How To Decorate With Baskets: Stylish And Useful Ideas

Discover practical storage solutions, stylish decor ideas, and the textural charm baskets bring to your home. Baskets incorporate seamlessly into any style and are true workhorses for keeping things organized and tidy. See how to decorate with wonderful decorative baskets.

My love for baskets started when I was a young teenager. My grandmother gave me a small, sturdy basket with a nice handle, and I turned it into a purse. I handstitched a pouch with a drawstring using some ran and white floral material, put the pouch inside the basket, stitched the insert to the inside rim of the basket, and voila, I made a purse I carried through my college years.

This was the start of my love affair with baskets. Baskets have played an important role in my decor for the charm and functionality they have added to my living spaces. I soon learned that these humble containers were a much-used secret weapon of interior design, bringing warmth, organization, and style. And I have been using them for more decades than I care to admit!

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I always say that storing or stowing things in a basket is hiding them in plain sight. A lidded or unlidded basket offers unlimited storage options. Not only do baskets store household things they also organize them!

I like to organize the content that goes in my baskets! No basket is without form and function in our home. Baskets are a well-organized home’s unsung heroes. They look so attractive while they are busy being called into action to keep our homes tidy and decluttered.

Humble, beautiful baskets should be part of the decor and storage in your home, too. Here are some creative ways to make the best use of them in your home.

Three Things To Know When Decorating With Baskets

basket used to corral a vignette

There is probably a basket for every space in your home and for everything you want to store. When thinking about decorating with baskets, keep three things in mind.

Style And Aesthetics

Choose baskets that align with your home’s decor style. Consider materials, colors, and designs that complement the overall look of your home for a cohesive look.

Function And Size

Assess your storage needs and select baskets of appropriate sizes. You want to make sure they are functional for organizing items while fitting well within the intended spaces.

Durability And Quality

Investing in well-made, durable baskets will ensure their longevity. Quality materials and craftsmanship contribute to the basket’s practicality and ability to withstand regular use.

Every room in your home can benefit from a basket or two or more! Here are some ways to use baskets in the rooms in your home.

Points Of Entry: Foyer, Entryway, And Mudroom

basket of hydrangeas in the foyer

Baskets play an important role in my foyer and mudroom. I’ve always considered baskets more functional in my small mudroom and more decorative in my foyer. However, on closer inspection of this post, again, they really do both jobs!

  • Organize outdoor accessories like hats, gloves, and umbrellas in baskets.
  • Store shoes or boots in baskets near the entrance for easy access.
  • Keep towels to clean up dog paws when the weather is bad.
  • Create a designated spot with baskets for mail, keys, and other essentials.

Coat Closets

We have a small coat closet in the foyer, and we put it to good use! This small closet can get messy fast, so I used two small square baskets to keep our winter hats, gloves, and scarves in and out of the way. I’m not too concerned that the contents of those baskets are tidy or organized; I just want to be able to find the contents easily.

We also have a basket that takes up the closet floor for shoes. I don’t keep my shoes in this closet, but when my grandchildren come to our house, it keeps little shoes from being scattered all over the foyer.

Living Room And Family Room

basket on a white buffet

With their timeless appeal, wicker baskets are perfect for creating texture and warmth in your living space.

I want our home to have an upscale, casual feel, so adding a basket or two to our living room and family room keeps these spaces from looking too stiff. Baskets act as design elements, contributing to the cozy and inviting atmosphere I desire in our home. My first thoughts about using baskets are most often because of their aesthetic value and good looks, but many of those baskets are used to offer discrete storage solutions as well.

Here are some useful ways to use baskets in your living room

  • Store remote controls, magazines, and throws in baskets beneath the coffee table.
  • Corral children’s toys in baskets for a quick and stylish cleanup.
  • Use a large basket as a storage ottoman for blankets or extra cushions.
  • Container for fresh flowers and faux blooms.
  • Use a basket as a planter.
  • Magazine and book basket.
  • Firewood storage close to the fireplace.
  • Store throw pillows and decorative blankets
  • Corral a display or vignette in a tray basket.
  • Use a basket to quickly pick up clutter.
  • Decorate bookshelves with attractive baskets.
  • Put a tabletop tree in a basket.

The Kitchen

basket of plants on the kitchen table

Do you use baskets in your kitchen? I bet the answer is yes! In our first home, we had big exposed wood beams in the ceiling, and I hung all types of baskets a la Martha Stewart. I loved how cozy they made my kitchen look. And they were so easy to grab down and use to harvest vegetables from the garden or put a bunch of little kid socks in I had just taken out of the dryer.

