Pro Reveal: 5 Brilliant Bedroom Storage Ideas
Five design experts reveal the practical and inventive ways they optimised storage in their clients' bedrooms
Georgia Madden
14 August 2021
Are your cupboards bursting at the seams and drawers refusing to close? If it’s time for a bedroom-storage upgrade and you’re seeking ideas, look no further. Five design experts reveal how they met their clients’ briefs and added a little magic to their storage set-ups at the same time.
1. Designer and commentator: Kirsty Ristevski, designer, renovator and developer at Home Mayd
Location: Albert Park, Victoria
Set-up: A parents’ retreat with an ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and a make-up station in a renovated, two-storey Victorian weatherboard house.
Bedroom size: The bedroom measures approximately 14 square metres; the ensuite and walk-in wardrobe measure approximately 16 square metres.
Joinery: Jason Galea at Superlative Interiors
Ristevski says: This storage set-up includes a U-shape open wardrobe with a skylight above it that fills the area with natural light.
Having no doors on the cupboards provides quick and easy access to hanging items and shoe shelves. Folded items are kept in drawers at the lower sections of the cupboards.
The U-shape of the wardrobe means that any messiness is concealed from view as you enter the master suite.
The kicker at the base of the wardrobes visually lifts the bulk of the joinery off the floor and, on a practical level, makes it comfortable and easy for the user to access items in the wardrobes.
The wardrobes are finished in Polytec Notaio Walnut.
Top tips: Maximise a small bedroom’s storage potential by measuring out the items you need to store before specifying the internals.
For a door-free wardrobe, think about what you will see both on entry to the space and from the bed, and look to conceal any potentially messy zones.
Location: Albert Park, Victoria
Set-up: A parents’ retreat with an ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and a make-up station in a renovated, two-storey Victorian weatherboard house.
Bedroom size: The bedroom measures approximately 14 square metres; the ensuite and walk-in wardrobe measure approximately 16 square metres.
Joinery: Jason Galea at Superlative Interiors
Ristevski says: This storage set-up includes a U-shape open wardrobe with a skylight above it that fills the area with natural light.
Having no doors on the cupboards provides quick and easy access to hanging items and shoe shelves. Folded items are kept in drawers at the lower sections of the cupboards.
The U-shape of the wardrobe means that any messiness is concealed from view as you enter the master suite.
The kicker at the base of the wardrobes visually lifts the bulk of the joinery off the floor and, on a practical level, makes it comfortable and easy for the user to access items in the wardrobes.
The wardrobes are finished in Polytec Notaio Walnut.
Top tips: Maximise a small bedroom’s storage potential by measuring out the items you need to store before specifying the internals.
For a door-free wardrobe, think about what you will see both on entry to the space and from the bed, and look to conceal any potentially messy zones.
2. Designer and commentator: Sonia Warner, interior designer and co-director at Woods & Warner
Location: Castlecrag, NSW
Set-up: A bedroom with an ensuite for a 17-year-old boy. It was converted from a rumpus room on the lower-ground floor of a mid-century-inspired home.
Bedroom size: 25.5 square metres
Architect: Mark Oxenham of Castlepeak
Builder: Peter Godfrey of PGC Projects
Cabinet maker: Homestyle Kitchens
Warner says: This bespoke unit needed to meet the growing needs of the client’s eldest son and make a nod to the owners’ love of mid-century design. Durability and functionality combined with a stylish design intent were must-haves for the client.
We set out to design a joinery piece that would easily transition from the high-school student stage to the occupant’s adult years. The unit was to go in a spot that is highly visible from the foyer, so it not only needed to be an easy way for the occupant to keep his room tidy, but visually interesting too.
We achieved this by designing it to look more like a character-infused freestanding piece of furniture than a bland built-in wardrobe. We included plenty of carefully considered open storage and hanging space inside it and a generous open display area to add further warmth and personality.
We finished the piece in high-performance Lamicolor Chalet Oak Tabac laminate (the timber finish) and Laminex Stormcloud Natural Finish (the grey finish).
Location: Castlecrag, NSW
Set-up: A bedroom with an ensuite for a 17-year-old boy. It was converted from a rumpus room on the lower-ground floor of a mid-century-inspired home.
