In every home there’s an area that isn’t pulling its weight. Experts offers ways to make the most of every inch
“In my bathroom, there is a blue-painted wooden chair I found at a market in Spain,” says designer Matthew Williamson. “It’s handy for a towel, shampoo and soap dish, but I also sit one of my cordless, portable brassThe idea is particularly effective in kitchens and bathrooms, which tend not to get the same level of decorative attention as, say, living rooms or bedrooms.
Throughout his home, he has mastered the art of creating what he calls “treasured vignettes” – movable assemblages of precious possessions that enliven awkward, unused corners. In a narrow hallway, he has added a slim wooden shelf above the radiator. “This acts as a holding station for things on their way in or out of the house: keys, coins and post.
To create these moments in your own home, Williamson suggests gathering a few things that you love. Affordability and creativity is key: the idea is to work with what you have and what has meaning for you. “It can be a branch from the garden, or a picture or photograph perched on the seat of a chair,” he says. “You’ll find you can get quite a lot of joy out of those very simple manoeuvres.”‘Make an unused fireplace a focal point in the room.
Another tried-and-tested idea is to install a squat, cast-iron radiator in the void. “Radiators are best under a window, but if you’re short of space this is a fun alternative that plays on the idea of the fireplace as a heat source.” Paint the back of the fireplace one bright colour and the radiator another: “You want to draw attention to it and make it a focal point in the room.
That angular space under the stairs is often used as a dumping ground for shoes, coats and bags, but presenter and interior designer Micaela Sharp has a simple idea for making much better use of it: build shelves and a bench to turn it into a reading nook. Custom joinery will get around the issue of awkward angles and tight spaces, Sharp says, and if you handle the upholstery yourself, you can choose your own textiles to suit the design.
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