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Compact cabinets for compact spaces: Why everyone should consider narrow storage solutions

Over the years we’ve heard of countless stories of customers like you searching for narrow depth cabinets and sideboards to fit in smaller rooms, landings and hallways. So urbn nest started keeping lots of them in stock. 


A G Plan bookcase
One of our compact G Plan bookcases, retailing at £170

 

Why we love compact cabinets and sideboards


Typically, most standard cabinets and sideboards will be 40cm - 50cm deep, whether you buy new or secondhand. For a lot of spaces, this is appropriate.


However, it’s fairly common knowledge that on average the internal rooms we live in are getting smaller and smaller, compounded by the demands of home working which requires flexibility in how we use our homes. Even in larger homes, it’s common to find smaller rooms with wasted wall space which if used efficiently could organise things like books. 



We started stocking unique compact storage cabinets and sideboards. Typically these compact storage solutions are under 30cm deep. 15cm difference might not seem a lot. However, it makes a massive difference visually and can be the difference between having to uncomfortably squeeze around a room, or not. 


There’s a time and a place for those huge statement mid century sideboards, which of course are stunning. However, that’s not appropriate for every situation. Our cabinets are not an alternative to those; they’re an entirely different type of furniture for entirely different requirements.


G Plan cabinet
Slim side profile of one of our G Plan units, retailing at £230

They may take up a smaller footprint, but still offer ample storage for most of our customers’ needs based on the feedback we’ve had. 


And of course, they’re a more cost effective option than larger units, with most ranging between £170 and £230 including delivery, and only £136 and £184 if collected from us. That’s a lot of storage for the money!


It’s basically the same mid century vibe you know and love, just smaller and more cost effective. 


 

Wide ranging appeal of our compact cabinets and sideboards


Our hypothesis was that our narrow depth cabinets and sideboards would be most popular in London where, at least from my experience anyway, internal space is often limited. While this has been the case, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many have been sold locally too, often used in home offices, playrooms and living rooms where space can sometimes be more constrained. Specific items such as books can be stored neatly, freeing up space elsewhere and using what would otherwise be dead wall space. 


We’re also finding they’re being used for the general display of bits and bobs and even drinks cabinets. 


 

Which type of compact cabinet or sideboard do I need?


urbn nest always has a range of different narrow depth mid century cabinets and sideboards.


A G Plan bookcase
Another of our compact G Plan bookcases, retailing at £170

At the £170 mark, we have some smaller options which are typically around 80cm wide, and around 75cm high. These tend to be bookcases, some with doors and some without. We tend to specialise in G Plan pieces of this size.


A G Plan bookcase
A taller variant of bookcase, retailing at £230

At £230, we always have our two G Plan staples, the cocktail cabinet and bookcase. They tend to be around 139cm high and around 80cm wide. We find our customers use these as bookcases or drinks cabinets, however there’s loads of options. 


We’ve also sold other brands of this size such as Mcintosh, another good quality mid century maker. 


You can also choose from different legs, such as 10cm legs, 15cm legs, or even specify for legs to be painted a colour prior to delivery. We can also supply them on hairpin legs too if you need. 


 


Are urbn nest’s cabinets supplied with lighting?


By default our compact cabinets aren’t supplied with lighting. The original lighting is life-expired and we don’t feel they’d be safe to use without re-wiring. This adds complexity and ultimately cost for you, and is not something which is commonly requested by our customers. It also reduces the flexibility of where they can be located as they’ll require a socket, and means they can’t be pushed flush against a wall either. 


However, one of our customers did fit their own LED lighting to their cabinet to give it some vibes! We will be sharing an article on this in the future so you can attempt it yourself! 



 

Where can I find narrow depth mid century cabinets or sideboards?


You can find compact mid century cabinets and sideboards on the urbn nest online shop, urbnnest.com/shop


Prices include delivery with flexible delivery options if you need, and there’s always 20% off if you click and collect. Customise your order with your choice of legs if you need. 


A danish cabinet with sliding doors
A compact Danish cabinet we mounted on legs, retailing at £230

You can also make us an offer on any item by tapping the MAKE US AN OFFER button. 


If you don’t see what you’re looking for, why not tell us exactly what you need by filling out our customer sourcing form? It only takes a couple of minutes. You’ll be added to our database, and we’ll reach out to you once we’ve found something you might like.


For ideas and inspiration, visit our sold page where you’ll see examples of our old stock. 


 

urbn nest specialises in vintage & mid century style furniture & decor. You can find our current stocklist at urbnnest.com. 


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