Storage ideas when space is tight

Dressers, which are often the catch-all for socks, pajamas and off-duty garb such as jeans and T-shirts, are just as important as closets.

Unfortunately, theyre also notoriously bulky, heavy and expensive, so folks who are squeezed into tiny apartments and condos may have a tough time finding a narrow, affordable piece. David Benton, an architect with Rill Architects in Bethesda, Md., suggests apartment dwellers think outside the box.

Really, it doesnt even have to be an actual dresser, Benton said. It could be a sideboard if you want something low and wide, or a chest thats intended for a dining room. Dont feel like you have to shop in the bedroom department. It can be limiting.

Benton knows what its like to live in cramped quarters. He once lived in a 230-square-foot studio. It was a lesson in prioritizing, he said. Small spaces teach you how to utilize every square inch.

They also force you to get creative. While its true that modern retailers such as West Elm and CB2 now offer handy items such as storage beds and stackable bins, dressers are typically still too large for rooms that barely fit the bed.

What these spaces need is what people used to call a lingerie chest, said interior designer Kelley Proxmire, referring to the tall, slim chests that were once popular for storing linen and womens undergarments. They should resurrect those.

Lingerie dressers are harder to find today, but some stores carry modern variations, such as Pier 1s Ashworth Lingerie Chest ($500, http://www.pier1.com). An alternative might be a bookshelf to stack shoes, or a taller nightstand with multiple drawers. Even if its just where you keep your socks, it will help, Benton said.

Jessica Parker Wachtel, an interior designer at GTM Architects in Bethesda, Md., said she stumbled into her own dresser conundrum when she was trying to find storage furniture for her 750-square-foot condo in Washington. After hitting every major furniture retailer in the area looking for dressers about 36 inches wide, she finally found the perfect piece: a cream-colored, three-drawer French Hall Chest probably designed for a traditional foyer or entrance hall ($939, http://www.bassettfurniture.com). In Wachtels apartment, though, it holds a decent amount of clothing and doubles as a stand for her TV.

Youd never know it wasnt intended to be a dresser because it fits perfectly in my space, she said. I just had to get creative.

Another trick Benton suggested is looking for vintage or secondhand pieces with a midcentury aesthetic, because theyre typically smaller-scale than furniture designed for newer homes. The homes of the 50s were not the homes of today, he said.

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Storage ideas when space is tight