The right pieces of furniture in the living room will create an inviting space that is both functional and visually appealing. Living room storage furniture gives you plenty of options to display your home decorations on shelving while also allowing you to store your belongings inside drawers and behind doors when not in use to keep your living space looking neat and clutter-free.
In our living room storage buying guide, we’ll take you through the different types of storage furniture you may wish to include as well as the factors to consider when designing the perfect living room with storage. When making decisions, you’ll also want to think about the rest of your home and how the living room furniture will tie in with it, from dining tables and dining room decor to outdoor alfresco areas.
To get you started, here are some living room design ideas to try out:
- Angle the sofa towards a focal point, such as a TV or fireplace. Position armchairs adjacent to the sofa and fill in the space with ottomans, a coffee table and side tables.
- For small spaces, pull all of the furniture into the centre of the room to maximise space. A glass coffee table will make the room look bigger as will mirrors and light walls.
- Create a feature wall by placing two bookshelves on either side of an entertainment unit.
- Arrange your furniture around a coffee table for conversations with friends and family. Two sofas can form an L-shape while a side table can be placed where the two ends meet. Close the space with an armchair placed opposite.
Consider How Your Living Room Will Be Used
Before thinking of storage ideas, you need to consider your floor space. How much furniture can you realistically fit and how much do you actually need? Small spaces benefit from space-saving storage cabinets the most. It’s a good idea to just include the essentials, such as an entertainment unit, two side tables and a coffee table to avoid over-cluttering the room.
Next, consider how you will use your living room. Will it be family-friendly? Designed for TV entertainment? An adult space for wining and dining with friends?
If you love your entertainment, you can’t go past an entertainment unit with extra storage space. Place the TV stand on top of the unit and the gaming console underneath on an open shelf. Entertainment units with additional drawers and doors can be used to stash the remotes when not in use as well as board games, books, laptops, chargers and bits and pieces.
Love to entertain others? A sideboard can be used to store dinner sets, silverware and napkins beneath while an additional hutch with glass doors will proudly show off your expensive wine glasses, teapots and fine china when guests visit.
Choose Living Room Furniture That Offers Storage Solutions
If you want to really maximise your living space, you need to get savvy about storage. By selecting storage furniture that can look good as well as store your belongings, you’ll be able to create a living room that’s functional as well as stylish.
Look for living room furniture that comes with storage features such as shelving, drawers and doors to store things inside and display them on top. At Amart, we have a wide range of storage cabinets, desks, tables and units that can keep the clutter at bay and enhance your space. Discover:
- Entertainment units with open shelving, drawers and doors.
- Coffee tables with drawers for storing big and little things.
- Side tables with drawers and open shelves to display decorations.
- Sofa tables with added drawers and doors for storage.
- Shoe cabinets with open shelves for storing shoes and a tabletop to place a vase, indoor planter, statue and more.
Making Your Space Child and Pet Friendly
Kids and pets may bring joy to the home but they can also make it difficult to maintain a stunning living room! Luckily, it is possible. Here are some tips to keep your space beautiful and safe for the entire family:
- Consider using built-in shelving with plenty of doors and drawers for storage. Kids can’t knock the cabinetry over by climbing on them plus you can store all of their toys down the bottom where they can easily access them while displaying your home decorations up the top out of reach. Hire a professional to do the job or DIY to save some cash.
- Accent rugs are fantastic at adding pops of interest to the living room as well as protecting your carpet from muddy paws and spilt drinks.
- Only use round coffee tables and ottomans to avoid bruises from pointy corners.
- Choose darker colours and patterned furnishings that make spills and stains less noticeable!
What Is Your Interior Design Style?
One of the easiest (and most fun!) ways to design your living room is to use a chosen interior design style. This lets you select pieces with similar characteristics to ensure that the end result will be harmonious and pack a visual punch. It’s up to you which style you choose but once decided, it’s a good idea to incorporate it throughout the entire home for flow and cohesion. Some of the most popular styles to consider include:
- Mid-Century - A mid-century modern style takes inspiration from the 50s and 60s with rich wooden furniture, pops of mustard and chartreuse and organic and geometric shapes.
- Scandinavian - This Nordic-inspired style showcases a neutral colour palette and plenty of natural materials, such as wood, in light, ashy tones. Complete the look with shaggy cushions, soft throws and textured rugs for that hygge feel.
- Minimalist - Less is more with this Japanese-inspired style. It uses clean lines, simple pieces of furniture and a subtle colour palette to evoke calmness and balance.
- Hamptons - This is upscale New York living with a beach-inspired touch. Think natural materials such as rattan and bamboo with elegant light timber storage pieces and soft furnishings in blue, cream, white and grey.
- Bohemian - This style lets you have fun with bright colours, contrasting patterns and loads of texture. Embrace a green thumb and fill your living room with plenty of plants as well as warm wooden furniture and brown leather accents.
Consider How Much Furniture You Need In Your Living Room
Small spaces should focus on the essentials and utilise space-saving furniture to maximise the area. A wall shelf is great for this as it doesn’t take up any valuable floor space. In larger living rooms, more storage furniture may be needed to make the room feel balanced and filled. Sofa tables look wonderful set up behind the lounge to fill in empty space while bookshelves can be placed on either side of the entertainment unit to create a stunning feature wall.
Open shelving lets you display your favourite statues, vases, candle holders and photos while drawers and doors will conceal items for a tidy room. Do you really need a bookshelf in the living room? Think about placing it in the home office instead! If you love to entertain but can’t fit the bar cart, a bookshelf can also make a unique bar cart alternative that saves space.
You can shop all of our living room storage furniture online with fast delivery straight to your postcode. Got a friend who’s renovating? An Amart gift card will go a long way towards helping them achieve their dream living room. You can also pop into any of our Amart showrooms across Australia to view the collection in person and let our friendly staff assist and inspire you.
Think About Buying Functional Furniture
Functional furniture is pieces that combine style with functionality and versatility to keep your living room looking stunning and clutter-free. We’re talking about entertainment units with shelving and drawers that display your TV and home decorations while storing the little things you’re not using. Sofa tables, lamp tables and coffee tables with added storage features and sectional or modular lounges that let you change the furniture configuration whenever you feel like it.
If you buy functional furniture that is multi-purpose, you can save space, cut down on costs and keep your home tidy with minimal fuss.
Keep It Simple
One of our best tips for living room storage design is to keep it simple. Most homes will benefit from an entertainment unit to place the TV on and you can also use it to display small items and store accessories in the drawers or behind doors. Match your entertainment unit with some side tables that complement your lounge, perfect for holding table lamps on top and books, remotes and more underneath. A coffee table will complete your living room and act as a centrepiece. Choose a coffee table with drawers or an open shelf to give yourself even more storage options without taking up any more space.