Storage

Livingetc's design guru Mark Garside answers your most frequently asked storage questions.

Fitting sliding doors

We'd like to replace a couple of doors in our flat with sliding ones. Is this possible, and how difficult are they to fit?
Before you start, check for any limiting regulations with your local authority building control office, but it's usually possible to change most doors to sliding ones. You have a couple of options. The first is to run the door on the outside of the wall, but this means it will be in view and will limit what you can hang on the wall. I'd go for a hidden system, where the door recesses into the wall, but get proper advice on whether the wall is load bearing. If it can take a recess then, rather than a sliding door mechanism, I'd go for a pre-built Scrigno system, about £500 excluding the door. There's even a curved sliding door set for the more adventurous.

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Modern shelving for a living room

We're looking for modern shelving for our living room. We can be a bit messy, so we want something that holds clutter but isn't too restricting.
Desalto does a nice caged shelving system called Fluid, by Arik Levy (01932 573600 for stockists) for £128 per cage and £36 per shelf. I like the way you can drop objects into it in a loose fashion, so clutter is contained but accessible.

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On the hunt for a stylish coffee table with hidden storage

I'm looking for a simple coffee table to hide clutter, but don't like lots of drawers. Any ideas?
I think Tema Home's Kyoto range may be just what you're after. Simple, sleek and with a magical top that slides open so you can dump everything into the base box below, it's available in sophisticated gloss black or white. Check the website for stockists.

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Stylish wall-hung bedroom shelving

Help! I'm looking for a simple, stylish wall-hung shelf to use next to my bed. It needs to be strong enough for a lamp and a few books.
If your budget is limited, then Ikea does simple floating shelves, but it's always an issue making sure you can get a decent fitting into the wall for them. If you want to spend a little bit extra on something really special, then Bellato has a smart range of curved-oak shelf capsules called Istant that come in a range of finishes, including coloured laminates, with the option to add internal lighting. These are available at Nest, from £112.

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Modern wall hooks for hallway

We're trying to find some modern wall hooks for our hallway, which is quite contemporary, with a glass and stainless-steel front door and dark-wood flooring. We need plenty as we have three children. Any ideas?
Tom Dixon designed a cool extendable wire coat rack a few years ago that features hooks at random heights, and, unlike most other hook options, they're wide enough not to spike through your coats. Each unit has five hooks, but if you're multi-coat people, you can buy several and connect them together. The coat hook costs £135 per unit and is available from Leigh Harmer.

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Where can I find contemporary bedroom wall cabinets?

My bedroom is so small, there's only room for one bedside table, so I'd like to install wall cabinets, too. Can you suggest a contemporary design that would work in a bedroom?
Built-in storage can be a good route to follow, but I'd consider taking a sideways step and look instead at some of the fold-out beds and storage combinations from Clei, which specialises in solutions for 'compact living'. Even if you choose not to go for the beds, the designs should give you some ideas if you're still thinking of getting built-in furniture made.

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Help! I can't find push-click catches for under-stairs cupboard

I've just had under-stairs cupboard doors fitted. I want to achieve a clean look, and was hoping to find push-click catches instead of door handles, so that when you push the door, it pops open. I've had no luck finding such a mechanism. Can you help?
You're looking for magnetic push catches, which a decent hardware shop, rather than the DIY superstores, should stock (or be able to order). In London, Franchi sells fittings like this. Online try doorhandles.co.uk.

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Built-in shelving between fireplaces

I have two chimney breasts in my living room that are only 2m apart with 500cm either side, and the (empty) fireplaces themselves are only 12cm deep. I'd like some built-in shelving for my stereo and CDs, but it will inevitably protrude. Any advice?
I'd suggest decorating the alcoves and storage furniture in darker colours, with your chimneys lighter, so the storage will visually stand forwards. Also look at creating built-in furniture that tapers back to the chimneys, rather than boxing out straight from the walls. Or you could just ditch your stereo and CDs for an iPod…

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Understair storage solutions

We live in a ground-floor maisonette where space is at a premium. The traditional understairs storage is actually a really good-sized cupboard, but it has become a dumping ground. We have basic shelving, but it's cumbersome getting items in and out. Are there any solutions you could recommend for our growing problem?
You may want to think about utilising some of the pull-out storage and rack mechanisms designed for kitchens to build into this space. You could create a neat series of storage racks that roll in and out, and which should keep you organised.

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Stylish CD storage

I have close to 1,000 CDs and am looking for something stylish to store them in. I've been looking at the Bellato Music Box, but I wondered whether you could recommend anything else?
Bellato does some of the more impressive high-end storage systems around and you'll be hard-pressed to find anything better. Habitat's excellent in-house designer, Bethan Gray, probably gets my vote for best affordable mass CD storage with Cleo, £129, or check out the Booxx scissor-action shelving from Desalto, from £966 at Chaplins.

