1.storage bed. the bedroom is often the room with the mostneed for maximum storage but the least amount of space for putting stuff away. enter this bed—suggested by a reader whosaw one featured in a recent issue of this old house magazine; it has 23 cubic feet ofstorage but no room for dust bunnies. it's every bit as practical as it is handsome. 2.storage chest. plastic bins peeking out from underneath thebed? really?
you're not in college anymore. it's time to consider an attractive, adultpiece of furniture with plenty of storage and sufficient style to be left out in theopen—praised, even. we built one that eschews the cheap look ofsheet goods in favor of box-joint construction with alternating lengths of boards. then you can relegate those plastic bins totheir rightful place, somewhere in deep storage. 3.mudroom bench. messy, wet rain-soaked umbrellas and raincoatscan warp hardwood floors and stain your best rugs.
you need a stopping area just inside the doorwhere everyone can leave the weather behind. this handsome entry hall built-in, made ofplywood, shelf panels, and layered moldings, is the perfect catchall, complete with anopen top shelf, coat hooks, and flip-top bench storage—sure to make your house more welcoming,even while protecting it from wear and tear. 4.storage ottoman. the ottoman has many uses, serving as extraseating, a foot rest, or even a coffee table when a tray is placed on top. versions with under-lid storage, like thishandsome example, are the perfect place to stash blankets or store books.
customize the upholstery to fit your householddecor or needs: stain resistant for pets and children, or suede for a lusher feel. and vary the height and style of the off-the-racklegs to complement existing furniture. 5.countertop wine rack. if you've shopped for a small wine rack andfelt uninspired, we're with you. wire models feel cheap; tinker toy–likewood options look rickety. what's a vino lover to do? here, a wood planter and plywood was transformedinto a simple wine rack that takes up little counter or table space.
6.wall-hung tv cabinet. want to cleverly conceal that large flat-screentelevision you installed front and center? you can! hide it behind a handsome cabinet fitted withbifold doors, as we did here. with a simple frame and doors cut down froma single bifold closet door, this cabinet is easy to assemble and costs far less thanits store-bought counterparts. 7.garden bench with hidden storage. an outdoor bench makes a convenient placeto plop down while you remove muddy boots. you'll rest even easier knowing it can storea garden hose (or two) and other less-than-attractive
supplies. you can build one from weather-resistant cedaror ipe. a lift up the seat and a floor made a galvanizedmetal screen allows water to escape, so you don't have to worry about storing a hose beforeit drains. the angled backrest, with its decorative curve,adds to the inviting aesthetic of a piece that's as handsome as it is handy. 8.knee-wall dresser. you can convert hidden, unused spaces intovaluable storage areas. here, you'll recess a chest of drawers intothe knee wall of an upstairs bedroom.
you'll gain a full-size, eight-drawer chestwithout sacrificing a single square inch of floor space. 9.desk with storage cubbies. if you lack a dedicated spot for paying billsand stashing loose stuff, a good desk is a must. this desktop, made of plywood topped withacrylic sheeting, stands on turned legs. to make the free-floating hutch, use a smallcabinet laid on its side and repurpose the door to create shelves. a cubby tucked under the desktop holds a basketfor yet more storage. no guarantees, but it should make tacklingpaperwork more inviting.
10.coat rack. at 72 inches tall, this handsome entrywayaccessory has enough height to hold full-length coats and long scarves, and still managesto dress up the space when left bare. when constructing and customizing your own,choose a decorative finish, routered legs, or ornate hooks. your new addition will keep your woolliesclose at hand on your way out the door and promise a clutter-free foyer when you gethome. 11.kid's toy chest. with wheels on the bottom and special toybox lid supports, this chest makes it easy
for kids to round up their toys when playtimeis over. you can make a barn-shaped container likethis one in an afternoon with tools on hand and materials available at the home center. once the toy chest is put together, kids willbe scrambling to fill it with their prized possessions. 12.cocktail hutch. stop hunting through cupboards for cocktailfixings just as guests begin arriving. why not corral all those items in one, easy-to-uselocation? this tall and slender cocktail hutch providesa handy and attractive place to hang glasses,
store wine bottles, tuck bottle openers andnapkins, and display spirits. the work will all pay off at your next cocktailparty, as guests admire your craftsmanship. 13.wood laundry hamper. let's face it: a clothes hamper is not thesexiest piece of furniture you'll ever own. but that's no excuse for using a tired oldcanvas bag or an open-top basket to stash your dirty duds. instead, build a furniture-like piece likethe one shown here. the top and sides are simply stock beadboardplywood framed with 1 material. 14.convenient wall coatrack.
a pileup of coats and jackets near the frontdoor is never a welcoming sight. finding a spot to store this stuff can bea challenge. why not build a low-profile, cottage-inspiredcoatrack that takes up just a few feet of wall space. double coat hooks and wire baskets maximizestorage space, and the board-and-batten-like design protects the underlying wall from dingsand dents. 15.bath towel keeper. hang towels right where you need them, onbathroom appropriate hooks. this towel rack was made using cross-handlefaucet taps and salvaged barn siding.
a shelf was added on top, supported by ornatecast-iron brackets. this way fresh bath towels can be stackedon top and wet ones hung to dry from the taps below. 16.on-the-wall pot rack. one way to evoke a victorian-era look—shortof bringing the plumbing out of the wall again—is to put your pipes on display with a copperpot rack. you can assemble this cookware holder in justa couple of hours using everyday plumbing parts. push-together tees and elbows take away theneed for messy soldering, and brass polish
will make the copper shine like a new penny. 17.stylish bath cabinet. few vanity styles complement a traditionalbathroom design as well as the dresser profile, which handsomely blends modern function withthe wash-basin look that was so common before indoor plumbing. you can easily convert a beautiful old dresser—ora modern one if that's your style—into a sink cabinet. you're best off choosing a chest with doorsand as few drawers as possible to better to accommodate the plumbing.
