Tag Archives | Shelving

Creative Living Room Storage Ideas

I like to keep my living room free of clutter. It is a place to relax, and when there are a ton of things lying around that is hard to do. Here are some creative living room storage ideas to help keep your space well organised.

The Art of Shelving

Getting Creative: Some creative ideas include using ladders to hang up blankets and magazines just like in picture (1) (Creative Magazine Storage Ideas: From Leather Rack Holders to Using Old Shutters). Or spread them apart and put planks of wood in-between the steps to create some funky shelves. Crates also make for chic shelving – and they can be stacked on top of each other (2). Look at my post here for more living room shelving ideas – like using leather straps to create wall storage.

Built in shelve units would be a good idea if you have limited space or want to create a well designed space. Because they are custom built to your room they make efficient use of the space (3). You can make use of the space above the door ways, the space in the corners, or high up (floor to ceiling shelves). Have display lights fitted in the storage cabinets to create a soft glow in the living room at night and to highlight special decor pieces.

Design Tips: Small Living Room Ideas

Hide It Away

If you have shelves with a lot of items on them that make the living room feel less relaxing, one way of closing them off is to add some curtains (or doors). If you want to divide up your living room into different spaces (like having a space for a home office, or gym) then hanging up a curtain would be a good way of dividing up the space and hiding the area when it is not in use. You can see more ideas for creating room dividers in my post here.

Hidden Storage Ideas: James Bond and Home Decor

Elegant Storage Solutions

Wicker baskets make for good looking storage. They can be used for throwing blankets in (4), as magazine holders, kids toy storage, fire place log storage, even as a coffee table. You can also find nesting ones that can be stacked up. IKEA has a lot of wicker basket containers that look good here.

Another elegant storage item is a trunk just like the one in picture (5). You can get these in all types of styles from vintage and rustic, to formal travel styles – or there are wicker trunks. These can be used as coffee tables, and end tables. You could even stack 2-3 of them to create a side table.

On The Side

A narrow side table console not only adds tabletop space for items but it helps frame and group together storage baskets that you can put underneath. Get a side table with a base – this means one with shelving or at least has bottom platform just like the one in picture (6). A side table with just legs and no bottom platform kind of makes putting baskets and containers underneath a bit messy.

Look to get matching storage baskets or containers to put underneath the side table – this creates a clean look (7). Also, a table lamp above will add nice ambiance lighting to the living room (Relaxing and Cozy Living Room Lighting Ideas).

For smaller side tables, take a look at nesting tables. They take up a small amount of floor space but are handy when you need more tables in the room.

In the Middle

Coffee tables also make for good storage. We mentioned above about using trunks and wicker baskets. You’ve also got coffee tables with shelves. Use baskets and trays to group together items on top and below the living room table for a more clutter free look. If you want to keep everything minimalist looking in the living room and have everything hidden away, then look for a coffee table that has draws underneath.

Have a look at my post here for more design ideas, DIY ideas, and styles for coffee tables. Or check out my post here to see coffee table decor ideas.

You can also find ottomans that have a flip up top for storage space inside. image credits: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

Crafty DIY ideas

Some crafty DIY ideas for creating your own living room storage furniture include:

Creating a corner shelf with an old door just like in picture (a) – by Linda.
Using a spool to create a side table with book storage (b) – Scrap Hacker
An old window upcycled into a chic coffee table (c) – by Oh Glory Vintage
Pallets can be used to create seating and benches with space underneath for storage (d) by In My House, or a coffee table with shelves (e). Check out my post here for more ideas on using pallets: Home Decor Ideas: Using Pallets.

January 10, 2014 in Living Room, Storage

Creative DIY Ideas for Living Room Shelves

A few planks of wood and a little creativity is all that you need to make some shelves. Check out what people have done to create their own living room shelves below.

