How to Decorate Niches and Small Spaces in Your Home

Home Decor

Every home has small spaces that homeowners often don't know how to decorate. These spaces could be a niche, recessed wall, built-in wall shelf or bookcase, cabinet top, alcove, or nook. It could be a recessed wall beside the fireplace; or a niche in the foyer to display home decor. Or, it could be a nook that can be decorated in any number of ways.

The small spaces in your home can be used functionally and decoratively at the same time. For example, you can use an alcove to provide a sleeping space for guests while decorating the space with a specific theme. Small spaces can be adorned with wall decor, vases, knick-knacks, furniture, flower arrangements, collectibles, and other home decor. The possibilities are endless! Here's how to decorate niches and other small spaces in your home.

Things You'll Need

• Vases
• Plant pots
• Collectibles
• Books
• Decorative bookends
• Pictures
• Paintings
• Centerpieces
• Baskets
• Decorative soaps
• See-through display boxes
• Individual basket-weave drawers for storage
• Dried or artificial flower arrangements including greenery such as ivy
• Furniture such as chairs, tables, pianos, beds, and loveseats

Instructions

1. Decorating a niche. A niche is a small recess in the wall used to display home decor. It can either be rectangular or arched; deep or shallow; and can be in virtually any room of the house. Most niches are lit with recessed lighting to accent the wall decor. These small spaces are perfect for displaying your collectibles such as cultural artifacts, doll collections, or vases. Or, if you're a creative artist or hobby enthusiast into pottery, flower arranging, or decorative woodworking, use this space to show off your handiwork.

2. How to decorate a recessed wall. If you have a bare recessed wall in your kitchen, this is a great place to install a built-in desk with tall hutch. You can use the desk for reviewing recipes and surfing the net. Some modern homes have built-in desks in various locations of the house; for example, an interior hallway or off the game room. Decorate with vases, pictures, and dried flower arrangements; just make sure your home decor matches that of the room.

   You can place a vanity or build one yourself in a bathroom or bedroom recessed area. Make the vanity a different color, and don't forget to install the mirror. You can also install smaller mirrors on either side of the recessed area. Place at least one dried flower arrangement on the vanity. Other ideas for a recessed wall include a bookshelf, entertainment center, piano, arm chair, china cabinet, or artistic wall decor.

3. Decorations for a built-in wall shelf or bookcase. Some homes feature a built-in wall shelf, for example, at the top right of the staircase or above the front entry. While it's tempting to use this space for storage (e.g., board games, sports equipment) and for a shelf full of larger collectibles, keep it simple. A large decorative vase or plant pot, with or without artificial flowers, works well in these spaces. Decorate a built-in bookcase with a staggered combination of decorative bookends, small vases, collectibles, and books.

4. How to decorate a cabinet top. In the kitchen, the cabinet top is a great place to add home decor. Try decorating with artificial flower arrangements and ivy, which can be hung down cabinet sides. Or, place decorative tins on top of the cabinet according to the season (e.g., Autumn, Winter, or flowery Spring tins).

   In the bathroom, decorate the cabinet top with a dried or artificial flower arrangement. You can also buy a couple of basket-weave individual drawers and place on cabinet top for extra storage (try Ikea, Container Store, or Crate and Barrel for these). Or, place decorative soaps in a display case (e.g., purple see-through plastic box with handle).

5. Decorating an alcove or nook. An alcove (a.k.a. nook) is an area off the main room that is larger than a recessed wall, but smaller than a room. If the nook is big enough, you can place a bed inside the space and use it for a makeshift guest bedroom. Or, you can roll a piano into the space and create a decorative music theme around it.

   The most popular use of this small space is the breakfast nook, a small room just off the kitchen. You can place a small, round wood table and four chairs in the space. Create a fruit and floral theme in the breakfast nook, including a fruit-themed centerpiece and floral wall decor.

Tips & Warnings

• Be creative in your home decor for small spaces. Think outside the box and find new uses for your old decorations.

• Take this time to reinvent your overall home decor scheme. For example, buy new decor and change the theme of the small space into something new and exciting.

• A couch bed, day bed, or even a Murphy bed works well in a larger nook.

• Use wall-mounted spotlights to highlight wall decor.

• Don't clash home decor styles. For example, don't place an ultra-modern table and chair set in a breakfast nook decorated with a Victorian or antique theme. Rather, buy the furniture from an antique shop.

• Don't clutter small spaces with too many decorations. Keep it simple.

Resources

• This Old House: Small, Smart Upgrades for a Small Space
• About.com: How To Find a Focal Point in a Room