18.decorative wall niche. pleasing and practical, this architecturalaccent have been around since ancient rome. today you can capture the same timeless charmby buying a preformed niche of dense foam from an online retailer and building it intoa barren wall. create a hole for the insert in a wall, andmount it in place using adhesive caulk. 19.kid's toolbox. if your little builders inherited the diygene, then they're more or less programmed to dive into mom and dad's tools. so maybe you should think about giving themtheir own set.
this toolbox is just the thing to hold smaller,basic items that fit a young do-it-yourselfer's hands, including a hammer, saws, pliers, andscrewdrivers. 20.garden tool rack. you can find vintage garden gear, such asthese outdoor spigot handles and spring clips, at flea markets, antiques stores, and onlinefor as little as $1 each. use them to organize your garden gear withthis fun and functional tool rack made from old wood molding, flea-market spring clips,and brightly colored outdoor spigot handles. 21.garden tools shed. all the rust-resistant coating in the worldwon't save your garden tools if you leave
them outside all the time. create a clean, dry, and accessible localefor your pruners and shovels by planting a handsome wood lean-to shed against the housenear the patio or garden. this model is made from cedar, a naturallyrot-resistant wood, and it will weather nicely while protecting your goods from precipitationand insects alike. 22.magazine storage rack. can't bear to toss old issues of toh? although plastic magazine holders are inexpensiveenough, we don't like the idea of placing pages full of design and remodeling ideasin holders with such little personality.
instead, build a container more in the spiritof the magazines it's meant to hold. this model has brackets attached to a simplewood frame to create a freestanding file with decorative scrollwork dividers. 23.coatrack with doorknobs. messing with hangers in the hall closet canbe too fussy after a long day. you can gain an easy drop off spot on anywall near the front door with a toss-and-go coatrack. this pretty version features six knobs andtheir matching rosette backplates and the nice old board they are mounted on—madefrom chestnut trim salvaged during a house
renovation. 24.medicine cabinet message center. who isn't tired of littering the countertopwith house keys, bills, and various daily reminders to family members? here, a medicine cabinet was transformed intoan organizer. the front was filled-in with chalkboard paintand the back-side with cork. a row of cup hooks is perfect for hangingkeys. 25.workshop tool bench. need a little help organizing tools for diyprojects?
here is a plan for a size-it-to-your-spacetool-storage bench that doubles as a work surface. though it may look complicated, the constructioncouldn't be simpler. you can use plywood to build one large boxand two smaller ones, fit them with shelves. next, place the boxes back-to-back and finallytop the assembly with doubled-up plywood. 26.kid's room storage cubbies. kids want to have a say in how their bedroomis decorated. an easy way to satisfy that need is by makingthese modular wall cubbies, which can be customized to suit the changing tastes of growing children.
you can make just one cubby or stack severalfor a shelf. 27.trash can shed. beat-up trash cans and overflowing recyclingbins are mucking up the curb appeal of your house. what you need is a sturdy storage house thathides your waste while keeping it organized. take a weekend to build one big enough fortwo 32-gallon trash cans and several stacked recycling bins. flip-open lids give it easy access so thatyou can quickly toss something away in the right place.
bifold front doors make it easy to move heavycans in and out. and handsome siding that matches the housecamouflages the whole structure. 28.master grill station. the grill out on the deck can be a socialhub in warm weather. we loved this idea from a this old house readerfor a place to store his cooking tools and set his platters of food—a cart assembledfrom wood planters and metal-wrapped plywood. this model is pure barbecue brilliance. 29.adjustable wall-mounted shelves. there is no easier way to add abundant, accessiblestorage than with wall-mounted shelving made
from metal standards, adjustable bracketsand ready-made shelves. this type of easy-to-install system is idealfor a kid's room, home office, laundry room, walk-in closet, pantry or virtually any roomin the house. 30.stained-glass bar cabinet. cabinet doors do not have to lack personalityor color. here, we show you how to turn a graphic patternedstained-glass sidelight, such as this red-and-amber-colored example, into a cabinet door, to complementyour home's style. you can get this look even if you find a differentsize stained-glass window, as long as it fits a standard cabinet size.
31.bookcase built-in window seat. as attractive as window seats are, only afew older homes with deep dormers seem to have them. here's how to build a beautiful, custom windowseat in just a couple of days using ready-made kitchen cabinets. this simple, do-it-yourself approach providesboth a niche and the window seat, and an abundance of storage space. this seat was built under a 6-foot-wide kitchenwindow, but its design can easily be adapted for any size window in almost any room.