Now, the baskets in the kitchen are more hidden away, under the window seat and in the pantry. They bring order into these areas and add a rich textural element to a space with many hard surfaces.

These days, the baskets that get used the most in my kitchen are bread-proofing bowls!

Here are ideas to use baskets in your kitchen.

  • Group similar items together in labeled baskets on pantry shelves.
  • Store potatoes, onions, or other produce in breathable baskets.
  • Keep kitchen towels or aprons in baskets for easy access.
  • Keep your favorite cookbook in a basket.
  • Keep a picnic basket or a large storage basket in your pantry (if it is big enough) to keep tablecloths, napkins, and aprons.
  • Put individually wrapped snacks in a basket so they are easy to grab and go.
  • Keep a basket on hand for bread, muffins, and rolls.
  • Roll up extra dishtowels and keep them on hand in a basket
  • Use small baskets in a coffee or tea station in the kitchen.
  • In the kitchen, use a larger basket as a trash can. Put a plastic trash can inside the basket.
  • Use a basket beside your stove to keep wooden spoons and other utensils in.
  • Store folded grocery bags in tall baskets.

The Laundry Room

moody laundry room

Baskets have many uses in a laundry room, but my favorite way to use a basket is to keep my laundry in. For decades, living at StoneGable, I hung out most of the laundry. Line-dried sheets are one of life’s little pleasures to slip into each night.

I had an old wicker laundry basket that I would carry on my right hip out past the porch, to the line most nice days.

Laundry rooms, like linen closets and mudrooms, have lots of uses for baskets that work double duty to look attractive and keep our lives organized! My favorite use for a basket in the laundry room was to keep my clothespins at hand. The basket was deep and had a leather look that I would pin to the wash line.

Here are a few ways to use baskets in the laundry room.

  • Put laundry detergent and other cleaning products in a sturdy basket.
  • Keep a dedicated basket for single socks until their matches are found.
  • Use a small basket to collect lint from the dryer for easy disposal.
  • Arrange iron, spray starch, and other ironing essentials in a basket for quick access.
  • Place baskets on a folding table or counter to organize folded clothes by type.
  • Store dryer sheets in a decorative basket for a neat and accessible solution.
  • Store a sewing kit in a basket for quick clothing repairs.
  • Have a basket near the laundry machines to collect items found in pockets.
  • Store cleaning supplies or scrub brushes in a basket near the utility sink.

Bedroom

basket next to a chair with magazines

All the benefits of baskets in other rooms of our homes can be said about the bedroom. I stack two round baskets on the bottom shelf of my bedside table, and they’re filled with morning and nighttime essentials! I also keep extra sheets, a couple of thin blankets, and a few throws in a pretty basket with a lid in the corner of the room.

  • Store books or bedtime essentials in baskets on bedside tables.
  • Utilize baskets under the bed for concealed yet accessible storage.
  • Keep off-season folded clothes or accessories in baskets on closet shelves.
  • Use a basket as a laundry basket.
  • Use a small basket to keep makeup organized.
  • Put nighttime reading material in a basket next to the bed.
  • Use a basket to keep items like reading glasses and charging cords.
  • Keep extra blankets in a basket.
  • In a child’s room, use the basket to keep toys organized.
  • Use a basket for wipes and diapers on a dresser or changing table.

Bathrooms And Linen Closets

If you do not have a palatial, spa-like bathroom, baskets can be your best organizing friend! In smaller spaces, like bathrooms, the need for attractive items that serve a purpose is extensive! Baskets are the perfect choice for keeping things organized and looking nice!

Here are some basket ideas you might like to consider using in the bathroom.

  • Use baskets under the sink to organize cleaning supplies.
  • Store towels in baskets on open shelves for a spa-like display.
  • Keep extra toilet paper and toiletries in decorative baskets.
  • Use a small lidded basket next to the toilet to hold feminine hygiene products.
  • In a guest bathroom, keep extra toiletries and amenities for overnight guests.
  • Keep toiletries neat and organized in baskets.
  • Roll towels and washcloths up and put them in a basket for a spalike look.
  • Keep reading materials, candles, matches, and other things you might need for bathing.
  • Store medications and first aid items in baskets.
  • Keep folded sheets and extra towels together in baskets in a linen closet.
  • Keep extra items like toiletries, cleaning supplies, and paper products in baskets in the linen closet.
  • Use a basket to keep paper guest towels next to the sink.
  • Organize tubby toys in a basket.
  • Keep a basket in a linen closet to use as a hamper.

