For Architectural Digest, by Alicia Brunker.
Once the magic of the holidays has come and gone, it can feel like your home has been left in shambles after hosting overnight guests and piling up excess gift-wrapping supplies and presents in what is now a not-so-hidden corner. Whether you live in a spacious country cottage or a studio apartment, additional clutter can consume any living space, and with the New Year just around the bend, there’s no better time to get organized. But sometimes it’s hard to get excited about minimizing your mess when it seems like the only solutions are translucent plastic bins that are anything but stylish. Here, we found the intersection of function and aesthetics with storage containers from our favorite retailers, like an aquamarine-and-kyanite bauble box handcrafted by Kelly Wearstler or Mackenzie Childs’s bone, brass, and faux-leather file holder in her signature black-and-white checkered pattern. See below for more equally smart options that will help you stay structured and chic through 2017.
Arte & Cuoio’s saddle-brown leather basket with its silver buckle and white topstitching may be mistaken for a chic It bag rather than a storage solution. Consider it a functional accessory and fill its beige suede lining with fashion tomes and magazines; $895 from Barneys. barneys.com
The Container Store is the place to go to get every inch of your home organized, and this copper wire basket can be added to any room, including an entry brimming with mail or a kitchen overflowing with fruit; $12. containerstore.com
Silver nailheads decoratively dot this natural linen trunk from Pier 1 Imports, making it the perfect conversation piece when used as a cocktail table or an entry console; $180. pier1.com
A vintage 1950s design by artisan Carl Auböck looks like it was made for the modern day with its ideal blend of brass and black leather and sculptural shape. Place the glossy rack next to your favorite reading spot for easy access; $1,250 from the Line. theline.com
Bring the laid-back vibe of the beach home with these handwoven sea-grass-and-recycled-plastic baskets in pink, blue, black, or yellow from Serena & Lily. Depending on size, prices range from $78 to $168. serenaandlily.com
Smythson’s trinket tray is just the right size for storing jewelry or small desk accessories. Choose a vibrant pink for the vanity, or, in the office, the most serious shade of black; $265. smythson.com
Set this marbleized lacquer box from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams on your bedside table and load it with skin-care essentials. You won’t have an excuse for forgetting to put on that extra layer of moisturizer ever again; $120. mgbwhome.com
Crafted from recycled materials such as candy wrappers, this metallic basket can act as a hamper that you’ll actually want to show off or a stylish setting to stow extra linens; $129. westelm.com
Display your clutter like a work of art in CB2’s see-through acrylic cubewith vintage-style aluminum hardware and trim; $479. cb2.com
Conceal small treasures in Jonathan Adler’s Atlas box. The hand-sculpted solid brass sculpture rubbed with a black finish reveals three trays that swivel open, creating a hiding place for your most coveted jewels; $695. jonathanadler.com
Liven up your office space by stacking a swanky set of boxes in a punchy hue, like Z Gallerie’s mandarin-orange-and-gold pairing, for all of your desk accoutrements; $42. zgallerie.com
This child-friendly bin from ABC Home, constructed in France from a rich cotton canvas and adorned with shiny gold stars, has ample space for storing toys, baby blankets, and other nursery supplies; from $30. abchome.com
Splurge on Kelly Wearstler’s über-luxe bauble box crafted from select semiprecious stones and minerals found across the globe—handpicked by Wearstler herself—and made locally in Los Angeles; $14,500. kellywearstler.com
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