How one uses their space says so much about their lifestyle,” says Ankita Dabrai of O’nest Interiors. Instagram may be flooded with memes about the bane of home-owning, but space constraints aren’t stopping us from hoarding the choicest collectibles. This rising consumerism is being met with a striking evolution of storage solutions, as designers and architects work to hide clever nooks into homes that house people’s most prized possessions. There’s an art to carving space out of thin air, and in most cases, the tools it demands can set you back by a pocketful, but when it comes to storage, homeowners are now seeing it more as an investment into taste than a solution for smart living. “Now storage is far more design-led,” says O’nest co-founder Neha Sawhney Chadha. Hacks like using mirror-walled cabinets to create a sense of space and hiding storage behind wall panelling are increasingly defining what a room looks like.
According to Sarah Sham of Essajees Atelier, storage is now becoming a focus in larger homes too. One of the most interesting storage challenges Sham and her team faced was in utilising an awkward space under the staircase. “We designed a concealed unit that blends into the home’s calm, sculptural aesthetic,” she says. Architecture becomes a centre point in such evolution, with large storage elements often cleverly hidden within recesses and columns. “Thoughtful layouts ensure efficient traffic flow, unlocking hidden storage opportunities under stairs or in wide passages,” share Aditya Sheth and Manthan Rathod of Ekatra Studio.
Clearly, space really is being carved out of thin air—we just don’t realise it.