Every house has an awkward corner or two. You know, one of those places where nothing feels quite right and everything you try just seems to not work.
Maybe your awkward corner is in your bedroom, maybe it’s in your living room – but chances are you’re thinking of a corner right now that bothers you on the daily! It’s hard to decorate corners sometimes, especially if you’re working with a larger space where all of the essentials are already taken care of.
So, if you’re wondering how to decorate an empty corner in your home, I’m here to help, my friend.
Today, I’m rounding up all of my best tips and tricks for how to decorate an empty corner. By the time you’re done reading this post, you’re going to have a hard time narrowing down what you want to do, promise!
Ready to be inspired?
How to Decorate Corners: 10 Tips for awkward, empty corners
1. Use a (well-styled) chair. If your space has any room or need for extra seating, a chair is a great way to fill up an empty corner! You can go with a big, cozy armchair if you want a spot to lounge (that’s what I did!), but if you want to keep it smaller you can stick to a smaller wooden chair. Bonus points if you can find something vintage – it’ll add a ton of personality to your space! Pair the chair with a floor lamp, a cozy throw blanket, and a basket for a few books and you’ve created a perfect little reading corner for yourself!
2. Bring in some extra storage. A vintage trunk, a tall dresser, or even a narrow linen cabinet can look gorgeous in any space and has the added benefit of giving you some extra room for all of your stuff, too.
3. Add a mirror. A statement-making mirror can make a huge difference in any room. It bounces around light to make the room feel both brighter and larger, and they’re a functional and beautiful addition. You can get something small and dainty or go big with a floor-to-ceiling mirror, but either way it’s a great option for an empty corner!
via Within the Grove
4. A gallery wall. Why not tackle a unique approach to hanging art and create a gallery wall that spans across the corner? Get creative with it and create an organic, flowy look that you can add to as you want!
5. Add a plant. Or three. Or seven! I’m a huge fan of decorating with plants, and a large, gorgeous plant is the perfect way to decorate an empty corner. Go with something real if you have some natural light, but there are some beautiful faux options out there, too! The bottom line? You can never go wrong with a plant. It’s always a good idea.
6. Rearrange the room! If you aren’t ready to purchase anything or don’t want to tackle a project, you could always try re-arranging the room! It’s free, it’s fun, and it’ll give your space a whole new look – and possibly fix your empty corner issue!
7. Add some floating shelves. The awkward corner in our living room was totally and completely transformed by some simple DIY floating shelves and I can’t even picture the room without them anymore. Before, it was just a weird and empty corner in our living room that didn’t fit anything else. Now? It feels like an intentional part of the room that adds so much.
8. Or, some cute bookcases. IKEA’s BILLY bookcases are a great way to fill an empty corner in your home. They add a ton of storage, they don’t take up much space, and they look incredible. If you don’t want to go with full bookcases, you can also try some wall shelves that span the corner – and then you get to keep the floor space, too!
9. Carve out a space for someone special. Tuck a mini play kitchen into the corner, decorate a cute spot for your dog, or build a cute tower for your cats to play on. Try having some fun solving a problem for your family and creating a space that someone (animal or human!) can thoroughly enjoy…and make it as cute as you can!
10: Carve out an office. With just a small corner, you can create an entire mini office space! Try building in a simple plywood desk that’s painted the same color as the walls to help it blend in. Add a computer, maybe a bulletin board, and a cute lamp and you’ve got yourself an adorable office that doesn’t take up too much real estate.
I hope you’re feeling a little more inspired and ready to tackle that empty corner in your home! Go forth and decorate that corner, and be sure to come back and let me know which approach you try.
Ideas for your empty corner
If you’re ready to solve your awkward corner problem right now, here are a few of my favorite options:
Julie Allen says
May I add my two cents? Don’t rule out the chair idea- give the chair a fun make-over and put either a floor lamp or small table with a lamp next to it. Add some art (like a gallery wall above the chair) No shelves in that case bc it would have to be too high above the chair for head clearance to look good. I love the idea of having a chair in my bedroom even if we don’t use it all the time.
Another option here- don’t you need the mirror in your room? I mean, is it not super functional? I would move the chair and place the mirror at an angle. It’s tall and would fill that space well. Then put shelves or a gallery wall on the bare wall where the mirror was. It will keep the space and feel of your room open. If you do the chair option and need the mirror there, I would do just the mirror option bc they are competing for space. The mirror is big enough to be considered “furniture”. So, a tall plant would look nice next to the mirror. I’m all about adding greenery to a room.
Amanda says
Those are all great tips, Julie. Thanks! I think we’re leaning towards chairs + keeping the mirror, but we’ll see!
Norzoom says
I like the mirror on one side and the shelves on the other side. The mirror will also reflect the items on the display shelf making the corner look spacious and large. Thanks
Melissa says
I have an awkward corner that I filled with a cute bookshelf. It was the perfect size and had some height. Just above the shelf I hung a paining that I made. I get tired of things easily so I sometimes swap the painting for a cute mirror or framed print.
Amanda says
That’s great! I love any decorating option that can be swapped out easily! 🙂