Living Room Storage 2026: The Complete Guide to Organized, Stylish Spaces That Actually Work

Let me be real with you for a second. You walk into your living room and immediately feel that low-grade anxiety. There are throw blankets draped over every surface, remote controls living on the floor, kids’ toys migrating from the playroom, and books stacked in precarious towers next to the couch. Your living room is supposed to be your sanctuary, your place to decompress after a long day, and instead it looks like a storage unit that someone accidentally put furniture in. Yeah, I’ve seen this mistake a thousand times, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that the problem is almost never a lack of space. It is almost always a lack of intentional living room storage strategy.

Here is what the research tells us, and it is pretty compelling. According to a 2023 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, cluttered home environments are directly linked to elevated cortisol levels, meaning that disorganized living spaces are literally stressing you out on a physiological level. The same research found that homeowners who implemented dedicated storage systems in their main living areas reported a (43%) reduction in perceived household stress within just eight weeks. That is not a small number. That is a life-quality improvement hiding behind a well-placed built-in cabinet.

This guide covers everything you need to know about living room storage in 2026, from budget-friendly hacks that cost under ($50) to full built-in storage wall installations that can run ($3,000 to $12,000). We are going to talk about furniture with hidden storage, vertical storage solutions, media console organization, floating shelves, and how to make every single solution look intentional and beautiful rather than desperate and functional. We will cover small living rooms (under 200 sq ft) all the way up to open-concept great rooms (over 600 sq ft).

I am Sophia Rose, and I have been writing about home decor for NineSeasDecor.com for going on seven years now. I have toured hundreds of homes, interviewed professional organizers, interior designers, and custom cabinetmakers, and yes, I have made every single storage mistake in my own home before I learned better. Everything in this guide comes from real-world experience combined with the latest research and industry data. By the time you finish reading, you will have a complete roadmap for a living room that is both gorgeously styled and genuinely, deeply organized.

Understanding Your Living Room Storage Needs Before You Buy Anything

Here is the mistake I see homeowners make constantly. They walk into a big box store or scroll through a furniture website, fall in love with a gorgeous storage ottoman or a sleek media cabinet, buy it immediately, bring it home, and then discover it does not actually solve their problem. It just adds to the visual noise. Before you spend a single dollar on living room storage solutions, you need to do an honest audit of what you are actually storing and how much space you are working with.

Start by pulling everything out of your current storage situations and categorizing it. Most living rooms are dealing with some combination of the following: media equipment and cables, books and magazines, board games and toys, throw blankets and pillows, remote controls and small electronics, hobby supplies, and general household clutter that migrated in from other rooms. Each of these categories has different storage requirements in terms of size, accessibility, and frequency of use.

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), the same principles that govern kitchen organization apply directly to living room planning. Items used daily should be within (0 to 18 inches) of your primary seating. Items used weekly can live between (18 to 48 inches) away or in slightly less accessible spots. Items used monthly or seasonally can go into deep storage like under-sofa bins or high-cabinet shelves. This tiered approach to storage planning is the foundation of a system that actually stays organized over time.

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR LIVING ROOM FOR STORAGE

Before anything else, get your measurements down on paper. Grab a tape measure and record the full dimensions of your room, standard living rooms in the US average (12×18 feet) but range widely from small apartment spaces at (10×12 feet) to expansive great rooms at (20×30 feet). Measure every wall, noting window placements, outlet locations, and any architectural features like fireplaces or doorways that will limit your options. Note your ceiling height, because rooms with (9 to 10 foot) or higher ceilings open up dramatic vertical storage opportunities that shorter rooms simply cannot use as effectively. Write down these numbers. This is your storage bible.

IDENTIFYING YOUR PRIMARY STORAGE PAIN POINTS

Once you have your room dimensions, do what I call the five minute frustration audit. Set a timer and walk through your living room, touching every item that does not have a proper home. Every remote, every rogue charging cable, every board game stuffed under the couch, every decorative bowl being used as a catch-all. Count them, categorize them, and estimate their volume. Most homeowners are shocked to discover they are dealing with (3 to 5 cubic feet) of homeless items in their living rooms. That is the equivalent of two or three large dresser drawers worth of stuff. Understanding the actual volume and category of your clutter is what allows you to choose storage solutions that are correctly sized and genuinely useful rather than decorative but useless.

