Bathrooms can be a cramped storage space- especially in older homes or apartments. In my tiny studio apartment in downtown Seattle, while the bathroom is relatively enormous it does not have even a single drawer, cabinet, or shelf! I needed storage desperately- an that prompted me to create this hidden wall storage DIY
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Using this space well, without cluttering the room with shelves, vanities, and drawer units has been a challenge. Aside from styling my everyday items onto a stylish cart, and squirreling away specialty beauty products into strategically arranged vintage luggage and train cases, and following standard organization tips, I’ve tried to minimize storage in this room because of its long, cave-like, and easily cluttered shape.
When my cleaning supplies began overflowing from my entry closet, however, I decided it was time to make some of the unusable space in this bathroom usable using one of my favorite storage solutions: clear over the door shoe holders.
In this case, though, I didn’t place them over the door- I placed them right on the wall, and to hide this obvious eyesore, I employed another trick: a wall tapestry to conceal hidden wall storage.
Now my cleaning products are always at hand, and always out of sight.
To create your own tapestry-hidden wall-mounted storage you’ll need:
- Wall tapestry or fabric
- Clear over the door style shoe organizers
- (optional) Bulldog Clips for holding tapestry
Wall hangings can be elaborate or as simple as a pretty shower curtain.
In my bathroom (that’s 12 foot long-an average bedroom length- but only 5-foot wide!) the barrenness of the back wall jumps out- even though it is set behind my dreamy clawfoot bathtub.
One way to deal with this problem, I found, was to make that focal-point wall into a statement wall (See also, 10 ways to create a statement wall in a rental home). I’ve created that entire post on how to create a statement wall without damaging the wall behind it.
For this project, I chose to use a lightweight wall hanging.
Wall Hangings to Create Hidden Wall Storage
A colorful pacific northwest-vibe wall tapestry chosen to fit my vibe and my colors was the perfect way to make this weirdly cave-like room a little cozier. The tapestry warms and softens the box-like feel of this room without closing it in.
To hang the tapestry, I attached metal binder clips at the corner of my walls.
There are many ways to hang your tapestry- the easiest of which is simply using tiny nails to tack it up. If your tapestry is wide, you’ll want to plan ahead to remedy sagging in the middle (either by adding more tacks or creating enough tension to hold the top taut)
I discarded the metal hangers made for hanging the shoe storage on doors, then I used drywall screws to add a secure hanger for each of the grommets to hang on the wall. (If you’re going to store cleaning supplies, which can be heavy, you’ll want to be sure and attach screws to a wall stud)
I prefer hanging tapestries with binder clips, because they look pretty and allow the fabric curtain to be changed with the season or on a whim. Bulldog Clamps are an attractive and affordable clip style.
If you plan to store large bulky items (like toilet paper) in this hidden wall storage, you may want to bump the curtain out from the wall a bit- you can use a tension-held shower rod for narrow rooms or you can use a standard curtain rod and mount. Hanging the fabric out a few inches from the wall can help the fabric hang freely without showing the bulges hiding beneath the fabric.
Once the storage pockets are hung securely and the curtain in place over the shoe racks, you’ll not only have a statement wall for your bathroom but also have an easy-to-reach and well-hidden wall storage spot with has LOTS of space for rarely-used bathroom items.
Read more tiny-living storage tips, how to use an accent wall to soundproof a wall, how to create an accent wall when you are renting a space, or learn about how I created a kitchen accent wall using plywood and photos of historic porches.