Shoe Storage for Small Apartments

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Some people have coin collections, some have stamp collections, others have shoe collections. When you’re living in an apartment it can be difficult to come up with appropriate places to store your shoes in a practical yet still aesthetically pleasing way. Apartment Therapy can solve your problem. They’ve come up with some creative ways to store and show off your shoes. To view examples of each storage option and other design tips for your home head to Apartment Therapy.


I love shoes. Sadly for my wallet, the shoes I find myself the most drawn to aren't necessarily the most practical ones. The shoes I love most are the beautiful ones, the powder-blue suede pumps that you might wear only twice a year but that will look just as good (or possibly better) sitting around your house as on your feet. And really, when you own something that beautiful, what's the point of keeping it stuffed in the closet? There's no rule that you can only enjoy your shoes when you're wearing them. Here are 10 ways you can display your favorite shoes around the house — and ease the burden on your closet while you're at it.

Above: you may not have any china, but a vintage china cabinet also makes a beautiful display for shoes (as in this Edinburgh home from Design*Sponge).

I love the versatility of wall mounted shelves. Anywhere you have a little extra wall space, you can hang some shelves and proudly display your favorite shoes — without taking up any floor space at all.

These images are from Rita Hazan's NYC apartment, designed by Jeremiah Brent and Nate Berkus.

A piece of crown molding, mounted to the wall, is perfect for shoe storage (and display). While this will only work for high-heeled shoes, those are probably the ones you really want to look at, anyway.

This is the same idea, using a modern towel rod for a clean, minimal look. Home of Nina Holst, of Stylizimo.

Here's another idea that will work even for those of you who aren't allowed to make holes in the wall (or just for non-handy types who aren't so keen on hanging lots of things). Arrange some especially pretty pairs on a bookcase, along with books and other treasured items. (Spotted in the home of Taylor Sterling, the founder of Glitter Guide.)

Or, if you're dealing with a serious overflow problem, why not make a larger bookcase (like the trusty IKEA Expedit shown here) do double duty as room divider and shoe storage?

Shoes on a staircase make for a pretty display (provided you're not prone to tripping). Mi Casa via Design Elements.

Here's a twist on the wall mounted shelves idea: lining shoes up along the wall at the bottom of a wall of shelves. Visually the shoes become a part of the shelving grouping, so they look intentional, and tucking them under the bottom shelf means they won't be in the way of foot traffic.

The IKEA Raskog cart is a perfect place to stow shoes... they'll pretty up your house and always be in easy reach. Image from Livet Hemma.

After I saw this picture in Lonny, I became so obsessed with these shoes that I went out and bought a pair (they were an old style — it was a lucky find on eBay). Then my cat destroyed them — I guess she thought they were a bird. I glued all the feathers back on and now they look (almost) as good as new. And I've learned to hide the feather shoes. If only I had a cloche.