Unique Storage Ideas for 7 Types of ‘Tricky’ Spaces

Blame it on shrinking flats or our obsession with stuff (after all – shopping is a national pastime), ample storage space has always been a deal breaker for many Singaporean homeowners.

Yet, it’s one thing to want more storage, but another to actually have it! Each home has its fair share of awkward corners and ‘dead’ places which make maximising one's space difficult. But not anymore - cleverly designed and easy to use, Häfele’s range of innovative storage solutions can turn even these 7 ‘tricky’ spots at home into fully functional storage points. Guess that's one more reason to avoid decluttering, ever?

1. Narrow Gaps

Interior Designer: The Vision Project

Whether it’s a slim recess between your kitchen cabinets or a gap between walls – most of us tend to ignore this space altogether due to its small width.

Storage Hack: No. 15 Pull Out System & Top Flex Pull-Out Table

Not all hope is lost! For the kitchen, Häfele’s No. 15 Pull Out System – slim, sliding kitchen drawers with widths as small as 15 cm – can still be fitted in narrow gaps to store small items like condiments, towels or trays.

Interior Designer: Dan's Workshop

Alternatively, if you have an extra horizontal gap to work with, make full use (whilst saving a ton of space) with Häfele’s Top Flex Pull-Out Table. Easily extended up to 81 cm and able to hold a load of up to 30kg, the retractable table top doubles as a mini-workstation/end table that can be concealed as a drawer unit.

2. Narrow Walkways

Interior Designer: Form & Space

With today’s smaller homes, there’s now less walking space for homeowners to navigate. Think narrow corridors, exceptionally slim kitchen layouts that don’t leave much leeway for swinging about – let alone placing storage compartments that take up valuable room.

Storage Hack: Sliding Doors

Interior Designer: Asolidplan

How to avoid getting in the way of your already limited walking area? Get sliding walkway and cabinet doors or roller shutters that take up virtually no swinging space. Available in a range of dimensions depending on one’s door weight and cabinet width, Häfele’s sliding door mechanisms – Slido Classic & Finetta Flat Front - work to conceal knick-knacks for a cleaner, organized look.

3. Top Cabinets

Interior Designer: Butler Interior

A blessing or a curse? Sure, having installing top cabinets in your home is one way of squeezing in more storage , but the hassle of reaching up (and down) for stuff basically renders it a white elephant for most homeowners.

Storage Hack: Flap Fittings & iMove Tray

One way to make sure you regularly utilise that extra height? Get storage compartments that make using it a breeze. In particular, Häfele’s Free Flap Hold cabinet fittings require minimal space for swinging and allows cabinet doors to lock at multiple positions, making it easy for users to reach over and close without having to fully open.

There’s also the iMove Tray, which features a pull-down handle that lets users lower it down to an accessible height.

4. Kitchen Corner Units

Especially for corner units in kitchens, a substantial chunk of storage space is often left unused due to the area’s sharp V-shape (which veers off at a 90-degree angle) and depth.

Storage Hack: MagicCorner & LeMans II Arena Style & Classic

Designed to maximize a corner unit’s deep depth whilst bringing easy access, Häfele’s MagicCorner features a sliding mechanism that ‘pulls out’ two storage trays – one closer to the front, the other further in – upon opening.

The brand also offers a more flexible alternative - LeMans II Arena Style & Classic range. The storage trays’ unique shape allows it to maneuver smoothly in angled spaces. Hitched with a smooth, pull-out mechanism, users can choose which trays they’d like to pull out without the risk of bumping into edges.

Even better, the trays’ heights can be adjusted easily to match the height of content (e.g. tall wine bottles or short condiment containers).

5. Tiny Bedrooms

Interior Designer: Voila

Place a bed, forfeit a table; place a cabinet, forgo the wardrobe. With a tiny bedroom – fitting in all your essential furnishings (and storage compartments) can feel like an impossible science.

Storage Hack: Fold Away Bed Frame

The Fold Away Bed Frame at the Qanvast Experience Centre.

The centrepiece and most important item, consider getting a Murphy bed that can be propped up for other purposes! At Häfele, there’s the Fold Away Bed frame, which can be standalone or fitted into your built-in wardrobe or carpentry to save more space.

Also, sliding and foldable components work best to free up more space in small bedrooms. For narrow or compact wardrobes, swap out bulky compartment boxes with Häfele's slim side pull-out tie, belt and shoe racks, pull out baskets and fold-out ironing boards that don’t take up much space while keeping things organised.

6. Sloped Ceilings

Interior Designer: Prozfile Design

Commonly found in attics or loft apartments, a sloped ceiling may be a huge perk – and an equally big bummer as well. Case in point? Fittings and furniture choices are limited by its slanted top and relatively shorter height at the ends.

Storage Hack: Customised Storage Fittings

Architect: HYLA Architects

The best way? Creating a customised wardrobe or shelving unit that best utilizes every inch of limited space.

To bring it a notch further, keep organized with Häfele’s range of wardrobe fiittings, such as its racks and runners which come in various dimensions that can be catered to different customized and sloped carpentry designs.

7. Undersink Cabinet Space (Kitchen & Bathroom)

Interior Designer: Blackjack Interior

The underside of the sink (which includes the basin and water pipe) often takes up the center of the cabinet base; but its sides are usually free from obstructions and can still be used for storing items.

Storage Hack: Cleaning Agent & Single Waste Bin

Häfele’s Cleaning Agent is the perfect add-on for such narrow areas. An all-in-one storage rack that comes with clip-on baskets and holders for organizing items, the Agent can also be easily detached from the cabinet for mobile use.

Pair it with another nifty extension – the Single or pull-out Waste Bin to transform this neglected space into home organization central.

Watch: Check out the featured mechanisms in action

SMART SOLUTIONS FOR THE HOME

A home is more than just aesthetics. Bringing functionality and ergonomics to everyday life, Häfele is the leading manufacturer of furniture fittings, architectural hardware and electronic access control systems, serving the furniture and construction industry in over 150 countries around the world. Constantly innovating to develop smarter storage/organization solutions for greater convenience, experience Häfele’s offerings at the Häfele showroom at Kaki Bukit Road.

For more information, visit Häfele’s website here for a complete catalogue of products, or consult your designer to find out how you can equip your built-ins with Häfele mechanisms.

Cover Image: Schemacraft