SETTING A REALISTIC STORAGE BUDGET

Let’s talk money, because storage solutions for living rooms span an enormous price range. A basic storage refresh using baskets, bins, and a few new furniture pieces will run you ($200 to $800). A mid-range overhaul that includes a new media console, bookcase, and storage ottoman typically costs ($1,500 to $4,000). A full custom built-in storage wall from a professional cabinetmaker runs ($3,000 to $15,000) depending on your market and the complexity of the design. According to the 2024 Houzz U.S. Renovation Trends Study, homeowners who invest in built-in living room storage recoup an average of (72%) of that cost in home resale value, making it one of the smarter investments you can make.

Built-In Storage Solutions That Transform Living Rooms

Nothing, and I mean nothing, elevates a living room quite like well-designed built-in storage. When you walk into a room and see floor to ceiling cabinetry flanking a fireplace, or a full built-in bookcase wall lining an entire side of the room, there is an immediate sense of intention and permanence that store-bought furniture simply cannot replicate. Built-ins feel like the room was designed, not assembled. They make a (12×15 foot) living room feel like it belongs in an architectural magazine. And yes, they are an investment, but they are an investment that pays dividends in both livability and home value.

The most popular built-in configurations I see in 2026 are flanking fireplace built-ins, full-wall bookcase systems, window seat storage benches, and entertainment wall units that house media equipment while providing display and closed storage above and around the screen. Each of these configurations solves different problems and suits different room types, so let’s break them down.

For paint colors that work beautifully with white or off-white built-ins, I consistently recommend Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) for the built-in interior and Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-17) for the room’s primary walls. This combination creates a soft, layered look that makes built-ins feel like they have always been there. If you want a more dramatic, moody look, painting the built-in interior in Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (HC-154) against white cabinetry fronts is absolutely stunning and very much a 2026 trend moment.

FLANKING FIREPLACE BUILT-INS

The classic flanking fireplace built-in is a design move that works in virtually every style of home from traditional to ultra-modern. The basic formula is this: frame each side of your fireplace with a column of cabinetry that runs from the floor to the ceiling. The lower section features closed cabinet doors for hiding clutter like game controllers, charging cables, extra remotes, and media equipment. The upper section transitions to open shelving for books, plants, framed art, and decorative objects. This configuration costs ($4,000 to $10,000) professionally installed for a typical (6×8 foot) total built-in footprint, or ($800 to $2,500) as a quality DIY project using systems from IKEA’s Billy series or semi-custom options from retailers like RH or Crate and Barrel.

FULL WALL BOOKCASE SYSTEMS

If you have a blank wall in your living room, typically (12 to 16 feet) wide, a full wall bookcase system is one of the most dramatic and functional storage moves you can make. This is not just about books. Modern bookcase wall systems incorporate a mix of open shelving, closed lower cabinets, pull-out drawers for media equipment, integrated lighting, and even fold-down desks for hybrid work-from-home setups. A custom version runs ($6,000 to $15,000), while a carefully planned IKEA Billy bookcase hack can achieve a remarkably similar look for ($600 to $1,800) including professional installation.

WINDOW SEAT STORAGE BENCHES

The window seat storage bench is one of the most underutilized storage moves in American homes, and I genuinely do not understand why. A (48 to 72 inch) window seat built into a bay window or along a wall under windows adds (4 to 8 cubic feet) of storage inside the bench itself, typically accessed via a lift-top mechanism or hinged door panels. This is the perfect spot for seasonal throw blankets, board games, extra pillows, and bulky items you do not need daily. Built cost ranges from ($1,500 to $4,000) professionally, or ($400 to $900) as a dedicated DIY project. The seating surface typically gets a (3 to 4 inch) foam cushion upholstered in a durable fabric.

Furniture With Hidden Storage: Function Disguised as Style

Not everyone has the budget or the architectural opportunity for built-ins, and that is completely fine. The furniture with hidden storage market has exploded in recent years, and in 2026 we are seeing genuinely beautiful pieces that you would never guess double as serious storage workhorses. The key is knowing what to look for and how to evaluate quality, because there is an enormous range between a ($89) storage ottoman from a discount retailer and a ($650) version from a quality furniture brand, and that range matters more than you might think.

