Evaluate the Room and Assess Its Potential
Take a step back and look at the room with fresh eyes. What existing features or architecture could you highlight or enhance? Are there opportunities to add color, texture, lighting, or architectural details? Determine if the room has good natural light, any interesting niches or angles, or potential focal points. Understanding the room’s existing positives and potentials will help guide your redesign.
Add Interest Through Paint and Color
A fresh coat of paint in an inspiring color can immediately give a boring box a facelift. Experiment with accent walls in bold, saturated hues or opt for an allover colorful paint treatment. Painting the ceilings or floor a complementary color also adds interest. Choose paint finishes with visual texture like eggshell, suede, or Venetian plaster for added dimension.
Incorporate Eye-Catching Lighting
Thoughtful lighting transforms the look and feel of a space. Replace basic overhead fixtures with pendant lights, chandeliers, or wall sconces. Layer ambient, task, and accent lighting. Uplighting wall niches or display shelves illuminates focal points. Backlighting art, mirrors, or architectural details adds flair. Play with lighting brightness and direction to add drama.
Add Architectural Interest Through Built-Ins
Built-ins break up blank walls and ceilings by adding shape, texture, and function. Construct a storage bench with cubbies, build a window seat, or install shelving and cabinetry. Make it blend seamlessly into the architecture or allow it to contrast dramatically. Add trim, panels, corbels or recessed lighting around built-ins for further detail.
Infuse Warmth and Texture with Accessories
Layer in textiles and textures to create visual interest. Hang patterned curtains and roman shades on windows. Use plush pillows, cushions, throws and area rugs in natural fibers and weaves. Incorporate wooden furniture, ceramic vases, woven baskets, and metalwork accents for depth. Display meaningful art, photos or collections. Keep layers cohesive through color palette.
Zone and Define Spaces
Use furniture, rugs, and lighting to divide a large boxy room into defined, functional zones for sitting, sleeping, office, etc. Float furniture away from walls to break up space. Designate spaces with area rugs in special shapes or patterns. Separate zones with curtains, screens or bookcases as room dividers. Vary lighting sources to differentiate zones.
Embrace the Shape with Creative Layouts
Work with your room’s existing architecture for a custom look. Get creative with angled or asymmetrical furniture arrangements to accentuate unique niches or sloped ceilings. Float furniture diagonally across corners to soften hard edges. Use bold paint techniques like ombré, stripes, or stencils to highlight architectural details.
Open it Up by Minimizing Clutter
Too much clutter makes a space feel dark, cramped and chaotic. Minimize belongings and remove non-essential furniture to open up floor space. Store items in multifunctional furnishings like ottomans or under beds. Integrate discreet storage like drawers under couches. Organize with baskets, containers and hooks to neatly corral essentials.
With imagination and a willingness to experiment, a boring boxy room can be completely reimagined into your vibrant home oasis. Evaluate the fundamentals, then layer in color, lighting, shapes, storage and personal touches to create a compelling, one-of-a-kind space that reflects your style.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saving a Boring Box of a Room
Here are some common questions people have about transforming a boring, boxy room:
What colors make a small room look bigger?
Light, neutral, or monochromatic color palettes visually open up space in a small room. Painting the ceilings and floors a matching hue also expands a room. Avoid dark colors which absorb light and feel confining.
How do you make a small square room cozy?
Section off zones with furniture and rugs. Add warm lighting, cushy textures, and personal accents. Built-in window seats or shelving nooks create coziness. Avoid clutter and go for quality, meaningful pieces over quantity.
What should you avoid in a small room?
Avoid oversized furniture that crowds spaces. Skip overly bold patterns or busy wallpaper that overwhelms. Don’t over-accessorize with lots of knickknacks and clutter. Omit furniture that lacks purpose or utility in a small space.
How do you decorate a long narrow room?
Use furniture to create separate activity zones. Float furniture diagonally across the length of the room. Add mirrors and lighting to brighten and amplify elongated rooms. Repeat colors/patterns along room’s axis for cohesion.
Should you put your bed in the corner of a small bedroom?
Placing a bed in the corner can maximize floor space in a small room. But it can also limit access and feel confining. Floating the bed away from the wall or corner gives a roomier feel. Optimize layout based on traffic flow and existing features.
What are some easy ways to update a boring room?
Painting walls or ceiling an inspiring color quickly updates a space. Switch out lighting fixtures for stylish options with visual impact. Bring in new patterned textiles and artwork. Rearrange furniture to alter the flow. Declutter and edit down to polished, purposeful pieces.
In Summary
Transforming a boring box of a room may seem daunting at first. But approaching it creatively and focusing on enhancing positives can lead to dramatic changes. Evaluate and build upon existing architectural details. Infuse color, shape, texture, storage and lighting. Divide into functional zones and embrace the existing layout in new ways. Edit clutter and go for quality over quantity. By thoughtfully layering in your unique style, you can turn a blank canvas into a beautiful bespoke living space. Trust your vision and get creative to save a boring box of a room!
