The living room is undoubtedly the heart of your home—a space where we gather to socialise, unwind after a long day, and engage in various activities. Whether it’s a place for films, video games, or homework, clutter can often find its way in. In fact, the average adult in the UK hasn’t decluttered their humble abode for just over two years.
The answer is beautifully simple, smart living room storage solutions that make tidying up easy and elegant. Combining style with function ensures that your living room looks its best when everything is put away, and yet all the things you use daily are still easy to access. Hidden compartments, stylish baskets, and multi-purpose furniture can transform your cluttered living room into a truly welcoming and easy-to-organise shared space.
Join us as we explore ten stylish living room storage ideas that you're sure to love.
1. Multi-functional furniture
Every piece of furniture can have more storage built into the design. Look for tables with drawers or shelves built beneath the surface, coffee tables with hidden cabinets, chairs with chest storage inside the seat or arms, and designs featuring fold-away features. These clever pieces help manage clutter whilst also keeping the things you use close at hand.
From coffee tables that house your living room electronics or homework supplies to ottomans that serve as storage boxes for extra throw pillows and blankets, multi-functional furniture can be a game changer. Hidden compartments are perfect for stowing away the remote and other small but essential items.
These smart furniture choices not only maximise your space but also ensure your living room stays neat and organised.
2. Clever use of shelving units
Shelves are more than just just for books and decorative pieces. You can use shelves and bookcases as a great way to keep your living room organised and clutter-free. You can group items together that share the same purpose and create decorative displays with items that are used less often but still belong in the living room.
Incorporating pretty baskets and boxes into your shelving is an easy way to store everyday essentials like toys, game controllers, books, homework, and art supplies whilst keeping them easily accessible and neatly contained.
Need more floor space? When exploring living room storage ideas for small spaces, try wall-mounted shelves to free up space and create a beautifully, clutter-free environment.
3. Hidden storage solutions
Furniture with hidden compartments is a game changer for keeping your living room looking clean and minimalist. By concealing storage space, you can maintain a tidy appearance whilst keeping essential items like remote controls, game controllers, and magazines close at hand.
A TV unit with concealed drawers or a sofa with flip-open armrests are both ideal for remotes and game controllers. Coffee tables with hidden drawers or under-surface spaces offer a discreet spot for school supplies or magazines, whilst ottomans and chest benches can neatly hide larger items, keeping them out of sight but easily accessible.
4. Storage baskets and boxes
Baskets and boxes are a stylish and practical solution for keeping everyday clutter under control, making them perfect for a busy living room. They provide an easy way to tidy up loose items that see regular use, like toys, electronics, charging cables, art supplies and other small essentials.
Opt for baskets in natural materials, matching decorative boxes, or fabric-wrapped cubes that seamlessly blend into your living room decor. Placed on shelves or tucked under tables, they keep everything organised and within reach whilst adding to the room's aesthetic.
To make tidying even easier, sort items by category or activity, assigning each basket or box a specific purpose. This way, you can quickly grab what you need and just as easily pack it away when you're done, leaving your living room looking polished and inviting.
5. Maximise vertical space
Most homes have ceilings between 7 and 12 feet high—plenty of vertical space that often goes unused. With tall shelves or wall-mounted cabinets, you can reclaim tons of potential storage space whilst accentuating the elegant height of your living room with the furniture's decor.
Vertical storage options, such as tall bookcases or floating shelves, allow you to add valuable storage without sacrificing precious floor space. You can even mount floating shelves up high to create out-of-the-way storage that adds extra storage and a cool vertical appearance to your room's style.
Make the most of your living room’s height by blending functionality with style, turning every inch of vertical space into an asset.
6. Display cabinets
If you have decorative items or collections, display cabinets are a wonderful way to enhance your living room storage solutions. These timeless pieces not only add character to your space but also provide a seamless blend of functionality and design.
Display cabinets typically have a protective glass front, allowing you to guard your most precious items from dust and everyday wear whilst allowing them to shine as part of your room’s décor. The cabinets themselves also offer useful storage space for less frequently used items. This allows you to gracefully balance aesthetics and functionality for an elegant living room decorated with your favourite items.
7. Compact storage for small spaces
For small living rooms, compact storage solutions are the key to making the most of every inch. We love innovations like corner shelves designed to provide double the storage whilst occupying a rarely used footprint in the room.
Slimline furniture is another smart choice, offering both comfortable seating and built-in storage whilst keeping your living room open and airy. Opt for pieces with a slender profile, sleek legs, and integrated storage to create a functional and elegant space. With these solutions, you can enjoy a beautifully organised living room that feels far more spacious than its size suggests.
8. Organise with style
One thing you learn from experience is that the best organisational solutions are equally functional and stylish. When you love the look of your storage, you'll be more motivated to tidy up. Attractive furniture, decorative baskets, and stylish boxes can seamlessly blend into your room whilst helping you maintain order.
Opt for storage pieces that naturally complement your décor, enhancing the overall aesthetic rather than detracting from it. We are inspired by beauty, and a beautifully designed space inspires not only admiration but also the motivation to keep it organised. By choosing storage that reflects your style, you can maintain clean surfaces, open floor space, and a refreshing ambiance.
9. Smart storage for a clutter-free space
Clever storage solutions also make it easy to adapt your living room to changing routines and storage needs. Modular shelving systems, for example, can be built in a number of ways using interchangeable pieces for different storage arrangements, as your life and needs naturally evolve over time. They can be built into multiple shelves, stacked into one shelf, or arranged into a compact corner shelf.
Pair these shelves with boxes or baskets that fit perfectly, creating an organised and visually appealing setup that evolves with your lifestyle. Whether you’re rearranging for a new look or accommodating new storage needs, these solutions help you maintain a clutter-free and refreshing space. With smart storage, your living room can always be a welcoming and adaptable haven.
10. Use floor space creatively
Our final storage tip is to use your floor space creatively. You can add storage to a room without overwhelming the space or making your living room feel cramped by incorporating storage benches, chests and trunks, and low-profile cabinets. This is the reverse effect of using floating shelves, as both methods help a room continue to feel spacious and roomy whilst making use of vertical space along walls.
In a larger space, you can use storage to define your living room space. Use two-sided or backless shelves to subtly divide an open-plan space, creating distinct zones without the need for walls. In expansive rooms, tall solid cabinetry can carve out functional areas, such as a cosy office corner or a breakfast nook, separate from the main seating area.By creatively combining storage and room definition, you can make the most of your space in both form and function.
Your living room can host constant activity and still remain beautifully organised at the same time. The secret? Smart storage solutions that combine style with functionality. From multi-purpose furniture with built-in storage to clever shelving, hidden storage, chic baskets, and adaptive layouts, you can create a space that’s both functional and picture-perfect.
At La Redoute, you’ll find everything you need to transform your living room into a welcoming, clutter-free haven. With thoughtfully designed storage options, you can keep essentials close at hand without sacrificing style. Explore our living room storage collection and discover the perfect solutions to suit your space and lifestyle today.