How to choose . . . storage

With modern living demanding multifunctionality from many rooms, particularly kitchens and living areas, getting smart about storage is a must. A well-planned storage strategy contributes to the practicality and style of a scheme, embracing design detail, innovation, craftsmanship and sometimes colour.

Alan O’Connell of OC Architects & Design, Ranelagh, says storage tends not to be a big issue until the arrival of children and then it becomes a key requirement. However, singletons can also have plenty of paraphernalia to accommodate, from vacuum cleaners to treadmills, multimedia systems to bicycles.

Many of us don’t analyse our storage needs properly, according to O’Connell. We should pinpoint the ideal location for storage and figure out how frequently we need to access it. “Give thought to how you live in and use a space and then choose a storage solution to address this. Designed correctly, it can facilitate and enhance the space you live in, both from a functional and aesthetic perspective.”

O’Connell recommends allocating 10 per cent of a living space to storage, assessed on a room-by-room basis. Good design is always the best starting point, he says. “Cheap materials can be made to work, and can often be more successful, as long as the attention to detail is right.” He is currently working on a project where a storage wall has been constructed out of birch plywood. “It will look great, but the detail has to be right. More expensive materials can be more forgiving but a cheaper material forces you to be more thoughtful.”

Focal point

Open-plan areas tend to require a lot of functional storage that is used daily, O’Connell says. “They can be great spaces for bespoke storage – instead of trying to hide these designs, I suggest embracing them and using them as a focal point. A storage unit can develop into a seating area or display unit. A storage unit for toys could also act as a divider to separate, to some degree, the play area from the rest of the living space during the day. The opportunity is there to make it a real design piece.”

Traditional layouts have their own spaces that lend themselves to storage, O’Connell says. They can include either side of a chimney breast and the sill area underneath a bay window that could be used to create a window seat with storage underneath.

These rooms will often be more suited to freestanding pieces rather than built-in units, according to O’Connell. Bespoke freestanding pieces can also work well in awkward areas such as rooms with slanted ceilings.

“Fitted units provide more usable storage in an awkward space. Free-standing pieces undoubtedly serve a useful function but they need to have a comfortable space around them to function properly. What I like about fitted units is that they are designed in response to the space and activity around them, and therefore should sit comfortably in that space.”

Of course for anyone thinking of moving house in the future, freestanding storage makes for a more practical investment. Companies are stepping up to the plate. "This year we are totally overhauling our collection, including media cabling solutions, and upgrading finishes and construction," says Barry Rochford of Bo Concept.

Typical mistake

A typical mistake is to overdo kitchen storage, says O’Connell. “A kitchen doesn’t need to look like the mothership. In the past, I’ve seen kitchens installed that take over a living space, and 60 to 70 per cent of the presses end up with rubbish in them.”

Flexibility is important. Our storage needs evolve over time as children grow, our working and leisure lives change and we replace key pieces of kit. Families with young children living in small spaces have to be inventive and look to versatile pieces such as coffee tables and beds with inbuilt storage.

The seemingly endless stuff of life can be shoehorned into cleverly designed under-stair fitted storage, O’Connor says. “I’ve seen this area converted into a tiny kids’ playhouse or a dog house,” he observes. He’s also a fan of Latvian design firm Chrome’s bike shelf, FIXA, which provides bike and accessories storage – with storage space inside and a flat surface on top that can be used as a table.

Arlene McIntyre of Ventura Design previously devised wall-hung storage for bikes in a mirrored cloakroom in a compact apartment. “This meant they were hidden away while helping the entrance hallway look brighter and less cluttered. The mirrored door created extra width to an already tight space,” she says.

Lorraine Stevens of LOMI Design is a fan of wall-hung bookcases and press units that provide lots of storage without taking up valuable floor space.

Dressing rooms, O’Connor says, should be large enough to be comfortable and usable. “If the space isn’t there, clever design can still allow a dressingroom to be sectioned off from the main room while maintaining a good sense of space in both areas. Having a well-planned dressing space is also key to making the room work, preventing it from becoming a dumping ground.

“What I see more and more is storage becoming an integral part of the design of the overall space. Storage areas are incorporated so there is fluidity to the whole design as a result,” O’Connell says.

For those who prefer a more eclectic effect, shops such as The Gaiety antique and vintage shops, in Westport and Galway, are a source of interesting finds, from armoires and dressers to 1930s filing cabinets. Clodagh O’Connor of The Gaiety cites one memorable piece of stock – a set of more than 80 apothecary drawers in golden oak from 1880, all with their original glass crystal handles.

But whatever your style, the mantra “a place for everything and everything in its place” makes a lot of sense.

Trending . . . new ways to stash your stuff away

According to Lorraine Stevens, of LOMI Design, the traditional television press in the corner is now a multimedia system with wall panels supporting the flat screen, concealed wires, speakers and infrared remote control systems with lower storage units containing multiple devices, handsets, DVDs and games.

What’s more, a wardrobe is no longer a place just to hang clothes. The latest styles incorporate shelves, drawers, hanging and pull-outs suitable for every conceivable type and size of garment, accessory, and piece of footwear. This makes them a joy to use every day, Stevens says.

She advises full floor-to- ceiling storage, with pull-out trays and compartments suitable for ties, jewellery, gloves and other small items.

Trending in kitchens, says Stevens, are sliding doors that close away pantry-style storage. Interior drawers store everything from wine to integrated kitchen scales and cutting boards. Deeper storage units will yield 30 per cent more capacity, requiring fewer units and and keeping the kitchen simple and uncluttered, she says, while marine board interior fittings are great for “the ultimate organised kitchen”.