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When you were a kid, either your toys were tucked in toy box, strewn throughout your home, or relegated to the basement. But now that you're all grown-up with kiddos of your own, making the most of playthings is a considerable design challenge. The best decorators look to textured bins, concealed spaces, roomy baskets, and ingenious built-ins. Ahead are the smartest toy storage solutions for sporty kids, arty kids, or those that love playing dress-up.
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1
Natasha Lee
In a toddler-friendly cottage in West Hollywood, designer Alice Cheng added built-ins made by local woodworkers flanking the fireplace to help visually contain the toys, books, and family photos.
Architect Lee Mindel was inspired by the simplicity of a Scandinavian schoolroom when designing the Manhattan loft of the family of Claude Arpels and Winsome Brown; the children's room features custom-made bunk beds with built-in shelves, Ikea bedding, and a birch-veneer table and chair by Alvar Aalto.
The Home Edit advocates for stackable boxes to house markers and paints; a wooden carousel safely houses scissors.
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The Home Edit
This wooden house shelf (similar to this one by Pillowfort) is a cute way to display books and odd-shaped toys.
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7
The Home Edit
Clear, labeled bins make it easy for kids to clean-up precisely (and quickly).
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8
The Home Edit
In this art room by The Home Edit, play food is color coded and sorted into wire bins as wall-mounted shelves make room for low-profile boxes of art supplies.
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9
The Home Edit
A closet by The Home Edit makes use of big floor baskets perfect for odd-shaped toys like trucks and musical instruments.
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10
The Home Edit
A sectioned carousel from The Container Store is a great spot for markers and crayons.
This bushel basket on wheels allows children to neatly cart toys from room to room. (It's also easy to roll and stash way when little ones go to sleep.)
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13
Marco Ricca
Wall-mount shelves provides low-profile storage for books, and also works as an easy piece of artwork.
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Marco Ricca
In a minimalist Tribeca loft, floor-to-ceiling shelving houses toys in powdercoated bins as built-in desks provide study space for older kiddos.
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Marco Ricca
In that same minimalist Tribeca loft, felt bins in cubbies give bedrooms a little extra room.
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Claire Cocano from Maison: Parisian Chic at Home by Ines de la Fressange and Marin Montagut (Flammarion, 2018)
Off-limits at the moment for the smaller children, the shelf that runs along the wall in this home by Maison Chic is ready to welcome their future souvenir collection. Children need space to thrive and an attractive environment to stimulate their choices in the future.
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17
Bless'er House
In this functional playroom from Bless'er House, a wall of built-in looking bookshelves was constructed from IKEA shelves and topped with a piece of of wood to make a handy counter. Labeled baskets house toys, and a sugar mold was used to house crayons and markers on the children's table.
In Lucy Liu's playroom, natural wood storage cubbies house art supplies in appealing and easy-to-access bins.
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20
Style by Emily Henderson
In this airy blue and white playroom styled by Emily Henderson, IVAR bookshelves from IKEA are painted and styled judiciously. Cabinets underneath allows ample room to tuck away less aesthetically pleasing clutter.