WHETHER you live in a small or large home, it's great to have floor space that is free of obstacles.
Visually, it makes a room feel more spacious to have as much uncluttered floor area as possible. For maintenance purposes, especially in the bathroom, it's nice to be able to clean the floor without having to worry about getting into nooks and crannies with the broom or mop.
The Kohler bathroom photographs featured today have suspended vanities in two different styles. As you can see, having free space under the vanity makes for a more open and clean space. The Robern mirrored tower doubles the visual space while providing storage and a sink function.
There are toilets that can be wall mounted as well, which further enhances the look and maintenance of the bathroom. If you're considering a bathroom renovation or are building new, research the numerous options available with respect to wall-mounted bathroom fixtures.
In the bedroom
Installing floating shelves on either side of the bed to use as nightstands will free up floor space in the bedroom and provide a contemporary feel to the room. Replace a space-eating dresser with a closet storage system where you can store all of your clothing. Wall-mounted lighting -- instead of floor lamps -- will keep the room neat and tidy. A larger wall-mounted shelf can be installed to use as a dressing table or vanity. Use a small vanity stool that can be tucked beneath when not in use.
In the kitchen
There are numerous items that can eat up floor space in the kitchen. Garbage cans, recycling bins, pet food dishes and so on can all be replaced with suspended items. Trash and recycling storage solutions are built into most new cabinetry but can usually be installed and retrofitted into existing cabinetry as well. This helps keep the bins off of the floor and out of sight. I found great hanging pet feeders online that will make cleaning the floor under the dish a little easier as well. Check out the site at www.thesecreatures.com.
Other rooms
In other rooms in the home there are numerous decorative hanging shelving options that can help keep things off of the floor. That large flat screen television will take up a lot less room if it is mounted on a wall using an appropriate wall bracket rather than sitting on a large entertainment floor cabinet. If you don't have a flat screen you may be able to set your television on a wall-mounted storage unit depending upon the size of your television.
Bulky computer desks can be replaced with suspended, shelf-like desktops. In a small space a dining table can be replaced with a wall-mounted unit that breaks down when not in use. Check out the DIY instructions and products at www.newtableconcept.com. To free up even more space, use folding chairs that can be hung on the wall when not in use.
Over-the-door storage is another great way to get things off of the floor. Keeping shoes off of the floor is a daily struggle. An over-the-door shoe organizer may help with this problem. Over-the-door hooks can be used to hang wet towels that may normally be thrown on the bathroom floor after a shower. Along with keeping things looking neat, hanging the towels will allow them to air dry before they hit the laundry basket. These hooks can also be used to hang up children's backpacks or sports bags so that they are not left on the floor.
Other items like purses, books, magazines, DVDs and CDs can be stored away behind closed doors using an over-the-door storage product. You can even purchase over-the-door exercise gyms that can free up a lot of space taken up by tradition workout equipment.
If you bring your bicycle inside, a wall-mounted bike rack will keep it out of the way while not in use. In the laundry room, a suspended hanging clothes dryer, a break-down wall-mounted clothes folding table and wall-mounted storage units will make the space clutter-free and organized. Other items that can be hung up are things like ironing boards and clothes hampers.
There are tons of great storage and display options available for just about any situation. Even utilizing one of these items can make your life a little simpler.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
