How to use a wall recess. Niches in the wall: where to apply and how to arrange

Apartments with niches are the most successful layout option, which opens up ample opportunities for original design ideas. However, a lot depends on the correctness of the chosen direction. Before you place a niche, you need to figure it out:

1. What it is?
2. What types is it?
3. What functions does it perform?

General concept

A niche is a recess in the wall that can be used both as a decorative element and as a functional one. Its dimensions can be very different, as well as its shape: from a classic rectangle to an abstract figure. In some living quarters, niches are foreseen at the design stage. They protrude beyond the boundaries of the room, while they are quite spacious and can be used, for example, to accommodate a large built-in wardrobe, equip a game room or a mini-cabinet.

The construction of decorative niches will not require a global redevelopment; with the help of drywall, small recesses are created in the wall, which, as a rule, are used to place shelves or as a contrasting accent for a certain object.

In order to choose the right option for how to decorate a niche in a room, first of all, you need to adhere to the general style and choose a harmonious color decoration.

Niche types

Three main types can be distinguished:

• Functional... Their main purpose is to hide the flaws in the layout, that is, batteries, pipes or electrical wiring. They are also used to accommodate certain built-in household and furniture items, for example, a TV, home theater, music center, rack, sofa, cabinet. A feature of such niches is their size, mainly their depth - from 0.5 to 1.5 m.For small apartments, the use of this type is sometimes unacceptable, only if they are not going to install a bed or some other bulky piece of furniture in it. But for spacious rooms, this option is just a godsend, which opens up a huge choice for
• Decorative... The purpose of such niches is to decorate the space of a room. Additional lighting with soft and diffused light is installed in them, which will not only complement the interior, but will give it mystery and originality. The functional content of such niches can be changed depending on the mood: today hang pictures, and tomorrow replace them with an aquarium. Compactness is the main advantage that allows you to use this view for both small rooms and large ones.
• Floor niches are being constructed and for contrasting large carved figurines or large indoor plants. They rise above the floor level by 0.5 - 0.8 m, while their shape depends on the object that will be located in them. They fit perfectly into the interior of the hall or hallway. However, before you arrange a niche in the corridor, you need to plan everything carefully, weighing the size of the room and the features of its layout.

Variety of designs

Decorating niches requires a strict stylistic approach, which must necessarily correspond to the main design direction chosen for the entire space of the room.

• Country. Most often, decorative options are used with shelves of a simple, uncomplicated shape. The basic rule of this style is simplicity and lightness in everything.
• Retro... Niches are located symmetrically in relation to each other. Mostly they are decorated with panels, paintings or photographs.
• Classic... It is optimally matched by both strict rectangular shapes and arched structures. Carved trim or stucco molding along the edges of a white niche will look harmonious. Most often it is used for decorating fireplaces, highlighting a recreation area.
• Oriental styles cannot imagine an interior without niches. Arched shapes with soft and flowing lines are preferred. The color scheme is selected in bright and saturated colors. Light natural fabrics are the accent of decoration.
• Minimalism... How to design a niche in this style? Of course, a minimum of decorative elements. However, you can play with the shape and color palette. It is the use of such a design move that will help to get away from the monotony and boring of the interior.

Location of niches

The choice of a place for the construction of a niche directly depends on the arrangement of furniture. This should be done in such a way that one does not in any way interfere with the other. Depending on the environment, symmetrically or asymmetrically located niches can be used. For their construction, a free wall is used, giving it contrast. Symmetrical designs balance and streamline the interior, filling it with harmony and elegance. But asymmetric forms, on the contrary, enliven the space, making it unusual and extraordinary.

The size of the room and its layout features primarily affect the configuration of the niche. In narrow spaces, horizontal designs with a mirror finish are preferred. With the use of such a design move, it becomes possible to visually expand the space. In apartments with high ceilings, it is recommended to install vertical niches decorated with wood carved panels, natural stone or stucco. Such decoration will give the room grandeur, rich look and sophistication.

How to arrange a niche located near the window? To do this, you can use both a vertical structure, which will capture the entire wall, and a horizontal one, to hide communications.

Lighting

A prerequisite for decorative and functional niches is the installation of additional light sources. Deep structures are dark enough, so there is a need for artificial lighting. You can make an original composition of spotlights, which will not only perform the main function, but also act as a decoration. Also, to enhance the contrasting selection of a certain object, either LED strips are used.

Before you arrange a niche using different lighting, you need to decide on the items that will be located there. And already based on this, choose the most suitable lighting source.

Niche assignment

The functionality of niches is quite diverse. The most common options recommended by designers are:

How to arrange a niche in the living room?

