Smart Storage Solutions in Featherstone Townhouses
When considering a new home, one practical question always comes up: “Is there enough storage space?”. At Featherstone’s townhouses, the answer is a resounding yes. These homes have been thoughtfully designed with smart storage solutions to ensure that families, first-home buyers, and anyone needing room to grow will find plenty of space to stow their belongings neatly. In this article, we explore the various built-in storage features of the Featherstone townhouses – from closets and cabinets to creative use of under-stair nooks – and we discuss how you can further maximise space. With clever planning and a few tips, you can keep your new home organised, clutter-free, and comfortable, even as your needs evolve.
Built-in Wardrobes and Bedroom Storage
Bedrooms: All bedrooms in the Featherstone homes come with built-in storage. Each of the secondary bedrooms includes a built-in wardrobe (closet) with doors – so you won’t need to buy standalone wardrobes. These closets are sizable enough for clothing and personal items. Typically, they will have a combination of hanging space and shelving. For example, you might see in the floor plans labels like “W.R.” or “robe” for each bedroom, indicating where the wardrobe is. The master bedroom in many of the layouts features a walk-in wardrobe (WIR). A walk-in wardrobe is a larger closet space you can step into, usually fitted with rails, shelves, and sometimes drawers. This is a fantastic feature for the primary bedroom, giving you ample room for a full clothing collection, shoes, accessories, etc., all neatly organised in one place. It also adds a bit of luxury to your daily routine – who doesn’t love a dressing space?
Having these built-ins means you avoid the clutter of dressers or clothes racks crowding your rooms. It’s easier to keep things tidy when everything has a place. If you need even more storage in a bedroom (for instance, children’s toys or hobby equipment), there’s room to add a low dresser or shelving unit – but you might find the existing storage sufficient.
Linen Closet: In the hallway of the bedroom level, Featherstone townhouses include a linen cupboard (often shown in plans near the bathroom). This is a dedicated storage for your towels, bed linens, and other household supplies. A linen closet keeps such items out-of-sight but easily accessible. It’s those small but crucial storage spaces that make day-to-day living organised. No more wondering where to stash extra sheets or that bulk pack of toilet paper – the linen closet has you covered.
Creative Under-Stairs and Flexi-Space Storage
Under-Stairs Storage: One of the advantages of a multi-level townhouse is the opportunity to use the space under staircases. Featherstone designs have capitalised on this by including under-stair storage cupboards in the layouts. For example, in the standalone 4-bedroom plan, the ground floor has a staircase leading up – underneath, there is a closet accessible from the hallway. This kind of space is perfect for storing items like vacuum cleaners, brooms, suitcases, or those boxes of holiday decorations you only need once a year. It’s essentially a small walk-in closet’s worth of space that might otherwise be wasted. Smart storage solutions like built-in under-stair closets help maximise every inch of available space, ensuring there’s minimal “dead space” in the home.
If you have young children, an under-stair closet can even be a hideaway for toys or a secret play nook (some people get creative and turn them into tiny playrooms – though in this case it’s enclosed with a door). The key is, it’s a flexible space for whatever storage need arises.
Garage Storage: Each townhouse has an internal garage, which already provides obvious utility for parking a car or bike. But realistically, many Kiwi families use garage space for more than just vehicles. In fact, about 93% of New Zealand garages serve multiple purposes – storage, workshops, laundry, etc., not just car parking. Featherstone’s garages are sized to fit a car and still have some room at the edges or front for storage solutions. You might find there’s a niche or extra space where you can add shelving or a workbench. The garages will likely have high stud ceilings (at least 2.4m or more), so there’s vertical space to utilise. New homeowners often install ceiling-mounted storage racks or overhead shelves in garages to store camping gear, sports equipment, or seasonal items. The separate laundry is inside the home – the washer and dryer are not in the garage – freeing the garage mostly for vehicle and storage use.
The info pack may show some garage storage suggestions or dimensions. You can definitely plan to have storage cabinets or racks in the garage for tools, paint cans, gardening equipment, etc. Also note, the standalone homes have a bit more garage width (since they’re not sharing a building), potentially giving you even more storage along the sides.
Flexi-room / Extra Bedroom: In the standalone design, there’s a flexi-room on the ground floor (often considered a 5th bedroom option or a second living area). If you don’t immediately need that as a bedroom, it can double as an office, gym, or simply additional storage space. Some buyers might use it as a dedicated storeroom or hobby room (for example, if you’re an outdoors enthusiast, you could store bikes, skis, surfboards in the flexi-room instead of the garage, and turn it into an “adventure gear room”). The beauty of a flexi-space is you can adapt it over time – maybe it’s storage now, and in a few years it becomes a playroom or bedroom as your family grows.
Kitchen and Pantry Storage
We’ve discussed appliances in another article, but it’s worth touching on kitchen storage here too. Featherstone kitchens are designed with plenty of cabinetry. This includes overhead cabinets, under-bench cabinets, and a tall pantry unit. The advantage of a new kitchen is that storage is optimised with modern cabinetry solutions – things like deep drawers for pots (instead of awkward low cupboards), soft-close hardware, and good use of vertical space are standard.
For example, a common configuration is: a large pantry cupboard (with multiple shelves), drawers for cutlery and utensils, a pots and pans drawer, cabinets for plates and cups, and a cabinet for cleaning supplies under the sink. If you’re a foodie with lots of gadgets, you’ll find space for your blender, mixer, and Instant Pot among these storage spots. If anything, the open-plan nature means you might want to keep counters clear, so all those storage cabinets help hide away the clutter.
