Next to the kitchen, in small confined spaces, were stacked away, old pieces of furniture and discarded utensils, or household items marked for use on a special day.
These little spaces- called store rooms — were an inevitable part of a Kerala house before modern day architecture explored the possibilities of shelving.
“We followed the practice of storing in boxes and not in shelves. But later we moved with the rest of the world and today we have customized shelves,” says Tripthi, Thiruvanthapuram-based architect. Finding space beneath a staircase or into the thick walls, shelves saved a lot of space otherwise lost on floors.
Books crowding on tables and desks found their way into wall shelves in study rooms, care being taken to ensure they don’t block sunlight. Wrap-around shelves became a part of kitchens and dining rooms, and sliding bookshelves went to bedrooms.
Awkward spaces that cannot be utilised for anything else can be shaped into a storage area with a few racks. Wall-liners in living rooms have become common with indoor plants or showcase items offering a decorative value.
