Change your storage style with these creative displays that not only look good but are fully functional.

Use corner space by wrapping a picture ledge around two walls. Use the shelves to display photos and dishes. A vintage wine or soda crate doubles storage capacity by holding pretty glassware, candles, or CDs.


Give an old table a new look. Transform a console table from a surface where clutter gathers into a functional table packed with storage opportunities. Two big baskets hold coffee table books, while a throw and a box of games rest on the bottom shelf. Remotes and spare keys go in the small top drawer.


A recessed nook is the perfect place to show off your favorite art and display your collections. Remove a section of drywall to reveal a 4- to 8-inch-deep niche between wall studs. Consult a contractor to make sure it's safe to remove any horizontal bracing elements. Then add shelves.


This 12-inch-deep headboard allows for a large ledge space to display pretty flowers and candles. The side cubby holds other nighttime necessities such as books and magazines.



For a fresh, modern twist, mount a ready-to-assemble bookcase directly to the wall and a few feet off the ground. Store books inside and decorate with flowers, picture frames, and candles. The divided shelves make organization easy.



A vintage rolling medical or drafting cabinet is the perfect space to store art supplies so they can travel all over the house. Paintbrushes, colored pencils, and pens are stored in miscellaneous containers on top. Larger supplies such as paint and glue guns are kept in the drawers.


Refinish an old wooden vegetable bin and use it as a nightstand. Folded clothes stack neatly in each cubby. Or encourage quick cleanup and use it to sort small toys.


A reclaimed-brick wall serves as a secondary headboard and provides above-bed storage. Keep your favorite books and pottery in the small recess.



Repurpose an old desk as a new storage unit. Store party dishes on the bottom shelf and keep napkins and other linens in a wicker basket for easy access. Hide the shelf behind a festive curtain, and your buffet combines function and fashion.



Transform a basic table into a multipurpose work surface. Hang wine racks and baskets to store utensils under the surface, and build a lower shelf to hold larger items such as mixing bowls and cutting boards.



Picture ledges make rearranging, adding, and changing favorite photos a snap. Vary the sizes and shapes, but keep the color neutral to make the collage look artsy, not cluttered. Rest some frames on the ledges and hang others for more dimension.



Glass shelves suspended by wires from the ceiling give the illusion that pottery is floating in midair. The display can be viewed from either side and has room to store dishes, vases, and glasses.



Repurpose wood closet shelving as a storage-packed end table. A chic CD cabinet sits on top, and crafts supplies are easily stored below in thin, flat boxes. Keep ribbon accessible and untangled in a box with organizational holes. When you want to conceal the storage solutions, attach coordinating panels to the scalloped coverlet with hook-and-loop tape.



Make storage look like art in a glass-front armoire. The varying shelf heights leave room to display everything from large works of art to small books and vases. Layering the art and books in front of and behind each other makes the display pop and adds a touch of whimsy.



Diamond-shape cubbies instead of flat shelves in this wall unit decoratively store books and magazines diagonally. Angled organization holds rolled-up throws and other round memorabilia without letting it roll away.