IKEA’s Minimalist Modular Collection Is Transforming My Small Backyard Before Fall

With the first inkling of autumn finally in the air, that last backyard to-do can officially no longer be avoided. For me, that’s dealing with my ugly outdoor storage. So, in a last-ditch attempt to make my small backyard feel larger and lighter while there’s still time to enjoy it, I’m swapping bulky plastic boxes for IKEA’s KOLBJÖRN collection.

Taking a cue from a great credenza or wardrobe, it’s the sleek-lined, invitingly neutral outdoor storage I’ve spent an entire summer wishing I had: something I can proudly leave en vue for company, allow into the background of photos, and brush past without grimacing. Made from durable, rust-protected steel, the cabinets and shelves are designed for balconies, patios, gardens, and, in a rather ironic full-circle moment, garages. But with indoor-level good looks like these, I’d happily put them to work in potential wet zones like bathrooms and entryways, too.

There are several iterations within the tight eight-piece collection, and because it’s modular, you can iterate even further yourself, mixing, matching, and stacking your way to something approaching a bespoke storage shed, even when square footage is decidedly not on your side.

Personally, I’m going for both a cabinet and a shelf, hiding a season’s worth of un-chic outdoor necessities behind much better-looking doors while reserving the open steel frame for things I actually want to see. Potted plants, for one (Martha Stewart recently gifted me a money tree, which I am caring for with my life), plus outdoor dinnerware and glassware I want within arm’s reach when I entertain.