Decorative storage in living spaces

• The essential guide to decorative storage
• Decorative storage in a kitchen-diner
• Decorative storage in living spaces
• Decorative storage in bedrooms and bathrooms
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Media storage is the main requirement in most living spaces and, while CDs and DVDs are best tucked behind closed doors, books in all their forms can become part of your overall scheme. Line an entire wall with a built-in bookcase as, not only will this keep books neat, their colourful spines create a quirky display, too. Add even more impact by extending the shelving around door frames.

‘How you place your reading material on shelves makes a big difference, too,’ says Maria Speake, interior designer and co-owner of architectural salvage and design business Retrouvius. ‘Colour-coding spines is a great way to calm the potentially messy appearance of a library. Start with darker shades at the bottom and fade the colours up. Another idea is to let them breathe by breaking up the rows with a painting or vase.’

Alternatively, pile books high to create a striking, as well as space-saving display. To keep a tall stack stable, invest in Minottiitalia’s classic Ptolomeo shelf, which supports your tower of tomes invisibly. ‘At home, we’ve adapted one to go from floor to ceiling,’ says Polly Dickens, creative director of The Conran Shop. ‘It looks like the stack of books is holding the ceiling up!’

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