Simple Ways To Make Cube Storage Look More Mature For Your Adult Home

Many people may think of cube storage and relegate it to a "younger" room or setup, such as dorms and kids' rooms. Or, they may place these types of storage in a less central part of the house. While these units are great for organization, they can be associated with less stylish designs. However, depending on how you decorate cube storage, they can easily become just as chic as your other furniture, and don't have to give your space a "less mature" vibe. Useful and potentially very easy to upgrade, you might find you invest in more of these fixtures once you see how aesthetic they can be. As with any home appliance or furniture, it's about what you include on your shelving that elevates it. Rather than just filling your cube storage with baskets and items you need a home for, be intentional with ornaments, frames, candles, artwork, and a variety of household pieces that will make the whole thing feel more stylized. 

While there are many innovative ways to use storage cube organizers around the house, decorating them is a completely different kettle of fish. These cubes can lean into "cluttered" if you're not careful with how you organize them. Throwing items in and piling or stacking things up will just make the whole unit seem jumbled and chaotic, which can give off a less mature vibe. While the canvas baskets you usually buy to go with these are great for disguising visual clutter, you don't want to only rely on these if you're trying to make your cubes seem more mature and decorative. This is where your creative displays come in, and this is also a great way to display items you haven't found a home for.

The first and easiest way to upgrade your cube storage is by painting the unit. Many of these come in basic colors like black or white, or some are just wood tones. While this is fine to leave as is, especially if they match your décor, painting the cubes can elevate them with very little effort. You may need to sand them before adding color, and you can spray paint or use standard options depending on the material. Matte finishes are stylish and add texture to a room, or you could even opt for the spray paints that make items appear as if they have a granite finish. You can play around with the shades and pick something that will enhance your space.

Whether you paint or not, it's the ornaments and décor your add that will really make the difference. One theme that could help your cubes seem more mature is brass. Statues, bowls or dishes, candle holders, and frames in brass or gold can turn any surface into a piece of art. Disperse these with books, office supplies, linens, or miscellaneous items so that your cubes seem more like a display in an adult home, rather than just storage. Placed between and intermixed with everything, these seem more artistically curated so that the whole unit is less of a bulky shelving fixture and more of a decorative addition to a room.

While bronze and brass are certainly excellent options for your ornaments, you can also opt for other materials that match your aesthetic. Wood pieces bring in more of a natural element, so don't be afraid to mix your mediums or lean into something different. Artwork and coffee table books are both easy ways to incorporate a cozy, inviting design, while glass opens up a shelf and allows more natural light to trickle through. On the top surfaces, you could include a vase with real or faux flowers, or even house plants that can benefit your health and add greenery. Joanna Gaines even recommends using storage cubes to optimize home organization, while also utilizing them for anything from a coffee bar to an entertainment system or book shelf, all of which will offer a more mature look. 

The big thing that can cause cube storage to seem childish or messy is clutter. Many people use the canvas or wicker baskets to hide a lot of the visual clutter, making the unit seem neater and less chaotic. Intersperse these baskets with curated items in the shelves so that the whole thing doesn't seem too blocky or too sparse. A good mix of completely filled cubes and lightly decorated cubbies will create balance and make the whole thing a great addition to your space.