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The neglected alcoves

By Z. K
Tue, 09, 18

It’s time to stop ignoring your corners and give them a little more attention. All it takes is a little creativity to turn an unused spot into a pleasing nook. You! takes a look...

furnishings

It’s time to stop ignoring your corners and give them a little more attention. All it takes is a little creativity to turn an unused spot into a pleasing nook. You! takes a look...

Corners...your home has them, many of them, from the family room to the kitchen. Every house has awkward spaces that defy decorating. Perhaps it’s an alcove under the stairs, a charming nook that appears to have no real purpose, or a too-small entryway. It’s easy to accept corners for what they are, the in-between spaces where walls and wood floors end, leaving you with a space you might not really know how to handle.

One of the biggest challenges that you have to overcome when you’re decorating a space is finding a way to integrate the corner into the whole design. More often than not, empty corners in a room can be the trickiest part of your home to decorate. You stare at the empty corners of your home and feel that something is missing. The corners often remain empty and it’s just a big waste of space. A corner can be the most ignored place in the house. But it can be converted into the most creative place of your house.

A lot can be done to give the silent niches of your home a creative makeover. It’s the little character touches that create a worthwhile room, and adding unique furniture pieces, plants, art, or interesting shelving can make all the difference when creating an intimate and eye-catching corner in your living room. There are lots of ways in which they can be efficiently decorated. Your corners give you the flexibility to be creative and have a little fun with your home decor. Here are a few ideas.

Small shelves: A series of small shelves placed in the corner of a room can be a nice display area as well as a very practical element. Add a few floating shelves to a tricky corner and display some of your favourite bits and pieces such as decorative letters, pictures and ornately framed mirrors. Add a lamp for soft illumination.

Ladder shelves: They are specially designed for corners to soften the edges and fill the space with accessories. It’s a great way to decorate a small corner. It adds height and texture but doesn’t have a lot of visual weight and so fills the space without overpowering it.

Corner cabinet: A great way of using all the space creatively and practically is to have a corner cabinet which you can use for storage as well as for displaying items.

Creative writing corner: Put a nice writing table-chair set and transform your boring corner place into useful zone. Place the table diagonally. You can also beautify it with a floor lamp or a pendant lamp. Add few lush green plants and antique pottery. You can also add a wall book shelve and showcase your favourite books. This entire set up will give the corner an antique and artistic look.

Put a chair in the corner: A chair is an especially good choice for the corner of a master or guest bedroom, as it’s nice to have a cosy spot to sit down to take off your shoes, or even read a book. Place a chair in the corner and you have a reading nook. You can also pair it with a floor lamp and a side table, or use natural lighting if there’s a window. Also, Accent chairs, with their small, compact existence, and unlimited colours and designs, seem to go hand in hand with corners.

Hanging chair: You can also use your corners as an opportunity to mix in fun furniture that you don’t see everywhere, like this hanging rattan chair. A hanging chair is another great option because it allows for a bit of fun and whimsy, but keeps the floor space open which helps to give a more open feeling to the corner in general.

Use unique shapes: This rounded chaise might be tricky in a standard room, but it works perfectly in this odd corner near the staircase. When choosing furniture to fit an angled corner, like this one, don’t be afraid to pick pieces with a unique shape or scale.

Plants: One of your best, go-to choices for an odd corner is always a big, leafy plant. A tall houseplant is an easy way to fill the void while adding a great organic shape to a room. Create a cosy lounging nook with a chair and an oversized plant nearby. This creates an ambiance that is more earthy and inviting than before.

An oversized lamp: Another reliable choice for corner decorating is to add a simple floor lamp and the lamp would stand out more if it were oversized. A floor lamp’s height can provide vertical interest and an attractive lamp-shade that plays to draperies or floor coverings completes the look.

Wall art: Whenever you have a space that remains empty in your house and you cannot think of anything, try wall art. Turn your living room wall or corner into a mini gallery with large and small art pieces. Choose artwork of varying sizes, shapes and textures for bigger impact. This is also a great trick to use in a smaller space, to make it feel a bit larger.

Small vignette: A small grouping of objects (known as a vignette) is another great way to add character to an otherwise, unused space. A vignette is a great way to show off objects you love and helps to pull the entire space together.