Condo living has its benefits. Things like not having to mow a lawn, living in the heart of the city, and being able to easily access amenities such as a gym or pool in your building are convenient and practical.
One area where condos present a challenge, however, is space. Living space. Private space. And storage space, of course.
A lack of condo storage space is becoming an even bigger problem when you look at the shrinking sizes of Toronto condos.
Some new 3-bedroom condos in Toronto range anywhere from 740 square feet to 825 square feet. The average size of new condos and apartments in Toronto is only 647 square feet.
That’s well down from the average of 1,070 square feet for new condo and apartment developments built in the city between 1981 and 1990.
The condo owner loved their bed and wanted us to build storage around it.
We got creative with these condo storage ideas
A condo storage locker can only hold so many things. So how can you do more with your condo storage space when the unit you live in has a much smaller scale than a house?
It turns out there’s plenty you can do.
Join us on a walkthrough of a project we did in a modern Toronto condo, with solutions in a variety of areas.
You’ll see different looks and styles for different rooms. In the end, all of these condo storage ideas and designs work together in harmony to create a home design that is elegant and practical. Perhaps you’ll find some inspiration for your own home.
All three areas of the home feature different colours, different hardware, and even different lines in the cabinet designs, but everything works well in the space.
This was a new condo location for the client, but the approach we took can also work nicely for you if you live in a house, whether it’s new or you’ve lived there for many years.
Use dual-purpose furniture in smaller living spaces
Finding space for enough condo bedroom storage may be one of the biggest tests for anyone new to condo living.
Using dual-purpose furniture to consolidate tasks is the way to go, which is what we did with this remodel.
The main showpiece in the condo remodel was the bedroom piece pictured in the top photo. In this case, the clients had a wonderful bed already and the task was to create a storage solution that went around it and worked with it.
This type of custom bedroom cabinetry is sometimes referred to as a bed surround. Beds that just have drawers for storage below the mattress without storage incorporated into the sides and top of the furniture are also known as storage beds and captains beds.
A space for storage, sleeping, and work
Our designer, Christopher, came up with a concept that looks great. It provides a useful condo storage solution, as well as a space for sleeping and working.
To the left of the bed, we built a tall, narrow cabinet for enclosed storage. The base of it protrudes and acts as a night table, so there’s a convenient space for a book, an alarm clock, a cell phone, etc.
On the right-hand side, a desk was created for a work space. It’s open at the bottom for more legroom and has convenient cubby hole storage space directly above it.
Across the top and bridging the two sides, we built a series of creative open and enclosed storage spaces. Using this design allows the client to use the appropriate space to either display things or conceal items they may not want to be left out in the open, such as extra bedding.
Open and closed storage and display spaces above the bed give the condo owner more storage versatility.
Keeping things bright and light, we built the bulk of the structure using white melamine and added exterior trims and facing with a high-gloss white finish, giving the piece a popular, modern touch.
White melamine was also used for the closet peeking through the door to the right of the bed
The framed glass doors may look like aluminum, but they’re actually board and framed using a thermo laminate called Stainless. The doors then had the same white laminated glass we use for our sliding doors inserted for a great look.
For hardware, we used the ever-popular “towel bar” style of handle in stainless steel. We added a pair of LED puck lights above the sleeping area to provide more light for reading in bed.
Elevated undercabinet lighting provides reading light for the bed.
Built-in storage for the den
In addition to the work in the bedroom, we also designed and installed built-in cabinetry for the den.
This solution is a wall unit for general storage and the design required drawer storage for smaller, loose items that don’t stay put as well on the shelves.
To preserve the clean, vertical lines of the doors, we placed the drawers behind them so they’re hidden. The drawer boxes are the same size as they otherwise would be, but without the addition of a face or extra handles.
This built-in wall unit has hidden drawers to preserve the clean, vertical lines of the doors.
On the outside, you can see a series of flat doors with consistent handles. Inside, however, it varies.
This cabinet was built using melamine in Cayenne Maple. You might have thought that a crown moulding doesn’t go with flat fronts, but as you can see here, it works quite nicely and finishes off the cabinet.
Hidden, easy-to-access drawers keep things well-organized.
Condo storage for the dining room
The last of the condo storage ideas we looked at for the project involved the dining room. We designed and installed a simple built-in cabinet here. This cabinet features a combination of solid doors for concealed storage, as well as doors with clear glass inserts for display.
Again, we added LED lighting to the cabinet for illuminating their display items and further used glass for the shelves so that the light can pass through.
This cabinet was built using a combination of melamine and thermo laminates in Chocolate Pear, with shaker-style solid doors.
This built-in dining room cabinet has a simple design, but still adds a stylish, elegant aesthetic to the condo.
Customize your condo storage
Even a small or modestly-sized living space can be designed for comfort and optimal storage efficiency.
Blending traditional design details with fresh, modern lines is always exciting and effective and we can help implement these condo storage ideas in your home.
Schedule a free design consultation with Organized Interiors to discuss what condo storage solutions can work best in your living space.
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