As the years pass by, we tend to accumulate more possessions. Unlike older house designs, many new build houses today don’t appear to accommodate our growing need for sufficient storage space. Larders, pantries and hidden cupboards are no longer standard features in more recently built homes, so when it comes to finding space for our belongings, we need to get savvy, particularly in relation to those more compact living spaces. Easier said than done? Finding that extra space for storage is a challenge with each room already having its own purpose. So in this blog we’re looking at ways in which you can add storage space to the smallest rooms within your home, without impeding functionality, using-up unnecessary floor space or compromising on aesthetics.
Box Room Problems
The box room is a bug bear for many of us. Trying to utilise the smallest room in the house, for the function you require, may need some thinking outside the box (!), but with carefully chosen storage solutions, much can be achieved.
If you don’t have a guest room, the box room may be the room which you use to accommodate staying guests. However, this room might also be your storage overspill area. Your issue is that you always need the storage space, but guests only stay infrequently. Firstly, the space underneath the bed is a really handy area for storage. Divans with deep and wide drawers or a lift-up mattress, will enable you to store away large bulky items, such as bedding and towels, but will also keep the room looking tidy and clutter-free for any impromptu guests. Bridging units above the bed are also ideal for storing smaller items such as books and trinkets.
Space saving furniture is the key to a successful box room and a wall-bed certainly ticks the box on that front. If you use your box room as a work from home space, but would like the flexibility of using it as a bedroom, you may well be able to fit a wall-bed into the room. This will allow you to use the desk area in comfort when the bed is folded against the wall. As with any small room, its ultimate usefulness comes with releasing the potential of previously overlooked spaces.
First Impressions Count
Your porch usually forms the first glimpse of your home when a guest arrives. An untidy and cluttered space doesn’t create the greatest of first impressions, so how can you transform this area into one which is both practical and inviting? We generally store outdoor clothes and shoes in this space, which are often casually discarded, so think about avoiding clutter building via accessible storage. Large industrial hooks will make hanging coats easy, and box storage units are ideal for storing shoes and other accessories such as hats and gloves.
A seating area with storage beneath it is perfect for avoiding balance issues when removing outdoor boots and shoes, whilst simultaneously offering a storage solution for items such as umbrellas and out of season footwear. A built-in bench is the ideal porch furniture – maximising all space and streamlined to-boot.
Handy Hallway
Although often narrow and overlooked from a storage perspective, a hallway can actually be a great place for storing away items. Floating shelves will provide handy storage for nick knacks and a key tidy, whilst keeping the floor space clear and making your hallway look more spacious. If the width of your space allows, you could add slimline vertical shelving to free up some space in other rooms, or use it to bring the outside indoors with a proliferation of lush green plant-life!
The space underneath your stairs is an ideal spot for transforming into tidy storage. A fitted cupboard will use up the entire area, so you don’t lose vertical space. Instead of a huddle of pushchairs, toys, ironing boards or hoovers on display, you’ll be met with an aesthetically pleasing streamlined facia, providing a considerable amount of storage space for outsized household items.
Dressing Room Secrets
A properly functioning dressing room requires a variety of storage space, as well as room to manoeuvre around the room. With all types of clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories all requiring the right kind of space, a dressing room can easily become cluttered and chaotic; hardly the right appeal for a space which prepares you for the day ahead!
This is where bespoke fitted furniture comes into play, allowing you to incorporate numerous types, and exactly the right types, of storage to carefully look after and organised your clothes, all without sacrificing too much space. Clothes rails for long and short-hanging garments, shoe racks, wide shelving and even compartmentalised drawers can be included for optimal organisation, leaving you with plenty of floor space in which to get dressed. Your choice of full-length mirrors will also be added to the inside or outside of wardrobe doors for viewing your selected outfit (and without straining your neck!)
Home Office Haven
The home office has played an integral role in the daily lives of many more of us since the start of the pandemic. In many cases, this function has been facilitated in a rush, and in a cramped or otherwise unsuitable space. It’s key, however, that our work-spaces are designed in a way that enables us to work comfortably and remain motivated. A cluttered work top in a noisy kitchen is not going to allow the focus you need long-term.
If you’re able to add office functionality to another room, such as a box room, landing or hallway, a fitted desk can be incorporated into the space so that you have a functional area in which to work, plus sufficient vertical wall storage for tech items and paperwork. Off the shelf furniture is unlikely to provide a wfh zone which will maximise all available space whilst blending into the existing décor.
At Hartleys, our furniture is entirely bespoke. This means that we can design functional furniture which will suit and fit the smallest and trickiest of spaces. You can choose from a wide range of finishes and colours to ensure your new furniture complements your current scheme, or we can paint your furniture in exactly the same shade as your other pieces of furniture. If you’d like to discuss your new storage plans, whether for a bedroom, study, lounge or multi-purpose area, we’d love to hear from you. Head to our Skipton showroom, or request a design visit with one of our designers at www.hartleysbedrooms.co.uk
