You may have one of these spaces in your home too. It’s the spot in the corner of the room that won’t fit another piece of furniture, it’s too small for a chair.

It’s too big to leave empty.

You need something but you don’t want to over crowd the room with unnecessary clutter, right?

You’re wondering, “what the heck do I do?”

If you’re struggling with a space like this, I’ve got you covered.

Let’s get right into, what to do with awkward empty space in your room:

PRODUCTS FOR EMPTY SPACES:

Add an Etagere

The openness is great because it forces you to not over clutter it with unnecessary stuff.

It isn’t meant to hold 1000 books stacked every which way.

It’s not constructed to bear the weight of tons of décor either.

It’s open for a reason, and that reason is so that you can see around it and through it.

Things like this are wonderful because they give you vertical space, but their physical limitations and openness is meant to encourage curation and restraint with what you place on them.

Create a Built-in

This will be perfect because you can literally customize the construction of it to fit perfectly into the space.

Add closed storage on the bottom and floating shelves for décor on the top.
It turns an otherwise confusing space into a spot for needed storage and display.

The greatest thing about creating a built-in system in a nook space is that you can make it into whatever you want it to be.

Do you love wine?

You could make it into a wine bottle cabinet. It could be a whole set up, wine storage in open racks in the center, a cabinet or two on either side.

A countertop with prep space for all the utensils, openers and paraphernalia.

If you have the space, floating shelves above could be for wine glasses, decanters, and décor.

This space could go from empty and awkward to focused and intentional.

Plants

Real or fake. I especially love a tall plant in awkward corners. I’m not concerned much with real or fake, as long as the fakes look realistic.

The great thing about them is they add height and natural texture to lots of spaces.

I think that fiddle leaf figs are wonderful choices for folks with green thumbs.

They add that height and volume that a lot of empty corners or unused spaces need, but the real ones are very fussy to care for. They are sensitive to light and watering. They definitely take a patient plant parent to really understand what makes them thrive.

If you love the look of a fiddle leaf fig, I would go for an artificial one to save you the trouble of dealing with a difficult to care for plant.

On a related note, I also think that a very organic cut branch in a nice large planter could work great in a awkward nook or blank corner.

These can be super nice for a lot of reasons. They add an wonderful organic shape to spaces, they are easy to decorate with lights or silk leaves. Just like a fake plant, there’s no watering required, bonus!

Add a Statement Lamp

Every room needs light. But adding in a floor lamp that makes a big statement is unpredictable and interesting.

I love to add in items that bring a bit of surprise and whimsy to empty spaces. If I can make them dual function: decorative and useful, I’m on board with that 100%.

Statement lamps can be any style. You can have a super modern statement lamp that is large and dramatic and perfect for a blank space next to a sofa or chair or in a corner that is dark. They kind of tick the box of lighting and sculpture art, wouldn’t you agree?

If modern isn’t your bag, then you can certainly find a statement floor lamp in any style that fits your fancy: Traditional, Farmhouse, Industrial, Bohemian, Mid Century Modern.

There’s a statement lamp out here waiting for you if you look for it.

Blanket Ladder

Now that the seasons are changing you can see where I’m going with this one. They’re functional and decorative.

They can utilize vertical space or be low and wide utilizing horizontal space. They make grabbing a cozy throw blanket easy and help you keep them neat and accessible when not in use.

So again, the blanket ladder is functional and display – dual purpose.

There’s tons of diy videos on YouTube to show you how to make your own custom blanket ladder in an afternoon and there’s also tons of options for you if you don’t want to diy one.

Decorative Screen

I like these screens sometimes… I’m all for using a decorative screen for non-permanent space dividers, like for separating spaces in shared areas.

For example, if you want to have an office space in the living room but you don’t want to look at a desk and computer all the time. A decorative screen is ideal for that.

For awkward corners, I would say, maybe you have some necessary ‘clutter’ in the room that you want to conceal. Then, a decorative screen placed in front of that necessary clutter could be both concealing and decorative at the same time.

PURPOSES FOR AWKWARD EMPTY SPACES:

Meditation Space

Selfcare is always important in my opinion. If you have an awkward, empty space somewhere in your room, you may find it useful for creating a self-care corner.

I have a little meditation bench in the corer of my office. I keep my bench on the bottom shelf of my open etagere. There’s a covered radiator in the corner and not much else can go in that space.

It’s not big enough for a chair or any floor décor like a plant. So, I use it for my meditation corner. It’s ideal and purposeful.

If I was into yoga – perhaps one day – I might use the space for storing a yoga mat. It would be accessible and easy to roll up and unroll when I wanted to use it.

Personal care uses amazing is amazing for empty spaces in any room.

Pet Crate Area

Now, I’m not a fan of those wire collapsible pet crates – although, I have one for my fur monster at the moment.

They’re not very pretty to look at, but they are safe and functional .

I would much rather see a crate incorporated into a useful and pretty application.

I’ve seen them used as an end table in a living room.
I’ve come across them incorporated into a mud room, laundry area. I mean some of these designs are genius.

They certainly fit the unused space bill: creating functional and beautiful use out of empty corners or spaces in between a washer and dryer or a nook that doesn’t have another purpose.

Make-up Vanity

An empty nook in a bedroom might just be the perfect spot to create a built-in makeup vanity. It could have all your products on shelves above. There could be a light or lighted mirror on the counter surface of it .

The nice thing is that the space could be completely customized to suit your needs.

As always, I would recommend using the vertical space to make the most of the space you have.

There you have it, 9 suggestions for creating practical and purposeful spaces for awkward, empty corners and walls:

Add an Etagere.
Create a Built-in.
Add Floor Plants.
Add a Statement Lamp.
Set Up a Blanket ladder.
Decorative Screen.
Create a Meditation Space.
Make a Pet Crate Area.
Build a Make-up Vanity.

I’d love to hear what you’ve come up with for those pesky empty spaces in your home. Leave me a comment below and tell me about it.

Did you find another way to make the space seem less awkward?
How did you come up with the idea? Share, share, share!

Until next time, keep your dreams big for your small spaces.

Join the Fun!

If you enjoyed this post and you want to keep seeing my weekly blog, the best way to do that is to subscribe.

You can subscribe by downloading my 11 Secrets Only Designers Know to Make Your Space Rock. If you’re curious about how decorators and designers make a home look magazine ready, you’ll love taking a gander at these 11 secrets. You’ll learn how to style your room from the floor up and it will work for ANY space you have.

I write about small space design and decorating, sustainable furniture options, positive self care and a variety of do-it-yourself home décor.

I’d love to connect with you!

“Michael Helwig was top-notch, very professional and responsive to my needs. He allowed me time to explore ideas and try out a variety of combinations until we found the perfect fit. Michael provided detailed information and offered beautiful ideas to make my dream living room become a reality. The furniture he sourced has totally transformed my living room space. Everyone that has seen my new living room has one word, WOW! A special thank you to Michael for a wonderful experience.”

— Karen B.

“Michael was very knowledgeable and guided us, with great patience and good humor, through the process of designing our dining room and helping us find the perfect sleeper sofa. He offered really helpful advice when we asked questions - which was often - but at no time did we ever feel pushed. He helped me when I felt like I couldn’t make one more decision. When my new furniture finally arrived I realized everything down to the pillows was perfect. I couldn’t be happier!”

— Sarah H.

Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.

Blog