Lockers are often an overlooked part of a home’s storage and organization.
While many may think of boring school lockers or utilitarian gym lockers, there are so many creative ways to incorporate stylish and functional lockers into your home.
Lockers are great for adding extra storage in tight spaces like entryways, mudrooms, laundry rooms, garages, and more.
They can help corral clutter in high-traffic areas, provide a spot to stash coats, bags, shoes and sports equipment, and bring an unexpected design element to liven up a bare wall or empty corner.
Beyond the basic metal cabinet, there are endless locker ideas out there.
You can find lockers made from wood, wire, canvas and other materials to match your home’s aesthetic.
Lockers come in a spectrum of colors, or you can DIY paint or stencil your own custom creation.
The locker shape and size can also vary, from tall and skinny to short and wide or rounded.
And you can get creative with the locker layout – a vertical column, stacked horizontally or even hung saloon-doors style.
If you’re looking to elevate your space with personalized storage, check out these 13 creative locker ideas to inspire your own unique locker solution.
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Vintage School Lockers
Channel school days with a set of vintage school lockers.
These metal cabinets with long narrow doors come in a variety of color combinations, though the classic chrome and pastel blue or green are most iconic.
School lockers can work great as mudroom storage, to tuck away coats, bags and shoes by the entry.
Align a bank of 3-4 in an empty corner or along a blank wall for a pop of retro style.
School lockers typically come in slim 18 x 18 inch single units, so you can customize your configuration.
For extra charm, attach locker numbers or nameplates to the front of each locker.
Inside, add wooden benches or stools if space allows so you have a spot to sit while changing shoes.
Complement with vintage signs or inspirational quotes around your lockers to complete the nostalgic schoolhouse vibe.
Vintage school lockers bring a fun, lighthearted feel, ideal for families with kids and those who want playful personality in their space.
Rustic Wooden Lockers
Wood lockers offer a warm, natural look for homes with farmhouse or rustic style.
Aged, salvaged barnwood works great for a reclaimed appearance.
Or try oak, pine, cedar and other wood types for beautiful natural grain.
Wood colors can also vary – whitewashed, natural light or dark stain, weathered gray, charred Japanese Shou Sugi Ban and more.
Rustic wood lockers work well in cabins, cottages and ranch houses to complement the surroundings.
They make ideal mudroom storage – the wood helps warm up an entry space.
Use wood lockers in laundry rooms, pool houses, garages and studios to enhance the cozy appeal.
Horizontal wooden bench lockers lined up in an entryway or hallway make for charming seating and storage.
For a focal point, build a towering wall of vertical wood lockers.
Then fill them with wicker baskets, natural accessories and greenery for a textured look.
Rustic wood lockers bring natural character and timeless style to a home.
Woven Rattan Lockers
For breezy boho style, try woven rattan lockers.
Rattan is a woven material made from palm stems with a textured, organic look.
Rattan locker cabinets or cubbies come in various woven patterns like herringbone, diagonal stripes and crosshatch designs.
Some feature rattan doors framed in wood, while woven baskets can also double as wall-mounted lockers.
Rattan lockers are ideal for beach houses, tropical rooms and other laidback spaces.
The natural fiber material has a casual, vacation feel that suits the surroundings.
Use rattan lockers in entryways, bathrooms, bedrooms and patios to complement your bohemian decor.
Fill them with linens, straw hats, rolled beach towels and other suitably relaxed accessories.
For extra flair, paint or stencil fun patterns on the rattan doors like abstract shapes, palm leaves and flowers.
The textural material and beachy vibe of woven rattan lockers inject free-spirited style into a home.
Barn Door Lockers
Barn doors are a top trend, and they can also be used to create unique lockers.
Barn door style lockers use slide doors on a track rather than traditional swinging doors.
The lockers can be made completely from wood planks for a rustic barn door look.
Or combine metal locker boxes with wood barn door fronts in materials like pine, oak or cedar.
This mixes the utilitarian storage of metal lockers with wood’s warmth and charm.
Barn door lockers work well in long rows along hallways or blank walls to break up the space.
Sliding doors save room compared to regular lockers.
Layer two rows of horizontal barn door lockers for ample storage.
For a focal point, install towering barn door lockers vertically with extra tall doors.
Barn door lockers glide smoothly to access contents and the hardware gives an industrial edge.
They’re perfect for rustic, farmhouse, industrial and contemporary spaces.
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Wire Basket Lockers
For an airy, open locker look, try wire basket storage.
Metal wire baskets come in various shapes like cubes, columns and cones.