Bedroom size: 25.5 square metres
Architect: Mark Oxenham of Castlepeak
Builder: Peter Godfrey of PGC Projects
Cabinet maker: Homestyle Kitchens
Warner says: This bespoke unit needed to meet the growing needs of the client’s eldest son and make a nod to the owners’ love of mid-century design. Durability and functionality combined with a stylish design intent were must-haves for the client.
We set out to design a joinery piece that would easily transition from the high-school student stage to the occupant’s adult years. The unit was to go in a spot that is highly visible from the foyer, so it not only needed to be an easy way for the occupant to keep his room tidy, but visually interesting too.
We achieved this by designing it to look more like a character-infused freestanding piece of furniture than a bland built-in wardrobe. We included plenty of carefully considered open storage and hanging space inside it and a generous open display area to add further warmth and personality.
We finished the piece in high-performance Lamicolor Chalet Oak Tabac laminate (the timber finish) and Laminex Stormcloud Natural Finish (the grey finish).
3. Designer and commentator: Sarah Bryant, architect at Bryant Alsop Architects
Location: Brunswick, Victoria
Set-up: The master bedroom with a full-width balcony in a four-bedroom Victorian terrace.
Bedroom size: 37 square metres
Architects: Sarah Bryant and Stephanie Reed-Marshall at Bryant Alsop Architects
Builder: Knot Only Carpentry
Soft furnishings: Prue Gordon at Bryant Alsop assisted with these
Alsop says: In order to preserve the room’s generous sense of space, a five-metre-long run of built-in wardrobes were chosen over a walk-in wardrobe.
The room’s Victorian detailing – the cornicing, skirtings and architraves – were the cues for the door design. We opted for traditional panelled hinged doors to sit seamlessly alongside the room’s period detailing.
The wardrobes include custom drawers, full and half hanging rails and pull-out shoe drawers to maximise space and make them easy to organise.
Is it time for a bedroom-storage upgrade? Find expert joiners and cabinet makers near you on Houzz
Location: Brunswick, Victoria
Set-up: The master bedroom with a full-width balcony in a four-bedroom Victorian terrace.
Bedroom size: 37 square metres
Architects: Sarah Bryant and Stephanie Reed-Marshall at Bryant Alsop Architects
Builder: Knot Only Carpentry
Soft furnishings: Prue Gordon at Bryant Alsop assisted with these
Alsop says: In order to preserve the room’s generous sense of space, a five-metre-long run of built-in wardrobes were chosen over a walk-in wardrobe.
The room’s Victorian detailing – the cornicing, skirtings and architraves – were the cues for the door design. We opted for traditional panelled hinged doors to sit seamlessly alongside the room’s period detailing.
The wardrobes include custom drawers, full and half hanging rails and pull-out shoe drawers to maximise space and make them easy to organise.
Is it time for a bedroom-storage upgrade? Find expert joiners and cabinet makers near you on Houzz
4. Designer and commentator:
Javier Favaro, master joiner at iSpace Solutions
Location: Avalon, NSW
Set-up: A teenager’s bedroom in a three-bedroom, 1940s weatherboard house.
Bedroom size: 22.5 square metres
Interior designer: Nina Maya Interiors
Builder: Sam Pollnow at Customconstruction
Favaro says: The brief here was to make the most of the space and create as much storage as possible.
The cupboards provide storage and also visually frame the bed. This set-up also allowed us to take the cupboards right to the ceiling so we could maximise storage potential.
Matching the cupboards to the walls creates a clean, contemporary look and makes the room feel more spacious.
Incorporating bedside tables into the cupboard design was another way to save space. We added display shelves into an unused nook at the end of the desk.
The bedside table tops, desk and floating shelves are made from the same material as the flooring for cohesion and warmth.
Javier Favaro, master joiner at iSpace Solutions
Location: Avalon, NSW
Set-up: A teenager’s bedroom in a three-bedroom, 1940s weatherboard house.
Bedroom size: 22.5 square metres
Interior designer: Nina Maya Interiors
Builder: Sam Pollnow at Customconstruction
Favaro says: The brief here was to make the most of the space and create as much storage as possible.
