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Architectural Built-Ins for the Bedroom: 15 Favorites from the Archives

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Built-in StorageIssue 52 — Greatest Hits of 2014

Architectural Built-Ins for the Bedroom: 15 Favorites from the Archives

January 12, 2018

We believe the bedroom should be a sanctuary (see 10 Secrets for a Better Night’s Sleep). Thankfully, architects have long known that creating calm—read: killing clutter—in your sleep space is simple and efficient with built-in storage. Here are 15 favorite examples of architectural built-ins in the bedroom, from shelves to cabinets to drawers:

In a brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, a birch ply wall divides the room, creating a closet space behind the bed, and serves as a headboard with storage niche. See In Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, a Renovated Brownstone with Inspired Solutions for more.
Above: In a brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, a birch ply wall divides the room, creating a closet space behind the bed, and serves as a headboard with storage niche. See In Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, a Renovated Brownstone with Inspired Solutions for more.
In a remodel of a Victorian house in San Francisco, architects Mork Ulnes commissioned furniture designer Yvonne Mouser to design an ingenious wood headboard that incorporates built-in storage while also providing structural reinforcement. See the complete remodel in The Architect Is In: Saving the Hippie Soul of a Victorian House.
Above: In a remodel of a Victorian house in San Francisco, architects Mork Ulnes commissioned furniture designer Yvonne Mouser to design an ingenious wood headboard that incorporates built-in storage while also providing structural reinforcement. See the complete remodel in The Architect Is In: Saving the Hippie Soul of a Victorian House.
Low, built-in shelves line the Paris bedroom of French style-maker Lucile Demory. Photograph by Claire Cottrell for Remodelista. See Modern Thrift: Lucile Demory’s Architect-Designed Rental in Paris for a look at the full apartment.
Above: Low, built-in shelves line the Paris bedroom of French style-maker Lucile Demory. Photograph by Claire Cottrell for Remodelista. See Modern Thrift: Lucile Demory’s Architect-Designed Rental in Paris for a look at the full apartment.
Custom built-ins surround a window in the all-white Pasadena bedroom of designer Michaela Scherrer, creating plenty of concealed storage, plus a ledge for artful displays. See World’s Tiniest Spa Bath: A Grecian-Inspired Guest Suite in LA for more; photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.
Above: Custom built-ins surround a window in the all-white Pasadena bedroom of designer Michaela Scherrer, creating plenty of concealed storage, plus a ledge for artful displays. See World’s Tiniest Spa Bath: A Grecian-Inspired Guest Suite in LA for more; photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.
Architect Jerome Buttrick carved out vertical shelving, complete with accessible light switches and outlets on either side of Remodelista editor Julie Carlson&#8
Above: Architect Jerome Buttrick carved out vertical shelving, complete with accessible light switches and outlets on either side of Remodelista editor Julie Carlson’s bed. Photograph by Maria del Rio, from Refinery 29‘s feature on Julie’s Mill Valley, California, house.
In my own bedroom, my husband and I maximized space by building our bed into an awkward niche and creating built-in storage above and pullout drawers below. More of our space-saving solutions can be seen in Living Small in London.
Above: In my own bedroom, my husband and I maximized space by building our bed into an awkward niche and creating built-in storage above and pullout drawers below. More of our space-saving solutions can be seen in Living Small in London.
Architect Otto Henkell kitted out the bedroom in a tiny cottage in Melbourne with plenty of storage, courtesy of white cubbies of various sizes and shapes. See Before/After: loading=
Above: Architect Otto Henkell kitted out the bedroom in a tiny cottage in Melbourne with plenty of storage, courtesy of white cubbies of various sizes and shapes. See Before/After: 11 Ideas to Steal from a Tiny Melbourne Worker’s Cottage for more.
In another extra-tiny Brooklyn apartment, built-in cabinets and shelves make the most of the space around a pull-down Murphy bed. See Living Large in 675 Square Feet, Brooklyn Edition for more; photograph by Matthew Williams.
Above: In another extra-tiny Brooklyn apartment, built-in cabinets and shelves make the most of the space around a pull-down Murphy bed. See Living Large in 675 Square Feet, Brooklyn Edition for more; photograph by Matthew Williams.
A platform bed by Studio Oink doubles as storage. See Happiness at Home with a German Design Duo for more tips from the designers.
Above: A platform bed by Studio Oink doubles as storage. See Happiness at Home with a German Design Duo for more tips from the designers.
San Francisco architects Turnbull Griffin Haesloop incorporate bedside tables and a dresser into the headboard of a bed, which also acts as a room partition. Photograph by David Wakely, courtesy of Turnbull Griffin Haesloop.
Above: San Francisco architects Turnbull Griffin Haesloop incorporate bedside tables and a dresser into the headboard of a bed, which also acts as a room partition. Photograph by David Wakely, courtesy of Turnbull Griffin Haesloop.
A loft-like bedroom in a Brooklyn apartment is built out with white oak plywood shelving and cabinets and a custom-built bed, to maximize space. See An Eclectic Apartment Inspired by Japanese Storage Chests in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn for more ingenious storage ideas.
Above: A loft-like bedroom in a Brooklyn apartment is built out with white oak plywood shelving and cabinets and a custom-built bed, to maximize space. See An Eclectic Apartment Inspired by Japanese Storage Chests in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn for more ingenious storage ideas.
In a compact apartment by New York-based Workstead, custom oak millwork creates a desk/vanity, clothes storage, and countertop, all in one. Also included: built-in nightstands with drawers. See The Artful Shoebox Apartment, Workstead Edition for more.
Above: In a compact apartment by New York-based Workstead, custom oak millwork creates a desk/vanity, clothes storage, and countertop, all in one. Also included: built-in nightstands with drawers. See The Artful Shoebox Apartment, Workstead Edition for more.
A bureau that takes up no real estate: In a tiny Brooklyn Heights bedroom, the owners needed clothes storage but didn&#8
Above: A bureau that takes up no real estate: In a tiny Brooklyn Heights bedroom, the owners needed clothes storage but didn’t have the floor space for a dresser, so firm General Assembly built a full-depth bureau recessed into the wall. Photograph by Joe Fletcher. See Before & After: In Brooklyn Heights, a Petite Flat Transformed for more.
In a project in a former hayloft in the North Sea, the architects took inspiration from &#8
Above: In a project in a former hayloft in the North Sea, the architects took inspiration from “bed boxes,” small, dark bedrooms with lots of built-in storage, like the under-bed cabinets and shelves shown here. See Frisian Style: An Otherworldly Former Hay Loft Transformed in the North Sea for more bed box storage ideas.
A built-out wall of cabinets creates a nook for a bed—and hidden shelves within reach. See A Darkly Romantic House in Sweden by Skälsö Architects for more.
Above: A built-out wall of cabinets creates a nook for a bed—and hidden shelves within reach. See A Darkly Romantic House in Sweden by Skälsö Architects for more.

For more space-efficient bedroom ideas, have a look at Michelle’s 186-Square-Foot Garage Converted into the Ideal Guest Room on Gardenista, and our Bedroom Storage page on the Organized Home.

More storage and organization in the bedroom:

N.B.: This post is an update. The original ran in October 2014 as part of our Genius Storage Solutions issue.

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