10 ways to discover secret storage

Hycliffe is the kind of house kids rave about and recall well past childhood, a 55-year-old timber and stucco home sitting on the edge of a canyon in B.C.'s ancient rainforest. Inside, it's a hobbit house of tiny doors leading to odd-shaped spaces, tunnels accessed by ladders and panelled walls concealing cupboards that pop open at the touch of a single finger.

When Bill Richardson, an engineer, and his wife, Jessica, moved in eight years ago, they were determined to make use of every square inch of space. “Storage solutions were like a game to us,” says Jessica. “Every time Bill came across dead space in the architectural plans, he'd pencil in an 'X' as a reminder that we could make some kind of use of this area.”

Take the kitchen, the hub of the house. A set of glass-fronted drawers under the counters holds Emily's toys, while more drawers installed under the sun-dappled window seats hold videos. A pair of long sliding drawers under the mantel in the neighbouring music room keeps the family's entire CD collection.

To maximize the space in the living room, the Richardsons consulted with Nina Hamilton of Napanee Design, who soon converted one wall into floor-to-ceiling box shelves. “I wanted to create a backdrop in the room for all the family's books and artifacts,” notes Nina, “and put a collection of square wicker baskets to good use.”

Just off the living room, the staircase leading to the second floor is the home's pièce de résistance. At the push of a button, the centre section lifts to reveal a sunken wine cellar finished with a marble-tiled floor. ”It's very Old World,” says Bill with a smile, “or very Munsters.”

On the second floor, Hycliffe boasts an impressive pitched roof, resulting in knee walls—walls cut short by diagonal ceilings. To utilize the space, the couple sealed foam into the rafters, punched out doors and turned the triangular spaces into suitcase storage. They converted the wall in Emily's room into a walk-in closet, where she keeps her dolls and her dress-up costumes, while in Bill's study, Nina worked her magic again by fitting the knee wall with polished cherrywood drawers for Bill's map collection. “The top drawers are just a front, but the bottom drawers are great for laying out large documents,” says Bill.

The main bathroom on the second floor is a cabinet of curiosities. Cupboards with sliding doors are reserved for bathroom reading, while the tiny drawers in the middle are individually designated for hair ties and cotton balls. Once again, the vaulted dormer bisects the wall in half at the top, leaving triangular cubby holes for fancy English soaps and myriad grooming products.

Here's how you can discover secret storage in your home.

1. Kitchen counters: Combine cooking with playtime by installing glass-fronted drawers under the counters.

2. Window seats: Serving dual functions, these spaces also provide excellent daydreaming spots.

3. Living room walls: Turn a whole wall into storage with box shelves that
blend in beautifully.

4. Built-in television cabinets: Use a four-panelled folding Japanese screen to hide the TV.

5. Dining room walls: Shallow, one-touch latch cupboards keep stemware safely hidden away and dust-free.

6. Under staircases: A panel concealing a cherrywood wine cellar is an ingenious touch.

7. Bedroom knee walls: A pint-sized closet in a child's bedroom utilizes the dimensions.

8. Office corners: Cubbyholes provide the perfect depth to spread out oversized documents.

9. Bathroom cupboards: Sliding doors with storage built into the wall mean no protruding cabinets and more space.

10. The attic: “A great place for storing children,” jokes homeowner Jessica. Drywalled and decorated, this space would be every child's favourite play spot.