According to a 2024 report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), living rooms with dedicated, intentional storage furniture sell an average of (18 days) faster than comparable homes with cluttered or disorganized living spaces. Buyers respond to organization at an almost subconscious level. A well-styled room with smart storage furniture reads as spacious and cared for, even when the actual square footage is identical to a cluttered alternative.

When shopping for dual-purpose storage furniture, prioritize pieces with smooth mechanisms, sturdy hinges, and interior lining or finishing that protects your stored items. The storage should feel like a feature, not an afterthought. Here are the specific furniture categories that deliver the best combination of storage capacity and design integrity in 2026.

STORAGE OTTOMANS AND COFFEE TABLE ALTERNATIVES

The storage ottoman is the MVP of living room storage furniture, full stop. A quality (36×24 inch) rectangular storage ottoman provides roughly (3 to 4 cubic feet) of interior storage, enough for several large throw blankets, a collection of board games, or a season’s worth of remote controls and gaming accessories. Prices range from ($150 to $800) depending on materials and construction. In 2026, the big trend is boucle and performance velvet upholstery in warm neutral tones. For a paint color that coordinates beautifully with a warm cream boucle ottoman, try Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige (SW 7036) on the walls.

MEDIA CONSOLES WITH INTEGRATED ORGANIZATION

Your media console is doing the heaviest lifting of any single piece of furniture in your living room, and most people are working with a console that is woefully inadequate for the job. A properly spec’d media console for a modern living room should be at minimum (60 inches) wide, with (24 to 30 inches) of height, and should include a combination of open shelving for media components that need ventilation, closed cabinet sections with cord management, and dedicated drawer storage for remotes, batteries, and accessories. Quality options in this category run ($400 to $1,800). Look for consoles with pre-drilled cable management holes and adjustable interior shelving.

SOFA TABLES AND CONSOLE BACKS

The space behind a floating sofa is one of the most consistently wasted areas in the American living room. A sofa table or console table positioned (8 to 12 inches) behind your sofa creates an instant surface for lamps, books, and decorative objects, but the best versions also incorporate lower shelf storage for baskets filled with frequently accessed items. A (54 to 72 inch) sofa console with a lower shelf runs ($200 to $600) from quality retailers, and the storage potential of two or three large baskets on that lower shelf is genuinely significant, easily (4 to 6 cubic feet) of organized storage capacity.

Vertical Storage Solutions: Going Up When You Cannot Go Out

Small living rooms, I hear you. When your living room is (10×12 feet) or (12×14 feet), every square foot of floor space is precious and you simply cannot afford to let large storage furniture consume too much of it. This is where vertical storage becomes your absolute best friend. The principle is simple: stop thinking about your walls as two-dimensional surfaces and start seeing them as (8 to 10 foot) tall opportunities. Even a modest (12×12 foot) living room has approximately (160 to 200 linear feet) of vertical wall space available above the typical furniture line. That is an enormous amount of untapped storage real estate.

According to a 2022 study in the Journal of Interior Design, rooms that utilize vertical storage elements are consistently perceived as larger and more organized by observers, regardless of their actual square footage. This is because the eye travels upward, creating a sense of height and spaciousness. The study found that adding floating shelves to (two or more) walls of a room increased the perceived size of that room by an average of (15 to 20%) in observer surveys.

FLOATING SHELF SYSTEMS AND GALLERY WALLS

Floating shelves are the most accessible entry point into vertical storage, and in 2026 they have moved well beyond the simple pine plank aesthetic of a decade ago. We are seeing gorgeous options in solid walnut, painted MDF with ogee edge profiles, live edge slabs, and powder-coated steel. For a standard (8 foot) wall, a curated arrangement of (3 to 5) floating shelves at varying heights can hold (20 to 30) books, a collection of plants, framed photographs, and decorative objects while keeping the floor clear. Budget around ($15 to $45 per linear foot) for quality floating shelves including hardware, or ($8 to $15 per linear foot) for DIY options from home improvement stores.

