Living rooms rival kitchens as the hardest working spaces at home. They are the media library, teenage retreat, siesta space, reading room, and just about anything else you can think of. So, naturally, we need cabinets, shelving and all-round storage solutions that are stylish, functional and make the best use of our space. Come with us as we rethink form and function when it comes to our living rooms.

1. The Wonders Of A Good Wall Unit
Wall units are the first thing to come to mind when we think about shelving and storage in our living rooms – the right kind of shelving makes all the difference in a room. What is so good about wall units? They utilise vertical space in a way that is really efficient and create just the right amount of visual drama without being overwhelming. Many wall units follow the classic ‘drawers in the bottom, open shelving in the top’ model, making them a flexible friend when it comes to your living room. And they do all this while creating the illusion of built-in shelving while also keeping the room feel light and bright. #winning

2. Clever Shelving Ideas For All Sorts Of Spaces
What does clever shelving mean to you? Well, it depends on the space you are working with. Basically, clever shelving means making the most of under-utilised corners, choosing hybrid floating shelves that can be configured to suit your room and choosing pieces that hold down double-duty to provide bonus storage.

3. Customise Your Cabinets
If you’ve been on Pinterest for a hot minute (*raises hand*) no doubt you will have seen interior pros swapping handles on classic cabinets for a pop of colour and even painting natural-finish furniture in an on-trend colour to completely transform the feel of the space. While these may feel like bold moves best left to the professionals, the absolute plethora of handles available online might convince you to take the plunge and customise your own cabinets. And when in doubt, consult the internet. There are loads of video tutorials online to guide you through just about any furniture customisation task you can think of.

4. Treasures And Trinkets On-Display
What makes your home, well, yours, are all the little personal touches, and open shelving and bookcases are a great way to do this without being super-overwhelming. We’re not talking about displaying all your treasures all at once, but some well-chosen highlights from your collection will create interest and make you happy every time you see them. It’s not all about open shelving though, if your chosen mode of living room storage is a dresser or drawers, consider creating a vignette that you can rotate as you like.

5. Think Outside The Box And Try A Dresser In Your Living Room
Who said dressers only belong in the bedroom? Whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist in search of storage for your living room, using a dresser is a fantastic idea. They look great, provide a storage option that keeps all your bits and bobs neatly stored away and can double as a media bench. What’s not to love?!