Simple Solutions For
Odd-Shaped Spaces
 By Margot Gunther

Our kitchen has a narrow hallway that leads to the backyard.
What would be a practical way to use it?
 Demi Mond
 Peoria, Illinois

Lucky you—this is found space, and there are myriad ways to take advantage of it. Particularly if it has windows, it can be terrific as a potting or flower arranging area. Get a long, narrow table or put a long shelf wall-to-wall (try to find one with a laminate or tile top). Make sure the table/shelf is narrower than the depth of the space, and also make it high enough to allow two tall stools to slip in under it. Here you can keep plants, pots and flowers ready to be arranged. This will eliminate clutter and give you a separate area for cleaning dirt off flowers and veggies before bringing them into the kitchen. Use a crisp, bright wallpaper over the windows and door to brighten things up. Find a hanging light, and add a throw rug to help with muddy tracks from the backyard. Another solution would be to line the wall with narrow shelves, find interesting containers and use this area as a pantry. Flour, sugar and other staples can be visually interesting in old-fashioned tin canisters, or perhaps you have a collection of teapots or pitchers looking for an area to be displayed. Just don’t make this a dumping ground for everything and defeat your purpose in your new mini-room.
photo: Brad Simmons

We are having some bookcases built in our living room, and the windows in between are going to be recessed. We’d love to create a window seat, but the ledges are at an awkward height. Any suggestions?
 Luci Brown
 Cranston, Rhode Island

Look on the bright side: It might be better to have a ledge on which to place accessories and to have a space so that the cushion does not appear to be falling out of the window. Use shutters on the window to create a clean, uncluttered look and to give yourself more room. Pick a neat fabric to cover the seat pad (boxed to hold its shape), and add a few interesting throw pillows. To have a real built-in appearance, add trim or molding to both the bookcases and to the space below the seat. Also, to tie it all in, shirr an elegant fabric on a rod at one side. Let it “puddle” on the floor and then tie it back with an interesting cord and tassel. For more of a country look, try a mix of fabrics such as a check and a calico. But remember to keep the walls light so that you don’t end up with the uninviting look of a dark hole.
photo: Tony Giammarino

Our house has a slanted alcove under the stairs just large enough to be considered a small spare room. There’s a window, so we don’t want to use it just for storage. What is the best way to take advantage of this unusual space?
 Peg Barnes
 Swampscott, Massachusetts

Why not decorate it so it will be functional as a double-duty space: a small guest room that you also can use for extra storage or as an office space when there are no visitors. To accomplish this, first paint the beam around your nook and the window frame in an interesting color (here, an old milk paint blue sets it apart and defines the space). If you have room, line the area with narrow shelves painted the same color as the window. Find an old quilt or woven spread to cover the mattress (quilts or woven toppers are good because they resist wrinkles and stay neat). You can add built-in drawers under the mattress for storage of bedding. To complete the look, add light and eliminate clutter, use wood blinds on the window. It’s nice to add an old wooden chest and chair just outside the alcove for your guest and also to “introduce” the unusual space.
photo: Bradley Olman
Editor’s Note: Margot Gunther, ASID, is a designer who has worked on residential interiors, country inns and restaurants. •