Storage cabinets are the unsung hero of contemporary design. When you choose to leave traditional or casual home design styles behind in favor of more modern décor, you don't need to get rid of your keepsakes or the other things that you love. By using storage cabinets, the blue flowered dinnerware that your grandmother left you, the decorating items you like but don't currently have a place for, and your precious collection of handmade gifts from your children can all have a place in your home.

Rather than being relegated to the garage, well-designed storage cabinets can find a place in any area of your home. They can serve a visual function of side and hallway tables, dividers between areas in a large room or display tables. Only you will know their true purpose.

In a kitchen a storage cabinet can be used to hold serving platters, seldom used baking or cooking items or heirloom kitchen items that have been passed down to you. You can use a storage cabinet in your entry way to store shoes, off season items or your child's backpack and homework. In a living room, a storage cabinet can hold books and magazines, toys and games or home accessories that you don't want to display at the moment.

When choosing storage cabinets for rooms that you have noticed are difficult to keep clear from clutter, be sure to take inventory of the items you need storage for before you shop for storage cabinets. Take note of the measurements of any tall or oversized items that you want to store such as sculpture, vases or large books.

When you go shopping for storage cabinets, your first priority should be to find cabinets that will fit your excess items, especially those that are oversized or awkwardly shaped. Look for cabinets that have adjustable shelving in order to give you the most useful space within the cabinet. If you have a lot of excessive items, rather than purchasing one or two large storage cabinets, consider buying a few small to medium sized cabinets that you can arrange throughout the room, or place in a nearby hallway. Choose cabinets that are well-made and sturdy enough to hold up to a lot of use. Look for styles that are understated and will harmonize with the furniture in the rest of your home.

When you get your storage cabinets home, you can also use some of your excessive decorating items or keepsakes to create small tablescapes on the top of the cabinets, or hang a mirror or painting on the wall above it. If you treat storage cabinets just as you would treat decorative tables, they will fit seamlessly into the décor of your home.

When good friends come over and ask you how you keep your home so beautiful, you can share your secret of using elegantly designed storage cabinets to hold the things you love. Or you can let it remain a mystery and keep that little secret to yourself.