Built-in Storage Transforms These Living Rooms
From sleek shelves to hide-it-all cupboards, built-in storage can boost both the functionality and appeal of your living room
Built-in storage is good news in any part of the house, but in the living room it needs to do more than offer practical, stash-it-all space. This is a busy, public part of the home, after all, so any storage must work hard, looking great as well as offering a home for DVDs or the Xbox console.
Luckily, creative solutions abound. These spaces show what an asset clever storage can be, helping to keep a living room tidy, but also contributing to its aesthetic; providing display space for those pieces you want to enjoy, and a home for those you prefer to hide.
Luckily, creative solutions abound. These spaces show what an asset clever storage can be, helping to keep a living room tidy, but also contributing to its aesthetic; providing display space for those pieces you want to enjoy, and a home for those you prefer to hide.
Say it loud
Adding colour takes built-in storage to a whole new level, moving it beyond the practical and picking it out as a fun, exciting feature of a living space. Here, a rainbow of shades has been used to liven up the various shelves and cupboards in this wall of units, brilliantly giving it the ‘wow’ factor.
Here’s how colour can energise your home
Adding colour takes built-in storage to a whole new level, moving it beyond the practical and picking it out as a fun, exciting feature of a living space. Here, a rainbow of shades has been used to liven up the various shelves and cupboards in this wall of units, brilliantly giving it the ‘wow’ factor.
Here’s how colour can energise your home
Tuck in a book
This built-in window seat offers a place to sit and read, but also open storage for books beneath.
This built-in window seat offers a place to sit and read, but also open storage for books beneath.
Cut out and cover
This alcove storage has been cleverly designed with a cut-out section for the TV screen. Below, the key consoles and pieces of tech are neatly stowed, but the doors also open to reveal further storage…
Learn how to hide the TV
This alcove storage has been cleverly designed with a cut-out section for the TV screen. Below, the key consoles and pieces of tech are neatly stowed, but the doors also open to reveal further storage…
Learn how to hide the TV
…Alongside the screen, there’s useful space for books and ornaments, so this alcove looks equally appealing when open. When closed, the textured wallpaper lining the doors creates interest.
Think big
Floor-to-ceiling storage is much-used in bedrooms, but it works equally well in a living space. Using panels, tongue and groove or textured materials prevents the doors looking dull when shut…
See these clever storage solutions for the entire home
Floor-to-ceiling storage is much-used in bedrooms, but it works equally well in a living space. Using panels, tongue and groove or textured materials prevents the doors looking dull when shut…
See these clever storage solutions for the entire home
…When open, this bank of storage reveals log baskets, a TV and tech. There’s even space for a neat home office, with a slim desk and stool.
Combine seating and storage
Where space is tight, creative storage can perform multiple tasks to squeeze maximum functionality from a limited footprint. In this tiny cottage, simple built-in sofas hug the walls, providing both ample seating and storage, which is concealed beneath the cushion pads.
Where space is tight, creative storage can perform multiple tasks to squeeze maximum functionality from a limited footprint. In this tiny cottage, simple built-in sofas hug the walls, providing both ample seating and storage, which is concealed beneath the cushion pads.
Exploit underused space
This beautiful shelving is probably no more than 500mm or so deep, so it barely eats into the room’s overall space. Nevertheless, it provides a wall of storage, interest and colour, turning what might otherwise be a completely plain, unremarkable surface into a thing of beauty.
Continuing the shelving above the door is a clever touch that makes use of every scrap of space. It also gives this wall a more sleek, designed feel, steering it away from looking simply like two bookcases either side of the door.
Read more:
30 Built-In Cabinets & Shelves That Boost Storage and Style
Tell us:
Do you have any tips for creating clever storage in a living space? Share them in the Comments below.
This beautiful shelving is probably no more than 500mm or so deep, so it barely eats into the room’s overall space. Nevertheless, it provides a wall of storage, interest and colour, turning what might otherwise be a completely plain, unremarkable surface into a thing of beauty.
Continuing the shelving above the door is a clever touch that makes use of every scrap of space. It also gives this wall a more sleek, designed feel, steering it away from looking simply like two bookcases either side of the door.
Read more:
30 Built-In Cabinets & Shelves That Boost Storage and Style
Tell us:
Do you have any tips for creating clever storage in a living space? Share them in the Comments below.
Sponsored
Knocking two rooms into one can create a spacious living area, but it can be tricky to give a purpose to all this open space, and one side can become rather underused.
Solve this problem by building in bookcases and even adding a ladder to create a library feel at one end, successfully zoning an open-plan living room, as well as creating masses of useful shelf and cupboard space.