LADDER SHELVES AND LEANING STORAGE

The ladder shelf deserves more credit than it gets. This (5 to 6 foot) tall leaning storage piece requires zero wall anchoring in most configurations, making it ideal for renters or anyone who does not want to commit to permanent installation. A quality (5-tier ladder shelf) provides (12 to 18 linear feet) of display and storage space in a footprint of just (24×10 inches) at the base. The natural narrowing of the shelves from bottom to top creates visual interest and a logical hierarchy, with heavier items like book stacks on the lower shelves and lighter decorative objects at the top. Prices range from ($80 to $400) depending on material and construction quality.

WALL-MOUNTED CABINET SYSTEMS

For serious vertical storage in a living room, nothing beats a well-planned wall-mounted cabinet system. These are modular units that attach directly to the wall studs, eliminating the floor footprint entirely. Companies like IKEA (with the Besta system), Resource Furniture, and California Closets offer configurable options that allow you to create a completely custom arrangement of open cubbies, closed doors, and drawer units. A (6×4 foot) wall-mounted configuration from IKEA’s Besta line runs ($400 to $900) including hardware, while comparable custom options start at ($1,500) and scale up from there. Ensure your installer locates and anchors into wall studs at minimum (every 16 inches) for proper load-bearing capacity.

Smart Organization Systems for Living Room Zones

Here is a concept that professional organizers talk about constantly but most homeowners have not internalized: the idea of living room zones. Your living room is not a single-function room in 2026. It is simultaneously a media room, a reading nook, a casual workspace, a game room, a social hub, and probably a secondary playroom whether you intended it or not. When you treat all of these functions as one undifferentiated blob of activity, the result is storage chaos. When you define distinct activity zones and give each zone its own dedicated storage micro-system, the whole room suddenly makes sense.

The zone-based storage approach was formalized in professional organizing methodology by the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, which recommends identifying (3 to 5) distinct activity zones in any multi-function living space and equipping each with purpose-appropriate storage within (24 inches) of where the activity actually occurs. This proximity principle is the difference between storage that people actually use and storage that looks great in the room but gets ignored in daily life because it is just slightly too inconvenient to bother with.

THE MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT ZONE

Your media zone is typically anchored by the television and is the most storage-intensive area of the living room. Beyond the media console itself, this zone needs dedicated solutions for (at minimum): game controllers and gaming equipment, streaming device remotes (most households have (3 to 5) remotes in 2026), charging cables and power banks, gaming headsets, and any physical media like Blu-rays or vinyl records. A cable management box ($20 to $50) corrals power strips and cords. A dedicated remote caddy ($15 to $35) keeps controllers in one place. Small labeled baskets inside your media console drawers create a system that anyone in the household can follow.

THE READING AND HOBBY ZONE

Whether your living room has a dedicated reading chair or simply an end of the sofa that always becomes your reading spot, that area needs its own storage ecosystem. A quality side table with storage ($150 to $400) positioned at arm height next to your primary reading spot gives you a surface for your drink, a drawer or shelf for your current book and reading glasses, and ideally a small basket or magazine rack for your reading queue. If you have a significant book collection, a dedicated bookcase (72 inches tall, 30 to 36 inches wide) positioned near this zone keeps your library organized and accessible. Quality bookcases in this size range from ($200 to $800).

THE FAMILY AND KIDS ZONE

If you have kids, and I know many of you reading this do, your living room has almost certainly been partially colonized by toys, art supplies, and games regardless of how many times you have relocated those items back to the playroom. The solution is not to fight this reality but to design for it intentionally. Dedicate one section of your living room, typically a corner or one end of a console, to a designated kids’ storage zone. A set of (3 to 4) attractive woven baskets in a low-profile shelving unit gives kids an accessible, clearly defined place for their items. When the storage is easy enough and obvious enough, even young children will use it consistently. Budget ($100 to $300) for a well-designed kids’ corner storage setup.

Color, Style, and Making Storage Look Intentional

Storage that looks like storage is a missed opportunity. The best living room storage solutions in 2026 are indistinguishable from intentional design, and achieving that requires thinking carefully about color, material, proportion, and styling. I cannot tell you how many times I have walked into a living room where the storage was perfectly functional but looked like it was embarrassed to be there. Mismatched baskets, plastic bins in plain sight, shelves stuffed rather than styled. The room works, technically, but it does not feel beautiful. And in your living room, of all rooms, beautiful matters.