Also, consider that the kitchen island (if present) often has additional cabinets on the living room side or bar stool side. Sometimes these are shallow, but great for storing things like board games, cookbooks, or that fancy dinner set you use occasionally.
In addition to built-in storage, the kitchens at Featherstone allow for a pantry cabinet in all layouts, though they don’t include a full walk-in pantry.
Bathroom Storage
Bathrooms in these townhouses are designed to be sleek but also functional. Each bathroom vanity has storage drawers or cabinets beneath the sink. This is important for keeping toiletries, cleaning products, and extra toilet rolls out of sight. A common approach is a floating vanity with two or three drawers – giving you places to store towels, makeup, shaving kits, etc. The specification confirms a wall-hung vanity with soft-close drawers. Additionally, mirror cabinets are included, providing bonus storage for smaller items like medicine and toothbrushes.
If the main bathroom is spacious, there could be a linen or storage cupboard in there too, though typically the hallway linen closet handles that. Some designs include built-in shower niches for your shampoo – so you don’t need to add caddies. It’s those little design details that reduce the need for extra storage furniture.
Adaptable Spaces and Future-Proofing
One of the smart storage philosophies in Featherstone’s design is that spaces can serve more than one purpose. As highlighted by design experts, built-in storage and multi-functional areas help maximise every inch. Let’s consider a young couple buying now: maybe they only use 3 of the 4 bedrooms. The spare room could be partially a home office and partially storage (with maybe some modular shelving). Later, as their family grows, that shelving could be reconfigured or moved to give the child more space, and storage needs might shift to the garage or vice versa.
Garage attic potential: Due to the multi-storey layout of these homes, a traditional attic is unlikely to be accessible. These homes do not include ceiling cavity storage access as standard.
Outdoor Storage
Each home has a backyard or outdoor living area. While these are designed for leisure (maybe a BBQ and some seating), you may also have space to place a small garden shed or storage box outside. For instance, you might want a place to store gardening tools, lawn mower, outdoor toys, or cushions for outdoor furniture. Given these are individually owned lots, adding a small shed would be up to you (checking any developer guidelines or covenants, of course). Many townhouse owners do this to offload some bulky items from inside the house.
Tips to Maximise Your Storage
Even with the great built-ins provided, moving into a new home is the perfect time to organise. Here are some tips to get the most out of Featherstone’s storage features:
Use Modular Shelving: Add extra shelves or modular inserts to your wardrobes or linen closets.
Garage Organisation: Install ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted storage early to keep the garage usable and clean.
Furniture with Storage: Choose beds, ottomans, and sideboards that double as storage pieces.
Declutter Regularly: Keep only what you use to avoid overfilling even the most generous storage.
Think Vertical and Hidden: Use tall shelves, under-bed boxes, and door racks to extend your storage without using floor space.
Featherstone homes already embrace many of the “smart storage” concepts seen in design trends – built-ins, multi-use spaces, and efficient layout. These designs acknowledge that in townhouses, every square meter counts, and they’ve maximised usable storage space in the blueprint itself.
Room to Grow
“Room to grow” isn’t just about physical space, but the idea that your home can accommodate your needs as they change. Storage plays a huge role in that. Today you might use a fourth bedroom as an office with files and supplies in the closet; in a couple of years, that closet might transform into baby storage central with diapers and cute outfits. Featherstone’s built-in storage is versatile enough for these transitions.
And if you’re a young family, you’ll appreciate features like that big under-stairs cupboard – perfect for strollers, car seats (when not in use), and bulk packs of nappies from Costco! As kids grow, their stuff tends to multiply, but having places to put things (toys in the under-stairs, sports gear in the garage, school bags in their room closets) keeps the home from turning into a chaos zone.
For professionals or hobbyists, storage means you can actually pursue your interests without feeling cramped. Love skiing? You have space to store your skis in the off-season. Into cycling? A place for your bikes and gear. Bookworm? Built-in shelves or added shelves can house your library.
Even empty nesters or investors can see value: good storage = higher resale appeal. Future buyers will ask the same question (“Is there enough storage?”) and you’ll be confident the answer is yes, built-in and ready.
Conclusion
Featherstone’s townhouses demonstrate that you don’t need a huge standalone house to have ample storage. Through smart design, they offer plenty of storage solutions that are seamlessly integrated into the home. From the moment you move in, you’ll find space for everything: your wardrobe in the closets, your linens in the cupboard, your tools in the garage, and all the odds and ends tucked away nicely.
These storage features contribute significantly to the liveability of the homes. A well-organised home is less stressful and more enjoyable – you’re not constantly tripping over items or opening a closet to have things fall on you. Instead, you know where things are, and there’s a spot for each item.
As you settle into your Featherstone home, take advantage of these built-in features and make them your own with a few personal touches or storage accessories. You’ll quickly discover that the design has truly anticipated the needs of residents. Whether you’re a minimalist or a bit of a hoarder (no judgment!), the combination of built-in storage and smart planning will help you keep your living space neat and welcoming.
In summary, storage space is yet another strong suit of the Featherstone townhouses, complementing their other qualities like modern design and energy efficiency. It’s part of what makes these townhouses a practical choice for those who want a beautiful home that also works well on a day-to-day basis. You won’t need to rent a storage unit off-site or clutter your garage to the brim – your new home is ready to handle your possessions within its well-crafted nooks and crannies.
Note:
The cover image is an ‘artist's impression’ of good storage practices. The storage is as described above, not exactly as per the cover picture.
