DESIGNING storage spaces in a home might seem like one of the more prosaic parts of an architect or designer's job but in reality the creative provision of storage not only improves the functionality of a home but can also enhances its architectural quality as well.
In his influential book on architecture A Pattern Language, architect Christopher Alexander describes a design truth that has changed little in the three decades since he wrote it: "The provision of storage and closets usually comes as an afterthought."
Every activity and function within a home has specific storage requirements associated with it and meeting these requirements in a pleasing and effectual way requires forethought at the beginning of the design process and not at the end.
Storage areas and closets should be seen as planning opportunities rather than as obstacles. Here are a few strategies I employ when designing for storage.
When working on a layout I like to utilize the physical volume of storage spaces and closets as buffers or transitional areas between rooms in a house. Imagine a corridor with a built-in bookcase running its length and doors leading from the corridor, through the bookcase to rooms beyond.
The door entrances will need to puncture through the bookcase to reach the rooms they access, requiring an individual entering a room to pass through the combined thickness of the both the bookcase and the wall. This added thickness defines a sense of entry and enhances a feeling of moving through something to enter the room rather than just stepping into it.
Using the physical thickness of a storage element as a transitional area can really enhance the sensation of distinctness between spaces. I find this works very well for a bedroom or an office space where a sense of additional privacy is often desired.
The physical volume of a closet area or storage space - the walls that enclose it, the millwork that defines it and the contents that fill it - typically have enough size and mass to be employed as effective acoustical buffers between spaces. Locating a bedroom closet with thought to its acoustical attributes can profoundly enhance the sound comfort of that room. Exterior noise can be controlled with the creative placement of storage as well. A wall of books will work wonders at dampening any street noise that lies beyond it.
Storage areas can be used as feature points or display elements in a layout. A wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookcase becomes a beautiful feature wall in a living area while a door-height valance running around a room can act as a distinctive display shelf.
Storage space is an essential organizational component of a home. Utilizing the naturally occurring acoustic, transitional and display qualities of this functional zone can greatly enhance the layout of a home.
Kevin Vallely is a residential designer in North Vancouver. Follow Kevin's "small house" design at cliffhangerhouse.com.
