How to Maximize Space in Your Custom Home

Using these handy built-in spaces and tricks of the trade in your home, you can maximize your storage and keep your floor and desktop (or countertop) space clean and uncluttered. Lots of serene, uncluttered, open space can make any home look high-end and make it feel larger. Try these in your existing home or new build:

  • Closets with clever clothing organizers: Well designed and conveniently located closets throughout the home help you keep things neat and find items when you want them. Closets should contain purpose-built drawers, drawer dividers, cubbies sized properly for shoes and boots, clothing rods for shorter items like shirts and blouses and widely spaced rods for full length clothing like pants and dresses. Your home should come complete with a front hallway coat closet and linen closets (inside or just outside bathrooms or bedrooms). Your master bedroom should feature a walk-in closet with floor to ceiling mirrors for dressing. Secondary bedrooms or guest rooms should ideally have full-width wall closets.
  • Mudroom area: You and your builder should consider a mud room at the back door, or between and attached garage and home, with a sturdy clothing rod and hangers for coats, wall hooks for backpacks, hats, scarves and umbrellas. Mudrooms save space because they keep coats, boots and backpacks from being thrown on the living room sofa or sitting on the floor blocking the entry hall. Many homes combine the mud room, laundry room and utility room.
  • Laundry room: If you have a separate laundry room or even an area in the garage next to your washer/dryer, add some shelves and a clothing rod so you can fold or hang items right out of the dryer. A small cabinet for laundry soap bottles, dryer sheets and other cleaning supplies would also be useful to keep the space neat.
  • Toy or hobby cubbies: If you have children, or if you need hobby storage, consider tilted cubbies where items can be sorted and thrown in casually. Cubbies make clever and colorful use of wall space outside closets, and can serve as part of your decor, while keeping toys, folded clothing and other items out of sight. This keeps your craft table or the bedroom floor from becoming crowded with toys or hobby project supplies.
  • Hidden-storage (or multi-purpose) furniture: Choose an ottoman or chest-style coffee table with hidden storage. Don’t forget the under-bed area–it can be perfect for hidden storage. Save space if you don’t have an extra bedroom–get a quality pull-out couch or futon-style easy chair. Consider a built-in Murphy bed on/in the wall.
  • Stools and armless chairs: These take up less space and have a streamlined appearance, yet still provide comfortable seating.
  • Walk-in pantry: If you like to buy in bulk and/or you’re a gourmet cook, a walk-in pantry allows you to organize dry goods within easy reach and right where you will need them, in the kitchen–yet they are tucked away from sight.
  • Den wall shelving: Consider custom-made, floor to ceiling shelving that perfectly fits the space for a stylish, bespoke appearance that is also practical. Shelves can help the den double as a man-cave, trophy room or library.
  • Open shelving in kitchen: This type of shelving allows nicely designed dishware to double as decor. You could opt for some traditional cabinets with doors and some open shelves, if you’d rather not go all the way.
  • Bath shelves: Teak wood shelving stands up to moisture well and adds an attractive natural element to the bath decor. It can be placed almost anywhere within the bath room, even in the shower or above the tub. Or have recessed shower shelving built into your shower tile.
  • Bathroom vanities: Before you decide on a pedestal sink, remember they have no storage beneath. Dresser-style vanities are attractive and practical, since they provide drawer or cabinet storage. If you have dual sinks, dual medicine cabinets (behind designer mirrors) provide the most convenient storage for toiletries.
  • Attic or basement: Finished or unfinished, you don’t need to throw things in blindly.Section off an area for a storage closet or custom-built shelving or bookcases.
  • Garage storage: Use peg boards to store tools and other grab-and-go items on the wall. Adding steel or wood shelving (or cabinets) at the back should still leave plenty of room for your car, plus room to unload it.
  • Outdoor shed: This need not be ugly or plain, A shed can be built to coordinate perfectly with your home. You can store lawnmower and lawn care items, out of season clothing, sports equipment, gardening supplies and more.

Custom Designed Storage Space for Your Home

We can build extra shelving into your remodel, add extra closets to your home, create a mudroom or even build a stylish storage shed for your home. Contact Miller’s Residential Creations today for a free consultation.

Brian Miller is the owner of Miller's Residential Creations, a custom home builder and remodeling company servicing Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan Counties of West Virginia since 2004.
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