Once the holiday break over, the Christmas tree packed away, and the last traces of lucullan feasting have faded, there remains a familiar challenge – one that the post-Christmas clear-out tends to sharpen rather than solve. Storage, or rather the lack of it, is an everyday reality, especially in tiny city flats, rather than a distant concern.
Yet here is the more interesting question: how to make the most of the space already there, and how to allow storage to work harder without overpowering a room. When cupboards cannot be endlessly added and shelves are already doing their share, storage has no choice but to be visible. But does that mean the result has to be ugly?
To find out, I spoke to a handful of designers about how they approach storage when it needs to earn its place visually as well as practically. Their answers range from deceptively small decorating decisions to more thoughtful planning moves, all united by a shared idea: when storage is unavoidable, it can also be part of what makes a home feel considered.
For Sarah Vanrenen, one half of the design duo Vanrenen-Hanbury, the trick is to avoid a built-in look in favour of something more inviting and tactile. ‘When we design storage we try to steer away from fitted joinery that feels too utilitarian, adding gathered fabric or cane panels to soften the feel. We often add decorative detailing in the form of shaped cornices or plinths to make fitted cupboards feel more like freestanding pieces of furniture, usually taking inspiration from antique pieces that have caught our eye and then choosing really special ironmongery to make it feel unique.’
Her approach is as pragmatic as it is pretty. ‘Where space is tight and open shelving isn’t an option, we find an under-counter curtain is the perfect marriage of practicality and aesthetics, a lovely way of adding colour and pattern to even the most hardworking rooms.’ And for the everyday bits and bobs that seem to multiply overnight, Sarah is a champion of the humble basket, which she often sources for clients with a particular eye for interesting shapes and hues. ‘They are brilliant for storage. We often use them in bathrooms for storing everything from make up to extra loo rolls. A row of baskets on an open shelf keeps everything easily accessible but the clutter neatly contained. Equally, a basket can be employed very successfully as storage in children’s bedrooms and playrooms and makes tidying up a much easier task.’
If Sarah’s focus is on storage that charms and softens, Tom Morris is more concerned with how these solutions function in the reality of daily life. For him, the real challenge is creating something that works just as well in practice as it does on paper. ‘Putting away as much stuff as possible is really important. Styling things beautifully on digital plans or pencil drawings is one thing, but it’s an ask for lots of clients who are busy to continually keep storage orderly and styled in real life. Doors and cupboard fronts are really important, then thinking about exactly what is going inside to make sure you get the correct heights of shelves or, even better, good, solid hidden drawers to throw stuff into.’
The secret to keeping storage elegant, he suggests, lies in its lines. ‘Trying to keep the orientation of your cupboards uniform – whether vertical or horizontal – helps. It means that the handles all point in the same direction, which really does create an orderly effect. The push-open mechanism is a great way to remove handles altogether for a seamless look, although it can make a room end up feeling unfinished.’ And when it comes to storage that feels well resolved, Tom recommends looking beyond built-in joinery. ‘Where possible, investing in properly designed shelving and storage helps things feel considered: Vitsoe, Porro or the Royal system for modern, a Welsh dresser for something traditional.’
Practical solutions for the smaller things are just as crucial, as Lucy Hammond Giles points out. She has a knack for making even the inevitable odds and ends feel both attractive and under control. ‘I love books and have piles and piles on the floor by my bed, but they really are much neater when corralled into a bookshelf.’ For her, shelves are an opportunity to create interest as well as order. ‘You can break up the shapes of the books, or fill in the gaps, by tucking treasured objects between them – more interesting and neater than having every knickknack out on a surface.’
Instead of sticking to standard shelving, Lucy suggests getting creative with scale and function. ‘Your shelves could also be much larger than those for paperbacks, with wicker or rush baskets on them in which to store or hide any and everything. Where suitable I also like having doors over the lower shelves, to both weight the shelves above, and to shove the more messy stuff of life behind.’
Bookcases, she suggests, provide a framework for balance, allowing for both structure and a little disorder. ‘I find they work so well as they provide straight, framing shapes, within which you can have mess, and that balance works beautifully.’
Sometimes, the most characterful pieces are the ones that serve more than one purpose. ‘Trunks and chests also make excellent storage. My grandmother’s hall was filled with open chests of homemade potpourri, a different sort of storage. They are also good under leggy side tables to store maybe games, and at the end of a guest bed for spare blankets, plus moth deterrents, and a suitcase to sit on.’
With a little thought and the right details, storage becomes part of the story – bringing a touch of character to our homes, rather than simply swallowing up the clutter.
