JOIN USCorners can be tricky to decorate. They are also that part of the room that gets the least attention. But now, decorating corners is slowly catching up. Here are some tips on sprucing them up, writes Ankita Sengupta
While some corners blend in effectively with the decor of the room, others can stick out like a sore thumb. Too little can fail to draw attention while too much can make the corner look like a dump yard. While some would simply let a boring corner be at peace, most struggle to make it look pretty with a lamp or a corner table. However, only beautifying corners have become a passé. Now a corner has to not only look pretty but be functional as well.
Here is how a corner can be given a makeover: Usually, since the corner gets the least possible attention, different lights can be used to enliven the area. Unlike central lighting, lights in the corner can bring in a refreshing change in the mood of the entire room. Though playing around with lamp fixtures or lamp stands is not a new thing, what can add more interest to the look is if more variety is added to the height of the lamp stand or its shape. Both lamp stands and hanging lights, also known as pendulum lights, are available in a variety of innovative designs and colours. Also available now are lights modelled on wind chimes.
They have five or seven cocooned lamps hanging off wires of different lengths, resembling the design of a wind chime hanging off the ceiling. These lights are available in various sizes with some often kissing the floor. However, these decorative lights need a big and uncluttered corner. For decorating the corner of a small room, a single decorative pendulum may be used.While a single pendulum may seem shabby compared to the wind chime design, it will not be fair to underestimate the decorative potential of a lone pendulum. Made with a wide range of products with innovative designs and different colours, these pendulums can never fail to attract attention.
They are ideal to brighten up a corner and to create interesting light moods in the room. Most of the light bulbs or tubes used in these designs do not consume too much electricity and can thus help illuminate a room while saving energy. Not only do mirrors help in dressing up a corner, it also creates the illusion of depth so that the room looks larger than it really is, while also looking brighter. If used in a corner, mirrors emphasise the colours and the decor of almost the whole room.
Depending upon the décor of the room and the effect desired, one can use either a full length mirror, an oversized one or a smaller one with an ornate border. If positioned correctly, mirrors are also believed to attract good luck. Their quality to visually multiply things is considered auspicious.
For example, if a mirror is placed in a way that it reflects the dining table, it is supposed to attract luck which will ensure that one never runs out of food. However, one has to be cautious with the use of mirrors especially if there are children running around the house. Also, using a lot of mirrors can ruin the look of a room and make it look tacky.
Arranging furniture in a corner can not only save a lot of floor space, it also brings in a refreshing change in the monotony of arranging the furniture in the centre of the room. Several furniture producing companies have realised the importance of utilising corners and have thus come out with sofas that are L-shaped so that they can easily fit into a corner. Most of these sofas also come with a small coffee table which blends in effortlessly with the shape and design of the sofa. Apart from the usual corner tables, there are a lot of smart corner furniture available that will not only attract attention to the corners but also help utilise them effectively, leaving a lot of space in the centre. From corner shelves, closets to corner desks, these V-shaped furniture can fit snugly into corners and are incredibly functional.
A wall hanging would generally bring to the mind a tapestry or painting. But interesting geometrical patterns can be created by arranging photographs or even paintings of different sizes in the corner. Apart from wall hangings, wall decals too have been gaining popularity of late. But while most wall decals concentrate on the whole wall, an interesting twist would be creating corner decals. It would require using two adjoining walls but the result is sure to draw a lot of attention to the corner. A room with minimal furnishing details and an elaborate corner decal can make the room look larger and bring all the attention to the corner. However, if the room already has a lot of eye-catching furniture, it’s better to stick to a simple decal that does not draw attention away from the furniture.
Plants
Decorating corners does not have to be limited to lights and furniture. A leafy green corner can also be a great eye catcher. There are a variety of plants that can thrive on limited sunlight and are thus ideal for keeping indoors. According to Reena Chengappa, an expert, plants like Wandering jew, Zamia, Pothos, commonly known as the money plant, Syngonium and Chlorophytum are some of the plants that are best suited as indoor decoration pieces. Some of these plants are so low on maintenance that they can be potted creatively in even a bamboo shoot. The bamboo shoots act as the perfect pot for such plants and can at times hold several tiers of them. Along with increasing the greenery inside the house these bamboo pieces can instantly raise the quirk quotient of a corner.
But before rushing off to buy the perfect accessory to spruce up a corner, there are a few do-it-yourself activities that can beautify a corner and convert it into a personal space. Especially in bedrooms, a personal soft board corner can be created. It would be functional too as post-its and other tit-bits of information on paper can be pinned to it; pinning photographs, cards or other pretty things will also beautify the corner. One can also try experimenting with their creative side by trying to paint a decal on a corner wall.
Though a little help from a professional is advised, personally, painting a decal can not only be a fun activity, it can also add a personal touch to the room.
However, in order to concentrate on decorating the corner of a room, attention has to be paid to the details of the rest of the room as well. Be it the living room, the bedroom or even the dining room, the first thing to do is to assess the room. Pick the corner that has to be highlighted, figure out whether the plans for the corner will compliment the furniture and the accessory in the room. In order to make a corner more noticeable, less is always more. One dramatic piece is sure to grab more eyeballs than a lot of decorative items put together. Crowding a corner will not only take the charm out of it, it may also end up looking messy. No matter how tempting it gets, it is advisable to decorate only one corner of a room.