Niches in walls: types, finishing, style solutions, shapes and decorative elements.

Recommendations for decorating a niche

Some key tips:

• When arranging a niche, you should consider its use and the purpose of the room in which it will be located.
• When choosing the shape and size of the structure in the wall, it is important to pay attention to the dimensions of the room.
• The external finish of the recess should be in harmony with the overall interior.
• It is not advisable to use too dark colors for decorating the alcove.
• It is not recommended to clutter this structure with a lot of decor.

Types of niches in the wall

There are several varieties:

• Functional. They differ not only in decorative functions, but also become a real tool in creating a convenient and thoughtful design, which is especially important in rooms with a small area.
• Decorative. They become an excellent corrective element in cases where it is necessary to hide some planning flaws.

These recesses undoubtedly provide the interior of the room with additional coziness and comfort. They can simply decorate the environment or perform a specific function, for example, you can equip a niche even instead of a window, thereby creating a cozy corner for relaxing or reading.

Options for decorative finishing of a niche

Popular finishing materials used for decoration.

Wallpaper

They are an excellent solution that allows you to creatively approach to decorate, give the room an elegant and fashionable look and bring in modern notes or, on the contrary, a light vintage shade.

The photo shows the bedroom interior and a wall with a niche decorated with patterned blue wallpaper.

Tiles

With the help of such decoration, you can create a bright or calm design, create a certain mood in the interior and place elegant accents.

Decorative plaster

Makes the appearance of the niche more aesthetic and elegant, significantly enlivens the environment and gives the room a certain character.

Design with decorative stone or brick

This finishing option, due to its naturalness, will undoubtedly become the center of the entire interior composition and an original design solution that attracts attention.

The photo shows a wall and a niche with a TV, faced with white brick in the kitchen interior.

Laminate

Thanks to the huge variety of colors and shades, high quality, durability, environmental friendliness and safety, laminate allows you to create not only an original, but also a very practical design.

Wood

Such high-quality and environmentally friendly materials as clapboard or wood panels provide an excellent opportunity to give the atmosphere the mood of living nature.

What to put in the niche?

Options for arranging a recess.

For a TV

Thanks to this architectural element, it turns out not only to harmoniously fit a TV device and other equipment into the surrounding environment, but also to conveniently hide various wires or cables.

Under the radiator

With the help of such an optimal, simple, but at the same time very elegant solution, you can very neatly and aesthetically design a radiator.

For a fireplace

A recess for a fireplace, decorated with various materials, allows you to create a homely and pleasant atmosphere.

For storing household items and accessories

A structure recessed into the wall can provide both open and closed storage of clothes. When dividing the recess into sections, you can demonstratively place beautiful dishes, elegant figurines or memorable souvenirs in them.

For the bed

Allows you to create a very practical and functional interior, which will be especially appropriate in a small room, a one-room apartment or a studio. A deep alcove with a bed equipped with drawers for storing bed linen will provide an opportunity to get rid of bulky wardrobes and chests of drawers.

Refrigerator

The niche is an ideal place for a refrigerator. With this placement, it is possible to give the kitchen space more visual volume and spaciousness.

The photo shows a kitchen with a wall decorated with a narrow vertical niche with a refrigerator

Sofa in a niche

A sofa placed in an alcove looks very organic, harmonizes the overall composition of the interior and significantly saves usable space.

Tables and small tables

This solution allows you to create a cozy corner that is not only beautiful, but also practical. If there is not enough daylight, you can equip the recess with built-in spotlights or other types of lighting.

Aquarium

It is a rather attractive interior item that gives the walls a lighter and more elegant look. In addition, the aquarium is an expressive detail of eco-design, which creates a natural atmosphere in the room.

Cabinets

A recess with an open cabinet with photographs, various collections, vases, candles placed in it or a design with a closed module intended for storing clothes, shoes and other accessories will make the design as functional and convenient as possible.

The photo shows a closed storage system located in a niche in the bedroom interior.

For a bar

Will decorate any living space and bring a touch of originality to it. Such a spectacular corner with shelves for bottles of expensive collectible drinks undoubtedly emphasizes the image of the room and attracts attention and glances.

How to beautifully decorate a niche?

The most popular design techniques.

Mirror

A classic version of decorating a niche in the wall, which allows you not only to bring originality to the environment, but also to effectively organize the space. In addition, thanks to the mirror surface, it is possible to create the illusion of expanding the dimensions of the room.

