What do our physical appearance and a room’s interior have in common? It is this: you have to mind the ends to preserve the overall look. The ends of walls meet at corners and those corners are responsible for tying together the whole interior.
As Mireille Guiliano smartly explained when referring to how we maintain our physical appearance, the two most important aspects that deserve our focus are our top end and our bottom end: hair and shoes. A polished look at the top and bottom of our outfit will neatly wrap up our appearance and are the two most immediately noticeable areas. We may instinctively put more thought into our blouse or trousers, but the devil is in the details, even seemingly subtle ones such as footwear choice. And while we certainly consider the central area of a wall or room for primary furniture and focal points, we need to remember that corners are just as instrumental. We need to create inviting corners.
How to Create Inviting Corners
The corners of a room are what pull an indoor space together. There are two important points to remember when assembling a corner:
- Add light
- Create height
Add Light to Corners
A dark corner is a big No unless you are specifically going for a dramatic or artistic flair where that is the intention. For general design aesthetics of a living space, dark corners are something to avoid because they drain energy from a space and are uninviting. To use radio terminology, they contain dead air. We don’t want that. If there is a window within a foot of a corner, that natural light is likely sufficient to light up the area during daytime. All other corners should have a lamp to brighten the surrounding space. Even corners at a window should at least have a lamp in the general vicinity for evening light. Not only does this give a cheerier look and allow more pleasant lighting options if you prefer avoiding overhead lighting in evening hours, but it also creates a sort of inviting and cozy nook.
I have a lamp in every corner of every room with the exception of some corners where a window, door or open space is immediately adjacent. I am not a fan of overhead lights except for use in the brightest part of day (so as to better mimic outdoor natural sunlight) or when I am cleaning, so I employ lamps most of the time while I am home. Still, even if you don’t mind using overhead lights instead of lamps, it is helpful to have a lamp in a corner where there is a chair, cushions, or any kind of seating where one might sit and read.
Create Height in Corners
It is important to have something in the corner that adds height in order to emit a sophisticated and commanding presence. This does not imply a piece of furniture that towers at six feet. A height at halfway up the wall is sufficient. Height can also be enhanced with a piece of art on the wall above lower furniture. My preference for filling vertical space is plants. My home is filled with plants, so much that I recently had to rehome some since I ran out of high places for them where my toddler won’t grab the soil and make a nice mess on the carpet.
The predicament about placing plants in corners is that while they look lovely and are a perfect touch to bring life to any corner, many require more light than a corner allows (even when placed under a lamp). As long as there is a window nearby, however, many plants tolerate corners just fine. Keeping a lamp on for many hours of the day does help, too.
While lamps and plants are my favourite way to create inviting corners, not all plants grow tall enough to add sufficient height and most table lamps aren’t very tall. As most of the end tables in corners of my house are short as well, I discovered ways to prop up the lamps and plants to a more elegant height by finding large sturdy objects around the house that aren’t being used. On the end table in the corner of my dining area is a lamp resting on top of a clear glass vase filled with shells. The look is seamless and ties in to our beach house theme. Next to the lamp on its vase is a flourishing airplane plant atop a large glass jug I bought years ago to make kombucha. I haven’t made kombucha in years, so the jug’s new purpose is elevating lamps and displaying giant shells.
In the living room, a handsome dracaena plant sits atop a giant stainless steel pot that I haven’t used in many years. This plant adds enough height on its own but I needed to quickly elevate it away from my son’s curious hands so I used the shiny silver metal pot even though it clashes with my decor. While it isn’t ideal visually, it isn’t awful either and at least serves the function and goes to show the extent of our options for such purposes. Plus, I could easily affix a pretty fabric around it to better match its surroundings.
Use Attractive Lamps as Functional Decor
Even if there is nothing more exciting in your corner than a tissue box and a decorative object or two, keep a lamp there as well for a friendly light and extra flair. Lamps themselves can be statement pieces. I have found many pretty lamps to be quite inexpensive, especially those found at used furniture stores or consignment shops. You just have to look, but it doesn’t take long to find something you like. Target carries a decent lamp collection as well, and don’t forget to check out the children’s decor section. Just because something is in the children’s section doesn’t necessarily mean it looks childish; there are some fun finds there as well!
The Takeaway: It is Well Worth Putting Effort Into Corners
Tend to your corners to draw your rooms together. These are not forgotten spaces that we can overlook; these are pillars of order in our home. They need not be fancy or grand; you need only add light and create height to tie a look together. Include a comfy sitting space, and you just may notice others – whether family or company – gravitating to that spot to relax! Always take that as a compliment and congratulate yourself: you know how to create inviting corners that successfully frame a comfortable space.