Storage Buying Guide

Here at Aram, we offer a plethora of storage solutions, from shelves to sideboards to bookcases, and modular systems that offer the opportunity to create a bespoke configuration to suit your every need. Because of the large range available, selecting the right one for you may be more challenging than it seems. Our storage buying guide aims to help you in this process and is organised by room, making it easier to find the best choices for you.

Living & dining storage

Living and dining rooms are a key part to any home. These are high-traffic areas where family and guests often gather, meaning they can quickly become cluttered with everyday items. Proper living and dining storage solutions, such as sideboards, shelves, or multi-purpose furniture, will help you maintain a clean and organised environment by providing dedicated spaces for these items.

Modular

Modular storage systems are an excellent option for their versatility and adaptability to various spaces and needs. They allow for customisable configurations, enabling you to design solutions that fit your specific requirements. Additionally, their flexibility means you can expand or rearrange your storage as your needs change over time.

USM Haller is a versatile storage system built on a modular ball-and-tube framework that provides endless design options. It features various modules and accessories, including drop-down doors, drawers, castors, and a choice of fourteen lacquer colours for its metal panels, as well as glass doors and tops. You can also incorporate electrification for USB charging and built-in lighting into USM’s system with discreet and streamlined LED strips that sit flush inside the frame.

You can create your own bespoke USM solution in our online USM Haller configurator and place your order through our website, or visit us in store, call us, or email and one of our experienced sales team will be able to assist you.

Another modular system that we offer is by Montana Furniture. This system comes in thirty-six basic modules, four depths and forty-three colour lacquers. The units are made from robust 12mm MDF and most pieces have options for wall-mounting, plinth mounting, castors or metal legs in matt chrome, brass or matching lacquer colours.

Montana also offer the Panton wire system. Designed in 1971 by Verner Panton, this system is made of 5mm wire and you can combine components and colours in different ways depending on your needs.

A great wall mounted shelving option is the Royal System®. It was designed in 1948 by Danish designer and manufacturer Poul Cadovius and relaunched by dk3 in 2010. It was one of the world's first wall-mounted furniture systems and was created on the innovative principle to move the furniture off the floor and onto the walls. Royal System® comes in various wood types and comprises wall-mounted rails, shelves with hangers in brass or stainless steel and various cabinets.

Another option is the String Pira G2 shelving system. Pira G2 is a contemporary interpretation of the original Pira Shelving designed in 1954 by Ole Pira, by Anna von Schewen and Björn Dahlström and made by String Furniture in Sweden. This reworked version is modular, and can be wall mounted or floor to ceiling mounted - appearing free standing. Elegant and robust, the poles and shelves are metal whilst cabinets, organisers and bookends are walnut or white oak.

Free-standing storage

A sideboard provides ample space for organising dishes, linens, and other items whilst keeping them tucked away. Additionally, its top surface serves as a functional area for displaying objects. A great choice for sideboard would be the Tambour Sideboard AK2730 from Naver, which features a durable Corian top and tambour doors in various woods, handles and base in stainless steel.

A bookcase is an obvious dedicated space to store your books. An excellent option is the Random shelving designed by Neuland Industriedesign for MDF Italia. It differs from a traditional bookcase as its 6mm thick wood fibreboard shelves are arranged irregularly and at varying heights to allow users to showcase both books and objects, offering an added dimension of creative interaction.

Another example of a flexible bookshelf that requires minimal installation is the Libri shelf from Swedese. Designed by Michaël Bihain, the Libri can function as a standalone unit or be connected with additional Libri shelves either side by side or back to back, allowing it to be free-standing. It also features adjustable legs that can be altered after installation.

For something to make a bit of a statement in your living space, the Revolving Cabinet by Shiro Kuramata would be a great choice. A masterpiece of contemporary design, the sculptural ‘cabinet’ was designed by Shiro Kuramata in 1970. Made from glossy red methacrylate, it boasts twenty drawers that rotate around a vertical metal stand with a matte-black epoxy powder finish and adjustable black plastic feet.

Bedroom storage

Your bedroom needs storage to create a calm, organised, and restful environment, free from clutter and without adequate storage, it can quickly become messy and disorganised. Dressers, wardrobes, under-bed storage, and bedside tables help keep everything in its place, making it easier to find what you need and maintain order.

Porro's wardrobe systems offer considerable versatility - the modular concept means that you can build up a bespoke configuration to provide just what you want. A choice of hinged, sliding and pull-out sliding doors fit modules of various widths and heights are available in a wide range of lacquer colours, glossy and matt, and wood veneers for the surface finish, plus a choice of numerous door handles. We have powerful CAD design tools in store to help create your ideal configuration for all the options in our wardrobes collection.

Porro’s Modern collection is an excellent option for drawers, the below example unit features three drawers with bar handles all in matt lacquer.

In addition to their modular system, Montana also offer a range of preconfigured products for the home that are usually available for quick ship. Their wardrobes and bedside tables can be a colourful, less complicated option for the bedroom.

Hallway storage

The hallway, a transitional space, needs to be organised and functional, preventing it from becoming a dumping ground for daily essentials. Hallways are often the first area to be seen when entering a home, so having storage solutions like hooks, shelves, or a console table can help keep coats, shoes, bags, and keys neatly arranged. Well-planned hallway storage also enhances the flow of the home, making it more welcoming and visually appealing.

Like Montana, USM offer a preconfigured quick ship range. Their small narrow console would be perfect for hallway storage. The unit comes in a 273mm depth with two open shelves and two drawers; lacquer panels in a choice of fifteen colours, on a chrome frame with six adjustable feet.

Another console option would be the Magic Box Credenza designed by Piero Lissoni for Glas Italia. Featuring two large doors which are open and closed by a push-pull system (also available in a four door version). Once opened, the reflective mirrored interior welcomes plenty of storage space.

The Hide shoe cabinet from Montana is a wall-mounted piece and has been designed to fit into hallways and small entrances - perfect for storing your shoes, gloves, hats and anything else you may require when leaving the home.

First designed in 1953 by Charles and Ray Eames, the Hang It All offers a playful alternative to traditional hooks, the wooden balls are cleverly positioned to allow the greatest number of coats and bags to hang in the smallest available space. Available in multiple finishes.

Another choice for coat storage is Zanotta's Sciangai Coat Stand, designed by De Pas D'Urbino Lomazzi in 1973. The Sciangai features eight delicately shaped staves which are cleverly joined at the centre allowing it to transform from a closed position to a useful and elegant coat stand.

Workspace storage

Storage for the workspace at home is essential to maintain a productive and focused environment. Without proper storage, desk areas can quickly become cluttered leading to distractions and inefficiency. Solutions like storage trolleys and desk organisers help keep essential documents, tools, and devices neatly arranged and easy to access.

The Boby 3/5 Trolley is another piece of versatile storage that would help organise a workspace. Designed by Joe Colombo in 1970, the trolley contains three sections and five drawers for plenty of storage space, and can be easily moved around or tucked away.

USM offer a wide range of solutions for the home office, notably their Bureau with drawer, M63 mobile pedestal and Inos trays. The bureau consists of a top cabinet, middle pull out shelf and bottom A4 filing cabinet. USM Inos trays are designed to fit snugly inside or on top of your USM Haller furniture, and provide filing storage space for smaller items. The M63 mobile pedestal offers three storage compartments, one equipped with an organising shelf and castor wheels.