Install them in a row attached to the wall to create a set of open wire locker cubbies.
Complement with wooden racks above or below for more layered storage.
Wire baskets are great locker options for breezy rooms like porches, patios and sunrooms.
The openness maintains the light and airy surroundings.
Use wire baskets to stash clutter out of sight while still allowing some visibility.
Their lightweight, minimalist look also suits modern and contemporary spaces.
Try combining collections of different sized metal baskets for architectural interest.
For versatility, portable wire baskets can double as freestanding storage.
Wire basket lockers lend a lightweight, airier alternative to solid locker cabinets.
Vertical Garden Lockers
Another way to elevate your lockers is by turning them into vertical gardens.
Start with plain metal or wood lockers, then deck out the exteriors with plants and greenery.
Use hooks to hang trailing vines like philodendrons, pothos and ivy over the fronts and sides.
Set potted herbs and succulents along the top.
Attach floating shelves to hold more potted plants.
Vertical garden lockers are ideal for patios, balconies, sunrooms or anywhere you want to bring nature indoors.
The lush greenery softens hard edges and makes the space feel more vibrant and alive.
Over time, the plantings will fill out to create a beautiful living wall of lockers.
Not only does it look gorgeous, it’s functional by storing garden tools and supplies.
Freshen up drab lockers and bring energy to a stale space with this verdant DIY locker makeover.
Salvaged Wood Lockers
For a one-of-a-kind look, create custom lockers using salvaged wood.
Check architectural salvage yards, thrift stores and online listings to find materials like old barn siding, fence boards, tabletops and more.
Wood pieces with chipped paint, worn edges, cracks and nail holes have the most character.
Use mismatched salvaged wood planks in varying sizes to make each locker unique.
Salvaged wood lockers are great for creating rustic charm in cottages, cabins and farmhouse style homes.
The eco-friendly repurposed material adds antique appeal and a sense of history.
For added flair, hang vintage door knobs, hooks or number plates on each locker.
Line your salvaged wood lockers down a hallway as a textured alternative to drywall.
You can also easily change up the look by giving the wood a fresh coat of paint.
Salvaged wood lockers are ideal for sustainable and budget-friendly storage with loads of artisual style.
Woven Seagrass Lockers
Seagrass and water hyacinth are fiber materials commonly woven into baskets and furniture.
These natural fibers can also be used to create lightweight woven locker cabinets.
Water hyacinth root has a chunky, coiled weave, while fibers like seagrass have a flat, herringbone-like pattern.
The organic textures add visual interest to plain locker fronts.
Natural woven lockers are perfect for seaside cottages, beach homes and nautical rooms.
The breezy, vacation feel suits laidback surroundings.
Use woven seagrass lockers in entryways, laundry rooms, kitchens and other spaces that need storage with personality.
Paint or stencil the cabinet frames fun colors like sea glass blue-green.
Then use the lockers to stash beach towels, flip flops, seashell collections and more coastal lifestyle accessories.
Floating shelves above hold pots of palm plants or sailing memorabilia.
Woven seagrass lockers lend beachy vibes and artisanal texture.
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Brick Lockers
For an industrial warehouse look, brick is a bold locker material choice.
Build lockers using exposed brick, or attach brick veneer panels to create the look.
Brick instantly gives lockers a gritty, urban feel.
To soften the rough edges, add wood trim and shelves.
Brick lockers are perfect for lofts, industrial spaces or wherever you want an urban edge.
Use brick lockers in laundry rooms, mudrooms, offices and entertainment spaces.
For a focal feature, build an imposing wall of brick lockers or column-like towers.
Then fill with industrial accessories like galvanized bins, pulleys and gas cans.
Brick’s durability also makes these lockers ultra-sturdy and low maintenance.
Brick lockers bring rugged warehouse personality to even the sleekest spaces.
Pastel Painted Lockers
A fresh coat of paint is an easy DIY way to brighten up plain plywood or metal lockers.
Go for a colorful ombre or rainbow effect using cheery pastel or neon shades.
Try soft hues like blush, mint, buttercream and lavender for a sweet locker makeover.
Paint the exterior frame and locker doors in your chosen palette.
Add fun details like polka dot or chevron patterns.
Painted pastel lockers are perfect for kids’ rooms, playrooms, nurseries and classrooms.
The cute colors excite younger ones and add a fun pop.
Pastel lockers also give feminine charm to bedrooms, bathrooms and dressing rooms.
Use them to store clothing, accessories, toys and craft supplies.
Switch up the look with wall decals, monograms or decorative hardware.
