If you want to eliminate clutter, keep your space organized, and make your everyday items easy to access, you can’t go wrong with storage furniture. There are several types of storage furniture, from console tables and sideboards to credenzas, ottomans, and more.
Console Tables
A console table is a stylish, long, and usually narrow furniture piece that is typically the same height as a dining table. They are unique because, instead of being supported by four legs like most tables are, console tables are supported by brackets or corbels.
| Fun Fact: Some console tables have drawers, cabinets, or shelves, making them more versatile. |
Perfect for hallways, dining rooms, bedrooms, and entryways, console tables can beautify your space and help with the clutter. You can store everyday items like keys, paper clips, and spare change in them.
Console tables are also great for displaying items in your living room. You can use them as TV stands, media consoles, or even to show off decorative pieces or artwork.
Sideboards
A sideboard is a freestanding furniture piece with shelves, drawers, or other storage compartments. They are sometimes called buffets or credenzas, even though they’re not exactly the same thing.
Sideboards are versatile and can be used to store or hide just about anything. Even though they’re typically used in the dining area to store glasses and plates, sideboards can be a great addition to your living room.
Sideboards can be used as TV stands, media consoles, or for storing electronics, DVDs, and gaming accessories. Also, their flat surfaces make them perfect for showing off decorative items and other valuables.
All in all, your sideboard can serve as storage furniture, decorative furniture, a display piece, or even a desk.
| Tip: When selecting a sideboard, look for one with many drawers or compartments. This lets you enjoy the versatility of sideboards. |
Curio Cabinets
Curio cabinets are tall furniture pieces usually made of glass with wooden or metal frames. These antique pieces can display or store antiques, artworks, decorative items, figurines, and other pieces that pique curiosity—hence, the name.
The transparent glass fronts make curio cabinets great for storing or organizing small items like rare books, coins, or collectibles.
You can maximize the storage function of curio cabinets by getting layered or adjustable shelves. These let you customize your storage options, keep your belongings well organized, and beautifully display your treasures.
When choosing a curio cabinet for your living room, consider the storage capacity, the types of items you want to store, and the available space in your living room. You should also ensure it has glass doors and shelves so you can see and display your items elegantly.
Coffee Tables
Coffee tables offer much more than just surfaces for your morning coffee. They also hold books, remote controls, drinks, and magazines.
Some coffee tables come with hidden compartments, shelves, cabinets, and other forms of interior storage. With these storage features, you can reduce clutter on other surfaces or furniture.
It’s worth noting that there are coffee tables that have lift-top and slide-open mechanisms. More than just another fancy way of storing items within the coffee table, some of these mechanisms can raise the table’s height for dining or working.
If you are looking for a simpler solution, a lower shelf can perform the same function. It’s a perfect way to store books, board games, and other items you use in the living room.
All of this means you can:
- Keep essentials below
- Display more decorative pieces like display books, candles, or plants on the surface.
As usual, always consider your needs before picking a coffee table for your living room.
Credenzas
Credenzas are long furniture pieces with low legs or no legs at all. They have drawers, cabinets, and shelves, and are usually made of wood. Some credenzas may also have sliding doors or doors with no visible hardware mechanism. Credenzas have flat countertops that are great for displaying items. And like most storage furniture, they feature adjustable shelves and drawers for storing items out of view.
Adding a credenza to your living room saves space and provides lots of storage options for your decorative pieces, electronics, glasses, and other essentials.
In the past, credenzas were used for storing food, drinks, and dinnerware. Nowadays, they can store just about anything. You can use them in your living room as a file or storage cabinet, or you can repurpose them as media consoles or add a mirror to create a vanity station.
Keep in Mind: Credenzas can be used as standalone furniture pieces or as part of larger furniture sets. Some even have cable management systems that make them excellent for hiding tangled cords and cables.
Read More: What is a Credenza?
Storage Ottomans
Storage Ottomans usually combine seating and storage in one piece. Think of them as benches with pockets.
Storage Ottomans come in different shapes, sizes, and upholsteries and can be designed based on your existing furniture. They can hold items for easy access or hide away undesirables without worrying about clutter.
You can toss in your games, toys, old DVDs, remote controls, or magazines, and no one will know what you have in there. You can even get creative by placing a fancy tray on top to display your favorite items or plants.
| Tip: Even though tossing random objects into an ottoman might be tempting, staying organized will help you save time searching for misplaced items. |
Floating Shelves
Floating shelves are popular for their sleek and minimalist design. They are wall-mounted shelves that have no visible means of support. This lack of visible support creates the illusion that the shelves are ‘floating’ against the wall.
Floating shelves eliminate the need for heavy and bulky-looking bookshelves. If you’re looking for something to use to store books, decorative items, magazines, and plants in your living room, floating shelves are a good option.
You can also use floating shelves to make your living room appear larger than it is. How? They eliminate clutter, maximize wall space, and take up no floor space.
| Note: When choosing floating shelves, consider the weight capacity since floating shelves can’t hold as much weight as other shelf types. |
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What to Read Next:
- 6 Types of Console Tables to Consider for Your Home
- 7 Types of Coffee Tables to Consider for Your Living Room
- The Best Coffee Table Shapes to Go With a Sectional Sofa
Main Photo Credit: Freepik, Collage made using Canva Pro.
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