Baskets As Wall Art

baskets above the bed

Walls, often the canvas of our living spaces, are prime places to display baskets. Have you ever considered using baskets as art? They add texture and something very interesting to look at when we don’t want to use paintings, mirrors, or other conventional things to hang on the wall.

Just like art, there are countless options for choosing, hanging, and using baskets on your walls. Choosing the right size, shape, and color of the baskets you want to hang is a foundational step in creating something unique.

Our first home was over 100 years old and oozed charm and warmth. To add to its feel, we hung a basket with a lid by the back door, which also had a practical application. We put our key, sunglasses, and other items we needed to head out of the house in the basket.

Arranging baskets in a gallery-style display transforms a blank wall into something worth looking at. We put a small grouping of baskets above our bed because the wall needed something else to look at. We did not want to add art since framed art flanked our bed.

Experiment with different layouts and baskets to add to a wall in your home. The idea is to make the arrangement striking and personal. It should add to the overall decorative narrative your home tells.

It’s not important that basket arrangements aren’t perfect. Get them up on the wall and let them evolve.

Vintage Baskets

hydrangeas in a vintage basket

If you love baskets, you probably have a soft spot in your heart for vintage baskets. New baskets are lovely and offer lots of options for storage, but nothing beats the charm of vintage baskets.

Decorating with vintage baskets lends a distinctive charm and character to any space because they have a story to tell. Their patina and wear cannot be reproduced, and they have earned every bit of imperfection, making them special.

The amazing thing about vintage baskets is that they can often be picked up at reasonable prices and sometimes inexpensively. Making them a must-have in any home.

cherry blossoms in a basket tray

Right now, I’m looking for a vintage basket for under my living room coffee table. The table could use a little interest and vintage allure.

incorporating baskets into your home decor is a timeless and practical way to add warmth and organization to your living spaces. So, gather your favorite baskets, mix and match textures, and enjoy them in your home.

Shopping

Here are some attractive and useful baskets for your home.

Happy Decorating, Friends!

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13 Comments

  1. These are all such wonderful ideas! I too love baskets not just for their functionality but how they can add warmth and charm to a space.

  2. I love the bedding on the bed with the baskets above in the wall. Where do you get your bedding – I need some ideas to redo my bed.

  3. Yvonne,
    I too am addicted to baskets and my collection seems to grow even when I say I need no more. That cute one from the thrift shop comes home with me and I always find a use for it. Just love them!

  4. I would love to know what sources you use in purchasing your white vases, bowels and flower pots. I love your new look in your dining room by the way. Fun and very interesting.

    1. Hi Marion, the accent items you mentions are from various sources. I like Pottery barn for it’s timeless style and quality, target for its more trendy style and it’s very inexpensive, and other source. When I see something I know will work with our home I grab it. Especially, target it seems items go quickly and when their gone, they’re gone. You can see an urn similar to the one with greenery in it here:https://rstyle.me/+NMOHE5HtUtThYZMBw9XdxQ

  5. I know this is about baskets, which I love BUT where did you get the white, ceramic flower/snowflake containers with handles on the top of the table? I want them!!

    1. They are very very popular Colleen. I found them on Pottery Barn years and years ago. So sorry, they do not carry them any longer and I have not been able to find a source for them.

  6. CarolBinTX says:

    I just donated a basket that I know I’m going to regret later…it was a wedding present in 1979 and it came with a casserole dish (that I left overseas when we moved back). I rarely discard baskets…so many uses! They sometimes get relegated to the garage or closets, but I come across them in my organizing efforts and I always find a use for them after hosing them down! They have to get to an extremely tattered state for me to donate or toss them! I sewed a duck shaped basket together at least 10 times before I gave up on him! Even a pile of baskets on top of an outdated kitchen cabinet adds a cozy element!

  7. CarolBinTX says:

    Hi Marion, not so much for decor, but for plants, Michaels will start putting out their collection of white planters in March or so and they are CHEAP ($10 for a big one).
    For white pottery decor, I find a lot at Hobby Lobby. Kirklands and Walmart also have good options. I’ve stopped buying colored items and just go with white and change out the faux plants that I use for each season – I follow Yvonne’s advice to look for better quality faux plants and flowers. I move things around from room to room as well.