How can I best obscure this storage shelving?

April 20, 2013 12:23 PM

So I'm utilizing this finished basement area as a bedroom and would like to use the built in shelving pictured as possible clothing or linen storage.

Measured as one space they are 98" L x 48" W. The shelves themselves are a fiberboard type material. After scouring images on the web, still can't picture how best to obscure this space or otherwise make it more aesthetically pleasing if remaining open. I've considered making a simple fabric panel on a a rod, but would some type of wooden shutter also be possible? Specific ideas or qualified vendors that could be contacted for these types of things equally appreciated.

posted by Asherah to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

What about getting baskets or open boxes that fit on the shelves? If you find ones that fit nearly in the space you get a unified look with all the clutter hidden. And bonus structure to your storage.
posted by wemayfreeze at 12:27 PM on April 20, 2013

Seconding baskets. I was going to suggest Fabric Storage Cubes (Target) or wicker or wood. You can also cover a regular cardboard box in fabric so it looks fancy if you want a longer or larger box.

I have also hung a curtain rod over an area such as that with a decorative curtain. It's also a good solution.

If you keep it open I would suggest painting the shelves to match if you can.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:30 PM on April 20, 2013

Rolling clothes and linen can make them nicer to look at.
posted by Specklet at 12:39 PM on April 20, 2013

You can get some plywood/MDF cut to size, then get some hinges. Now you have doors. Get a wood you like or paint. Big box stores will cut to size. We made doors for our kitchen cabinets.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:39 PM on April 20, 2013

I had a similar shelf in my kitchen that was obscured using a fabric panel and plastic-coated metal (the kind they use for dog runs). It worked fine and looked really classy.
posted by zug at 12:43 PM on April 20, 2013

You could use some IKEA curtain panels and cut them to size. They're a little more rigid than regular curtains and roll back and forth using these rails.
posted by biscuits at 1:09 PM on April 20, 2013

One I haven't seen suggested: A decorative folding screen.

If you have a visually messy hobby, like sewing, you could stick your sewing machine (or whatever) in the corner and use a screen to give you a bonus hobby area out of the deal. The right screen might make it seem like the windows go further down than they do. This might make it feel less like a basement space. A screen has more depth and architectural feel than curtains. It might do more for the space than curtains.

At one time, I was mostly bedridden for several months. I became sick to death of staring at the wall that the bed faced. At one point, I covered it with a decorative folding screen. I later covered it with curtains when I had more strength but was still mostly housebound. I just never wanted to see that wall again. The screen ended up a favorite item of mine for some time. It was two-sided, plain beige on one and leopard print on the other so I could change the look by just turning it around.
posted by Michele in California at 2:10 PM on April 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Get two 48 x 48 picture frames and put them on hinges and find two huge pictures you love or have loved ones created a piece to hang there. Not sure if it would look a little strange having pictures on the floor but you could get creative with it. Maybe have one be a picture of a tunnel.
posted by no bueno at 5:18 AM on April 21, 2013