Christopher Kent

Principal designer at the Gold Coast firm Studio CAK and designer of RH’s Gallery at the Three Arts Club

I was living in my sister’s den while I had some work done on my own house. I needed a temporary solution that would maximize space but would be easy enough to store once the renovation was done. One option I liked is a freestanding clothing rack, like this one by Simplified Building. The industrial style of the rack adds a design element to the room, and my exposed wardrobe gave the space some color and texture. Ikea has a simpler, more cost-effective option. I also love using nontraditional furniture to store clothing—it allows you to use the piece in other rooms besides the bedroom. For one client, I found a stunning 1960s Ole Wanscher chest and used it to store shoes. The chest fit seamlessly into the client’s living room: shoes hidden in plain sight.

Tom Stringer

Founder of the River North–based Tom Stringer Design Partners and author of the forthcoming An Adventurous Life: Global Interiors

There is so much space to be utilized underneath a bed—it’s perfect for stowing out-of-season clothes. An easy fix is to replace a standard bed frame with one that has built-in drawers—Savoy makes a nice upholstered one. Another issue in small apartments is counter and storage space in the kitchen. A clean, contemporary island cart can fix that. Baxton Studio has one with a drawer, a cabinet, and shelf space, plus a generous prep area. Set it up as a freestanding kitchen island, or push it up against the wall to make a bar cart. In a small bathroom, upgrading your basic vanity to one with drawers can really help reduce clutter.