Contemporary designers offer up-to-date ideas for decorating living spaces. The living room is one of the main rooms that can fully characterize the owners, therefore, it is worth approaching its design, having carefully thought out everything to the smallest detail. A niche for her is the best option, allowing you to get rid of the monotony and order of boring standard solutions. There may be several such structures, but their dimensions should be small. Beautiful vases, figurines, photographs are placed in these niches. Pictures will look original in them. If a large niche is preferred, then it is used to highlight a fireplace or household appliances, such as a TV. An aquarium with exotic fish will also look quite harmonious in it.

Unusual bedroom design

This room serves for a good rest, the bedroom space is purely individual. Therefore, equipping it, you need to remember that the health of the owners depends on the comfort of this room. How to arrange so that it does not just fit into the interior, but become a mysterious highlight? There are several options:

Niches are the most successful option for decorating residential premises. They are able to decorate a room, becoming the main element of the interior. They are also used to correct the layout and hide some defects. It will not be difficult to build a niche on your own; this will require a set of tools, the necessary materials and adherence to a certain technology.

In Soviet times, a niche in a wall was perceived by people as one big flaw. Its size was too small for the construction of the room, so it was not used in any way. Today, a niche in the wall has ceased to be perceived as a huge flaw that cannot be changed. It is played in a variety of ways, and plays both a decorative role and a functional one.

The strange corners and openings that exist in many apartments are difficult to beat. The problem is greatly complicated if there are doorways, windows or stairs next to the niche. You should not despair, since such an insignificant space can be used for its intended purpose, giving it excessive practicality and functionality.

The niches found in the corridors can be divided into:

• Horizontal (they represent longitudinal openings in the wall);
• Vertical.

It is also worth talking about the use of horizontal niches.

There are a lot of options on how you can use a niche in the hallway. The main thing is to follow the rule: the niche should not be overloaded with accessories and decor items.

Horizontal niches are similar to ordinary shelves and, often, they are not a defect in the layout of the apartment. As a rule, they are deliberately created by designers, allowing them to play an exclusively decorative role in the interior of the corridor. A wide variety of decorative elements are placed on the surface of the niche: figurines, hourglasses, photo frames, small lamps, scented candles.

Several techniques for arranging vertical niches:

• A small chest of drawers installed in the wall opening will help fill the empty space and can be used as a surface for storing keys, bags, hats or cosmetics. To give the hallway a romantic atmosphere, you can place lamps next to the chest of drawers. A puff, a small sofa or an armchair will help fill a niche in the wall.
• A shoe cabinet will allow you to add practicality and functionality to a small wall opening.
• A four-legged console table with a mirror will do a great job. It can be used as a dressing table or stored on the surface of the necessary perfumery items.

Using one of the methods, you can rationally use the unused space.

Corridor wall niche lighting

With the right lighting arrangement, a niche can be an excellent decor element in a hallway. In vertical wall openings, the most popular lighting is halogen lamps. If a niche is being developed by a designer, then in the process of its design, the location of the lamps is marked. As a rule, they are located in paired planes. For example, these can be lamps located in the upper left and right corners.

Before placing the lighting system, you need to take care of the presence of electrical parts, without resorting to dismantling the wall.

For lighting horizontal niches in the hallway, the most relevant are LED strips, since they require less electricity to function.

In addition to spotlights and LED lamps, diffused light is equally popular. A powerful incandescent lamp is used to create it. It is placed in the upper part of the niche and covered with frosted or colored glass.

Using a niche in the hallway

In Khrushchev and brezhnevka, wall openings are often empty, since it is quite difficult to find a use for them. The corridor is not a kitchen, in the opening of which household appliances can be placed. In the corridor, you will not put flowers, since the lack of sunlight will negatively affect them.

In order for the niche in the hallway to be functional and practical, it should be used as a place to store things.

The most rational solution for a corridor is to place a sliding wardrobe in a vertical wall opening. It will look favorably against the background of the hallway, rather than the walls that are boring to everyone.

The advantages of a cabinet built into a niche:

1. Before creating built-in furniture, a specialist carefully measures the vertical niche. The sliding wardrobe completely adheres to the walls and ceiling, without forming voids. Otherwise, there is a possibility of accumulation of dirt and dust in open places.
2. Built-in furniture looks solid and elegant in the wall opening, allowing you to store warm winter things in it.
3. The cost of the cabinet is much cheaper than conventional cabinet furniture. This is due to the fact that when installing it, there is no need for some details: the back and side walls.
4. If you equip a niche with a wardrobe, there is a great opportunity to independently think about its filling: boxes for gloves and scarves, nets for shoes, shelves for hats, hangers for outerwear and trousers.
5. When arranging a niche with a wardrobe, the likelihood of its displacement or overturning during operation completely disappears.
6. A cabinet installed in a wall opening allows you to save free space.