The current design direction for living room storage aesthetics in 2026 leans strongly toward a mix of warm wood tones, woven natural textures, matte black hardware, and muted earthy wall colors that make storage furniture feel grounded and intentional. According to the 2024 Houzz Interior Design Trends Report, (68%) of homeowners who completed living room renovations in 2024 chose warm neutral paint palettes to complement their storage furniture, with Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) and Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (OC-20) among the top five most specified colors.

THE ART OF STYLING OPEN SHELVES

Open shelf styling is its own discipline, and getting it right is the difference between shelves that look curated and shelves that look chaotic. The professional formula I always recommend: follow the rule of three in groupings, vary height and texture within each group, limit your color palette to (2 to 3) colors per shelf, and leave (20 to 30%) of each shelf visually empty. Yes, intentional empty space is part of the styling. Books should be grouped by color or size, not mixed randomly. Use bookends to create defined groups. Intersperse books with objects of varying height: a small plant, a ceramic vessel, a framed print leaning against the back of the shelf.

BASKET AND BIN SELECTION FOR COHESIVE STORAGE

Your choice of storage baskets and bins is more impactful than most people realize. A set of (6 to 8) matching baskets in the same material and color family creates a sense of order and intention even when the room is not perfectly tidy. In 2026, the leading materials for living room storage baskets are seagrass, rattan, chunky cotton rope, and linen-lined wire. For color, warm naturals like undyed seagrass or bleached rattan complement virtually every wall color and furniture finish. Budget ($15 to $45) per basket for quality options from retailers like West Elm, Target’s Studio McGee line, or Magnolia. Buy all your baskets at once so they match exactly, sizes can vary but material and color should be cohesive.

PAINT COLORS THAT MAKE STORAGE LOOK DESIGNED

The wall color behind and around your storage furniture significantly affects how that furniture reads in the room. Lighter walls make furniture feel like it is floating and curated. Deeper wall colors make storage pieces feel anchored and dramatic. For a classic, timeless look that makes white or natural wood built-ins sing, try Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) or Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008). For a moodier, more dramatic living room where dark built-ins are the focal point, consider Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze (SW 7048) or Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue (HC-155) as wall colors. Whatever you choose, paint your storage area walls the same color as the rest of the room unless the built-ins are painted, in which case a contrasting interior color creates beautiful depth.

Budget-Friendly Living Room Storage Hacks That Actually Work

Not every storage solution requires a contractor, a designer, or a significant financial investment. Some of the most effective living room storage hacks I have ever seen cost under ($100) and can be executed in a single weekend. This section is for those of you who need solutions now, on a budget, without waiting for a renovation or a windfall. And honestly, even if you have a generous budget, these hacks deserve a place in your strategy because they solve specific small problems better than any expensive piece of furniture could.

The key to successful budget storage is being intentional about what you are buying and why. A ($12) basket from the thrift store that perfectly fits your remote controls and lives on your coffee table is infinitely more valuable than a ($200) decorative bowl that you bought because it looked nice but does not actually solve any storage problem. Function first, always.

UNDER-SOFA STORAGE SOLUTIONS

The space under your sofa is almost certainly wasted, and it should not be. Most sofas sit (6 to 9 inches) off the floor, which is just enough clearance for flat, rolling under-bed storage bins (which work equally well under sofas). A set of (2 to 4) flat storage containers at (4 to 5 inch) height each hold an impressive amount of seasonal items: extra throws, holiday decorations, board games, and craft supplies. Clear-sided versions let you see contents without pulling everything out. A set of (4) quality under-sofa storage bins runs ($30 to $70). This is genuinely one of the highest-return-on-investment storage moves in this entire guide.

TRAY STYLING FOR SURFACE ORGANIZATION

A decorative tray is the single most underrated organizational tool in the living room, and I will die on this hill. A (14×18 inch) tray placed on your coffee table instantly corrals remote controls, coasters, candles, and small decorative objects into a defined space that reads as intentional and styled rather than cluttered. The psychological effect is remarkable: the exact same items look chaotic scattered across a bare coffee table and look curated when grouped inside a tray. Quality trays in rattan, lacquered wood, or hammered metal run ($25 to $85) from quality retailers. Use (2 to 3) trays of varying sizes at different stations in your living room and watch the transformation happen immediately.

