We’ve recently been introduced to the term ‘rabbit hutch home’, with media sources reporting that around 50 percent of new build homes are too small for the average family. However, there are many advantages to owning a small home, including less maintenance and a lower cost – but there’s also a bit of a downside, too: storage. The good news is that staying tidy and organised in a small home isn’t difficult – you just need to get a little creative and think outside the box. Here are 5 multifunctional furniture items that perfectly blend style and storage for a stunning home, whatever the size:

Storage Ottomans

An ottoman is the centrepiece of any room – a comfortable little footrest or bench that’s both eye catching and useful – but they’re much more than somewhere to simply rest your feet. In recent years, ottomans have been made with hinged lids, making use of the dead space inside and creating handy storage for all sorts of small items. The beauty of ottomans is that there’s no specific style or pattern, which makes them suitable for many different homes. Wooden ottomans are popular although upholstered and diamond tufted ottomans are more common.

Image Credit: GreatDealFurniture

Coffee Table

Coffee tables have long held two very important functions; to hold drinks and snacks on the top, and to store magazines and ‘coffee table’ publications underneath. Today, however, they perform many, many more functions. Built-in drawers, or integrated cubbies with removeable baskets create out-of-the-way storage for small, fiddly items that tend to get lost, such as remote controls, for example, and some coffee tables even include pre-defined compartments for easy organisation. Like ottomans, they come in all styles and designs for different homes.

Image Credit: Studio Morton

Vintage Suitcase

Take a trip back to the late 1800’s – a time when a trip to the seaside was the ‘must take’ holiday of the year – with a vintage suitcase that brings a touch of British history into your home, and also doubles as some excellent storage furniture. Distressed suitcases are ideal for traditional or historic homes, or for homeowners who love to travel and want to share their passion with their guests. Vintage items such as this can easily be incorporated into the home without looking out of place by using them as an end table, or even making them into storage shelves on the wall.

Image Credit: DaynaKatlinInteriors

Storage Sofas

For homeowners who love contemporary design and are striving to maintain a minimalist look, creating suitable storage can be quite the challenge. That’s why incorporating storage into items that would already be on display in the home is a great solution – it saves having to add more furniture to the house. Storage sofas are well worth considering. Storage is usually built in underneath the cushions, or into the headrest, and there are even sofas that come fully integrated into a bookcase unit for the ultimate in modern, futuristic and unusual style.

Image Credit: Willow and Hall

Vertical Storage

Running out of floor space? Why not make use of all that dead space on your walls with some stylish vertical storage that adds a new depth to your home, and to your overall design. Shelves built around doorways are the perfect place to display ornaments and other forms of home decoration, while floor-to-ceiling shelving can be used for anything and everything. We’ve already seen wall storage becoming more popular in the kitchen with magnetic knife racks and so on, so why not in other parts of the home, too? This is great for small homes especially.

Image Credit: Wanda Ely