Top 10 Home Design Trends & Movements for 2011 – Storage

Alison Habermehl of HD STYLE STUDIOWe considered our own insights, researched and talked with North American Interior Designers & industry professionals to bring you the Top 10 Home Design Trends & Movements for 2011. This week we talked storage with Canadian Designer, Alison Habermehl of HD STYLE STUDIO. She shared with us some insight and tips to best utilize your space with great storage ideas.

#1 Movement – A LOT of Storage Space

Whether searching for your next home, building new or renovating your current home, the demand for storage space has become increasingly popular. Built-in closets and multipurpose pieces are ideal. Take the galley-style kitchen for example. Typically you’re dealing with a more long and narrow space, which can create major challenges when incorporating storage into your plans. Alison was able to maximize the dining space in this kitchen (pictured below) by partnering a window bench with a bar height table. Notice the use of storage under the window seat – perfect for keeping serving dishes you don’t use on the regular. It’s about maximizing what’s already in your home (or what you bring into your home) and keeping the clutter to a minimum.

Walk-in pantries are a dream; they free up space in your kitchen, decrease the need for endless cupboards (which are also expensive) and increase the real estate on your walls. Consider the perfect wall color you can actually see or artwork you can hang with all the space you’ll save.

Kitchen Storage Tips from Alison:

  • Install an eat-in kitchen with a built-in bench & storage drawers underneath.
  • Mount a TV on the wall so it acts as a lounge and dining space (perfect for multi-use rooms).
  • Don’t have a pantry? Utilize all vertical space by doing floor-to-ceiling cabinetry.
  • Use dividers for trays and cookie sheets.
  • Adjustable shelves are very versatile.
  • Incorporate unique storage options for difficult spaces i.e. instead of building in an awkward corner cabinet, do open shelves – it still functions as storage while adding a decorative component (huge trend right now).
  • Bring in as much natural lighting as possible plus additional task lighting (under cabinet lighting, recessed ceiling lighting, etc.).
  • Use light paint colors & glass tile to keep your kitchen looking fresh.

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