Hard-grafting Cloakrooms That Maximise Storage
Make the most of your cloakroom with clever design and hard-working materials
Lara Sargent
21 May 2015
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience writing for national magazines, newspapers and websites.
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience... More
With a footprint barely big enough to swing a cat, managing to fit out your teeny cloakroom with a toilet and basin is a feat in itself. But while that’s a job well done, there’s often a tad more breathing space to fit in another function or style statement with a one last prod of design muscle.
Go hell for leather on colour, a mural or wallpaper, or squeeze in a laundry cupboard or mini overspill library. Small spaces have to work doubly hard to do the same job as their bigger bathroom brothers, but the results are no less fabulous.
Go hell for leather on colour, a mural or wallpaper, or squeeze in a laundry cupboard or mini overspill library. Small spaces have to work doubly hard to do the same job as their bigger bathroom brothers, but the results are no less fabulous.
Link in your library
Book lovers know there’s never enough room to house their growing collection of literature, so why not exploit every last inch in the cloakroom with a few shelves fixed into a spare alcove or positioned above a basin?
Just a simple alteration will also ensure you’ll never be short of fresh reading matter while you spend a penny…
Book lovers know there’s never enough room to house their growing collection of literature, so why not exploit every last inch in the cloakroom with a few shelves fixed into a spare alcove or positioned above a basin?
Just a simple alteration will also ensure you’ll never be short of fresh reading matter while you spend a penny…
Love your laundry
Make clever interior racking and storage solutions your best friend in a small cloakroom, so you can turn basic cupboards into hard-working fixtures.
Having a dedicated space to stash clean towels as well as throwing in dirty linens is a boon in any household. This cloakroom does the job expertly with a tall cupboard that has been ingeniously transformed with pull-out drawers, shelves and a tilting wire laundry basket.
Make clever interior racking and storage solutions your best friend in a small cloakroom, so you can turn basic cupboards into hard-working fixtures.
Having a dedicated space to stash clean towels as well as throwing in dirty linens is a boon in any household. This cloakroom does the job expertly with a tall cupboard that has been ingeniously transformed with pull-out drawers, shelves and a tilting wire laundry basket.
Utilise a dead space
When it comes to hard-grafting spaces, this compact cloakroom ticks every box. It demonstrates with great precision how to make the most of a redundant under-stairs area, with its brilliant use of minimal fixtures inside and stylish sliding door on the outside (and isn’t the wallpapered front simply genius?).
Be inspired by more space-saving sliding doors
When it comes to hard-grafting spaces, this compact cloakroom ticks every box. It demonstrates with great precision how to make the most of a redundant under-stairs area, with its brilliant use of minimal fixtures inside and stylish sliding door on the outside (and isn’t the wallpapered front simply genius?).
Be inspired by more space-saving sliding doors
Slide away
This is such a chic yet practical storage idea and yet one that doesn’t require oodles of space: a large mirror slides open to reveal glass shelves lined with pretty perfume bottles, balms and boxes.
This one is tidy, for sure, but if yours gets a little messy, not to worry, as the mirrored front can simply slide back across to hide all of your sins!
This is such a chic yet practical storage idea and yet one that doesn’t require oodles of space: a large mirror slides open to reveal glass shelves lined with pretty perfume bottles, balms and boxes.
This one is tidy, for sure, but if yours gets a little messy, not to worry, as the mirrored front can simply slide back across to hide all of your sins!
Maximise with mirrors
Mirrors are such hard-working heroes for your home, not least in a space-squeezed cloakroom.
Here, the muted, natural palette is enhanced with huge mirrored panels that bounce light around the room and offer the perfect spot for treating your reflection to a quick once-over before heading out for the day…
Mirrors are such hard-working heroes for your home, not least in a space-squeezed cloakroom.
Here, the muted, natural palette is enhanced with huge mirrored panels that bounce light around the room and offer the perfect spot for treating your reflection to a quick once-over before heading out for the day…
Make it industrial
This cloakroom is hard-working in many senses of the word. It’s equipped with plenty of storage for stashing essentials and offers a no-nonsense, industrial vibe thanks to the metal locker, bare brick walls and hard-as-nails stainless steel sink.
This is utility with a capital U.
Explore more industrial style ideas if you love this look
This cloakroom is hard-working in many senses of the word. It’s equipped with plenty of storage for stashing essentials and offers a no-nonsense, industrial vibe thanks to the metal locker, bare brick walls and hard-as-nails stainless steel sink.
This is utility with a capital U.
Explore more industrial style ideas if you love this look
Hook it up
A series of handy wall hooks and a sturdy bench under which to tuck shoes and muddy boots really ramp up the practical factor in this cloakroom. Offset at the other end of the room with a gleaming copper basin and rustic wood accents and this is a space that’s earthy and useful in equal measure.
A series of handy wall hooks and a sturdy bench under which to tuck shoes and muddy boots really ramp up the practical factor in this cloakroom. Offset at the other end of the room with a gleaming copper basin and rustic wood accents and this is a space that’s earthy and useful in equal measure.
Double up as an art gallery
Cloakrooms are small, yes, but with only a toilet and basin to squeeze in, there’s usually a big, bare wall space to play with.
You could go all out and commission a local artist to paint a striking mural. Alternatively, an off-the-peg, digitally printed mural or fabulous wallpaper in a classic, modern or vintage design will instil a cultural buzz.
Cloakrooms are small, yes, but with only a toilet and basin to squeeze in, there’s usually a big, bare wall space to play with.
You could go all out and commission a local artist to paint a striking mural. Alternatively, an off-the-peg, digitally printed mural or fabulous wallpaper in a classic, modern or vintage design will instil a cultural buzz.
Squeeze in a shower
If your cloakroom is long and skinny, consider installing a shower enclosure at the end. Clear glass panels come in every imaginable width and height these days, while sliding doors are neat, chic and unobtrusive. Plump for a shallow shower tray to give the illusion of a wet room, but with the security of a tray to contain all of those splashes and spills.
If your cloakroom is long and skinny, consider installing a shower enclosure at the end. Clear glass panels come in every imaginable width and height these days, while sliding doors are neat, chic and unobtrusive. Plump for a shallow shower tray to give the illusion of a wet room, but with the security of a tray to contain all of those splashes and spills.
Beef up storage
Your cloakroom may be short on space, but that doesn’t mean it has to lack functionality – particularly if you go for wall-to-wall fitted furniture. Your architect, interior designer or bathroom expert will be able to shoehorn in rows of cupboards, shelving and drawers to house all of your toiletries.
Work in as many mirrors as possible to create the illusion of more space, and opt for back-to-wall fixtures that are neat and discreet.
TELL US…
Do you have a hard-working cloakroom – or are you planning to make yours work harder? Please share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
Your cloakroom may be short on space, but that doesn’t mean it has to lack functionality – particularly if you go for wall-to-wall fitted furniture. Your architect, interior designer or bathroom expert will be able to shoehorn in rows of cupboards, shelving and drawers to house all of your toiletries.
Work in as many mirrors as possible to create the illusion of more space, and opt for back-to-wall fixtures that are neat and discreet.
TELL US…
Do you have a hard-working cloakroom – or are you planning to make yours work harder? Please share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
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Amazing ideas. We especially love the art gallery idea, truly unique!