Utility Wall Revisited
As you step into this Taipei apartment, you are welcomed by the living room. Chris Choo and the team at Republic Design had the clever idea of creating a utility-style wall composed of a series of bricks that fold in or out, depending on need. It includes “hooks” for hanging coats and other items as well as small shelves for keys and small objects. Painted in a rich earthy red and inspired by the traditional colours used on local temples, the unique piece more closely resembles a wall-mounted artwork than a coat hanger.
Taking a similar but different approach is the entrance of this highly versatile Melbourne apartment. Architect Jack Chen of Tsai Design, who lives in the space, created a wall with a set of wooden pegs that serves not only as a place to hang helmets, hats, coats and keys, but also as a wine rack. A hole was added to the integrated wooden shoe shelves below to neatly store an umbrella.
Images by Tess Kelly Photography
Shoe Seat
In both of these small Sydney apartments — the starter home of one young couple and the downsizing post-retirement unit of another — designer Nicholas Gurney implemented the highly practical wall-mounted Cutter Seat designed by Niels Hvass, which can be folded down to tie your shoes, and folded away again when you’re finished.
In his beach-side home, Matt Reynolds designed a Japanese-inspired genkan (or entranceway) with a low bench seat with open shoe storage immediately below and additional long-term storage at the back of the unit. Reynolds also made good use of the corridor wall space by adding a set of wall-mounted shelves for books and other objects.
Under-stair Set-up
The entry of this unique Osaka home is a little more pronounced than the others; however, it is still on the smaller side for a growing family of four. Architect Kazuteru Matsumura of Coilkma made clever use of space under stairs by converting it into the entryway closet with floating cedar shelves for shoes and a practical hanging rail for coats. The custom-made tiled mosaic floor underfoot gives the enclosed space a playful pop.
Dedicated Divider
A centrally placed entrance isn’t necessarily the best for storage, but it is great for making an entrance – so at least there’s that. Of course, there are little tricks for demarcating a central entryway without any undue obstructions. This eclectic Warsaw apartment does just that, with originality and style. To “separate” the entrance zone from the living room architects Kalina and Robert Juchvenic designed a floor-to-ceiling room divider inspired by the mobiles of Alexander Calder — a favourite of the homeowner. It is simple yet sufficiently quirky and, most importantly, it doesn’t close off the spaces from one another.
To form a bit of a break between the entry and living room of this diamond-shaped Hong Kong apartment the team at design studio WonderWonder added a beautiful custom-made wooden cabinet. The unit, which is defined by its supple, curved details, creates a marked entrance zone with storage, while its window ensures there’s still a flow and sightline between areas.
In the Hong Kong home of Daphney Ho of F.A.L WORKS Studio, the entrance opens into the living-dining room. To zone the space, Ho created a sunken genkan (a traditional Japanese entrance area) by adding a pony wall between the door and the living room. The partition, which is also a supporting wall for her built-in sofa, offers a place to store her shoes and set down her keys. The area also features a pegboard wall that allows Ho to adjust the shelves and hooks depending on need.
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