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Storage & Display

Storage and organization are essential when designing any space, especially in your living room. Display cabinets and bookcases are two great ways to create storage while showcasing your collections, family photos, or other treasured items. Placing keepsakes on the shelves of a display cabinet is a friendly way of saying, “Please, don’t touch.” Bell’s Ethan Allen Design Center has a wide selection of Ethan Allen living room storage and display options for you to explore.

Storage & Display Options

When looking for living room storage, think about the space you have for a display cabinet and what items you would like the cabinet to hold. Large cabinets feature several shelves and compartments to place various things and can be used as a focal point in your living room.

If you want to display a few seasonal decorative accents or complete the look of existing decor, you may prefer a small media cabinet or etagere. What’s an etagere? An etagere is very similar to a bookcase but is made to hold smaller, lighter items. You can use a book or two as part of the overall aesthetic, but the shelves are not made to hold the weight of several books.

Unique shelving unit that is eyecatching in any room

Incorporating Storage & Display as Part of the Living Room Layout

There are almost as many furniture layout options for living rooms as there are choices of furniture. One of the most classic and popular layouts features two sofas across from one another, with a prominent piece of furniture displayed against the wall at one end.

The other end of the sofa configuration can be accented with a chair and end table. In this instance, the prominent furnishing will be your display cabinet or bookcase. Many people use their entertainment center as the focal point, which is also an excellent option as large media centers have plenty of storage and display spots.

What Can Be Put in a Display Cabinet?

The short answer: anything you like enough to look at whenever you’re in your living room. Beyond that, here are some ideas that have stood the test of display cabinet time:

  • Books : Book lovers know that first edition and signed copies are valuable and are proud to show theirs off. You should use a bookcase if you have an extensive collection to display. It will look more put together than placing many books on an open display and prevent volumes from falling off the edge.
  • Small pieces of art : Many people collect items that are similar to each other. For example, small sculptures of a particular animal or memorabilia from a particular sports team. If your collection is expansive, choose a few of your favorite pieces. You can always rotate items out when you need a change of pace.
  • Potted plants : Take advantage of a green thumb by making gorgeous greenery a part of your display. Orchids, African Violets, tropicals, and succulents are visually interesting plants. Plants should be kept on an open display or on top of a storage cabinet to ensure they receive plenty of fresh air and light. A fun idea is to use a tiered display and place larger plants on the bottom shelf and progressively smaller plants on the upper tiers. You can also use houseplants to accent displays of other things.

Arranging Your Storage & Display Cabinets

You should never forget that when displaying items, less is more. There’s a very fine line between attractive clusters of objects and clutter. The “Rule of Three” is a fundamental design principle used in nearly every interior and graphic design form. Groupings of three items are more visually interesting and likely to have an impact than two or four. Despite being called the “Rule of Three,” you can group more objects as long as the total is an odd number.

Place items of varying size and height together. This keeps the look interesting and allows you to display both small and large objects. Mixing vertical and horizontal pieces also prevents a monotonous aesthetic. If you’re showcasing books, place a few in a small stack and stand individual volumes around it.

Clustering things that are similar in nature or color on a tray or plate gives you the opportunity to display several items without being left with a dull aesthetic. The items should vary in size and be placed near the center of the tray to keep a sleek look. If items are not in clusters, remember that it is important to keep some space between your knickknacks or memorabilia. Leaving space allows you to appreciate the beauty of the display cabinet itself and gives individual items the attention and appreciation they deserve.

Storage & Display Cases near Newburgh, NY

Shop our selection of Ethan Allen storage and display furniture in-store seven days a week. Our collection of home accessories offer exciting items to incorporate into your living room displays. We also invite you to explore custom Hunter Douglas window treatments, and furnishings for other rooms in your home. Contact us today to request your interior design consultation.

We proudly serve Newburgh, Fishkill, Warrick, Middletown, New Paltz, Wappinger Falls, Rhinebeck, Monroe, Tuxedo, Warwick, Washingtonville, Poughkeepsie, Orange County, Dutchess County, and Ulster County, NY.

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