The Creative Hidden Shelving Idea That Sneaks Extra Storage Into Any Room

Shelves can be one of the most practical and compact storage means, since they allow you to stash a lot of stuff — be it books, dishes, or decorations — in one place against a wall. They can also offer additional storage space, like under a kitchen island or mounted sink. While some homes and décor magazine spreads may be filled with images of neatly curated and organized shelves out in full view, the more those shelves fulfill their storage function, the more cluttered they can get. This is especially true in homes where storage space comes at a premium in kitchens, bathrooms, and other smaller spaces that require lots of stuff. That stuff can give a cluttered and chaotic look to your open shelving. A perfect solution, however, may be to use window coverings like curtains and shades to create stylish hidden storage that hides the clutter discreetly.

The uniformity of closed curtains or shades makes even small rooms feel larger, even with lots of hidden storage. This particular approach works great for kitchen islands with a storage underneath or over large industrial storage units in places like the garage. It's also great for units you want to use for both open and closed storage at the same time, like bookshelves and closet organizers. Curtains can also hide unsightly recycling bins or laundry hampers in a mudroom or laundry room. It can also cover up the eyesore of wire shelving in many newer homes. Hanging fabric to hide clutter is also a great way to bring softness into a room and decorate with curtains for a textured and layered feel.

For large banks of shelves you may want to entirely cover, suspend a curtain rod along the top of the shelf and hang long curtains that compliment your décor. For lower shelving, you can purchase short café curtains or create your own by folding your fabric over to create a pocket for hanging along the rod. Another great solution are roman fabric shades or roll-up bamboo blinds, which can be lowered and raised up as needed to access the contents of the shelving. Just install the hardware at the top of the unit and string the ties down along the side with brackets to hold the cords safely when not in use. To leave the unit partially open at the top, just hang the rod lower where you want it to cover the closed recesses.

In addition to a regular curtain rod, you can use a number of different types of curtain hardware, including fabric ties, tab tops, or O-ring clips. Shower curtain hooks will allow the curtains to move smoothly and easily along the rod. You can also use a lightweight and near-invisible wire rod with clamping clips to hold the fabric. To hide your cluttered shelves, allow the curtain to drape to the floor or have it end where the shelf ends for a more custom look.