REPURPOSED AND THRIFTED STORAGE FINDS

Some of my favorite living room storage solutions in homes I have toured have been completely repurposed items. An old wooden crate mounted horizontally on the wall becomes a floating shelf. A vintage suitcase with a glass top becomes a storage coffee table. A bar cart (($80 to $200) new, often ($20 to $50) thrifted) becomes a versatile rolling storage station for books, plants, and drinks. Woven laundry baskets work brilliantly as large toy or blanket storage when styled with a lid or a folded throw draped over the top. The thrift store and Facebook Marketplace are genuinely excellent sources for solid wood storage pieces that far outperform their new equivalents at the same price point.

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW MUCH SHOULD I BUDGET FOR LIVING ROOM STORAGE IN 2026?

Your living room storage budget depends almost entirely on the scope of the project and your desired outcome. A basic refresh using baskets, bins, trays, and one or two small furniture pieces typically runs ($200 to $600). A mid-range overhaul that includes a new media console, bookcase, storage ottoman, and coordinating baskets costs ($1,500 to $4,000). A full custom built-in storage wall or flanking fireplace built-ins runs ($4,000 to $15,000) depending on your geographic market, material choices, and complexity. According to the 2024 Houzz U.S. Renovation Trends Study, homeowners who invested in built-in living room storage recouped an average of (72%) of that cost in home resale value. If you are on a strict budget, start with the high-impact, low-cost moves: under-sofa storage, decorative trays, and matching baskets. These three changes alone, costing ($100 to $150) combined, will immediately reduce visual clutter and improve the feel of your room significantly.

WHAT ARE THE BEST LIVING ROOM STORAGE SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL SPACES UNDER 200 SQUARE FEET?

Small living rooms demand a vertical storage strategy above all else. In a room under (200 sq ft), every inch of floor space is precious, so you want storage solutions that go up rather than out. Start with floating shelves mounted (6 to 8 inches) above your sofa on the primary wall, budget ($15 to $45 per linear foot). Add a storage ottoman that doubles as your coffee table, reclaiming (3 to 4 cubic feet) of storage from what would otherwise be dead space. Use a leaning ladder shelf in a corner for vertical display and book storage with zero floor footprint. Mount your television on the wall rather than placing it on a console, then use a slim (12 to 14 inch deep) wall-mounted cabinet system below the TV for media storage. According to a 2022 study in the Journal of Interior Design, rooms utilizing vertical storage are perceived as (15 to 20%) larger than their actual size, a significant visual advantage in a small space.

HOW DO I KEEP MY LIVING ROOM STORAGE ORGANIZED ONCE I SET IT UP?

Setting up a storage system is actually the easy part. The harder challenge is maintaining it, and the answer is almost entirely about designing systems that are easier to use correctly than incorrectly. Every storage location needs a clear, dedicated purpose that every member of the household understands. Use labels on baskets and bins, even decorative ones that simply say “blankets” or “games.” Make sure the correct storage location for every frequently used item is no more than (3 to 5 steps) from where that item is actually used. The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals recommends a (10-minute reset routine) each evening where every item in the living room is returned to its designated storage spot. This habit, more than any storage product you buy, is what maintains an organized room long-term. Also plan a quarterly audit, approximately (2 to 4 times per year), to reassess what is stored and whether the current system still reflects your family’s needs.

SHOULD I CHOOSE OPEN OR CLOSED STORAGE FOR MY LIVING ROOM?

The honest answer is: both, and in a specific ratio. Pure open storage looks beautiful but requires constant curation and styling effort to avoid looking cluttered. Pure closed storage can make a living room feel like a doctor’s waiting room, sealed and impersonal. The professional formula that I have seen work consistently in hundreds of living rooms is the 60/40 rule: approximately (60%) closed storage for items you want hidden (cables, remotes, games, seasonal items) and (40%) open display for books, plants, art objects, and curated collections. In practical terms, this means choosing furniture with a mix of cabinet doors and open shelves, like a media console with closed lower cabinets and an open upper shelf, or a built-