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  4. How to Turn Boring Store-Bought Storage Containers Into Stylish Catchalls

How to Turn Boring Store-Bought Storage Containers Into Stylish Catchalls

August 25, 2015
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organizing-call-order-04-d103617-0815.jpg
Credit: Ditte Isager
Organization doesn't have to come in rank-and-file containers. Bring sophistication back to your spaces by turning basic store-bought storage containers into bold statement pieces. With our surprisingly easy-to-re-create ideas, you can contain your stuff -- without putting a lid on your style.
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The Pre-Prettified Pieces

organizing-call-order-02-d103617-0815.jpg
Credit: Ditte Isager

With a little paint and glue, and a distinct point of view, these store-bought (and staunchly boring) pieces can transform. No, the ladder isn't for a bunk bed -- it'll become a handy-dandy freestanding closet. And the stacked cubbies can be mounted on the wall for impressive vertical coordinating. With a little imagination, some clever stacking, and a lot of decoupage, organizing your home will be (almost) as satisfying as ordering Chinese. 

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Funny Business

organizing-call-order-d103617-0815.jpg
Credit: Ditte Isager

Elevate the workspace to a work of art by channeling your inner artiste -- but first throw out the old rules of composition. Like Picasso, you don't need to be afraid to change perspective or play with color: Hang horizontal shelving vertically, and pepper a neutral area with bright accents. And honestly, an unexpected arrangement has more soul than a laminated pre-fab home-office monstrosity. Even functional pieces can be decorative, like the wastebasket with its gorgeous wood grain. To build a gallery-worthy storage wall, we suggest assembling it like a collage: Put up one piece, step back (you may want to ask a trusted friend to weigh in), and add another. Voila!

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Illusions of Grandeur

organizing-call-order-03-d103617-0815.jpg
Credit: Ditte Isager
Get the Decoupage Chest and Magazine File How-To

Mask run-of-the-mill storage with a little trompe l'oeil magic. We transformed a boxy, unfinished dresser into a dressier rococo masterpiece by painting it and decoupaging the front with blown-up clip art. Any image will do, but we loved the cheeky surrealism that comes from superimposing a picture of a bureau onto the real thing. This piece could go anywhere -- in the living room, filled with silverware and linens, or in the hall to store hats and scarves. Apply the same concept to magazine files and boxes, and stately urns and first-edition books can line your shelves for less than the price of the glossies concealed within. 

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Remote Control

organizing-call-order-01-d103617-0815.jpg
Credit: Ditte Isager

A TV cabinet -- in all its bachelor-pad, "Monday Night Football" glory -- is often the scariest thing in a living room. Making a smarter media unit is about as easy as playing Tetris: Combine inexpensive, unfinished cubes to create a larger structure, then treat it to a dose of style. Here, circular knobs, curvy feet, and two tones of sage-green paint evoke cool elegance. The open-and-closed construction showcases knickknacks and books while concealing electronics. 

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Dressing on the Side

organizing-call-order-05-d103617-0815.jpg
Credit: Ditte Isager

Don't have the space that a walk-in closet demands? Try building a walk-by. An old ladder bridges the gap between two basic shelving unit and creates a homey space to hang clothes -- a far cry from the typical sterile stainless-steel rod. When it comes to the shelves, display your neatest, prettiest things out in the open, but keep your dirty laundry to yourself: We added easy-to-make wool felt panels to hide slightly unsightly piles, and stashed T-shirts, socks, and scarves in woven baskets. 

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    1 of 5 The Pre-Prettified Pieces
    2 of 5 Funny Business
    3 of 5 Illusions of Grandeur
    4 of 5 Remote Control
    5 of 5 Dressing on the Side

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