Every little kid knows that hiding is fun. When it comes to well-designed confined space, hiding is a critical tool. Often people get so used to living with certain items out in the open that they no longer properly see what a room really looks like. I consulted with a woman today who operates a business from her modest home. She gives body treatments: yoga, massage and stretches. Exercise balls, yoga mats, blocks and pads are stacked in plain sight in her living room along with a fair amount of literature and books. Then there is a bookcase filled with books, mail and small personal treasures right by the front door.

I have no objection to her having stuff, but I do have an objection to being able to see it. I think that she needs to find a way to hide these things away. My client said it was there because they were items that were on the way out of her house. I say if you are thinking of eliminating them, just do it! There is no blessing attached to prolonging the process. The dedication to keeping things orderly is a form of discipline. It you cannot bring yourself to get rid of junk, then at least hide it from plain sight. I suggested a narrow, closed cabinet instead of an open bookshelf. If you are a keeper, then give serious consideration to putting your stacks behind doors.

This urban high rise home has an entire kitchen hidden behind the floor to ceiling articulating wood panels. An extreme solution for some, this manner of hiding a utilitarian area serves a purpose for people who cannot abide any kind of mess. Admittedly, this much concealment might be one end of the neatnik spectrum. Nevertheless, the idea of hiding things is universal. For example, armoires began life as large portable closets that hid armor and swords away. After the Middle Ages armoires more commonly began to stash clothing and linens, household goods and keepsakes. Since the 1600s, the Japanese have stored household items in stacked units called tansu. The drawers or sliding cabinet units are intended to fit on top of each other and are often arranged in stair-step fashion. They were meant to be portable. All that a visitor sees is simple wood containers with food, clothing, bedding and other utilitarian household equipment concealed from sight

Technology has eliminated much of the challenge involved in hiding televisions, music equipment and sound systems. Yet appliances remain as the most common utilitarian items often demanding to be concealed. From refrigerators, to dishwashers, to washing machines, small houses struggle with placement. All storage is aided by good hardware design from Europe and Japan. Cabinet makers love devices that allow for sliding, retracting, flipping open and winding up into a cavity. In the 1980s and '90s we went through a time when antique armoires hid old-school style television sets whose depth was well accommodated by the large cupboards. Now TVs are so minimal that they hang on the walls and merely take up inches.

Still, most households must find a way to hang and fold clothes, cooking and baking equipment, food staples, cleaning supplies, linens and paperwork. Achieving a balance between the stark hidden kitchen in this urban household and a jumbled mess of a large country house is the challenge! Somewhere between chaos and minimalism is the answer for most people. Take a hard look at each room and determine how much of what is out on display might be possible to hide away. Each time you eliminate an object, you create more visual serenity. When the mixer and bread maker can live out of sight, the kitchen becomes less crowded. Some people place a higher value on practicality and convenience. I place a greater value on visual compatibility. The healthy balance between looks and functionality is the spot where you want to live.

Photo Credit: Stealth Kitchens

Christine Brun, ASID, is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at [email protected]. To find out more about Christine Brun and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.