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Looking for something similar to Zaha Hadid's organic Serif shelves

Looking for something similar to Zaha Hadid's organic Serif shelves
I recently saw Zaha Hadid's organic Serif shelves and thought they would look fantastic in my bedroom, but they are limited edition and probably cost a lot. Does anyone sell anything similar for those of us on a budget?
Yes, those shelves are amazing. They're sold by Established & Sons, poa. As an alternative, see the Occa shelves, from £203 at BoConcept. Or let a furniture maker loose with a sander and a pile of wood and they could make you something bespoke

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Space-saving staircase

My home is very short on storage space, so I'm planning an attic conversion to house my ever-growing collection of style magazines. I recall Livingetc featuring a well-designed, space-saving staircase with alternating treads, but I seem to have mislaid that issue. Can you help?
There are some hideous, clumsy, wooden versions around that I would steer clear of. Instead, go for a modular kit system from Arke, which does a number of good-value, stylish staircases, such as the Karina, for around £700. As with any redevelopment, you must check with your local building control department that this form of staircase is acceptable for your property before you go ahead and buy it.

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Neat storage boxes for the bathroom

In an effort to create some order in the bathroom, I have been trying to find some neat storage boxes that I'd be happy to leave on show. Are there any you'd recommend?
It's a long while since I went into a Muji store, but your question reminded me that it does some of the best clear plastic storage around. Now you can buy online, too, so you can browse all the options.

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Bicycle racks for a Fifties complex

We live in a Fifties complex of 10 flats and have been looking into creating a more attractive bike-parking area than the current mess of bikes locked along the entrance railings. We'd appreciate any help advising on suppliers.
Many street-furniture companies supply urban hardware, such as bike racks, but they can be pricey and may be reluctant to deal directly with the public. A better solution could be to have your own design welded up in steel by a local tradesman. I'm always surprised at how affordable this is and you can reference architectural details into the structure, so the final design sits better in your environment. If this seems like too much work, and you'd rather buy something off the shelf, try this neat bike lock that doubles up as an attractive planter, by the Front Yard Company, £135.

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On the hunt for a modern magazine rack

I've been looking – without success – for a modern, well-designed magazine rack with several compartments for my sitting room. Help!
Magazine racks are a poorly represented item in the design world, probably because most designers want to make 'hero' furniture and lighting. However, I have found several attractive ones. Kartell has coloured plastic racks with plenty of sections. Isokon Plus sells the Forties classic Penguin Donkey and updated models. Of what's currently available, though, my choice would be Mela, the sleek and well-priced design from Umbra, which acts as a sort of fabulous champagne bucket for mags.

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Finding brushed steel brackets

I've had lovely American oak worktops made for my kitchen and would like to use the leftover bits for shelving. Where can I get good, solid, brushed-steel brackets?
For once the best option is to look at the high-street DIY stores. B&Q has a decent range, which you can purchase online, with a brushed-steel set for £10. Your other option is to use a concealed shelf bracket, but you can only use this type of bracket on walls made of timber and brick, where you can get a decent fixing. Try more independent hardware stores for these.

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Stylish shelving

Please help! We have a modern apartment, but want to put some slightly more traditional-looking freestanding shelving around the place, as we don't want it to look too austere. The problem is that we can't find anything that isn't reproduction or second-hand. Shabby-chic just isn't our style.

Oka produces a neat range of furniture called Saltire in off-white and ebony finishes. It's a great crossover between Regency Chelsea decor and a clean, contemporary look, and its bold construction gives the ornamental element you're looking for.

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Vinyl LP storage

My husband has a large collection of seven-inch singles that's resided in our front room on bookcases for the past 10 years. We recently redecorated and had planned to rehouse the singles in boxes that would go onto shelves built into the alcoves. However, we haven't been able to find any appropriately sized boxes – the only ones we've seen are either too short or not high enough. They need to be about 20cm high and wide, 30cm deep and fairly strong, as vinyl is pretty heavy.

If you're getting shelving specially made, I think your best bet is to have the boxes made up at the same time. I know people who have done this and created simple stacking cubes in lacquered MDF. As for off-the-peg options, they tend to be aimed at archiving, but this may actually offer the look you're after. Really Useful Boxes (and they are!) does a huge range of stylish clear storage boxes, some of which are specifically designed for records. Seven-inch singles fit the 11-litre box and LPs fit the 38-litre box. Visit www.reallyusefulboxes.com for a list of the sizes available and the suppliers.

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Wallpapering wardrobes

I have some huge, hideous wardrobes, which I loathe but need for storage. I'd love to cover them with wallpaper, but would need to protect them from scuffing, tearing and general wear and tear. Could you advise me on how to do this?

What a great idea! Victorians used this method to decorate screens and furniture, and it's a perfect way to use wallpaper. Prepare the surface first by rollering on some PVA glue. When dry, paste on the paper and, after a couple of days, varnish with a matt glaze. Polyvine does a 'dead flat' varnish – always do a colourfast test first.

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