Painting drab lockers with happy pastel colors transforms any stale space into a dreamy oasis.
Antique Lockers
For vintage appeal, look for antique storage lockers from the early to mid 1900s.
Check antique stores, online auctions and classifieds for vintage gym, military, post office or school lockers.
Look for charming details like molded panels, latch handles, ventilation slats and built-in wooden benches.
Popular vintage styles include single-tier gym lockers, two-person school lockers, nickel squared military lockers, and wall-mounted postal lockers.
Antique lockers instantly add retro flair with their charmingly outdated look.
Use them in game rooms, dens, offices, or anywhere you want a classic masculine touch.
Line them up in your garage or mudroom for storage with pedigree.
Let peeling paint and scratches emphasize their weathered good looks.
Or give a light restore to really make their vintage details shine.
Fill antique lockers with vintage sports equipment, books, photos and other old-school memorabilia to complement the heritage appeal.
Antique lockers have timeless character that today’s lockers just can’t replicate.
Canvas Lockers
Canvas fabric lockers provide a lightweight, portable storage option.
Canvas locker cubes have metal or wood frames with canvas fabric sides that collapse when not in use.
Duffle bag style canvas lockers feature cotton canvas, faux leather and buckled strap details for military-inspired appeal.
There are also canvas cubbies with full front-zip for access.
Canvas lockers are great for traveling storage.
Use in campers, RVs, dorms and other small spaces that need collapsible storage.
The neutral cotton canvas looks clean and crisp in any room.
Canvas breathes better than solid fabric, preventing musty odors.
Use canvas lockers to hold kids’ toys, laundry, sports equipment, seasonal clothes, and other items you want accessible but out of sight.
For maximized space savings, roll up canvas lockers when not needed.
Canvas lockers offer versatile, movable storage for tight spaces.
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Magnetic Lockers
Magnetic lockers provide a unique way to store metal items like tools, cans, or utensils.
These lockers feature ultra strong magnetic panels or strips that securely hold metal objects in place.
Just attach the magnetic locker to the wall, then stack cans, knives, wrenches and other metal items on its surface and the magnetism keeps them neatly in order.
Magnetic lockers are perfect for garages, workshops, utility rooms, kitchens and anywhere metal items need organization.
The powerful magnets hold tools horizontally, vertically or at an angle – whatever position works best for the space.
Magnetic lockers transform disorganized junk drawers into clean, visible storage.
In the kitchen, keep pots, pans and cutlery organized on the locker door for easy access while cooking.
Look for magnetic lockers made with rare earth neodymium magnets for the strongest hold.
Many feature a steel locker box with magnetic panels on the front and sides.
Or choose flexible magnetic locker sheets that adhere directly to existing metal shelves and walls.
Magnetic lockers have an industrial, utilitarian look that suits any pragmatic workspace.
But they also come in wood-framed styles and colors to blend with home décor.
Their versatility allows you to mount magnetic lockers on walls, doors, cabinets and standard locker banks.
If you’re dealing with messy metal tool drawers or overflowing utensil junk drawers, a magnetic locker offers the solution.
The powerful magnets keep metal securely fastened while the open storage provides visibility.
Custom Locker Art
For artistic flair, turn drab lockers into a custom art piece.
Start with a bank of plain metal gym lockers.
Paint the background a bold color like fiery red or cobalt blue to make your art really pop.
Use paint pens and sharpies to hand draw your own abstract shapes, patterns and doodles.
Stencils and vinyl decals also work for those not artistically inclined.
Custom locker art is great for kids’ rooms, classrooms and youth areas.
Let your locker art reflect their personality with fun themes like space, animals or music.
Incorporate their names or inspirational quotes as part of the design.
Adults can also decorate lockers in home offices, workshops and relaxation spaces with uplifting messages and imagery.
Custom locker art adds energy, self-expression and visual delight wherever it’s displayed.
With endless options for color, material, size and configuration, lockers can truly be one-of-a-kind storage solutions tailored exactly to your space and style.
Use vivid locker colors and playful graphics to energize a kids’ area, or rich wood grains and warmth for a cozy feel.
Go for an urban, industrial aesthetic with salvaged materials or sleek lines.
Or try breezy seagrass, rattan and wire baskets for airy appeal.
Hopefully these locker ideas have sparked inspiration on ways you can introduce stylish, personalized storage into your home.
With the right lockers, you can take a forgotten corner from drab to fab, or make a jaw-dropping feature wall.
Lockers are highly functional, but they can also be a delightful design element and meaningful reflection of personal style.