Repurposing Magic

There are a few things you can repurpose to create budget friendly shelves. Crates make for great stackable living room shelving, just like in picture (3). If you want to get away from that rustic feel, paint them all in white (4). Or what about using a charming rustic ladder to shelve plants (5). Place a plank of wood between the steps to create a long mobile shelf unit – just like in picture (6).

For the corners of the room, take a page out of Linda’s DIY notebook and use and old door to create some corner shelves (7).

New Materials

How about getting creative and bringing in some new materials into the mix. Like leather. A plank of wood, a strap of leather, and two nail is all you need to make modern minimalist style shelves for a living room (8). Get a little bit more fancy and you can create hanging shadow box display shelves complete with leather hangers (9).

Using tree branches was a creative idea to create some living room wall shelves to hold some books. Keep them raw for a rustic feel or spray paint them to blend them in with the rest of your living room decor (10). If you really want customised built in shelving then head on over to the piping section of the hardware store. Combined with some planks of wood you can create your own industrial style living room shelves seen in picture (11).

Then there is the side table in picture (12), made from planks of wood and bricks.

Pop of Color

I really like how the cabinet in picture (13) has a colored backdrop. It really makes the shelves stand out – creating a focal point in the room. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13

January 10, 2014 in DIY, Living Room, Storage

Creative Book Storage Ideas: From Nooks to Staircases

Creating a Reading Sanctuary: One of the best ways to store your books is within a reading nook. In picture (1) you can see a little nook has been designed right under the staircase – this is a perfect spot for a nook because the sloping stairs makes the space feel cozy. Picture (2) shows a reading nook surrounded by books that looks out of a full height window. Another great way of using that awkwardly shaped space under the staircase is to fit book shelves there (3).

Decorative Book Storage Ideas: Picture (4) shows how a wiring spool can be turned into a side table with book storage. If you want to liven up your wall shelves, one way to do that is to put a frame around it (5). Or how about using alternative materials like a sliced up rock, reclaimed wood, or driftwood to create shelving (6). One DIY idea I’ll be trying soon is to create the countertop book stand in picture (7) – two slabs of wood with a concrete/stone base.

Framing and Function: One thing you can do with your books is use them to frame a part of the room like a doorway, or a window (8). Or how about creating built in shelves that also double as benches (9).

Out of Mind: A reading area with shelves filled with books is a stimulating space to be in. To create a more relaxing room, and at the same time store your books, use a curtain to hide away the shelves just like in picture (10). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

September 3, 2013 in Storage

Design Guide: Bathroom Shelving Ideas Mood Board

Shelving in the bathroom is often overlooked, but it can play a big role in the style, decor, and how convenient and comfortable the space is.

Vanity Storage: A vanity with storage units underneath is great for saving space as seen in picture (1). Draws work well for keeping items separate and organized. Or like in picture (2) a curtain is an informal way of hiding the shelves.

The Mirror: If you have a small bathroom it would be best to get a large mirror with a great frame, instead of having one that sticks out and has a medicine cabinet behind it. Check out my post here for more mirror ideas: Designer Bathroom Mirror Ideas: From Lighting to Framing.

An Island: If you have a really large bathroom space, a great furniture piece to have would be an island (3). This is great for storage, lets you have countertop space, and makes everything a little bit more convenient.

Unique Ideas: Some unique bathroom shelving ideas include having a shadow box mirror like in picture (4), a portable shelf that can be used for the bathtub (5), or take a look at the shelves that divide up peoples bathroom amenities in picture (6). Another great and unique shelving idea is to instead of storing towels on a shelf or hooks, use a ladder (7). If you want to get crafty and go DIY, A Merry Mishap has a great tutorial on how to make your own ladder rack.

Decor and Style: One thing to remember is that your shelves and what you put in/on them can be a part of the bathroom’s decor. Rolled up towels, decorative items, glass jar containers, and plants can all be shelved and used to decorate the room. One way to do this is to have open shelves, or like in picture (8) have glass cabinet doors. These can also have lights in them to showcase the items even more. Other options when it comes to the cabinet doors is to have them completely covered, or have them frosted (9). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9