oven.
Another out-of-the-box idea is to put a dresser with drawers in a foyer instead of a table.
Typically, an entryway table has four legs and a flat surface. By switching to a slender chest, you can stash keys, remote controls, notepads, postage, scissors, a tape measure and even bus passes, parking passes and show tickets. If the chest has cupboard doors, you can store hats and shoes. If you have a tall ceiling, consider a unit that's 48 to 54 inches tall.
Some people prefer a bench at the front door. If you do, find one that incorporates a storage compartment below the seat.
Look for tables or dressers for your living room that have storage options as well. A petite dresser offers great hideaway storage for magazines or family games. Drum tables are popular for the living room. They often have a curved door that opens to reveal stacked shelves. The French provincial style is most common.
If you Google “modern drum tables,” you will mostly find decorative drums without storage. However, there are a few contemporary designs that incorporate storage below the circular top.
On one side of my bed, I have a Japanese tansu I use like a typical dresser. On the other side of my bed, I have a teak dining buffet. I keep a stash of toilet paper in one cabinet because the piece sits right outside the master bathroom door. In the other storage compartment I keep random items, such as a blood pressure machine, hair razor and sound machine supplies. I also have a first-aid kit in there.
The two top drawers are basically filled with junk. Cards I've received, pens and notepads are in there, too. Instead of a wimpy nightstand I am using a 48-inch long cabinet that accomplishes a lot in terms of useful storage.
If your hallways are wider than 36 inches, it might be possible for you to put a narrow bookcase or two in the space. My house is blessed with a 60-inch wide hallway that could handle a 12-inch deep bookcase. I don't need to utilize that space, but I would have plenty of walking space left if I did. If your hallways are too narrow to accommodate furniture, you might put a piece at a stair landing or beneath a staircase.
• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of “Small Space Living.” Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
© 2016, Creators Syndicate