Decorative Boxes

When it comes to dressing a surface, we often find our members asking us how they can best store small possessions without simply putting them away in a drawer or a cupboard. The fact is, boxes don’t have to be merely practical and functional, and it is perfectly possible to have storage which is as decorative and aesthetically pleasing as it is useful – it all comes down to the design and exterior, and the focus placed on how the box matches with your room.

Decorative boxes, far from being small and intricate, can come in all manner of different sizes – both with lids and without, depending on what you need them for. We often see homeowners trying to conceal boxes beneath beds and other items of furniture, or else covering them with cushions or throws in order to help them appear more attractive. So, why not opt for boxes which are more aesthetically pleasing from the off?

Small decorative boxes

Often ideal for tabletops and mantelpieces, small decorative boxes tend to be the more ornate and intricate in design, simply because of their size. We often see small decorative boxes used as everything from jewellery stores to money boxes, or even kept empty and simply used for their aesthetic value.

In terms of the material used to create decorative boxes, the choices really are endless – with the current market boasting everything from crafted gift boxes made with reinforced cardboard, to small hand carved wooden boxes, metal boxes and even little dishes and boxes made from ceramic material or clay. While a modern homeowner is likely to select boxes in neutral colours to match their simplistic home design, consider the way that decorative boxes can add pops of colour or texture – especially when made with natural materials such as clay and wood, both of which stand out while still complimenting the neutral theme.

Decorative boxes happen to also be something that many children will be taught to make in school, meaning that if you are a parent you are likely to have your fair share of homemade decorative boxes gracing your home. Embrace these homemade treasures and use them to add personality and vibrance to your home.

Large decorative boxes

This is where storage gets interesting, with the realisation that your storage solutions don’t have to be plain and boring – but rather can be used to breathe life into your home and provide their own form of aesthetic value. Some of our favourite large decorative boxes are actually very simple in design, relying more heavily on their construction rather than the exterior colouring of patterning on their surface. Wooden boxes for example can be really stylish, especially when the edges are reinforced with additional plants of wood, or when the natural grain of the wood is enough to create visual interest by itself.

Things to consider

Of course, there is a risk with decorative boxes that too much emphasis can be put on the appearance of the box with little regard for its primary intention – particularly when it comes to large boxes. You need to be sure, first and foremost, that the box is large enough to hold what you need it to store, and that the material is strong enough to keep everything inside it safely stored. The other thing to consider is how well different decorative boxes work together, with our recommendation being to stick with a few basic foundation colours and built your collection from there, rather than going all out with every colour you can find.

Most decorative boxes can be found in homeware and gift stores, as well as department and accessory retailers.