Spending more time in the confines of your home this past year may have you rethinking the amount of space you have a little more. If you've been feeling a little restricted or like sardines amongst your family members, it may be time for a change. While considering a custom home, renovation or addition, keep in mind ways to save additional space and how the design can offer better functionality.

Here are a couple of examples of space-saving solutions we've provided for our many clients with the help of built-ins and thoughtfully-designed storage:

Kitchen

Cabinetry

Slotegraaf Construction works with various vendors and subtrades, and when it comes to custom cabinetry. Chervin Kitchen & Bath and Kitchen Appeal are some of our favourites to work with. From pull-out spice racks to custom-built cutlery drawers, their innovative designs assist our projects in the best ways to optimize storage and enhance the home.

Integrated Kitchen Appliances

When it comes to the design of your cabinetry, incorporating appliances, like a built-in oven and fridge, into the unit is another option when floor space is limited. And you can include doors or drop-down cabinets that will hide these items for ultimate countertop space and offer a seamless aesthetic. This will also make cooking and food prep a breeze.

Food Pantries

If you already have a pantry or you are considering one, keeping it organized can be a challenge. Some quick tips on keeping it efficient:

• Stay consistent on the frequency of when you clear out food items.

• Use bins, baskets, and labels when you can; group similar food items and related appliances together.

• Keep food items that are used everyday in easy-to-reach spots.

• Arrange cookbooks and recipes accordingly.

Living Room & Family Room

Entertainment Centers & Fireplace Surrounds

While acting as a focal point in your home, your entertainment center can also maximize the room's functionality when all the components are built-in. You don't have to worry about the different furnishings and media appliances sticking out or appearing as if they don't fit together, or taking up room where you will also potentially have foot traffic. Take the custom-designed entertainment center example above, everything is sleek and streamlined and blends in perfectly with the rest of the room's layout.

Built-in Bookshelves

Built-in bookshelves give you the wonderful opportunity to display your personality, while also giving the space its own character. They bring order to a room by providing easy access to everyone and space to organize anything from books to files, photo frames, figurines and trinkets, and other decorative items.

Bathroom

Built-in Vanities

While typically found in larger homes, built-in vanities offer ample storage space and make getting ready in the morning much easier when you have a clear counter space. They can also be customizable to any width or height to utilize wall-to-wall space, and to fit your various personal items and toiletries.

Mounted Towel Racks

Of course, there are many options of where you can drape or store your towels before and after use—on a hook, in a basket, inside a cabinet. However, we believe a mounted towel rack or rail allows your bathroom to appear more practical. There's a style out there for every bathroom, based on various finishes and designs. And who doesn't want a rack that can warm up your towel too?!

Recessed Shower Niches

Say no more to shower caddies and knocking over shampoo bottles—shower niches eliminate these annoyances and help keep the area clutter-free. A shower niche is a storage space shelf for your shampoo, conditioner, and soap. It's permanently recessed into the tiled shower wall, or it can stand out, acting as a bench or interesting design element.

Bedroom

Dressers & Shelves

Built-in furniture like dressers and shelves can help to create a cohesive look throughout and can be combined and coordinated with the rest of the room's knick-knacks and decor. Again, the great thing about built-ins is how they can be tailored to fit your specific needs and how you store specific items such as your clothing, shoes, purses and more.

Built-in Headboards, & Nightstands

There are an array of benefits and design options when it comes to your bed frame and nightstand coming together:

• Lighting can be easily integrated into the headboard, so you can forgo a lamp taking up your nightstand space

• When your nightstand and bed are integrated together, it saves you the hassle of trying to ensure these furniture pieces will compliment each other well.

• You can personalize the design of these items to give you the best layout for your storage needs and decorative items surrounding the bed.

If any of these storage solutions caught your eye, contact us for a quote and we'll be happy to help you determine the best changes for you and your home. By increasing your living space, you'll increase the enjoyment of your entire home!