Essential Storage: The Back to Basics Guide to Home Design, Decoration & Furnishing

by Terence Conran

In Essential Storage, Terence Conran tackles a formidable what to do with all your stuff. Starting with advice on reducing clutter-the first step toward creating a more orderly home-he then presents a variety of up-to-date solutions for displaying and storing your possessions in ways that ensure a functional, efficient living space.

Genres: Reference, Interior Design

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Sir Terence Conran was educated at Bryanston School, Dorset, and trained as a textile designer at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. Hand in hand with his much-publicized career as an arbiter of good taste for a whole generation goes a career in cookery and restaurant management. Having learned the basic skills in the kitchens of a two-star Parisian establishment, he opened several small restaurants in London.These were later sold to finance his fast-expanding furniture business, from which grew the hugely successful Habitat stores. No-one has had a greater influence on contemporary living style than Conran. From the outset of his career, in the brilliant era of the '60s, he devoted his talents to interpreting the home-making aspirations of the bright, busy people of his generation - and to providing them with an excellence of craftsmanship and design at a price they could afford.

Reviews

[Aja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Organizing for dummies. Great photos!

[Sonya Feher · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking to simplify, declutter, and organize, Conran's Essential Storage gives tips so fundamental you'll think you should have known them already like using square containers is a more efficient use of space than round ones. While some of his information may not be new, his straightforward guidelines will help you to review your possesions, figure out levels of storage (frequent use or long-term), evaluate types of storage, and store items area by area. It's worth reading.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

All the rooms they showed in this book were stark and spare, which is not to my taste. I don't want to live in a house of white things.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book hoping to find it to be a quick read with a couple of tidbits of good ideas. It delivered.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

the advice is basic and straightforward - get rid of things you haven't worn in the past year, keep storage open and flexible, etc. but the pictures are inspirational (I like Conran spaces).

[Shadie Saurin]

add it

[Manintheboat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skip this one and go for his big Storage book.