9 Carpentry Ideas For Your Storage and Display Needs

Clever and creative ideas to make full use of the space.

(This article was last updated on 21 December 2021.)

Living in small homes is very much a way of life for Singaporeans, and as such, we’ve become experts at maximising every square inch of our living space. And while storage compartments are first and foremost functional features, you’d be surprised at how aesthetically pleasing they can be as well!

Scroll down to see ingenious ways to store, display, and organise things at home with unique carpentry that’s built specifically to cater to each household’s lifestyle.

For the entire home

1. Overhead cabinets

Overhead cabinets are brilliant solutions that can provide more storage space without losing any additional floor area. You can also use small corners in the room to put big items like a fridge!

2. Built-ins with hidden features

To prevent small spaces from looking cluttered, get creative with carpentry and incorporate hide-and-seek features. For example, you can hide an entire vanity counter in one section of the cabinet, like this!

3. Tailored carpentry for extra storage space

Tailored carpentry enables homeowners to fully utilise every inch of space. Both bedrooms in this home have storage units built into its walls and floor, creating a chic, minimalist bed area that looks gorgeous and feels extra cosy.

4. Storage under bay window seats

Other than providing alternative seating areas, bay window seats can be functional storage spaces as well! Even better if you have a modular table that can be retracted whenever it’s not in use – like this one!

For storage and decor pieces

5. Shelves with glass windows

One way to showcase collectibles— especially the fragile ones — is to store them in shelves with windows. This keeps them protected and dust-free while still fully on display. Take notes from this 5-room BTO, which has its display shelf built within a fluted panel wall — one that conceals a ‘secret’ room entrance for a streamlined look!

6. Open shelves in various sizes

A well-designed open shelf is essential if you intend to beautify the living room with a collection of sculptures, pottery, or books that showcase your passions. Vary the shelf compartments with different heights and widths to create a chic, layered look that’ll elevate the items on display.

7. Open shelves embedded into storage units

Having open shelves embedded into full height storage units not only break up the monotony of a row of cupboard doors, but also enables you to change the look of the cabinets by rotating the decorative accessories.

For the bathroom

8. Open shelves next to the bathroom mirror

Having too many storage cabinets can cause a small space to look blocky. Already cramped bathrooms can avoid this by injecting some open shelves amongst the built-in storage. You can even doll up the corner by displaying potted plants!

9. Customised storage for tight corners

Even the smallest spaces can have some form of storage. In this walk-up apartment in Joo Chiat, a custom-made cabinet was built to fit into the corner, providing essential functionality while also fully maximising the (tiny) amount of space available.

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