I keep on seeing ladders and other storage solutions that we interiors folk tend to sum up as space-saving ideas – whether the designers themselves like it or not. The concept of capsule living is very pertinent for now, when renting seems like the only possibility for people who are of ‘first-time-buyers’ age, but simply can’t afford it. Renting, I never had the urge to buy up major furniture pieces because of the prospect of moving on again and having to lug things up and down stairs. Also, because I couldn’t afford it.

On the one hand I love these handy ideas, but on the other I do wonder how useful the pieces are – whether they are small storage solutions, or actually good-looking luxury items to buy when you have got everything.

Apparel clothes rack / room divider by Norwegian designers Vera & Kyte is a great colour and the integrated mirror and clash of geometric shapes going on is cool. If this was your only storage solution, could it work as a total portable walk-in wardrobe ? Maybe, if you could handle having a pair of trousers on every rail, your smalls stored on hooks, or if you only had five outfits. Otherwise, something for the entrance area of an open plan loft or in a guest bedroom.

I saw this piece in Monologue in the flesh and it is gorgeous with its copper corners and actually, the perfect neat size for my son’s new bedroom where his old wardrobe looks massive. Actually having it would involve being clever with every other corner of the room, and trying to squeeze in drawers somewhere. Spare room or hallway then.

This corner mirror by Menu I think this does have a proper element of doubling up and is filed on their website under ‘Hallway’. It’s not pretending to be an all-in-one solution – not that the others necessarily are either – and it’s making use of an area that’s normally dead.

So what does this all of this tell us?

This post should have been called Clever Ideas for Guest Bedrooms or Hallways.