Decorating is a hugely fulfilling part of homeownership, but no less stressful for it. It can be difficult to strike the right balance between aesthetic and practicality – and especially so where your rooms display non-standard features. What follow are some fun examples of ways in which you could address the less wieldy corners of your home, and renovate them for the betterment of the whole house.

Home Office

With remote working effectively becoming a new norm in the UK, it is highly likely that at least one member of your household will benefit from having access to a purpose-built working space in the home. For many, space is too much of a premium to devote an entire room to an office – but for those of you with awkward alcoves and odd corners, this could be a golden opportunity to make the most of them.

Your office space could be as simple as a wall-mounted folding desk, a filing cabinet on wheels and a curtain-rail partition. Alternatively, you could build a bespoke storage unit that fits in the space, with room to tuck a small desk chair under and space for all your documents.

Walk-In Wardrobe

The walk-in wardrobe is often seen as one of the trappings of luxury living. Realistically, though, anyone with a spare few square feet can enjoy their own luxurious dressing space, and free up some room from elsewhere in the process.

For example, if you are refurbishing your attic space into a bedroom, you might discover that the pitched end of the space is difficult to design around. The pitched side could become rack and shelf space, with a partition wall built parallel to create a wardrobe ‘corridor’. 

Under-Stair Storage

Unless you live in a bungalow, you absolutely have space under your stairs that could be doing much more for you. Storage is always at a premium, and organising that under-stair space into something more purpose-built can have a real impact on your available living space.

Your under-stairs region could become a wardrobe space for hanging coats and winterwear, or even for storing shoes and boots. Alternatively, it could be appropriately shelved in order to cater for board games and esoterica on top, and appliances like your vacuum cleaner beneath.

Home Library

Lastly, odd alcoves in spare rooms can be difficult to plan for, and it can often feel like any furniture you place in it draws attention to the ‘weirdness’ of the space rather than fills it. With the right approach, though, these spaces can become purposeful. For example, a larger alcove with more than one bare wall could become a wrap-around library space, replete with chic step-ladder to reach the higher shelves.