Like any other furniture, a built-in wardrobe has several disadvantages. The assembly process will have to work hard. It will be quite difficult for non-professionals to collect it. The wardrobe cannot be moved to another place, and the fasteners tend to spoil the walls.

Do-it-yourself installation of a door to a niche in the hallway: subtleties and possible nuances

Compartment doors are installed not only in the closet. They are successfully mounted in a deep vertical niche, preventing the possibility of visually seeing what is inside. Such partitions make it possible to use a niche not only as a dressing room. For example, a pantry can be located behind the doors. The storage room will be very convenient in small apartments. It can store household appliances, ironing board, dryer and other things.

You can decorate the doorway in any way you like:

• Installation of drywall as doors. Subsequently, the doors of an impromptu pantry can be painted, pasted over with photo wallpaper, tiled or used as a decoration natural stone.
• Use fine wood, chipboard or MDF as sliding doors. Natural wood in itself is an original decor, but on the door made of chipboard or MDF, you can apply a photo print or a floral pattern.
• Plastic panels will be an excellent option for pantry doors.

Sliding doors are convenient in that there is no need to rack your brains over creating them yourself. You need to make measurements of the opening, place an order and wait until the goods arrive at their destination.

I would like to note that ordered sliding doors come to the customer almost ready-made, which makes installation easy and convenient.

Installation of doors is carried out as follows: installation of the upper and lower guides, installation of doors on rails, door adjustment. As you can see, the niche in the hallway is not such a big drawback. It can be easily played up and decorated with various interior items.

Types of niches in the hallway: how to equip (video)

Any person who is in the slightest degree versed in construction work is capable of filling out a niche, so go for it.

You will succeed!

Let's talk about how you can beautifully decorate a niche in the wall. This question is of particular interest to owners of small city apartments.

Variants of forming a recess in the wall

Professionals consider the design of a niche in the wall to be an excellent alternative to volumetric furniture walls. This way of decorating the interior allows you to bring additional harmony to the room. In addition to excellent decorative parameters, you can also make visual adjustments to the space.

Advice! For fans of light shades in the living room interior, stylists recommend choosing light finishing materials for decor that do not have large ornaments.

If you install a plasma panel in the decorated space, you can get rid of several significant problems: remove the electrical wiring, create a space for good rest.

Making a niche in the living room wall is a responsible event that requires certain skills. In the created niche space, you can install additional shelves, place decorative vases, photo frames, books on them.

Attention! An excellent view of the resulting niche will be given by LED lighting installed along the perimeter of the niche.

How to create a recess in the wall with your own hands

If you decide to equip a niche in the living room wall on your own, you must follow a certain algorithm. Professionals recommend to start with a wall marking.

Depending on what the options for using the recess created in the wall will be, what decorative elements are used, the width, depth, and also the height of the future recess are determined. At a short distance, the plates are fixed, it is they who will play the role of a frame for the fixed metal profiles.

The next step will be to fix the profiles along the perimeter of the wall along the perimeter of the wall being drawn.

Attention! To carry out high-quality markings, you will need a plumb line and a building level.

After all the work related to the creation of the frame is completed, you can proceed to the sheathing. Plasterboard sheets will become the main material for this stage of work. The sheets are fastened with self-tapping screws, and the joints between individual sheets are eliminated with a reinforcing tape. Next, the structure is putty, and after the layer of putty has dried, they are polished. The next step will be finishing. For this, textured plaster, wallpaper, paint, artificial stone, ceramic tiles are suitable. Professional designers advise choosing the material for decoration, based on the personal taste of the owner of the living room, as well as taking into account the style direction chosen for the space to be decorated.

The purpose

Before you arrange a niche in the wall in the living room, you need to think over its purpose. For those owners of urban real estate who try not to purchase dressers, shelves, wardrobes in their living rooms, stylists recommend creating original niches in the wall, while refusing from bulky pieces of furniture.

Among the main positive parameters of such a choice, we single out:

• good savings in the room of free space;
• the formation of a place for placing a variety of decorative elements;
• installation of household appliances;
• saving material resources for the purchase of expensive pieces of furniture

How to arrange a niche in the wall of the hall so that it fulfills several functional purposes at once? For example, you can make the frame out of drywall, and add glass or wooden shelves as an addition.

Those owners of urban real estate, whose plans include the use of a niche as a decorative element, do not need to select clear geometric shapes, create a significant depression in the living room wall.

