Alcoves. Niches. The use of these little spaces can make or break a design. You can either pretend they don't exist and have continuous walls with wasted space behind them (i.e. what the idiots who designed the house I grew up in did) or create usable, fun, and unique spaces. I love alcoves. I think they are awesome and oooh soooo cozy.
Here is one from a living room. I love how the black and white of the wall paper is continued over into the curtain and into the material on the pillows and bench seat. This helps make the alcove blend in; it looks intentional. The addition of the little chair and table make this corner a great spot for a quiet conversation or for reading a good book on a rainy day. What could have been empty and unused is now used for additional seating.
Built in bookshelves? Cozy alcove? Floor to ceiling windows? Great architectural floor plan? This room has it all. But, let's concentrate on what matters: the alcove built in to the bookshelves. This is a great way to break up the endless wall of books and to create a focal point for the room. Plus, the little bench is an awesome reading spot!
Now I would love to have a bed in a niche like this. It's so private, cozy, warm, unique. It reminds me of brothel houses in ancient Greece. Love those curtains. What a fabulous area for a nap. Kids would adore this design too. It can become a private little room for them.
Now this is a great use of space. I love that they took a square opening and added that trim to make it into an arch. It's light. It's airy. It's a great display space. Now, not all of us have 25 billion foot ceilings, but the ideas from this space can definitely still be used. I love the seating and shelving combo. It's definitely the kind of space I'd want to store my travel souvenirs.
This is a more realistic space. I love the wood paneling inside and the width of that bench. It definitely qualifies as a day bed. I would totally stick a few relatives in there when my house is full to the brim. This looks likes its part of a kitchen/dining room so it could also be used for seating during parties.
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Do you have a useable alcove or niche in your home? Send me pictures! I'd love to see how you've utilized these unique spaces.
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