We all have that one weird spot in our home that we don’t quite know what to do with. Leave it and it just feels like such a waste of space – because it is – but try to “fix” it and it doesn’t quite seem to have any clear purpose. Help is on the way; we’ve made a list of different “sore spots” in the house so you can breathe some life into these dead spaces.
#1: Exposed Beams
The glass can be half full here if you see this “obstacle” as an opportunity — it is a ready-made frame for you right there. Beams are typically built where rooms are divided, or conveniently where your home can be split into smaller sections. Consider installing sliding glass panels so it becomes a partition of sorts, or if the beam is in your kitchen, you have the outline of your new breakfast bar already built-in for you.
You can also paint it in bold colours to make it look like a deliberate design feature, or frame a focal point in the area, or run a long table, island, or bar to mirror the lines of the beam.
#2: PVC Pipes
Those huge clunky HDB pipes aren’t doing bathroom aesthetics any favours. These clumsy structures also get stale looking so quickly, they have an uncanny knack for making the wall and ceiling around them turn some kind of dirty colour too.
While the oldest trick in the book is to simply paint these pipes black for an industrial look, with the option of further adding pretty vines coiling up the black pipes for a softer, more “cafe” feel, or you could splash out on bronze or chrome plating, add more fakes pipes to the mix and give it a steampunk look.
In the kitchen, you may find the same huge pipe impairs your kitchen design like a sore thumb. Here, the most practical, space-utilising method is a box-up cabinet or cupboard. You can install shelves on the inside of the door to use the space as a mini pantry for your smaller condiment and spice bottles. Alternatively, installing a row of hooks on the door or inside of the cabinetry – if there is sufficient room – can transform the dead space into a versatile hanging rack for your bulky pots and pans, or even your ladles, whisks and other unwieldy utensils that frustratingly keep your kitchen drawer from sliding shut smoothly. You know what we mean.
Having a box up that “continues” from other actual storage cabinets also creates a flushed and seamless look in a kitchen, which can be one of the most cluttered spots in a house.
#3: The Awkward Corner
Usually caused by an irregularly shaped room, the awkward corner is often too small, too narrow, or too in-the-middle-of-nowhere to repurpose. The easy way out of this is to place a large decorative piece like a tall plant or a statue in the spot, with nice lighting beaming down on the feature, to make it appear deliberate.
If your awkward corner is caused by a slanted structural beam, you could turn it into a cosy reading nook by building a daybed or placing a cushy armchair in the corner with a standing statement lamp. Alternatively, install a tabletop that you can collapse against the wall when not in use and you have yourself a functional work-from-home area.
A full-height cupboard can also transform that awkward corner into a very usable space. If this is in the kitchen, you now have a built-in pantry. If it’s in your bedroom, how about a wardrobe tailored to your lifestyle needs?
#4: The L-shaped Corner
Frankly, even a nice squarish room can have an L-shaped dead space corner made through traditional carpentry. A cabinet with an L-shaped corner that you have to melt into to reach the deepest recesses of the L is a bane to have. Install smart pull-out racks and you can “hack” this dead space to its maximum potential. Now, instead of clawing away at empty air as you try to reach for the pot stuck behind rows and rows of other kitchenware, a light tug can have all the contents of the dark, mysterious L-shaped corner swing out towards you. So simple.
#5: The Structural Pillar
Imagine spotting this in the floor plan of your home; a thick black line in the middle of nowhere, the thickness, the blackness, telling you that you are not to hack it down because it’s a load-bearing structure. Panic ensues as you realise you are going to have to live with this eyesore standing in the middle of one of your rooms.
Does your apartment or house have a structural column that seems to be “in the middle of nowhere”? Address the huge white elephant in the room by working around it. You can build a bar counter from it so it looks like a quirky design, or turn it into a statement structure by extending a beautiful screen out from it. Hanging wall art or personal pictures can also be a cheeky way to turn the pillar into a highlight and a private gallery of sorts.
Is it time to revamp your space?
New year, new spaces — is that how the saying goes? There may be more things you want to fix at home or spaces you want to completely revamp, aside from the awkward structural walls and corners we’ve mentioned above. If that’s the case, you can engage our experienced team of interior designers and contractors for a well-executed home renovation project. Secure an appointment with any of our Interior Designers by dropping us a message us on WhatsApp or via our Live Chat at the bottom, right-hand corner of the screen. You can also get a free quote for your home in seconds!
+65 9755 9283 
hello@ohmyhome.com 
