How HGTV's Hilary Farr Seamlessly Blends Vinyl Record Storage Into Home Decor

Whether you're into hard rock or show tunes, classical or old-school country, vinyl records can be a great way to enjoy old and new music. While they once were a definite nod to nostalgia and music media of the mid-20th century, today's culture and music industry have reignited a fervor for vinyl records among new artists and fans. This means finding stylish and functional ways to store them with an eye toward display.  In a recent remodel, HGTV's Hilary Farr is up to the task of finding a great storage solution for a huge collection of vinyl owned by a pair of homeowners in a newly combined household. By creating a framed wall display and a low bank of deep shelves perfect for albums, she helps turn the family's den space into a musical oasis. 

In the "Tough Love" episode "Bachelor Pad, Be Gone!", Farr rehauls the husband's existing home, making it a much more open-concept and functional space for their combined family. She moves his large collection of vinyl — which once dominated the living room on high shelves along one wall — to the den, where it fits perfectly in a set of low shelves that create a sleek console for a turntable and decor while also accommodating a window above. It also leaves space for several framed albums whose artwork is shown off perfectly in clear acrylic frames. With ample comfy seating and more framed albums, it becomes a stylish and inviting music room.

The shelves themselves are deep and wide, providing a perfect home for hundreds of albums stored upright. They make it easy to keep the music collection well-organized, upright, and easily accessible. The sleek black minimalist storage allows the spines of the albums, and the ones in frames above, to become works of art in and of themselves. The unit and the wall above become the sole focal point for the room, around which the seating and decor are strategically organized.

The displayed albums, placed in floating clear acrylic frames that are positioned an inch or so from the wall, allow the albums inside to be fully visible in all their glory, showing the cover, and inside material. Their visual impact is a great way to bring interest, imagery, and color to the space while still keeping its emphasis on music. They also maintain a cohesive focus on how the room will be enjoyed by the homeowners. The entire room is a perfect listening room that caters to all senses — sight, sound, and physical comfort.

While creating listening rooms is a rising design trend for vinyl collectors and music lovers, not everyone has an entire room to dedicate to that purpose. However, this variety of storage and display may be perfect even in smaller or multi-use spaces. Even modest collections of albums can benefit from this low-slung and perfectly appointed storage deep enough for albums. You can have custom shelves created or go with similar, budget-friendly options from Amazon or IKEA. 

Add a few albums in acrylic frames designed specifically for housing vinyl, which are available from Wayfair and Amazon,  for an extra bit of visual interest in the music-focused space, which can be as small as a nook or corner of the room. Multi-use rooms like spare bedrooms, home offices, and dining rooms can also be great spaces for a low bank of shelves, displayed albums, and a spot for a turntable. It can also work in other small spaces like beneath a stairwell or in a wider hallway or landing. 

Keep in mind that not all rooms or spaces are optimal for vinyl storage. You may want to avoid external walls if you live in a damp environment with drastic temperature variations, particularly in spots like basements and renovated garages.  Too much exposure to sunlight or the elements may damage or warp albums, thus affecting their sound.