Creating Storage Space from Nothing
Many Sydney homes look generous on paper yet still feel cluttered. If that sounds familiar, you don’t have a space problem, you have a planning problem. The solution isn’t simply adding more cupboards. It’s about designing storage that fits your lifestyle and the rhythm of your day.
At Orli Interiors, we help Northern Beaches homeowners create calm, functional homes that work beautifully. Here’s how we design real storage capacity from “nothing” while keeping that effortless, coastal sense of space.
Where do you start when it comes to incorporating storage?
Start with moments, not metres. Before we measure anything, we map how you actually live. Every home has its own rhythm: school drop-offs, surf sessions, morning coffee rituals, and after-dinner resets. Bags should land where you walk in, homework needs a perch near the kitchen or in the bedroom, and towels belong close to the bathroom door, not three rooms away.
When storage sits where habits overlap, it works quietly in the background. You stop buying baskets, stop walking laps of the house, and start enjoying a calmer flow. Shoes stay put, chargers have a home, and mornings suddenly feel easier.
Why shallow storage works better
Deep cupboards seem practical until you lose things in the back. Shallow storage keeps everything visible and easy to reach. In living areas and hallways, wall units just 300 to 350 mm deep hold shoes, hats, tech, and books without weighing down the space.
In kitchens, a 450 to 500 mm pantry with full-extension drawers always beats a tall, deep void. You can see every jar and nothing goes to waste. Laundries benefit from slim cleaning lockers with vented doors that let mops and brooms dry properly.
Durability matters. We use HMR board for carcasses, 2-pac polyurethane or sealed timber veneer for doors, and quality runners such as Blum Legrabox. This level of detail makes everyday use feel quietly luxurious.
Use every overlooked edge
Some of the best storage hides in plain sight. Kickboard drawers add space for trays or seasonal platters. The area above internal doors can hold suitcases or winter blankets when built as a bridge cabinet painted to match the wall.
Even wall cavities can work harder. The 90 mm recess between studs can house a recessed spice rack, key cabinet, or fold-down ironing board. These small, efficient additions create surprising capacity without touching the footprint of your home.
Build storage into circulation, not rooms
We often gain valuable space by shifting a wall slightly or swapping a swing door for a cavity slider. Those small moves can deliver an entire wall of built-in storage.
At the entry, 400 mm of depth is enough for a mudroom wall with a bench seat, shoe drawers, charging shelves, and tall lockers for each family member. It contains sand, surf gear, and everyday clutter before it reaches the living room.
Under-stair zones are also goldmines and custom joinery will make the most of every centimetre. Drawers at the lower treads hold shoes, a mid-section cabinet fits a vacuum or mop, and the rear compartment stores off-season items. Traffic flows improve, storage doubles, and the home still feels light.
Hide the busy stuff
When appliances and workspaces can disappear, the home feels calmer. In kitchens, pocket-door appliance garages 400 to 500 mm deep keep coffee machines and toasters tucked away on a benchtop with its own power supply. Consider also what you might store behind a 400mm deep cabinet – if it’s at the end of the cabinetry run can you install a side access broom cupboard to house the stick vacuum and ironing board?
A compact work-from-home nook with a pocket door, pull-out keyboard, and printer drawer can vanish outside work hours. In living rooms, slim shelving can frame the TV while devices stay hidden behind ventilated doors below.
Hardware quality matters here too. Häfele and Blum pocket-door systems glide smoothly and quietly, holding up to daily use for years.
Light what you store
Poor lighting makes even the best joinery frustrating. We always specify warm white LED strips (2700–3000 K) set into an aluminium channel with an opal diffuser. Lights under shelves or inside tall units make storage easier to use and visually cleaner.
Motion sensors or reed switches are a simple upgrade that makes a big difference in pantries and linen cupboards. Plan early for driver locations so you don’t lose shelf space later. It’s a small investment that adds daily convenience.
Choose materials that suit coastal life
Northern Beaches homes deal with salt air, humidity, and sand, so materials need to be tough. We use HMR carcasses with laser-edged sealing, low-sheen two-pac finishes, and corrosion-resistant hinges and runners, especially in entries and garages.
Textured finishes hide fingerprints and scuffs better than high-gloss options. Near external doors, powder-coated hooks and marine-grade hardware stay looking good through wet winters and sunscreen summers.
What people often get wrong
Many homeowners think more storage means better storage. It doesn’t. Deep cupboards make things harder to reach, and floor-to-ceiling cabinetry everywhere makes rooms feel smaller.
The secret is balance. Keep shelves shallow enough for single-layer storage, and allow some breathing space above joinery so the eye can rest. Plan ahead for robot vacuum docks, charging stations, and cable management so you’re not improvising later. And never cut costs on hardware. When hinges or runners fail, everything around them suffers.
Real examples from our projects
In our Manly apartment, we designed a built-in bench at the entry with shoe drawers below and tall cabinets for bags and coats – with pull out perpendicular coat rails to handle the lack of cabinet depth. This way, everything’s put away before you reach the heart of the home. The joinery turns the corner to meet the fridge, pantry and breakfast cupboard, reading as one continuous element and subtly extending the storage zone.
In our Manly Vale renovation, a generous breakfast cupboard sits shallow to keep bench space open, while a broom cupboard hides behind it with discreet side access. That extra cabinet depth also allowed a highly efficient corner pantry: ~195cm of usable shelving, delivered behind just 90cm of door frontage. Clean lines outside; serious capacity inside.
Where to start
Start by identifying your top five daily friction points. Where do things pile up? Which tasks feel harder than they should? Once those patterns are clear, we can design a storage plan that aligns with your home’s architecture and your lifestyle.
That’s how we create storage space from “nothing” while keeping the easy, refined calm that Northern Beaches homes are known for.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I add storage without making my rooms feel smaller?
Focus on shallow, well-placed joinery rather than bulky cupboards. Integrated cabinetry in hallways, under stairs, and around doors keeps sightlines open while adding useful space.
2. What materials are best for coastal homes?
Moisture-resistant HMR board, low-sheen two-pac finishes, and corrosion-resistant hardware perform best in salt air. Avoid high gloss or unsealed timber near exterior zones.
3. How much does custom joinery cost in Sydney?
Prices vary by design complexity, finish, and hardware. For a high-end Northern Beaches home, expect from $2,000 – $4,000 per linear metre for quality joinery built to last.
4. What lighting works best inside cupboards and wardrobes?
Warm LED strips at 2700–3000 K give even light without harsh glare. Always plan wiring early to avoid losing shelf space.
5. How can I make my entryway more functional?
A mudroom wall just 400 mm deep can transform your daily routine. Include closed shoe drawers, a bench seat, and one tall locker per person for bags and coats.
Conclusion
Creating more storage isn’t about adding bulk, it’s about adding thought. When every item in your home has a natural resting place, clutter fades into the background and daily life becomes lighter. Smart, considered storage improves more than just how your home looks, it transforms how it feels to live in it.
At Orli Interiors, our approach blends design intelligence with craftsmanship, delivering homes that are both beautiful and deeply functional. If you’re ready to discover how much space your home truly has to give, we’d love to help you plan it.
Ready to plan your own home storage?
Our team handles everything, from design and joinery specification to build coordination and installation.
Explore our full-service renovations, browse our kitchen projects, and see more of our custom joinery.
You can also view our Collaroy project and our guide on designing a family mudroom.
When you’re ready to create calm and order in your home, book a consultation.