Kick off the New Year by transforming your home with these expert tips on custom storage solutions and creative ways to style your shelves.
Dec 2024
Refresh your space and tackle clutter with expert tips from two local design professionals. They share simple, effective strategies to make organizing your home stress-free.
• Concepts by Design guides readers on the best storage solutions.
• Erica Lea Design Studios shares eight tips for restyling a worn bookshelf or china cabinet.
With their advice, you can transform cluttered spaces into functional, stylish areas that set the tone for a fresh start in the year ahead.
Location: 4123 N. State Hwy H, Springfield
Specialty: Custom cabinets, closets and storage solutions
The team at Concepts by Design specializes in creating organized, functional spaces. “Our top tip for someone just beginning to organize their space is to start with decluttering,” says Owner Shelley Wehner. “This process creates a clean slate and makes it easier to see what storage solutions are necessary.”
From there, they can examine the space to come up with the best storage solutions. Their top three design solutions for organizing are:
Custom closets: Tailored to fit your specific needs, custom closets maximize space and improve accessibility with features like adjustable shelving, built-in drawers and specialized compartments.
Pull-out shelves: Ideal for kitchens and pantries, pull-out shelves make it easy to reach items stored at the back of cabinets, enhancing both organization and convenience.
Built-in storage benches: Perfect for entryways or mudrooms, built-in benches provide seating while offering hidden storage for shoes, bags and other items, keeping these areas tidy and functional.
Custom cabinetry and storage solutions can address common challenges, such as limited space, inadequate storage and difficulty maintaining organization. Concepts by Design’s storage solutions focus on:
Maximizing space: Custom designs utilize every inch of available space, including awkward corners and high ceilings.
Personalization: Tailored solutions meet specific needs, whether it’s more hanging space in a closet or additional drawers in a kitchen.
Enhanced functionality: Features like pull-out shelves, blind corner accessories and built-in dividers make items easier to organize and access.
Location: 380 E. State Hwy CC Suite D105, Nixa
Specialty: Interior design
To save your shelves from looking dusty, tired and over-stuffed, Erica Hendrix, owner of Erica Lea Design Studios, shares her favorite tips for re-styling and refreshing a worn bookshelf or china cabinet.
1. Remove: Remove everything from the shelves—leave nothing behind. “You'd be surprised by the new vision empty shelves bring,” Hendrix says. “So many times I keep one thing in a particular place because it's always been there or I really like it there. This is a mistake—it doesn’t bring new vision or creativity.”
2. Clean everything: Dust, wipe and clean with soap and water.
3. Part ways: “Some of that old stuff needs to go—unless it was your Grandma’s,” Hendrix says. If you can’t part with them, try rotating pieces. Displaying too many items can diminish their impact and create clutter.
4. Placement: Place large items first. Once you set the anchors, the rest will fall into place.
5. Negative space: Leave some spaces intentionally empty to create visual interest and give your eyes a place to rest.
6. Opposites attract: A mix of old, new and collected pieces can bring excitement to any space.
7. Have fun: “Too many of my clients take decorating seriously,” Hendrix says. “Chill. If it makes you laugh out loud, set it out! Life is better lived with a smile.”
8. Who cares?: Choose what you want on your shelves and embrace it. “At the end of it all, it's your home,” Hendrix says. “If you love it, I love it.”
