How to furnish your living room with open and closed storage

When your living room is used for socializing, working and relaxing, you can easily feel overwhelmed by too much stuff. But with some smart planning you can create a calming impression. Let us show you how!

Storage in a living room with FABRIKÖR glass-door cabinets in blue.

Step 1. Go for smart, multi-purpose furniture

Start by hiding things you don’t want to show off in a couple of low cabinets that also double as room dividers. Use the top surface for a small collection of books and a plant or two.

A couple of modern LIXHULT cabinets in metal/gray behind the sofa blending with the interior.

Step 2. Display your favorite pieces

Put stuff you want to display as well as protect inside two glass-door cabinets. The adjustable shelves make it easy to adapt the height to your collection.

A FABRIKÖR glass-door cabinet in blue showing glassware, with candle sticks on top.

Step 3. Use matching units for instant order

When your dining table is used as a space for working, support it with some drawers on casters. Use them to store paperwork such as bills and letters or materials and supplies.

A modern living room with storage solutions and storage units such as ALEX gray drawer unit on castors.

Step 4. Hide busy shelves behind curtains

Choose a tone-on-tone color scheme – try natural hues contrasted with some powder-pink accents. The layers of textiles also create contrasts and help improve acoustics in your space.

A living room with a full shelf behind LEJONGAP curtains, one pink and two green.

We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA limited warranties and your right to return the products will be lost.