No More Useless Entryways: Nate Berkus' Best Advice For Small Apartment Storage

No matter how big your living space is, not having enough storage is a perpetual problem, and it's especially crucial in small apartments where every inch of real estate needs a purpose. One area in your home you may be overlooking is the entryway — even the smallest can be used for refined storage. Designer and HGTV personality Nate Berkus, himself the owner of a 400-square-foot studio apartment, shared, "With the right choices, even the smallest spaces can feel expansive, livable, and curated." He recognizes the importance of maximizing storage in small spaces, and one choice Berkus advocates for is adding free-standing storage flanked by seating in the entryway.

The constraints of decorating a small apartment require careful curation, so the storage piece you choose shouldn't look like an afterthought. After all, it's the first impression visitors have of your living space. A clutter of coats, shoes, and umbrellas sends a messy signal and makes the entryway feel small and cramped, even if the rest of the space is tidy. Closed storage is more appropriate for an entryway because the contents won't be visible. When the doors on a cupboard or cabinet are closed, no one knows if you're storing pots and pans, linens, or shoes behind those doors.

No matter your particular style, there is a storage cabinet out there that will enhance your space rather than seem like a throwaway choice. Something that matches the rest of your furniture is cohesive, but it can also be boring. Instead, build on your style — if mid-century modern appeals to you, find a dresser with clean lines and hairpin legs and pair it with minimalist side chairs. Lean into a one-of-a-kind cabinet that echoes a single element in your other decor,  like color or texture, to show off your eclectic style, and place mismatched side chairs beside it. If you can't find anything new, take your entryway's measurements and thrift vintage pieces at secondhand stores and architectural restoration shops. Find something that provides as much storage as possible, but isn't so large that it's overbearing or blocking passage through the entry.

Berkus also notes that even a tiny entryway can be functional and well-designed. He recommends placing a narrow console table in the front hall with a mirror above it to use as a drop zone for keys and mail. You can add more storage with a console that has a shelf, push a small stool under the console to use when you need to change your shoes, or add a pair of upholstered stools you can move into the living space for extra seating when you have guests. Berkus is also a proponent of hanging art in unlikely places like a long, narrow entryway. Replace the mirror over the table with an eye-catching canvas, and watch your space come together.