Lifestyle

WE THINK OF THE ‘BIG PICTURE’, THE OVERALL EFFECT, THE ‘WOW’ FACTOR. IN AMONGST ALL THESE GRAND DESIGNS THE DETAILS CAN OFTEN BE OVERLOOKED, AND CORNER SPACES THAT CHALLENGE OUR PLANS FOR A STREAMLINED, FENG SHUI ‘FLOW’ CAN BE GLOSSED OVER. HERE ARE FIVE INNOVATIVE WAYS TO MAKE USE OF THAT CORNER WITHOUT IMPACTING ON YOUR OVERALL DÉCOR.

A reader retreat

A corner sofa with plenty of plump cushions, a small side table and a stack of cleverly-designed shelves above with a reading light on the underside of the bottom shelf, and you’ve instantly turned a dull, boring corner into a gloriously snug bookworm’s retreat. If you just love curling up with the latest bestseller (or if you’re a tech lover, an e-reader) then why not designate a quiet corner as your own personal library away from the distractions of the TV?

A green oasis

Indoor plants can make a room feel more alive, more vibrant and can also improve your sense of wellbeing. As long as it’s not too dark, a corner can make a great place to create a small green oasis, even in a contemporary or minimalist design. Strong architectural plants or something a little more unusual such as a large cactus or a single elegant orchid can transform an internal space.

A miniature art gallery

You don’t need a huge expanse of blank wall to display art. A corner can act as a show-stopping point to position a really striking piece of art – art that stops the passer by in their tracks. Corners are also ideal for three-dimensional art such as porcelain or small sculptures (and they also act as a safe haven for fragile pieces, offering solid protection on two sides!). Lighting is key if you want to present fine art in a corner space, so be aware of how shadows are thrown from different angles so that you achieve the best result with the minimum amount of intrusive lighting, to ensure the focus stays on the artwork.

A quirky conversation piece

A 1960s juke box, a Victorian letter box.. Quirky conversation pieces gravitate to corners. They’re unexpected, they’re cheeky, they’re fun, and they show your personality, your individuality and your lighter side.

They’re usually large, imposing pieces that, if you positioned them in the centre of a living space, would dominate the room. While this may be the effect you’re after, a corner space actually makes more practical sense, especially if your conversation piece is something that would end up breaking toes or tripping up guests if placed in the heart of your room!

Give it its own space – create the corner around the conversation piece, again using clever lighting and decorative wall art that draws attention to the main feature.

A practical storage area

Corners don’t need to be ‘wasted space’. A tallboy is a perfect corner piece, as are clean, no-fuss, minimalist shelves. If you want to use it as a coat storage area, then don’t go for boring, straight lines of hooks – space them randomly so that even when the coats have gone, the patterns and shapes created by the hooks add interest to an otherwise blank wall.

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