Do you constantly struggle to keep your living room organized? Are you looking to maximize every inch of space in your home? Built-in furniture provides the ideal storage solution for tight living rooms. Read on to discover how to unleash the potential of built-ins.
Built-ins refer to cabinets, shelves, and storage units that seamlessly integrate into a living room’s architecture. Custom-designed and constructed to fit the unique dimensions of your space, built-ins transform wasted areas into functional storage. They also provide beautiful display options for treasured belongings. With some creative planning, you can install living room built-ins that both maximize space and enhance aesthetics.
Types of Living Room Built-Ins
Bookcases
Custom bookcases rank among the most popular living room built-ins. Floor-to-ceiling shelving units lined with books, collectibles, photos, and mementos prevent clutter while paying homage to your passions. Built-in bookcases differing in height and depth add visual interest and plenty of organized storage to living rooms large and small.
Display Cabinets
Glass-fronted display cabinets seamlessly builtin to living room walls or corners provide the perfect place to showcase china, antiques, awards, decorative objects and collections. Skillfully illuminating the interiors with LED lighting draws attention to your most prized possessions. Display cabinets keep items organized, protected, and aesthetically highlighted.
Entertainment Centers
Entertainment centers make ideal living room built-ins, allowing you to incorporate media storage into your room’s layout. Customized to fit your TV, gaming systems, DVD player and other electronics, built-in entertainment centers prevent unsightly media station clutter. Open shelving flanking entertainment centers stores movies, games, accessories. Everything remains neatly tucked away but easily accessible.
Custom Shelving
Generic shelving cannot match built-ins tailored specifically for your living room’s dimensions and unique storage needs. Custom shelving fits in wasted spaces like corners, walls, and under windows. Floating shelves mounted creatively on walls and creative cabinetry transform challenging areas into functional storage. The possibilities are endless for customized shelving.
Benefits of Built-In Furniture
Maximize Space
One major advantage of built-ins is their ability to maximize every square inch by utilizing the free space available in corners, along walls, and in other overlooked areas in living rooms. Formerly empty spaces get transformed into valuable storage solutions or aesthetically pleasing display cases.
Reduce Clutter
Built-ins allow you to conceal items inside cabinets or behind doors when they are not in use. This keeps rooms looking neat and uncluttered. For small living rooms, hiding clutter is essential for making the most of limited space. Custom shelving also organizes items in their proper place so they do not end up strewn around the room.
Enhance Aesthetics
Beyond just adding storage, built-ins provide the means to create a clean, sleek, integrated look aligned with your room’s design scheme. The unified sensibility of customized cabinetry and shelving helps enhance living room aesthetics. Built-ins prevent the hodgepodge effect of standalone storage pieces that often cheapen decor.
Increase Home Value
Investing in quality custom-built living room storage options like built-in bookcases can increase resale value. Built-ins qualify as custom upgrades that make properties more desirable. Unique customized storage also impresses potential home buyers.
Built-In Storage Ideas for Small Living Rooms
Window Seating With Storage
Maximize unused space beneath windows by installing built-in bench seating with lift-up lids concealing cleverly disguised storage compartments. Use them to organize items conveniently within arm’s reach. Search “storage bench window seat” for inspirational images. This multi-functional option works well in family rooms too.
Kitchen Pass-Through Cabinet
For open floor plan homes, a built-in pass-through cabinet bordering the kitchen makes an extremely useful addition for small living rooms. Installed snugly between walls linking rooms, the glass-fronted cabinet adds storage while allowing convenient access to the kitchen. You can quickly grab snacks while entertaining guests without heading to the kitchen.
Hidden Media Cabinet
Short on living room space? Consider installing a streamlined media console that retracts completely into the wall. This makes it possible to tuck away your TV and media equipment when not entertaining guests or enjoying family movie nights. With the push of a button, the TV lifts out of sight, freeing up valuable real estate in a compact living room.
Floating Corner Shelves
Dead corner space gets new life with the addition of floating corner shelves. This built-in option maximizes pesky angled spaces that often go unused. The floating aesthetic enhances modern or contemporary living rooms. Illuminating the shelves with LED strip lighting adds extra visual appeal.
Planning Your Custom Built-In
Assess Needs and Layout
Carefully analyze how you want to utilize the storage before designing your built-ins. Think about items needing organization and frequently accessed objects. Measure room dimensions, consider traffic flow, and map electrical outlets or cable hookups.
Choose Location Wisely
Strategically place built-ins on focal or accent walls or near related equipment. Bookcases work wonderfully flanking the fireplace. Locate media centers conveniently near TV wall mounts. If custom cabinetry leads to nearby spaces like the kitchen, incorporate extra storage for dining accessories.
Select Materials and Finishes
Beautiful woods like oak or maple make exceptional built-in cabinet materials Choosing finishes like paints or stains that coordinate with existing decor prevents disjointed style. Durable easy-to-clean melamines also furnish affordable cabinet interiors. For display cabinets, beveled-edge glass doors best showcase precious items.
Hire a Carpenter
Proper installation is crucial for built-ins; an experienced carpenter integrates them seamlessly into the surrounding architecture. Trying DIY risks imprecise measurements resulting in ill-fitted built-ins jutting awkwardly from intended locations. Hiring a professional brings peace of mind.
Design Special Features
Personalize built-ins by incorporating special features into their design and functionality. Consider touch latches, adjustable drawers, rollout shelves, charging stations and interior lighting. Also, install cabinets at easily accessible heights. Design to reflect the shapes and lines of your living room.
Costs and Considerations
Custom living room built-ins often cost between $1,200-$4,500 depending on intricacy and size. Expect higher price tags for sections exceeding 8 feet and designs including special features. Material expenses also contribute to overall pricing. Timelines average 4-8 weeks from designing stage through installation. Proper planning in the initial phases prevents unnecessary delays later.
Clever living room built-in solutions offer homeowners endless possibilities for adding storage, organization and aesthetic enhancements. Utilize corners, walls gaps and other often overlooked spaces to install customized shelving and cabinetry. Consult an interior designer and qualified carpenter to make your built-in dreams a reality. Discover how custom storage built-ins can transform living rooms from cluttered to sublime.
