From Beds to Bins: Repurposing Old Storage Furniture

Some furniture, is more than just furniture. These pieces can have multiple uses, and a variety of functions, some of which can remain in play long after the initial purpose of the piece has faded. This is especially true of storage furniture, which consists of designs crafted to both serve a certain goal and, to provide extra storage, organization, and utility, in spaces where you might not otherwise expect such features.

Basic storage furniture pieces will consist of things like dressers, chests, night stands, and shelving units. These are pieces whose overt purpose is to hold your possessions, displaying or obfuscating them as your needs dictate. Furnishings such as these are generally incorporated into the decor of a space. However if the trends of your taste diverge, then you can always repurpose those pieces to new uses and even multi uses.

With shelves that have run their course, you can cut them down to make hanging decorative features, that still allow storage without taking up floor space. Dressers that are done in the bedroom, can easily be equipped with wheels to become rolling bar sets, hutches, or kitchen islands. You can even take old chests and use them as pirate decor in a kids room, or place them outside as weathering yard furniture that also serves to hold toys and garden games.

Clever bed designers have created a number of furniture pieces that have storage features built directly into the frame. This includes products such as captains beds, that often have drawers below the sleeping surface, and shelves above and behind in order to optimize the function of the piece. If you find yourself no longer in need of another rest area, these can be covered with pieces of wood, or slabs of stone to create lovely coffee tables, or even deep store dressers.

Sometimes flipping the functionality of a furniture piece can help to creatively reinvent it as well. If you have a guest bed with great storage options, that you no longer need as a sleeping space, you can use it in a home office or library as a table with drawers. Then when a guest unexpectedly arrives for the night the hard top covering can be removed allowing you to comfortably accommodate family and friends.

Kids beds are another example of furniture pieces that can be repurposed for storage uses. Bunk beds are especially versatile, as they often have storage spaces built directly into the steps, or under the bottom frame. When your children have outgrown these products, use a little paint, and some imagination, and you can turn them into a playroom clubhouse, palace, castle, or even a monster truck for them to play in, complete with places to store all of their toys and accessories.