Room-by-Room Guide: Clever Ways to Maximise Underused Corners
Upgrade forgettable corners into fabulous nooks with these practical tips for every room
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar
2 December 2018
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist. www.mangomonk.com
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist.... More
Big or small, it’s likely that your home abounds in corners. What’s even likelier is that many of them go unnoticed. Corners can be priceless for styling, storing or snoozing – just about anything, really. With careful thought and a little inspiration, you can turn yours into spaces that are little labours of love. Here are some ideas you can corner.
Living room
Shelving unit
A tall, sleek shelving unit can maximise an unused corner and give you extra space to display your books, trinkets and tchotchkes.
Tip: Add an arco lamp for extra lighting – its slender build is perfect for bijou corners.
Shelving unit
A tall, sleek shelving unit can maximise an unused corner and give you extra space to display your books, trinkets and tchotchkes.
Tip: Add an arco lamp for extra lighting – its slender build is perfect for bijou corners.
Me-time nook
Turn an abandoned corner into a quiet slice of paradise with a comfy statement chair. Accessorise your space with picture frames, distinctive lighting, original artwork, floor accents and floating bookshelves – because what’s a quiet corner without a few books?
Turn an abandoned corner into a quiet slice of paradise with a comfy statement chair. Accessorise your space with picture frames, distinctive lighting, original artwork, floor accents and floating bookshelves – because what’s a quiet corner without a few books?
Tip: Add a plant to spruce up a shapeless corner. To avoid blocking sunlight, opt for a lush palm that will allow light to filter in.
Dining area
Corner display unit
Tall corner dressers can flatter a forgotten corner and make room for extra storage. If there isn’t room for a matched pair like this, even one will embellish your room while it shows off your pretty tableware, keeping it safe yet within easy reach.
Corner display unit
Tall corner dressers can flatter a forgotten corner and make room for extra storage. If there isn’t room for a matched pair like this, even one will embellish your room while it shows off your pretty tableware, keeping it safe yet within easy reach.
Dining corner
Turn an awkward living room corner into a cosy dining nook. With a modular sofa, you can even drag extra seating over to the living area when you have more guests than you bargained for.
Turn an awkward living room corner into a cosy dining nook. With a modular sofa, you can even drag extra seating over to the living area when you have more guests than you bargained for.
Floating buffet cabinet
Minimal, sleek and chock-full of storage – this floating cabinet fills a dead corner stylishly and offers space for a buffet when you’re entertaining. It’s small enough to fit into a compact apartment, an important consideration in many modern urban homes.
Minimal, sleek and chock-full of storage – this floating cabinet fills a dead corner stylishly and offers space for a buffet when you’re entertaining. It’s small enough to fit into a compact apartment, an important consideration in many modern urban homes.
Under the stairs
Puja alcove
The space under your stairs can play the perfect host to a bespoke puja room. If you choose not to close off your worship space with a door or screen, make sure you keep it consistent with the decor sensibilities of your larger area.
Puja alcove
The space under your stairs can play the perfect host to a bespoke puja room. If you choose not to close off your worship space with a door or screen, make sure you keep it consistent with the decor sensibilities of your larger area.
Play zone
Designate the area under your stairs as a play zone. This will help lend order to your home by restricting the spread of your child’s toys. Plus, it will teach your child to put things back in their place. Two birds, one stone – what’s not to like?
Designate the area under your stairs as a play zone. This will help lend order to your home by restricting the spread of your child’s toys. Plus, it will teach your child to put things back in their place. Two birds, one stone – what’s not to like?
Master bedroom
Corner cabinet
Consider a tall, triangular corner cabinet for your linens, towels and other bed and bath essentials. By opting for glass doors, you can invite light inside your cabinet and keep it visually ‘open’. You can also turn your cabinet into a striking focal point by interspersing your sheets with eye-catching curios.
Corner cabinet
Consider a tall, triangular corner cabinet for your linens, towels and other bed and bath essentials. By opting for glass doors, you can invite light inside your cabinet and keep it visually ‘open’. You can also turn your cabinet into a striking focal point by interspersing your sheets with eye-catching curios.
Study
A compact workstation can be the perfect addition to an obscure corner. To avoid intruding on the restful and relaxing air of the master bedroom, keep your workstation sleek and pared-back, like the floating one shown here.
A compact workstation can be the perfect addition to an obscure corner. To avoid intruding on the restful and relaxing air of the master bedroom, keep your workstation sleek and pared-back, like the floating one shown here.
Open closet
There’s nothing like a little extra closet space. Add an overhead or wall-to-wall rail to an ignored corner (the latter, if your corner is flanked by a nearby wall) to give yourself an open closet. Dress your rails with your best outfits, to give your wall a high-end boutique-esque feel.
There’s nothing like a little extra closet space. Add an overhead or wall-to-wall rail to an ignored corner (the latter, if your corner is flanked by a nearby wall) to give yourself an open closet. Dress your rails with your best outfits, to give your wall a high-end boutique-esque feel.
Kids’ room
Fun corner
It’s a good idea to create zones in a kid’s bedroom – for study, for fun and for slumber. A fun zone can sit well in an otherwise little-visited corner. Add whimsical overhead lights, throw pillows and soft floor or bench seating, and you’re sorted.
Fun corner
It’s a good idea to create zones in a kid’s bedroom – for study, for fun and for slumber. A fun zone can sit well in an otherwise little-visited corner. Add whimsical overhead lights, throw pillows and soft floor or bench seating, and you’re sorted.
Balcony
Quarter shelf
Save for the occasional view, balcony corners often go wasted. Add a quarter shelf to yours to create a casual table or coffee nook, or add succulents to conjure your own little pocket garden.
Quarter shelf
Save for the occasional view, balcony corners often go wasted. Add a quarter shelf to yours to create a casual table or coffee nook, or add succulents to conjure your own little pocket garden.
Kitchen
Custom cabinetry
Corner cabinets and drawers are infamous for sucking their contents into oblivion. Swap your regular units for functional corner-optimising designs. Consider L-shaped drawers like these…
Custom cabinetry
Corner cabinets and drawers are infamous for sucking their contents into oblivion. Swap your regular units for functional corner-optimising designs. Consider L-shaped drawers like these…
…or go for a magic corner that reels out two separate stacks of storage when opened.
Countertop storage
Since the corners of your kitchen counter are harder to reach, they often become redundant spaces. Equip them with dedicated storage shelves to store kitchen appliances and other items that you don’t use on the daily.
Since the corners of your kitchen counter are harder to reach, they often become redundant spaces. Equip them with dedicated storage shelves to store kitchen appliances and other items that you don’t use on the daily.
Maximise the height of your wall with a triangular countertop cabinet.
Discover other clever kitchen storage ideas that make the most of every square inch
Read more:
11 Clever Ways to Decorate Empty Corners
10 Creative Ways to Use Kitchen Corners
13 Creative Ideas for Living Room Corners
Tell us:
Do you have any corner upgrade ideas that we’ve missed? Tell us in Comments below.
Discover other clever kitchen storage ideas that make the most of every square inch
Read more:
11 Clever Ways to Decorate Empty Corners
10 Creative Ways to Use Kitchen Corners
13 Creative Ideas for Living Room Corners
Tell us:
Do you have any corner upgrade ideas that we’ve missed? Tell us in Comments below.
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