It’s time to talk about something awkward. Not the kind you feel when someone comes running up to you in public (and clearly knows you), but you have no clue who they are! The awkward we are going to talk about today refers to that odd space you have in your home that you have no idea what to do with. Rather than trying to hide it or use it as a dump site, you can transform that space into something useful! Just look at how I turned an odd space into a book nook!
That Odd Space
When we first moved into our new home, we had to arrange our furniture in such a way that would be functional but also safe for the little ones. The final arrangement left us with a space behind the couch that I had no idea what to do with. My children were more than happy to use it as an extension of the hall for a raceway of course, but I had other plans. Like many other decorating ventures, I just needed a starting point to provide inspiration for the space.
For starters, we put up a large magnetic board. These boards are great for children because they not only hold magnets, but can be used with dry erase markers too. We already had a lot of magnets and dry erase markers laying around so putting up a board made sense. Make sure that whatever magnets you use are safe for your child’s age. As my children get older, I can see them using this board for doodling or even homework. You can also find magnetic felt story boards that would be great as well. Let your little one’s imagination soar! You can find similar magnetic boards here.
As you can see in the first picture, the floor is wood. While I love a beautiful wood floor, they are not the most comfortable under your feet (or your bottom!). The solution? An area rug! If you have ever shopped for an area rug, then you know there are many to choose from! For this space, I went with a soft shag. Let me tell you, this thing is so comfortable to walk and sit on! It provides a soft padding for your little one to sit and read a story. We have also used it as a “resting” area. Just put down some blankets and it’s ready for quiet time!
Jazz It Up
Now it was time to build a space. It’s a book nook, so obviously it needed books. The space is narrow, so the shelf had to be fairly compact. Amazon has some great choices for tiered shelving that words perfectly in small spaces. They also come in different colors. You could also use a shelf with bins if your space allows. These fabric ones are pretty sturdy and hold a lot of books. Because they are tiered, it is easy for a child to quickly find what they want without pulling out every single book.
For seating, you could just throw in some large pillows or bean bags. Personally, I prefer to use things that have more than one use. Our little ones love to play dress up, so this “book nook” doubles as a dress up corner too! Call it an “imagination station” if you will. 😊 We have a cute, custom made bench that holds kids on top and dress up clothes inside! You can find great ideas for these on http://www.pinterest.com
I learned the hard way that kids tend to only use dress up clothes that are easily accessible, so we also hung some of the dresses on the wall. This can be accomplished by simply putting up command hooks. They won’t damage your wall and are strong enough to hold a lot of princess dresses! Change out the options every now and then to keep things new and interesting.
The Book Nook
As you can see, it doesn’t take a lot of effort or money to turn an awkward space into something useful. Here is the before and after of the space that we had:
Before
After
I hope you have found some inspiration or ideas to help transform your own “awkward spaces”. Feel free to share some of your own space transformations! Happy decorating!
