Storage solutions in a Queenslander home

The traditional Queenslander didn't really have a lot of built-in storage but did have lovely heigh ceilings (around 10-13ft in the old measurements or approx 3m+ high) that allowed for rooms that could accommodate large freestanding pieces of furniture such as wardrobes, armoires and kitchen hutches. The vast majority of Queenslander homes I would think, now have some form of built-in storage - though the increasingly popularity of repurposed, upcycled and vintage furniture has probably meant that renovators of pre-1990's built-in storage (much of which was not matching tongue and groove) are increasingly thinking of using standalone furniture again rather than updating dated built-in's. Our Queenslander has a bit of both.

Firstly we demolished the very dated, small and/or ugly built-in wardrobes and opted to change the layout of the bedrooms. This gave us the freedom to create a dressing room, with built-in drawers and cupboards) in the old enclosed verandah off the master bedroom, and built-in wardrobes in the two bedrooms downstairs. We also opted to have extra high wardrobe doors (2.3m high) so we could access all of the space above the hanging and drawer area and not have a tiny gap, like a lot of modern home wardrobes, to try and fit a suitcase through in order to sit on the shelf. The wardrobes are also lined with tongue & groove and skirting so we could, if the perfect standalone wardrobe were found, pull out the built-in's and put furniture in its place with relative ease. Not likely, but I like to keep my options open!

In the second bedroom upstairs we opted not to leave the room bare so it could be used as a study, library, playroom, music room etc and have freestanding furniture to suit its purpose. I have an armoire that will fit perfectly in this space! We also created an outdoor cupboard, lined with cladding to make it 'disappear' into the walls, for outdoor storage such as candles, cushions, outside heater and the like. This was a stroke of genius on behalf of our architect who suggested that this area behind the upstairs bathroom would be best used as a storage area rather than additional space in an already large bathroom.

Likewise, the linen cupboard at the top of the stairs in the upstairs hallway, and the small cupboard under the stairs in the downstairs hallway, are both built to 'disappear' into the wall but provide much needed space for manchester and cleaning apparatus. The pantry was also designed to mimic the layout of a traditional kitchen hutch with shelves for displaying key pieces, storage jars, glass cake stands and the like, and cupboards for the pots, pans, tinned food, cooking utensils etc etc. While I initially wanted to use stand alone furniture, my husband wanted to maximise storage, keep it simple and continue the cabinets from the kitchen. So we compromised and have a pantry that looks like a kitchen hutch but matches the kitchen. It is by far one of my most favourite areas in the house.

Here and there we've tried to squeeze in a few more storage ideas such as niche shelves, built-into the ensuite wall, and a pull-out drawer rubbish bin for the kitchen to help make life easier. After all, you can never have too much storage can you! That said, compared to a modern bathroom our bathrooms don't have a great deal of built-in storage. We instead opted for luggage racks (reclaimed and re-chromed) to use as towel storage, niches (ensuite), a mirror cabinet (downstairs bathroom) built into the wall and a collection of art deco style chrome hooks. This was a deliberate decision so we could use freestanding storage, such as an old fashioned meat safe or vintage pot chamber, to put other toiletry items. This way we can still have a bit of vintage charm in our bathrooms and down the track, a few more art deco mirrors and refurbished medicine/shaving cabinets will help alleviate any storage shortfall's!

Outdoor cupboard open

Outdoor cupboard closed

Wardrobe built-in's - drawers

Wardrobe built-in - hanging

Hallway linen cupboard under construction

Under stair cupboard - under construction

Understair cupboard being lined with pine T&G

Kitchen bin in a pull out drawer - love it! It's so practical....

Ensuite niche storage

The dressing room

Pantry built-in cupboards

The garage, workshop, storeroom and carport...

Let's just say that the garage, storeroom, workshop and carport are all functional areas of the house that don't usually get much of a mention but a house doesn't work nearly as well without them! Our original cottage had a stand alone garage built beside the house which had them been enclosed and made into a bedroom we suspect (though this would have been illegal). The area under the house was then used as the garage (see green garage doors on picture below) though it was only about 2.1m high. It also had many decades worth of 'rubbish' stored on the bare dirt - most likely a contributing factor to the termite damage through the house.

After demolishing the old garage, laundry and bathroom, the house was lifted and the old concrete slab removed and new foundations laid for the lower level. We left the old garage concrete slab and used it as the base for the new carport under the verandah above. This reduced the need to pour a new slab and the cost of removing quite a lot of concrete!

The new garage sits in the same place as the old one but fits two cars side-by-side instead of one. The slope of the block makes the ceilings some 3.4m high, so it is now quite a cavernous space which is an advantage given we own a Kombi campervan that is 2.1m high (we also had to get the 2.3m high garage doors to accommodate it).

We also had some spare space under the internal stairwell so we converted the space under the landing into a small workshop / tool storage area (yet to be fitted out) and a storeroom to put the Christmas tree, suitcases, boxes etc. Eventually we'll get organised and put up shelves in the garage, including the all important surfboard racks! No one can ever really have enough storage can they?

Details are as follows:

• Garage doors: Colorbond Surfmist to match the roof
• Carport, garage, workshop and storeroom floors: (painted in 2 pac Colorbond Basalt paint)
• Workshop door: reused from the original cottage
• Storeroom door: reclaimed
• Internal garage door to house: Custom made to be 2.3m high to allow for tall persons to walk down the internal stairs and not hit their head as they walk through the door way (Supplier: Finlaysons).
• Garage windows: 3 hopscotch casement windows (Bought second hand on gumtree)

The original cottage with stand alone garage on the right

Inside the original garage

The demolition process starts

Almost done!

Under the old Queenslander - just enough space for a laundry and shower

Plenty of junk under the old house

The old downstairs shower / bathroom

The old laundry stuck under the old bathroom

Internal door to garage (2.3m high) is higher than normal to allow tall people stepping off the steps not to bang their heads.

Our double garage doors are high enough to fit our Kombi camper van!

Storeroom under stairs with the new hot water system in it

The workshop ready for the floor to be painted

The new carport is accessed via the white gates under the verandah

The new carport sits on the old garage concrete slab

The carport slab just needed some paint (2-pac) to fix it up!

Finished at last!