Re-purposing hidden spaces in your home. It’s the classic problem: you bought your brand-new home. It was spacious, you almost rattled around in it and simply couldn’t envisage ever needing more storage or space than the abundance before you. Fast-forward a few years- a new partner, a cat, a dog and a couple of kids later and your spacious home seems to have vanished before your very eyes.
Now is the time to re-purpose those hidden spaces and make your home work that little bit harder to comfortably house you and all your belongings (these too seem to have oddly multiplied)
That awkwardly shaped space under your stairs? With a little imagination this can become a functional space you love. You could install a few shelves to create a tucked away mini-library.
Position a comfy armchair nearby to encourage everyone in your family to cuddle up with a good book. Another option here is to contact a fitted furniture company and install some sliding drawers. This is a great way to discreetly store items and offers maximum storage for the space being used. You could even turn this space into a staircase pantry if you feel limited on kitchen storage or perhaps a cosy nook for your pets to keep them from getting under your feet in the kitchen or living room.
If you find yourself either tripping constantly on pairs on shoes left all over the house or hunting endlessly for pairs in the well-meaning storage solution: the shoebox, you should consider another option. Speak to a local cabinet maker or handy man to fit slide-out drawers under each step in your stairs and instantly you’ll have easily accessible storage for all your pairs of shoes. The flat design means as soon as you open the drawer it will be easy to find the pair you’re hunting for.
Another way to incorporate more storage space into your home is to use a lift-top bench seat. This could be placed anywhere in your home. Why not try under a window to create a cosy seating area or in kitchen in place of chairs around your table?