Painting

The recesses, decorated with realistic and exquisitely drawn, amazingly beautiful drawings, acquire a more elegant, airy and at the same time luxurious appearance.

The photo shows a niche in the headboard of the bed, decorated with painting in the form of floral designs.

Niche with shelves

This design in the wall allows you to easily fill it with various photographs, vases, books, indoor flowers or any other trinkets. With the help of a competent exhibition design of a niche, you can give the environment even more coziness and attractiveness.

Stained glass

Stained glass panels are perfect for decorating recesses in the wall. In addition, with properly organized lighting, stained glass can turn into an interesting night light or simply become an accent element of the entire room.

Paintings and frescoes

It is quite a relevant and fashionable solution that always favorably emphasizes the structure in the wall and makes it a chic art object of the room.

Edging

Beautifully emphasizes, highlights the shape of the recess, makes its corners more accurate and gives completeness and integrity.

Backlighting in the niche

With the help of various lighting, the recesses acquire a non-trivial, slightly mysterious and enigmatic appearance.

The photo shows a large bedside niche in the wall, equipped with spot lighting in the bedroom interior.

Where is it usually placed?

Several placement options:

• Under the window. Most often, this placement is used to disguise and play up an unsightly heating radiator or to organize the necessary storage system.
• Corner. With the help of a corner structure in the wall, you can adjust the visual perception of space, giving it liveliness and at the same time practicality.
• In a false wall. This placement allows you to effectively diversify the design of the room and give it individuality.
• Above the sofa. Blind rectangular or square openings located above the sofa favorably emphasize the geometry of the room and discipline it.

Various options for symmetrical or asymmetrical placement allow you to diversify a standard and boring interior and add dynamics and some liveliness to it.

The photo shows a bedroom with decorative niches placed in a partition.

Sizes and shapes of niches

There are several varieties.

Semicircular

Due to such spectacular arched structures, it is possible to decorate any environment and advantageously emphasize the beauty of the interior.

Rectangular shape

They add uniqueness and sophistication to the design, and also visually change the spatial perception of the room, depriving it of boredom and monotony.

Whole wall

A recess in the entire wall, decorated with light elements, will significantly transform the surface of the walls and, even with a small depth, will look very impressive and advantageous.

Narrow

Located above the bed or sofa, narrow niches not only decoratively decorate the wall, but also provide an excellent opportunity to place various photographs, books, figurines or other accessories in it.

The photo shows a horizontal narrow niche located in the wall at the head of the bed.

Figured

Designs with curved or smooth lines undoubtedly become a decoration of any space, giving it interest and uniqueness.

The photo shows a girl’s room with a white wall decorated with figured niches in a light green shade.

Through

Openings with a through design must have an impeccable and uniform design in style, since this design is clearly visible from both sides.

Niche design in the interior of rooms

Examples of using a niche in different rooms.

In the kitchen

This design in the wall is not only an unusual composition, but is also functional an architectural detail that allows you to conveniently place a dinner set, dishes, indoor plants or other decorative elements.

In the bedroom

In the bedroom, you can place a niche in the wall near the window, above or opposite the bed. Quite often, an alcove is equipped as a closet, dressing room or a recreation area itself; such a solution becomes especially appropriate in small rooms.

Bathroom

Niches are very common in bathroom design. Such constructions in the wall add maximum convenience and comfort to the environment.

Children’s room

In a room for a boy or girl, in the alcove you can place a bed, a small children’s library with bookshelves, a place to store toys or sports equipment. For a teenager, recesses equipped with a work area, a place for hobbies, a TV or a spacious closet will be appropriate.

In the attic

In order for such an atypically shaped room not to lose useful space and functionality, you should be especially careful in the design and filling of the niches. For example, an excellent option for the attic will be a recess with a wardrobe, a closet with beveled corners or a bed.

Hallway and entrance hall

A hallway with such decoration as niches, with soft lighting, baskets for keys, hooks for clothes and other things, always looks advantageous and thoughtful.

Balcony

Most often, on the loggia, the recess is equipped with shelves or decorated with sliding doors, which allows you to get a spacious closet and competent planning of the balcony space.

Design ideas in different styles

Blind openings easily fit into the concept of various styles, such as Provence, loft, hi-tech, modern, classic style and many others.

The photo shows a bedroom in a classic style and a wall with a niche for a TV, decorated with stucco.

Niches in the wall can have a certain style-forming character, which allows you to further emphasize the overall appearance of the room.