How to Make an Oddly Shaped Room Look Neat
- 1). Divide long, narrow spaces. Use furniture to create smaller, separate living areas with a specific purpose. Defining areas with the use of rugs and folding screens blocks the view of the entire room, creating the illusion of a smaller, cleaner space.
- 2). Break up large open spaces with clean, streamlined pieces. Large folding screens or bookcases with closing doors will create separate areas without creating visual clutter.
- 3). Keep the furniture off the floor. Avoid solid furniture that sits directly on the floor. Using furniture with legs allows more of the flooring to be viewed, resulting in the appearance of a larger, neater space. Incorporate raised storage solutions that keep the floor clear.
- 4). Make every piece of furniture earn its keep. Choose an ottoman that provides hidden storage or a coffee table trunk that keeps magazines and remote controls out of view. Choose furniture with closing doors to hide clutter, or place a folding screen in front of open shelving.
- 5). Choose a uniform color scheme. Resist the urge to highlight unusual areas with color. Pick a neutral color, and use it throughout the space. Paint the walls one color and consider painting distracting features such as built-in corner bookshelves a slightly darker shade.
- 6). Keep the draperies consistent. Many oddly shaped rooms have windows of various heights and sizes. If possible, use the same drapery lengths for all windows. Using different drapery lengths creates visual clutter.
- 7). Consider placing your furniture at an angle. Pushing all the furniture against the walls in an unusually shaped room often results in a cramped, cluttered look. Place your couch at an angle in a corner, and set an area rug in front at the same angle.
- 8). Edit your accessories. An oddly shaped room with many knickknacks looks messy. Choose a few key pieces in the central areas of the room, and let the architectural highlights of the room speak for themselves.
