The living room should be a place for relaxing as well as housing everything from DVDs and games to books and magazines. Therefore it needs to have plenty of the right storage. Prevent overcrowding by looking for dual-purpose furniture: coffee tables with extra draws, shelving to hold books and accessories and large lidded baskets, which are perfect for storing throws and will double up as a side table.
Window Seat
Lidded Storage Boxes
All you need to create a window seat is a bench with drawers or, even simpler, boxes or baskets, lined up beneath the window sill. Go for cushions or seat pads to make it comfortable. With the additional seating and storage that a window seat provides you may even find you can lose an armchair or cabinet and create more floor space.
Back to Back Shelving
A narrow shelving unit or console table positioned against the back of a sofa won't intrude into the room and will hide away the back of your seating.
Side Storage
Store cushions and accessories in large boxes to make a seasonal swap around the speediest of jobs. Place one next to your sofa and it will double up as a small side table. Use a smaller lidded box on top to tidy away accessories such as coasters and remote controls, too.
Display Cabinet
Give your room character by storing your best glassware or crockery in a glass-fronted cabinet, where the pieces can be seen. If your room is compact, a narrow design is best. Buy one with lots of individual doors to make taking your items in and out of the cabinet easier.
If you have children, put breakables at the top and more robust pieces lower down.