Asked on May 09, 2015

What to do with corner space

Judith Lay
by Judith Lay
The queen bed in our spare bedroom only fits into the room by placing it headboard to corner, creating a "dead" space in the corner big enough for a large corner cabinet. I really need to make some use of the space, since we have recently downsized houses but not so much possessions! Any ideas on how to utilize this space that is only accessible by climbing over the headboard??
  13 answers
  • Hope Williams Hope Williams on May 10, 2015
    Floating corner shelves. But does not sound like you have room to do much at all.
  • Lorna Stone Lorna Stone on May 10, 2015
    ^place a folding screen behind the headboard. It can be the accent color in your room or you can put family photos on it.
  • Dianne Graves James Dianne Graves James on May 10, 2015
    You could place a small table there to hold books, a lamp...course there would have to be no headboard then!
  • Barbara Barbara on May 10, 2015
    I'd be tempted to put a floor lamp behind the bed in the corner space. If you use a low wattage bulb it could add soft ambient lighting to the room. A lamp shade in a lighter or darker color than the bedspread/quilt/etc can also provide a focal point away from the large bed, drawing the eye upward to the light source.
  • Pamela Pamela on May 10, 2015
    A tall palm or plant with an uplight (if you could access the light switch).
    • Kathleen Sozzi Kathleen Sozzi on May 13, 2015
      @Pamela I love filling corners with trees......I did that behind my dead space in the corner of a sectional and to uplight, I used $10 can lights you place on the floor....... you can buy at Lowes or Home Depot.......
  • Daveicrave Daveicrave on May 10, 2015
    fake fig tree with an up light
  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on May 10, 2015
    I'd attach a hook on the ceiling a bit out from the corner. Then create a canopy using light material. which would drape to the ends of the headboard or in whatever arrangement pleases you.
  • Carol Carol on May 10, 2015
    If you had the space what would you have placed in the room? Cannot help solve challenge if do not know what possessions you need to place some where. Would a double bed vs queen bed help you accomodate more things in the spare bedroom?
    • See 1 previous
    • Carol Carol on May 11, 2015
      Do you know of a handyman who could build a cornor cupboard /closet to accommodate clothing or supplies? I'd have a curtain hanging on the front insread of doors which would need space to open up for you. Building cornor shelving with a top to prevent dust getting on storage items and curtain in front. The shelves wouldn't necessarily go to the floor either.
  • Lee Cunningham Green Lee Cunningham Green on May 10, 2015
    When my hub and I were first married I had this issue, I put a tall shelf in the dead spot, It was hidden by the head board, and I put a fake ficus on the shelf, I did store things there but it was not easy to access, so I did summer clothes/winter clothes sort of thing. you could do that with bins, it becomes a storage closet then and you only have to access it for change of season or holiday. and you can still dress the area up with lighting, plants, or a canopy.
  • Bill Croley Bill Croley on May 10, 2015
    We hung a large flower arrangement from the ceiling in the corner and put a lovely picture on the wall to the left. It works and the space looks used.....not empty.
  • Hope Williams Hope Williams on May 11, 2015
    Corner shelves like this perhaps. Found on the blog: A Beautiful Mess.
  • JP JP on May 11, 2015
    I like the idea of a pretty curtain to hide tall shelving. If you don't want to go tall, you could build a triangle shaped chest with a lift-off lid. Store out of season clothes in the chest (use the sturdy but flexible clear zippered bags like bedspreads come in) and stage what you like on top of the chest lid (lamp, candles, etc.) Not good for everyday storage, but for twice-a-year access it would work fine.
  • Inetia Inetia on May 12, 2015
    A curtain could hide simple stackable storage containers. Try a hammock or a small hanging rack suspended from the ceiling for hanging clothes or sweater organizers. Duffel or shoe bags could be hung from hooks on the wall. If you have the space, move the bed away from one wall far enough to create entry behind the bed. Hang the curtain to hide the space that allows access.