Interior Design
8 Ways to Use Plywood for Storage
It’s versatile, sustainable and on trend – just some of the reasons to embrace plywood in your home
If you’re thinking of having some bespoke storage designed, it’s worth considering plywood as your material of choice. Easy to work with, it can be used to create anything from simple shelving to a hidden work station. Take a look at these clever projects to find inspiration for using this layered engineered wood in your home.
2. Show and tell
The layered nature of plywood gives it an attractive look if you leave the edges on show. Just a simple shelving design like this one in a project by Kirkwood McLean Architects can become a feature when the thin lines are visible along each piece of timber.
Emphasise these layered edges by contrasting them with a smooth material, like the white door here. The cutout handle allows the owner to open up the white surface…
The layered nature of plywood gives it an attractive look if you leave the edges on show. Just a simple shelving design like this one in a project by Kirkwood McLean Architects can become a feature when the thin lines are visible along each piece of timber.
Emphasise these layered edges by contrasting them with a smooth material, like the white door here. The cutout handle allows the owner to open up the white surface…
3. Carve out a desk
The designers of this space have also contrasted the texture of plywood with smooth white surfaces. Plywood was the main storage material in this house, designed by Slightly Quirky, and here it’s been used to build a desk space with cabinets below and shelving above.
The team spray-painted the top of the cabinet and the underside of the shelf in white, and used laminate for the doors. The sleek finish works in harmony with the soft, curved shapes of the shelf and worktop.
24 Innovative and Stylish Designs Using Plywood
The designers of this space have also contrasted the texture of plywood with smooth white surfaces. Plywood was the main storage material in this house, designed by Slightly Quirky, and here it’s been used to build a desk space with cabinets below and shelving above.
The team spray-painted the top of the cabinet and the underside of the shelf in white, and used laminate for the doors. The sleek finish works in harmony with the soft, curved shapes of the shelf and worktop.
24 Innovative and Stylish Designs Using Plywood
4. Colour in
By adding colour to your plywood storage, you can make it a strong element in a room. Here, shelving has been used to make the most of a middle room that would otherwise have been used as a passageway.
The storage is for the owner’s extensive vinyl and CD collection. “The furniture is made from oak-veneered birch plywood with lacquered doors, and the sideboard has a Welsh slate top,” James Hoy of Uncommon Projects says.
On the left is open shelving for the vinyl, with doors at the base to house CDs and integrated speakers. Opposite, a sideboard sits beneath wall-mounted shelving, providing a feature where the original chimney breast had been removed by the previous owner.
By adding colour to your plywood storage, you can make it a strong element in a room. Here, shelving has been used to make the most of a middle room that would otherwise have been used as a passageway.
The storage is for the owner’s extensive vinyl and CD collection. “The furniture is made from oak-veneered birch plywood with lacquered doors, and the sideboard has a Welsh slate top,” James Hoy of Uncommon Projects says.
On the left is open shelving for the vinyl, with doors at the base to house CDs and integrated speakers. Opposite, a sideboard sits beneath wall-mounted shelving, providing a feature where the original chimney breast had been removed by the previous owner.
5. Build under the eaves
The simple finish of plywood lends itself to minimal open shelving, and it can easily be cut to fit an awkward area.
In this loft space, for example, Angus Eitel of fiftypointeight Architecture + Interiors designed an open wardrobe area in the alcoves. The shelves have been fitted to match measurements that Angus marked out on the wall. “The joiner helped by advising where we needed extra supports and framing,” he says
The simple finish of plywood lends itself to minimal open shelving, and it can easily be cut to fit an awkward area.
In this loft space, for example, Angus Eitel of fiftypointeight Architecture + Interiors designed an open wardrobe area in the alcoves. The shelves have been fitted to match measurements that Angus marked out on the wall. “The joiner helped by advising where we needed extra supports and framing,” he says
6. Maximise an alcove
This bathroom features plywood storage throughout, and one of the most interesting pieces is this alcove unit. There was an unused doorway in this spot, so designer Karen Knox of Making Spaces had it blocked up and used the 30cm-deep recess to build this useful cabinet.
