Woven Storage Baskets: How to Choose and Style Them

A good basket is one of the quietest workhorses in a home. It holds the throws that would otherwise end up on the floor, the mittens by the door, the toys that arrive in every room, and it looks better doing it than a plastic bin ever could. If you've been wondering how to choose woven storage baskets that earn their floor space, this is how we think about it.

We'll walk through the fibres, the shapes, and a few places in the house where a basket does its best work. Every basket we mention is one we carry, so you can see it, check the details, and decide for yourself.

Start with what you need to store

Before you fall for a weave, think about what's going inside. The answer changes the size, the depth and how sturdy the basket needs to be.

• Blankets and pillows: go big and open. A wide mouth lets you drop a throw in without folding it perfectly.
• Toys, shoes and hats: look for a basket with some structure so it stands up on its own when it's half empty.
• Small things like keys, remotes and mail: a little catchall on a shelf or console is plenty.
• Plants: a basket can hold a plant pot, as long as there's a liner or a saucer inside to keep water off the weave.

It's also worth deciding whether you want one basket or a set. Sets that nest together take up very little room when you're not using all of them, and they give you a few sizes to play with.

Seagrass, jute and the feel of the weave

Most of the handwoven baskets we carry are seagrass or jute, and they behave a little differently.

Seagrass is smooth and tightly worked, with a soft golden tone that sits well with almost any palette. It's lovely beside linen and wood, and it holds its shape nicely.

Jute has a softer, more textural hand and a warm, earthy colour. It tends to look a little more relaxed and casual, which is why we like it for family rooms and bedrooms.

Neither is meant to be soaked or scrubbed. The seagrass sets we checked for this guide are spot clean only, so a quick wipe with a barely damp cloth is the way to go. Check the care note on each product page before you decide where a basket will live, and keep them out of damp spots.

Nesting sets for living rooms and hallways

If you want storage that flexes with your week, a nesting set is hard to beat. The Natura Seagrass Baskets S/2 are a nesting pair made from 100% seagrass with visible overstitching, and they're grand enough in scale for blankets, pillows or everyday clutter. Set them at the foot of the bed or beside the sofa and they look like part of the room rather than an afterthought.

For something with more pieces, the Costa Seagrass Baskets S/5 in Natural give you five nesting baskets with tone-on-tone zig zag stitching. They're handwoven from 100% seagrass, and the range of sizes makes them handy on open shelving, in a bathroom, or lined up by the entry. If you only need a couple, the Costa Seagrass Baskets S/2 in Natural follow the same look in a smaller set.

Baskets for blankets and big soft things

The most common reason to buy a basket is to tame the throws. Our guide to layering throw blankets is full of ideas for putting them on show, and a basket is the other half of the story: somewhere to put them when you're not.

The Banyan Baskets S/2 are handwoven from seagrass and described as multifunctional, which is a polite way of saying you can use them for spare throws and pillows, kids' toys, or laundry. If you want something more sculptural, the Lanai Seagrass Baskets S/2 are oversized and dramatic, well suited to a corner of a living room where a generous basket can double as a piece of decor.

A few tips for a basket of blankets:

• Choose an open basket wide enough for two or three folded throws.
• Don't pack it too tightly. Loosely stacked throws look inviting and stay soft.
• Roll rather than fold if you want to see the colours at a glance.

Baskets with a little pattern

Plain weaves are easy to live with, but a touch of pattern can make a basket the star of a shelf. The Cleo Baskets S/2 in Black are woven entirely by hand and accented with graphic black stripes, chevrons and diamonds. They suit a more modern room, or a kitchen where you want a little contrast against warm wood.

The Riviera Basket in Black is handwoven from jute with cotton chindi woven stripes, and it has a casual, coastal feel. It's a lovely pick for a bedside table, a console, or a bathroom shelf. Keep one in the bedroom for the odds and ends that collect there.

Not sure whether to go plain or patterned? Try a plain basket where it sits in plain sight and save the pattern for a spot that needs a little energy, like an entryway or a shelf that's mostly neutral.

A sweet little catchall

Not every basket has to hold a blanket. The Heart Seagrass Basket in White is finely woven and a little whimsical, a good small catchall for a shelf, an entry table or a desk. It's the kind of piece that makes a tidy-up feel like decorating, and it's one of the easiest ways to bring a touch of charm into a room.

Five places a basket earns its keep

The entryway

An entry basket catches the things you reach for on the way out: mittens, dog leads, reusable shopping bags. Put one beside the door, and keep it just a little bigger than you think you need. It pairs naturally with a coir doormat to finish the threshold, and in winter it's the easiest way to keep hats and gloves close without cluttering a bench.

The living room

Next to the sofa or a reading chair, one big basket handles the throws and a couple of extra pillows. The Maeve Baskets S/3 in Natural are handcrafted from seagrass and can be used as storage or as textural planters, so they're a useful trio if you like a basket that changes jobs with the season.

The kitchen

A basket by the counter can hold produce, napkins or a stack of towels. A shallow one on the table, lined with a cloth, makes a warm place to serve bread. Our tea towel guide has an easy tip for lining a bread basket so it keeps the rolls warm.

The bedroom

A low basket at the foot of the bed takes care of the extra blanket and the decorative pillows you take off at night. It's a better home than a chair, and it looks tidier too. A small one on a bedside shelf can hold a book and a hand cream.

The carryall corner

Some baskets are made to go places. The Costa Carry Baskets S/2 are designed for carrying and storing household essentials, which makes them a handy pair for the laundry, the market or a picnic. If you're thinking about bags as well as baskets, our tote bag guide covers the jute and canvas options.

Using a basket as a planter

Several of our baskets are described as doing double duty as textural planters, from the Maeve set to the Cleo pair and the Riviera. The trick is to keep the plant in its nursery pot, set it on a saucer or inside a liner, and drop the whole thing into the basket. That way you can lift it out to water and the weave stays dry. A plant on a stand looks lovely, but a plant tucked into a basket looks a little more relaxed.

How many baskets do you need?

Think in threes. One large basket for the soft things, one medium for whatever collects in that room, and one small for a catchall surface. Repeating the same fibre in each room ties the house together without making everything match. If you're just starting out, a nesting set is the easiest way to get a few sizes at once.

When you're ready to browse more, our Baskets collection has the full range, and the Baskets & Bags collection brings the baskets together with the carryalls.

Frequently asked questions

Are woven baskets good for storage?

Yes, when you match the basket to what's inside. Open, wide baskets suit soft things like throws and pillows. Sturdier, more structured baskets suit toys, shoes and hats. Choose the size by how much you actually need to store, not how much you wish you had.

Can you use a woven basket as a planter?

You can, with a little care. Keep the plant in its pot and put a saucer or liner inside the basket so water never touches the weave. Lift the pot out to water it.

How do you clean a seagrass basket?

The seagrass baskets we checked for this guide are spot clean only. Wipe marks gently with a barely damp cloth and let the basket air dry. Check the care note on each product page, since it can vary by piece.

What is the difference between seagrass and jute baskets?

Seagrass is smooth, tight and golden. Jute is softer, more textural and a little earthier in tone. Both are natural fibres with real warmth, so it comes down to the feel you want in the room.

How do you style baskets on a shelf?

Mix sizes and keep to one or two fibres. Put the larger basket at the base and a smaller one beside it, then let a plant or a stack of books fill the gaps. Leave a little breathing room so the weave can be seen.

A basket is a small thing, and it's one of those pieces that makes a house feel looked after. Pick one that suits the room you spend the most time in, and you'll see what we mean.