How to Decorate a Corner in a Living Room (7 Ideas)
Ever wonder how to decorate a corner in a living room? The awkward corner. We all have one; it just sits there, mocking us with its awkward emptiness. It’s not big enough for anything but too big to just sit empty. Look at that corner again, that lonely little space; maybe it is big enough for something. Something whimsical, something practical, something fun or serious. With a little bit of imagination and some design know-how, you can transform that corner from awkward to awesome. There are actually a number of great things you can do with a corner. A small, round table topped with a nice floral arrangement and flanked by a small chair can make for a nice little spot to sit and write a quick thank-you note or pile of party invitations.
Living Room Corner Decorating Tips
First up, don’t just shove a lonely plant or lamp over there – it’ll look like an afterthought. Treat that corner as its unique little vignette or moment. Maybe flank it with two accent chairs in a cozy little seating nook? Add a small side table between them for drinks or books. If it’s a darker corner, use it as an opportunity to make it feel extra cozy and intimate. An oversized floor lamp provides great ambient lighting. Or get a tall bookcase and load it up with your favorites for a laid-back reading nook vibe.
You can also get creative with wall decor over a console table. Lean away from the predictable gallery wall and mix it up – maybe a large statement mirror or macrame hanging as the anchor piece? Flank it with matching sconces or sculptural branches in vases. The key is giving your eye a reason to be drawn over there instead of it feeling like a forgotten space. Build it out with functional pieces and textures so it flows with the rest of the room’s aesthetic.
Interior designer Emily Henderson offers this advice about decorating living room corners: Corners cry out for intention. They can easily become the place where all the furniture fallout lands, but with a little styling know-how, they can actually become a focal point.
She advises against letting living room corners become cluttered catchalls for furniture leftovers. With some styling efforts, she suggests corners can actually become an eye-catching design highlight within the room.
Her advice is to approach these nooks with purposeful decoration and styling to transform them from forgettable spaces into intentional, stylish focal points. Using the right decor pieces and layout can turn an awkward corner into a cozy, inviting vignette.
Now, let’s take a look at some more ideas you can use.
Add a Reading Chair
I love a good reading chair tucked away in a cozy corner. If you are a reader, a scaled down wingback or slipper chair paired with a wall mounted shelf that can hold a small stack of books is a perfect corner filler.
Add a tiny table just large enough for a mug of coffee, a pendant lamp mounted above the chair, and a basket filled with cozy blankets, and you might never leave your cozy corner!
Add a Potted Plant
If reading and writing aren’t your thing, fill your corner with greenery. A large potted plant softens the space, brings cleaner air, and adds a bit of bright greenery to the hard, empty corner.
Three potted plants are even better, especially if their pots and leaves are varied textures and sizes. This is one of the simplest ways to give those corner blues the cold shoulder.
Add a Hanging Chair
A super fun way to add a bit of drama is to use a hanging chair. Whether it is rattan, woven with colors, or modern and metal framed, with a fluffy flokati cushion, a hanging chair turns your corner into a fun focal point.
Bring even more drama by flanking your corner chair with a tall snake plant in a ceramic planter and layering a small, colorful Peruvian rug underfoot. A small corner shelf can also feature one or two of your favorite home decor items. (Check out our article about fun cocoon chairs here)
Add a Chalkboard Wall
Consider painting a series of squares going up the walls on either side of the corner with chalkboard paint. You can use the upper squares for to-do lists, dinners for the week, your schedule, or grocery lists. And your kids can use the lower squares for their artwork.
Keep a basket of chalk paint pens and erasers on the floor along with a couple of oversized floor cushions and you have a practical, artful space instead of a boring, empty corner.
Add a Leaning Bookcase
If more storage is what you need, create it corner storage by mounting wall shelves. A corner full of floor to ceiling wall shelves stacked with books, family photos, or your favorite collection is not only useful, it makes a great impact and gives you out of the way storage.
Another idea is a small corner bookcase or wine rack. You can even mount a small desk that folds down when not in use and make a tiny corner office nook, perfect for homework or study sessions.
Add a Corner Wine Rack
Adding a corner wine rack within close reach of a comfortable sofa and armchairs can create a great place for entertaining and relaxation. Placing the rack in the corner helps it not grab too much attention but helps fill an awkward corner.
Fill the Empty Space with a Table or Chair
If you have more than one spot to fill, use a corner table and place your favorite home decor items on top. Just remember that less is more when it comes to decor products, so only add things that help elevate the design of the room.
As an alternative, you can add a corner chair that can accommodate extra guests when needed. Add a cushion or a throw with material that matches some of the colors of the room to create a cohesive design.
Don’t look at your empty, awkward corners in despair, look at them with imagination, give them a purpose. Whether you want a little space to sit and knit, or a place that just looks visually complete, corners are a great opportunity to add that little bit of something extra to your living room.