A combination of open shelves and cupboards form a grid above a pull-out laundry bin. Karen doubled up the plywood around the unit to create an attractive frame.
As this storage is in a bathroom, Karen sealed the birch ply with a waterproof matt varnish.
MDF vs Plywood: Which is Better?
This bathroom features plywood storage throughout, and one of the most interesting pieces is this alcove unit. There was an unused doorway in this spot, so designer Karen Knox of Making Spaces had it blocked up and used the 30cm-deep recess to build this useful cabinet.
A combination of open shelves and cupboards form a grid above a pull-out laundry bin. Karen doubled up the plywood around the unit to create an attractive frame.
As this storage is in a bathroom, Karen sealed the birch ply with a waterproof matt varnish.
MDF vs Plywood: Which is Better?
7. Go wall-to-wall
If you’re planning an entire wall of storage, plywood is a good option, thanks to its versatility and cost-effectiveness.
This boy’s bedroom, also designed by Karen Knox of Making Spaces, had two alcoves either side of a chimney breast. The entire surface has been covered with plywood cupboards and open shelves to form a flat wall to put the bed against.
The shelves were built by the joiners in the workshop, then disassembled and reassembled on site. A wider surface on the left will be extended in years to come to form a homework desk.
If you’re planning an entire wall of storage, plywood is a good option, thanks to its versatility and cost-effectiveness.
This boy’s bedroom, also designed by Karen Knox of Making Spaces, had two alcoves either side of a chimney breast. The entire surface has been covered with plywood cupboards and open shelves to form a flat wall to put the bed against.
The shelves were built by the joiners in the workshop, then disassembled and reassembled on site. A wider surface on the left will be extended in years to come to form a homework desk.
8. Create divisions
There’s more to this storage than meets the eye, as the large birch plywood unit hides a raised office area behind. The bedroom is part of a converted biscuit factory, which was designed by architects Suprblk, who hired Matthew Smith and his team at Property DMR Services to carry out the internal building work.
“The base of the unit is cupboards, but the area above conceals the desk platform behind,” Matthew explains. “It has the same appearance as the cupboards to create a consistent look.”
There’s more to this storage than meets the eye, as the large birch plywood unit hides a raised office area behind. The bedroom is part of a converted biscuit factory, which was designed by architects Suprblk, who hired Matthew Smith and his team at Property DMR Services to carry out the internal building work.
“The base of the unit is cupboards, but the area above conceals the desk platform behind,” Matthew explains. “It has the same appearance as the cupboards to create a consistent look.”
On the other side of the office area is another set of units, again with cupboards at the bottom and a wall of plywood at the top.
“Birch plywood has good strength and its light appearance allows you to add your own colours,” Matthew says. The external wood here is stained a natural shade and the internal areas are varnished.
Tell us
Have you used plywood for storage in your home? If not, would you consider it? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments section.
More
Find a renovation professional in Singapore
Browse more Singapore photos for design inspiration
“Birch plywood has good strength and its light appearance allows you to add your own colours,” Matthew says. The external wood here is stained a natural shade and the internal areas are varnished.
Tell us
Have you used plywood for storage in your home? If not, would you consider it? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments section.
More
Find a renovation professional in Singapore
Browse more Singapore photos for design inspiration
This area combines a seating spot and a utility space. Floor-to-ceiling cupboards house stacked appliances and solar and rainwater pipes. It was designed by James Davies at Paper House Project for a family with a toddler, and there’s plenty of room for toys in the tall cabinets and under the bench seats.
“The circular handles were an idea the owners had seen elsewhere, so we incorporated them and left the bench seat doors flush,” James says. “The bench seats aren’t on castors, but they can be moved if necessary.”
James says plywood is durable, is easy to work with on-site, and doesn’t usually need to be fitted by a specialist carpenter. “It doesn’t fade as quickly as darker timbers with stronger grains, so it was well suited in this area,” he says. “Do remember, though, that a decent grade of plywood isn’t as cheap as you might think, and it’s important to check it’s from a sustainable source.”