5 interior decorating challenges and how to solve them

As far as décor is concerned, everything seems just about fine at home. But like with a pea under your mattress, you’re tossing and turning over some ignored part of your home that’s trying to get your unsolicited attention. Something unavoidable, like a pillar in the middle of the room, or a tiny window that you don’t know what to do with. You have tried to think of ways to deal with it, only to give up and make peace with the devil. But if you haven’t completely caved in then we have a few suggestions you may want to try out. 

When A Wooden Wardrobe Fills The Entire Wall Of A Room…

Nowadays a lot of Indian homes have custom-built wardrobes that fill the entire span of a room. A sense of frugality, tendency to hoard, or perhaps we just have too many things, whatever the reason, in the interest of creating concealed storage options, rooms have been overtaken with wardrobes. If the wardrobes have been designed creatively and does not overpower the room, then that’s great. On the other hand, if it does overpower a room then perhaps you could try one of these solutions:

1.    Blend the cupboard with the wall by cladding it in a colour that is the same as the rest of the room. This works best if your cupboard is wall-to- wall. 

2.    On the opposite side of the spectrum of solutions, turn the wardrobe into a feature. Do this by covering it in an interesting wallpaper, or cladding it in a contrast colour, that complements the rest of the room. Or even paint it with an interesting pattern that will convert it into almost a piece of art. 

When A Bathroom Has No Storage… 

In a tiny bathroom with little storage space and bite-sized surface area, go vertical! 

1.    Use at the back of the bathroom door efficiently. Hang baskets there to keep essentials. 

2.    Insert adhesive hooks on the wall for hanging fabrics or tools.

3.    Stack below, stack above. A medicine cabinet can be efficiently placed above a sink. And below, stackable shelves, and storage on wheels (waterproof wheels, of course), are great options. 

4.    Use wall-mounted holders for toothbrushes and other tidbits instead of placing it on the sink. 

turn it into a centre of attention. Colour, clad, or cover it with something that takes your fancy, even a row of runaround shelves for a bit of extra shelving space.

When A Ceiling Is Too Low… 

1.    Paint the ceiling a lighter shade than the walls. And make the floor slightly darker, such as a dark wood finish. This will give the illusion of a brighter and bigger space.

2.    Paint the ceiling with a glossy finish. The reflective surface gives the illusion of a bigger space.

3.    Use tall accessories around the house. For e.g. thin and heighted vases and flowers. Decorative sculptures or floor lamps. 

4.    A large commanding piece of art will also make the room seem bigger, rather than smaller. It is counterintuitive, but always works.

5.    Use floor length curtains that start from the ceiling. Even the doors can be up to the ceiling. Long curtains and doors make your walls look bigger than they are. 

6.    Choose furniture that is not too high or bulky. Having visual space also makes a room look bigger.