5 Ways to Live Large With Less Square Footage

making every square inch count

After years of reimagining and designing urban homes, we’ve managed to compile a pretty lengthy list of space-maximizing party tricks. To demonstrate, we’re breaking down a recent project (featured in Architectural Digest) in D.C.’s Capitol Hill neighborhood that compromised neither functionality nor style.

1. Look up (and down) for storage

Any type of bench seating offers an opportunity for storage. In this custom dining banquette, we installed push-to-open drawers that house table linens, candles, and other accessories not used every day. Alternative options include hinge-top benches, which are nice and deep (but can be a bit more of a hassle to access). Drawers with knobs can also look intentional if properly placed.

In the kitchen, cabinets rise all the way to the ceiling, with a step ladder conveniently located nearby. Utensils and bowls in heavy rotation hang on a mounted rod for quick access and free up valuable drawer space.

2. Tuck away work surfaces

Temporary work surfaces are a saving grace in narrow or multipurpose rooms. In a guest room, a backlit mounted desk saves space by both folding flat when not in use and eliminating the need for a task lamp. Another kitchen hack reveals a hideaway counter that is both a surface for making coffee and extra food prep space. Brass hardware makes the pull-out look like just another drawer.

3. keep wires at bay

Cable clutter is such a headache, especially in bedrooms and offices. Get tech-y—like we did in this bedroom—and build a charging pad into the tabletop of your nightstand. You’ll never have to go searching for your charging cord in the dark, and you’ll always wake up with a fully charged phone (hallelujah!).

Small, unsightly kitchen appliances and their cords need not take up limited counter space. In our client’s kitchen pantry, power outlets were installed on the back wall, and the cabinet bottom slides out for easy use. Not to mention the labeled food bins above, which brings us to...

4. Get Super Organized

One way to get a grip on all your stuff? Have…well…less stuff. Before your organize, schedule a good, old-fashioned clean sweep. Get rid of unused or expired food, cleaning supplies, appliances, and dishes. Then pull out the label maker. Once you come to the realization you have never used tarragon, upgrade your spice rack. A rack that allows the bottles to lie flat makes the labels easier to read, and no stacking is involved. Extra points for streamlined labels.

Ironically, cleaning supply cabinets tend to be some of the most disorganized spots of a home. Avoid buying products you don’t need by making sure all tools and products are visible at first glance. Narrow closets are great for brooms, vacuums, and ladders. Add a closet lip inside the door (like above) to hang a folding stepladder, and label, label, label any bins.

5. camouflage your closets

Sneaky storage is a hallmark of urban dwelling. This Capitol Hill home is outfitted with multiple built-in closets that look seamless rather than utilitarian. In the primary bedroom, a shelf accessorized with ceramics opens on a hinge to reveal a linen closet, and a wall of closets for coats and cleaning supplies is beautifully integrated into the living room by continuing the millwork details from the main walls onto the door panels.

Have tips for how you create storage with limited space? Let us know in the comments!