Smart storage.
Does the ‘smart’ mean clever? Or does it mean dapper and debonair?
Well in the case of the Abbeville Storage Bench from GLTC it means both of those things.
This is one bit of furniture that’s as clever as is it good looking.
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The Perfect Reading Nook.
When we first bought the Abbeville home, Bertie declared that it would be a good place to put his books.
Hmmm. Yes. It would make the perfect reading corner.
It wasn’t quite what I had in mind for it, but I could totally see where he was coming from.
The three recesses make the perfect book-store. Deep and high enough for the tallest, widest books. Plus the cushioned seat makes a lovely reading perch.
This smart storage bench is the perfect addition to any child’s bedroom. Looking for a little library and reading nook in one neat package?
The Abbeville ticks all the boxes.
We already have book shelves but invariably the books get taken and read elsewhere. So somewhere to sit — and store the books — all in once place is a very clever idea indeed.
I get a bit fed up seeing books strewn about the house, if I’m honest, so a dedicated library corner made total sense.
I definitely liked his way of thinking. But I had other plans for this unit.
And so, it seemed, did Cosmo.
He thought that it would be a brilliant place to put all his favourite toys.
Smart Storage For Playrooms.
As well as a great place to store books, the three bays in the Abbeville can also house canvas or oilcloth storage cubes — or roomy woven baskets — which are perfect for stowing away toys.
We have lovely charcoal grey rope baskets for ours; which hold a surprising amount of clobber (and can also double up as log baskets!).
Lego, Hot Wheels cars — the plastic tat that comes out of magazines — can all be hidden beautifully out of sight.
And if you ditch the cushion, the top of the unit makes a great play table.
The white finish goes really well in the twins’ room and it’s lovely for them to each have a dedicated storage unit for their toys.
I guess it’s amazing having a twin, but having to share practically everything must wear thin every now and then. They shared my womb for 8 months. They share a room, toys, clothes, books…
So having their own, personal space for their favourite things must be lovely. But sorry boys. Not on this occasion.
That’s not what I had in mind either.
This Smart Storage Bench was totally made for Hallways.
Now, I’ve mentioned before about our lack of hallway.
We have a small vestibule — about 2 foot square — that leads off the front door. And whilst the amazing GLTC pigeonhole wall shelf has solved the dilemma of where to hang scarves and coats, there was nowhere for shoes and boots.
The Abbeville was the perfect piece of furniture to solve our hallway dilemmas.
Sick of shoes lining up by the door? Or worse, thrown in a cardboard box in the kitchen, as ours once were.
(Oh the shame.)
This roomy woven baskets are perfect for stowing away everyone’s footwear.
The boys love sitting on the little bench seat to put their shoes on. And diligently pop their footwear in the baskets when they return home.
It fits discreetly in the room — doesn’t look out of place at all — and has totally solved the shoe mountain.
Perfect.
The epitome of smart storage furniture. Clever, good looking and can be used a myriad of different ways.
Although, in our home, there was only ever ONE use. This smart cookie is staying firmly put in the hall!
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Love this.
So good seeing all the options working so well.
We had this unit years ago for the exact purpose of hallway. It was the perfect place when Grayson was growing up for me to safely put him as I came in the door.
I miss having it in our current home.
Lovely pictures
I love units like that that you can place anywhere. The one we have in the hall now used to be my beside unit before we had the kids. The one we had in the hall then is now the book unit and seat in my youngest’s room. Its a real furniture carousel here :)
Same. GLTC are a master at that too — although a lot of their stuff is geared for kids, they’re so versatile they can fit in anywhere!! :)
Oooh it’s so versatile, I love it! I think it would be most useful for shoes in our house, we have hundreds xx #HomeEtc
SNAP!! We used to have a shoe mountain by the door!!! It’s brilliant to be able to hide them away! They’ve got another style too, that’s especially for shoes — although in our house, no doubt it would end up being used for something else!! :)
I’m a huge fan of GLTC. Thankfully, even though my kids are older, there are still plenty of things in their collection for older kids and adults too. So smart, simple and practical. Love the little storage bags you used for the toys too. #HOMEETC
Aah me too!! I love the fact that their things have multiple uses. It’s so fab to know that the pieces can fit in practically any room or be used for so many different things. They’re DEFINITELY not just for kids, that’s for sure!
Bertie looks so sweet. I loved it when my kids where that age and loved to sit and look at books.
It’s a lovely thing! They’re really getting into their reading since they began school in September! :)
I thought I’d read this post before!!! I read it through, thinking ‘This sounds familiar, I’m sure Caro did a post like this a while ago’…Then I saw my comment! Lol! My memory! I still love the little storage bags. If you can get your family trained to USE the baskets for shoes rather than ignore them and kick off their shoes whereever they fallm then you are a greater mother and wife than I!!! #HOMEETC
Haha!! I literally had nothing to link up, so thought I’d add an oldie!!! ;)
What a clever and versatile storage solution! I also love how your little chaps both had quite separate ideas about what it could be used for, super cute!! Xx
It’s SO versatile! I often think that GLTC products are so brilliantly multi-functional. They’re definitely more than ‘just for kids’ :)