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At the entryway
Create a compact storage zone by your front door to wrangle all the usual suspects that gather here – school bags, shoes, hats, umbrellas and more. The easiest way to replicate this idea is to use flat-pack storage cube towers (here, two lots of 1 x 4) turned on their side. Support the overhead unit with a sturdy shelf and wall brackets, and cap the lower unit with a length of timber for a finished look. Add a few wall hooks to make the most of this nook, too!
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In your kitchen
While most items are likely to be tucked away behind closed doors, consider increasing the storage and display factor in your kitchen by installing open timber shelving. Here, two hardwood timber shelves extend from the cabinets above the kitchen sink – just the trick for regularly used dinnerware, such as mugs and breakfast bowls.
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To decorate the living room
For a shelving idea that’s equal parts functional and beautiful, look to include a leaning ladder shelf in your living room scheme. This could be a store-bought item or an old timber ladder that you’ve transformed with varnish or a coat of durable paint. Just be sure to fix it to the wall to prevent tipping.
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On the back of a door
If you’re all out of storage space in your laundry, look at the back of your solid core door as valuable real estate. You can attach two horizontal timber battens to the top and bottom of a sheet of pegboard, paint it white, then mount the assembly to the door. Add hooks and wire basket caddies to contain your overflow of laundry products, cloths, brushes and more.
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In the bedroom
Wardrobe overflowing? Never fear! Choose a series of attractive baskets that you can sit on top of a freestanding robe, or perhaps slide under your bed. Use them to hold lesser-used items or things that you’re not quite ready to part with.
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For the kids
When their stuff is taking over the floor, it’s time for action! Install a set of narrow shelves or storage cube towers in a fresh white finish to effectively store all their belongings. Flat-pack furniture items are quick and easy to DIY. Again, make sure you anchor tall items to the wall to prevent tipping.
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Make an instant office
Store your stationery and home administration in an old wardrobe that doubles as a fold-out office. Clever! To replicate this idea, rejig the internal shelves to suit, then fit a custom table with legs to one fixed-position shelf. Use hinges to attach the table to the shelf and a slide barrel bolt to hold the table in an upright position when behind closed doors. Sand back the wardrobe and give it a coat of stain and varnish for a finished look.
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Out in the shed
Keep your workshop neat and tidy by making custom, timber-framed open shelf units that double as workbenches. Here, the benchtops, plus the middle and bottom shelves, are made with plywood. Psst… Make use of the wall space beyond your bench by lining it with pegboard. You can then use small hooks to hang your collection of hand tools.
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For a quirky display
Who says that storage has to be super practical? If you’re a keen collector of curious objects, you might like to show them off! Take inspiration from this idea, where the under-bench surfaces of a breakfast bar in the kitchen are used to host timber shelving that holds a collection of convict bricks. Clever and decorative!