The cupboards provide storage and also visually frame the bed. This set-up also allowed us to take the cupboards right to the ceiling so we could maximise storage potential.
Matching the cupboards to the walls creates a clean, contemporary look and makes the room feel more spacious.
Incorporating bedside tables into the cupboard design was another way to save space. We added display shelves into an unused nook at the end of the desk.
The bedside table tops, desk and floating shelves are made from the same material as the flooring for cohesion and warmth.
5. Designer and commentator: Maria Roussos, interior designer and principal at Schemes & Spaces
Location: Petersham, NSW
Set-up: A compact bedroom for a teenage boy in a modern, three-level, semi-detached house.
Bedroom size: Approximately nine square metres.
Renovation broker: Blakes of Sydney
Roussos says: The brief for this small bedroom was to create wardrobe storage, shelves, storage for books and magazines, and a small desk for its teenage occupant. My client also wanted a flexible display area and storage for his small television.
The room is small and it was important that it didn’t feel overcrowded. We met the brief by designing a custom, built-in wardrobe/joinery wall rather than specifying freestanding furniture. The wall unit serves multiple functions without swallowing up precious floor space.
The unit includes hanging space, drawers and a pull-out trouser rack on the left and right. My client loves his shoes so the centre drawers are dedicated to shoe storage.
There is a pull-out desk above this that sits under the television, both of which can be hidden from view when not in use.
An open shelf above it in a contrasting finish provides interest and breaks up an otherwise flat, uniform surface area. It also provides extra display space.
Location: Petersham, NSW
Set-up: A compact bedroom for a teenage boy in a modern, three-level, semi-detached house.
Bedroom size: Approximately nine square metres.
Renovation broker: Blakes of Sydney
Roussos says: The brief for this small bedroom was to create wardrobe storage, shelves, storage for books and magazines, and a small desk for its teenage occupant. My client also wanted a flexible display area and storage for his small television.
The room is small and it was important that it didn’t feel overcrowded. We met the brief by designing a custom, built-in wardrobe/joinery wall rather than specifying freestanding furniture. The wall unit serves multiple functions without swallowing up precious floor space.
The unit includes hanging space, drawers and a pull-out trouser rack on the left and right. My client loves his shoes so the centre drawers are dedicated to shoe storage.
There is a pull-out desk above this that sits under the television, both of which can be hidden from view when not in use.
An open shelf above it in a contrasting finish provides interest and breaks up an otherwise flat, uniform surface area. It also provides extra display space.
I took the cabinetry right to the ceiling – I always prefer to do this, particularly with slightly lower ceilings, to create a seamless look and make the ceiling appear higher. It also prevents the top of the unit from becoming a dust trap.
I liked the idea of integrating the shelving, bedside tables, bed and wardrobe so I designed shelves to match the wardrobe scheme. One serves as a desk ledge and the other as a bedside table. The contrasting timber finish adds interest.
The grey section of wall is a custom-sized felt pin board where the client can pin posters, cards and artwork.
We specified a king-single storage bed to provide further storage.
For the finishes, I specified polyurethane in Dulux Natural White and Polytec Woodmatt laminate in Prime Oak.
I liked the idea of integrating the shelving, bedside tables, bed and wardrobe so I designed shelves to match the wardrobe scheme. One serves as a desk ledge and the other as a bedside table. The contrasting timber finish adds interest.
The grey section of wall is a custom-sized felt pin board where the client can pin posters, cards and artwork.
We specified a king-single storage bed to provide further storage.
For the finishes, I specified polyurethane in Dulux Natural White and Polytec Woodmatt laminate in Prime Oak.
Your turn
Which of these bedroom storage set-ups impresses you the most? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on bedroom storage? Don’t miss 23 Beautifully Organised Bedroom Wardrobes
Which of these bedroom storage set-ups impresses you the most? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on bedroom storage? Don’t miss 23 Beautifully Organised Bedroom Wardrobes
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Most of these are huge bedrooms where building in storage isn't so much of a challenge. I really like the last one because it works with the kind of space that most of us have to work with.
Wow that is very pretty! :3
putting a skylight above clothes seems a recipe for fabric fading!