Often dismissed as unusable space, walls are easy to overlook, but get storage solutions right in this vertical area and you’ll notice a huge difference in functionality and style.
As well as keeping clutter at bay, well-appointed wall storage can enhance the aesthetics of a room without compromising on floor space.
Which storage ideas you choose will depend on the room they’re for, so our design pros have covered 12 varied storage options perfect for utilizing wasted areas of your walls, including open shelving, floor-to-ceiling custom cabinetry and versatile pegboards.
Our top 12 wall storage ideas
1. Opt for open shelving
Open shelves are a great way of injecting style and personality into a room and are extremely efficient in terms of accessibility.
‘Many forget that storage can be part of the interior design scheme and by displaying and styling our objects, we can merge function with decoration’, says Peter Erlandsson, co-owner of Scandinavian storage brand, String Furniture.
‘I’ve found that styling String’s open shelving with beautiful, sentimental pieces is a great way of introducing personality into a room, while the clever range of hooks, organizers and rods offers plenty of stylish storage potential, too.’
Before you commit, bear upkeep in mind; you will need to keep them neat, tidy and well-organized if you want to avoid a cluttered feel. Our dedicated guide on decluttering tips is packed with ideas that can help.
2. Concertina or sliding doors
Wall-mounted cabinets are great for stowing unsightly essentials, but they’re not always the most practical when it comes to small kitchen layoutst. Removing them altogether poses a separate storage issue, so if space is tight, our experts recommend putting a sliding door design in place.
'Sleek concertina or pocket door systems tend not to feel as imposing, and you can hide away clutter quickly and easily without interrupting the flow of your workspace', says Jennifer Ebert, Digital Editor, Homes & Gardens.
As pictured above, you can tuck away a work station and close the door on it when you're done, leaving a smooth and sleek space with multi-functionality that doesn't cramp your style.
3. Think top to bottom
There’s nothing like floor-to-ceiling cabinetry to make a room feel truly special. If you’ve got the height for it, experts recommend commissioning bespoke joinery to ensure it suits your needs. A combination of closed-in storage and open shelving gives you the option to store away or display, and styling a shelf properly will add aesthetic value to the room as well.
“High ceilings in small spaces lend themselves to taller high-level cabinets and floor-to-ceiling units, with a fixed ladder rail and ladder for access. This layout, which is as beautiful and eye-catching as it is functional, is also a great design feature in studies and home library ideas’, adds Jennifer Ebert.
4. Go bespoke
Shop-bought wall storage solutions don’t necessarily suit – or fit – every home, particularly if yours is a more traditional property with existing features. That’s not to say you give up on the idea altogether though; assuming you’ve got the budget for it, going bespoke is a brilliant way of utilizing ‘trickier’ walls that might otherwise go unused.
‘Use your imagination and make clever use of alcoves, chimney breasts and hallways – these unused spaces can easily become an invaluable way of storing items without protruding into your living space. A beautiful set of painted doors behind which you can keep clutter is sensible streamlining’, says Helen Parker, creative director at deVOL.
Punteha van Terheyden, Head of Solved for Homes & Gardens had bespoke cabinetry made for the primary bedroom in her newly-built home and it revolutionized how she stores things in her bedroom, as well as clearing the rest of the room of clutter.
She explains, 'We'd always purchased shop-bought freestanding bedroom furniture but this time we splashed out and had floor-to-ceiling closets made for our new home. It meant we could have it exactly the color and style we wanted externally, as well as personalized configuration to suit each of us perfectly. It's one of the most functional spaces in our home and uses every inch of the space it's built in.'
5. Create lofty illusions
If you haven’t got the luxury of high ceilings don’t worry; according to the experts, being savvy with your bedroom shelving ideas can make it feel like you do!
‘Positioning shelves up high can create the illusion of height in a room, particularly when painted the same color as the walls,’ says Martin Gill, Managing Director of And So To Bed.
Employing the triangle formation when arranging items is another height-boosting tactic. Positioning a larger item with smaller items either side adds visual interest and draws the eye upwards. Be sure to leave symmetrical gaps between groupings to avoid a cluttered, cramped feel.
6. Let things hang
One of the easiest ways to make more counter space in a small kitchen is to hang items on the wall, instead. Depending on what you need to store, there’s various ways you could do it; magnetic strips work well for knives and larger utensils, while mounted rails are ideal for hanging pots, pans, mugs and more.
