If you want a living room to look quietly luxurious, spend as much thought on storage as on the sofa. USM Haller is ideal for modular metal storage that can evolve over time; Rimadesio for highly architectural glass-and-aluminium systems; Poliform and Molteni&C for coordinated Italian wall systems and cabinetry; and Porro for sophisticated modular shelving and storage with a lighter, design-forward character.

USM Haller: modular storage that can change with the room

USM Haller is unusually useful because it behaves more like a kit of architectural building blocks than conventional cabinetry. The system can become a low media console, sideboard, display case, shelving wall or room divider, and modules can be expanded or reconfigured later. USM itself positions Haller as an adaptable living-room system for shelving, media, sideboards and storage.

Choose USM when you like precision, exposed structure and strong color options. In a neutral luxury room, a black, white or warm-grey configuration feels architectural. In a more playful space, one saturated color can become the focal point.

Rimadesio: glass, aluminium and architectural transparency

Rimadesio is the brand to study when you want storage to feel almost like part of the building envelope. Its language of glass, slim metal profiles, sliding systems and refined cabinetry works especially well in modern apartments where visual lightness matters.

Use Rimadesio for display cabinets, transitions between living and dining areas, or situations where a solid wall of timber cabinetry would feel too heavy. The brand’s greatest strength is making storage appear precise rather than bulky.

Poliform: when the living wall must coordinate with everything else

Poliform makes sense in open-plan homes because its storage and living systems relate closely to its sofas, dining furniture, wardrobes and kitchens. A television wall can include open display, closed storage and architectural panels without reading as a separate piece of furniture.

This is useful when the kitchen is visible from the living room: repeated material tones can connect the spaces without making them identical.

Molteni&C: warm, refined and library-friendly

Molteni&C works particularly well for people who own books, art objects and collections that should remain visible. Its storage systems can feel warmer and more residential than purely minimal glass-and-metal solutions. Timber, lacquer and metal details sit naturally with upholstered furniture and art.

Porro: modular design with visual lightness

Porro is worth comparing when you want a sophisticated modular system but prefer a less monolithic appearance. Open shelves, closed compartments and carefully proportioned grids can create a library or display wall without making the room feel like built-in office storage.

What should be open and what should be closed?

The quiet-luxury rule: leave empty space

Do not fill every shelf. Empty zones make the objects you keep feel more intentional and reduce the sense of a catalogue display. Group books in several orientations, vary object height and leave enough negative space that the shelving can be read as architecture.

A good ratio is not a mathematical formula, but if every square is occupied, remove something. The same applies to coffee tables and consoles: one beautiful bowl or sculpture often has more impact than seven small accessories.

Storage and styling FAQ

Is built-in storage better than freestanding?

Built-in storage can make awkward walls disappear and maximize capacity. Freestanding systems such as USM Haller are easier to reconfigure or take with you when you move.

Should the TV be hidden?

Only if the hiding mechanism is convenient. A beautifully integrated visible screen is better than doors you find annoying to open every day.

How do I display collectibles without making the room busy?

Group by material, scale or color and give valuable objects breathing room. Glass-fronted cabinets are useful for ceramics and delicate pieces.

What makes storage look expensive?

Precise alignment, good hardware, consistent gaps, proper lighting and a considered ratio of open to closed space matter more than simply using a costly material.

The Luxe Journal living-room formula

Start with one excellent sofa, add a chair with a different silhouette, layer three types of light, treat the audio system as part of the architecture, and let serious storage remove everything that does not deserve to be seen. The brands matter—but the discipline of the composition matters more.