When I was six, I turned a corner of our living room into my “office,” which was anchored by a large cardboard box that I had repurposed into a desk. Armed with a stapler, a calculator, a notepad, and a pen, I pretended to make deals and crunch numbers and jot down plans for world domination. When I tired of my very important pretend job, I turned the box into a hostess station to play restaurant. And when I needed a break from that gig (I was also the chef and waitress), I’d flip the box over on its side, and with the help of a blanket, turn it into a fort. No joke, that box was one of my favorite toys.
Like the humble, versatile box, crates can be used in a multitude ways. Place it upright, and you can use it as a storage box. Turn it on its side, and you can use it as a shelf. And set it upside down, and suddenly you’ve got yourself a side or coffee table. Here are 10 favorites.
Above: Perhaps the fanciest wooden crate out there, Jasper Morrison’s solid pine (and somewhat ironic) Crate was inspired by the classic six-bottle wine case; $275 at Wallpaper Store. Above: A Danish take on the crate, the teak Dania Box by Skagerak has clean lines but a rustic look; 499.95 DKK. Above: Almost too refined to be called a crate, the hardwood Wood Storage Bin from Rejuvenation comes in two sizes; $89 and $149. Above: We’re admirers of Cologne-based Noodles, Noodles & Noodles Corp.’s well-made furniture (see Kitchen of the Week: The New Old-World Kitchen from Noodles, Noodles & Noodles Corp.)—and now we have another reason to like the company. Its wooden crate is designed to fit its clothes rack, but it also works as a stand-alone piece; €29. Above: CB2’s Eucalyptus Storage Boxes come in three sizes; $19.95 to $29.95 Above: Ikea’s Knagglig Box has shown up in some of our favorite kitchens (see An Economical Kitchen in an English Beach House and Kitchen of the Week: A Cost-Conscious Kitchen in Sweden); $9.99. Above: The Cube Storage Basket by Threshold is made of wood composite; $34.99 at Target.\ Above: Sprout Kids builds child-friendly furniture and storage pieces with an eye toward sustainability. The birch plywood Stackable Wooden Crate Storage can hold up to 60 pounds; $34.95. Above: Meredith uses Home Depot’s Wood Crate as file cabinet; $10.98. Above: Handcrafted from solid walnut or white oak, the Dovetail Record Crate was designed by Symbol Audio, which makes high-end vinyl storage pieces and audio equipment; $225. For more crate inspiration, check out:
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