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. We need to create inviting corners.
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.
The corners of a room are what pull an indoor space together, both geometrically and energetically. So how do we create inviting corners? These are the two basic points to incorporate: add light and create height. Beyond those essentials, and whenever possible, it’s always extra fun to make your corner a cozy nook with space to comfortably lounge! This is where corners really shine, so long as your home has the space and layout. Turning your corner into a cozy nook adds the perfect element of hygge.
Create Inviting Corners By Adding Light
In a home, a dark corner is a big No unless you’re specifically going for a dramatic or artistic flair where that’s 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’m not a fan of overhead lights except for during the brightest part of day (so as to better mimic outdoor natural sunlight) or when I’m cleaning, so I employ floor or table lamps most of the time while I’m home. Even if you don’t mind using overhead lights as your primary source of lighting, it’s helpful to have a lamp in a corner where there’s a chair, cushions, or any kind of seating where one might sit and read.
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. I’ve found more than one lamp marketed as children’s bedroom decor. Just because something is in the children’s section doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t also an attractive find for a family space!
Create Inviting Corners By By Leveraging Height
It’s 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. Placing larger plants in pots on the floor in a (well-lit) corner is a great way to fill that space, but you can also put a medium-sized plant on a table or plant stand in the corner. Not only do plants look handsome when displayed up high, but it creates height for corners and is a good deterrent for soil-grabbing toddler hands.
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.
Creative Ideas for Adding Height in Corners
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 once placed a handsome dracaena plant atop a giant stainless steel stock pot. The dracaena added enough height on its own but I needed to elevate it away from curious toddler hands so I used the shiny silver metal pot even though it clashed with my decor. While that wasn’t ideal visually, it wasn’t awful either and at least served the function, which goes to show the extent of our options for such purposes. Securing a pretty fabric around the pot is a quick visual upgrade and can better match such props to the surrounding decor.
Create a Cozy Nook
Cozy nooks are the ultimate comfort space. The key is making them open and inviting, not dark and cramped. Having some kind of ambient lighting is key – whether it’s a small table lamp or a relaxed floor lamp by which to read, or whether it’s a salt lamp or string lights to cast a gentle glow by which to meditate. Maybe you have a window at the corner to sit and watch the rain, sip a hot bevvy, and work on a laptop. Or perhaps you have a big comfortable chair where you can snuggle up with a book. Your seating arrangement could be as simple as a small rug, folded quilt, and a few plush pillows to lounge on the floor with learning materials. However you do your cozy nook depends on what activities you and/or your family love!
Children especially take to cozy nooks, and certainly neurodivergent children (and adults) who just need a quiet space to calm down or escape overstimulation. Keeping a small Bluetooth speaker or CD player to play calming music, or a sound machine to play ambient nature sounds, is a great way to create a relaxing auditory atmosphere. Lighting clean burning candles can add an element of aromatherapy, especially if your cozy corner is a healing space to recharge.
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. Turn it into a cozy nook with a comfy seating space, and you just may notice others gravitating to that spot to relax, too! Always take that as a compliment and congratulate yourself: you know how to create inviting corners that successfully frame a comfortable space.