For many Nairobi property developers, storage space is often an afterthought. Cindy Makandi tells Niko Kwangu about finding a solution to this common problem by creating a storage solution that is the envy of her friends.
When Cindy Makandi found her current apartment, she knew it would make the perfect home. She loved the house for its spacious rooms, big windows, and quality finishings. It boasted two balconies and a generous laundry area, sturdy hardwood floors and big wardrobes in each of the three bedrooms.
She could see herself building a life there with her husband and their two children. But there was a big catch; there just wasn’t enough storage for the family’s needs.
“My major concern was that we did not have a designated shoe rack or a linen closet. We also had nowhere to store spare toiletries, things like tissues, soaps, and lotions, which you always want at hand especially with small children,” she said.
However, what the house lacked in storage it made up for in big empty spaces just itching to be utilised. One corner in particular stood out; with a bit of work, it would be the perfect storage space.
“This space came to me as a no-brainer because it’s so open. It’s next to the bathroom and close to the bedrooms. And if the person who was designing this house had put in a bit more thought, they would have made it into an inbuilt storage. So that’s what I decided to do with it- make one half into a shoe rack and the other into a linen closet and pantry for toiletries,” said the 37 year old founder of Tunga Afrika, an ed-tech platform that makes African films accessible to learners.
The first step was to find a carpenter who could understand her vision and bring it to life. She had someone in mind-Robin Macheche- who had built a TV cabinet for one of her friends.
“I showed Robin my inspiration from pinterest and then we figured out how to make it work for the space. After a bit of back and forth about the type and depth of shelving, we settled on a design that made me happy,” said Makandi.
It was not all smooth sailing. There were some hiccups in the design and craftsmanship of the unit which became apparent when the first version was delivered. Makandi rejected it and requested a re-do, which meant some loss of material and longer delivery times. Still, their good working relationship endured.
“Robin was quite open to feedback because when I told him that what he initially delivered was not aligned to the brief that I gave him, he was like, okay, I understand and I’m sorry about this. Then he suggested what we could do to fix it to ensure I was happy. I also really liked that when he installed the cabinet, he was very neat and did not damage the walls,” she said.
This was especially important because the house is rented and Makandi would need to leave it as she found it once her tenancy ended. Landlords have a tendency to not return house deposits if they detect any damage to their property.
“Robin didn’t drill much in the process of installing this- maybe just a few holes. So we can uninstall it very easily, fill in the holes and paint over the wall, and it will be good as new. However, if the next tenant likes it, I would leave it for them to enjoy because it’s a very practical space,” she said.
The storage unit is made from Medium-Density Fibreboard, popularly known as MDF, which is a cheaper alternative to actual wood. It has drawers at the bottom, which act as the shoe racks and baskets at the top for linens and toiletries. The baskets are woven from wicker, giving the space a chic, African-inspired look. She sourced them from Wicker Decor Kenya and had them customised to ensure they fit the space exactly. At the top, she added some fabric-woven baskets from Wadi Posh Home to complete the look.
“I am very proud of this space. It looks so seamless that most people assume that it came with the house. It didn’t, I created it! It gives me great satisfaction to have pulled something out of my head and to work with great people who brought my vision to life. I have lots of other ideas for other spaces in this house and I can’t wait to execute them, one at a time,” she said.
Editor’s note: Robin is available for carpentry jobs and can be reached at +254 724 673146