This ingenious design from Francien Hazen expands the function of a rain barrel while barely taking up any more space than your average 55-gallon storage container. ‘Water Cabinet’ can be attached to the downspout of a gutter system so the water can be collected and stored on an as-needed basis.
The design features a wooden cabinet in a green metal frame, with an attached greenhouse for three tiers of potted plants. It’s large enough to grow some herbs, tomatoes, lettuce or other small edibles (or ornamentals, if you prefer) while also storing gardening tools and a hose.
The back part of the cabinet stores the rain barrel, while the front part offers wall hooks for small hand tools. A basin on one side of the Water Cabinet makes the water from the barrel directly accessible, so it’s easy to water plants and perform other tasks as needed.
The compact size of this setup makes it ideal for apartments with balconies, terraces or small backyards, or for those who just want to dabble in gardening.