‘Hooks are one of the most creative (and homely) solutions. They can turn your apron collection into textured wall art, your chopping boards into wooden focal points and your backsplash into an untapped storage spot, all while freeing up other space too’, says Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr.
7. Customize a peg board or two
Whether you’re looking for small home office ideas or you're organizing a craft room, a practical peg board is a useful way to corral smaller items of varying shapes and sizes. The Brightroom pegboard set from Target can be attached to the wall and comes with a range of accessories including hooks, cups and clips.
As well as being an accessible way of storing supplies, it also doubles up as a stylish focal point, depending on the room it’s in, that is! You could add photos, fabrics and wallpapers for creative inspiration, or keep it plain and practical if you’re using it to organize DIY tools, for example.
8. Use wall-hung baskets to catch clutter
Good-looking storage baskets are ideal drop zones for keeping a home neat and tidy, but if you haven’t got floor space to spare, opt for wall-hung versions, such as these from Wayfair. Made from neutral seagrass, they blend in beautifully with any decor, so you could swap them around rooms if you needed to – handy if you’re using them to organize toys.
Wall-hung baskets also works well when organizing small bathrooms, or even as a shower storage idea – just be sure to opt for a durable water-proof design with holes for drainage.
9. Keep entryways clear with cubbies
Keeping floor space clear is the key to successful entryway ideas, but you’ll still need storage aplenty to keep coats and shoes, hats and school bags off the floor. Wall-mounted cubbies like these from Wayfair are the perfect solution, offering up ample surface space without sacrificing square footage.
‘Assign a cubby to each member of your household and hang a coat hook above or to the side of it, so everyone is responsible for their own belongings. It’s a good habit to encourage and makes getting out of the door in the morning a much smoother process!’, says Jennifer Ebert.
10. Hook-up jewelry
Using hooks to organize jewelry is one of the best ways to keep your collection tangle-free, not to mention it makes for an eye-catching wall display when organizing a bedroom.
‘Ideally, you’d want to position wall-mounted hooks above a chest of drawers or in a space with little foot traffic as this will reduce the risk of them being knocked and precious items being lost,’ says Martin Gill.
You could also use this tactic for storing other accessories such as belts, bags and scarves. If you’d rather store them out of sight, try mounting hooks onto the back of a closet door – not quite wall storage, but a good utilization of vertical space nonetheless!
Punteha uses pretty wall hooks around her vanity area to hang necklaces she wears every day for easy access, as well as clear, slimline adhesive railed shelving inside her floor to ceiling cabinetry for cosmetics.
11. Store soft toys in hammocks
If teddies have a tendency to take over, consider incorporating a soft hanging basket or a wall-hung hammock, like this one from Amazon, into your children’s bedroom storage ideas. That way the bed is clear and they’re up and off the floor, so less of a trip hazard. Position it near the bed so your little one has the comfort of seeing their entire collection as they drift off.
Whilst we’re on the subject of organizing a child’s bedroom, you could also consider hanging a front facing bookshelf to store children's books. As well as making for a colorful display, it also enables children to quickly identify the book they want and access it easily.
12. Hang outdoor items on garage walls
Garages play host to all manner of oversized items, alot of which you probably don’t need access to all that often – think kayaks and paddleboards, bikes and step ladders. Rather than leaving them lying around, consider mounting them on walls, instead.
Depending on the item, you don’t necessarily need shelving; as long as fixtures and fittings are secure you can hang them directly onto the wall. Just be sure they’re clear of vehicles and any garage door mechanisms.
FAQs
How do you create storage on the walls?
It’s easy enough to create storage on walls, but it takes a little bit of prior thought to ensure you’re creating sensible storage that’s going to work for you and your home.
In the same way you would when investing in a new storage unit, think about the space you have, what room it’s in and what items you need to store, then adapt your solution accordingly.
You’ll also need to consider how your chosen wall storage idea might affect the overall feel of the room. If you’re working with a smaller room for example, you might want to swap out bulky cubbies and cabinets for less imposing open shelves to avoid it feeling too cramped.
Factor in practicality and upkeep, too. Open shelving might feel like a good idea, but if you – or your kids – aren’t the tidiest, it’s not going to stay neat for long!
So, next time you’re struggling for storage space, turn your attention to the walls. There’s all manner of untapped potential just waiting to be realized, not just practical potential, but creative potential, too.
Next, explore how to increase storage without adding bulky furniture to your space.