Using your own imagination, it is quite possible to get unusual patterns, use unique lighting, choose contrasting colors for the resulting niche.

Such a decorative element will allow the home owner to emphasize his taste. If you follow the basic requirements for the construction of a niche in the wall, you can achieve a visual expansion of the spaces inside the living room.

The plasticity of drywall allows craftsmen to obtain not only traditional rectangular structures, but also to create various arched models of complex shapes.

Attention! It is important to correlate the design of the niche with the overall design of the space so that it does not become a "stain" in the interior.

Despite the outward simplicity, the arrangement of a niche will require significant time expenditures, complex mathematical calculations, and the use of creative imagination. When thinking over the design option for a niche in the wall, it is necessary to take into account color transitions, lighting, a niche can be made a functional element of the living space.

Creating a niche in the kitchen

An excellent decor option for the kitchen space will be a niche made of sheets of construction drywall. Such a design will not easily become a kind of "highlight" in the general style, but it will also enable the owner of the apartment to hide all the irregularities and problems characteristic of the walls. Let's consider some of the nuances, the knowledge of which will make it possible to organize a functional and aesthetic niche in the kitchen.

First, you need to develop a project, taking into account the basic dimensions of the kitchen space, as well as its layout. Next, the wall is marked, the frame is installed, the drywall sheets are fixed.

Attention! You don't need to do complex math to get the desired result.

A small drawing will be enough, where you indicate the size of the kitchen space, the location of the radiator, the main elements of the furniture, the electrical outlet and switches.

The quality and functionality of the niche organized in the wall depends on how accurately the drawing will be made. For example, it is practical to install a modern television panel in this space.

When thinking over the drawing of a niche, it is necessary to take into account the density of the metal profile chosen for installation.

Advice! If the location of heavy household appliances is planned in a niche created in the kitchen wall, it is necessary to choose a reliable profile.

When organizing decorative lighting inside a niche, professionals recommend using low-power lamps. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of fire caused by overheating of the lamps.

In the process of marking, it is necessary to highlight the attachment points of the metal frame. This will help to avoid mistakes during fastening of sheets of construction drywall.

If the wall in the kitchen space is uneven, has numerous depressions and protrusions, professional craftsmen recommend using polyurethane foam tape. It will make it possible to tightly position the profile against the wall, make the niche an aesthetic and reliable structure.

Important points

Currently, the use of a niche in the kitchen, living room, kitchen, has become popular among owners of urban real estate. The harmony and harmony of such an element in the interior is a great way to create a calm atmosphere, to make positive changes in the boring atmosphere of the living space.

For example, by erecting small recesses on the surface of the walls of the living room, complemented by LED lighting along the perimeter, you can "dilute" the classic design, make the living room a center of attraction for households and guests.

Professional stylists offer a huge variety of options for using a ready-made niche in a furnished interior. For example, here you can place household appliances, shelves for souvenirs.

The basic rule, which must be followed so as not to spoil the overall impression, is the harmonious fit of small indentations in the wall into the interior of the apartment.

The simplest way to use the niche created in the wall is to create shelves for small items in this space. Stylists recommend using any wall that is not used for the arrangement of furniture to decorate a niche.

For example, in the living rooms of Khrushchev, it is quite possible to equip a structure from sheets of building drywall, visually expanding the room.

There is a small kitchen in Khrushchev, so there are many problems with the selection of furniture sets. If you equip a niche in the wall, arrange shelves in it, this will solve the problem, and the kitchen space will not be overloaded with bulky cabinets.

In the bedroom, professional interior designers try to make original indentations in the wall behind the headboard. For example, here you can place magazines, a book, put a desk lamp, put a TV remote control.

Advice! By organizing a niche in the bedroom, you can abandon the bedside tables, making the room freer.

Professionals try to choose large niches for video and audio equipment. For example, in the center of the wall, you can make a niche for a TV, and on opposite sides of it, create small recesses for small items.

Among the latest interesting solutions is the use of niches as a decor for partitions used in the zoning of living space.

For example, by removing the wall between the living room and the kitchen in a small apartment, you can expand the space.

Attention! Do not forget that any work related to the demolition of walls must be carried out with the permission of government agencies.

Otherwise, the owner of the city real estate faces a serious fine, in addition, the demolished wall will have to be returned to its original place for their material resources.

Conclusion

In order for the recesses created in the walls of the kitchen, hallway, bedroom to be appropriate in the interior, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the space being decorated.

Otherwise, the walls will look like an endless rack on which books, souvenirs are gathering dust, the room will turn out to be overloaded with small elements, and there will be no home comfort and harmony in it.

It is important to pay special attention to the selection of lighting in the created recess in order to create the effect of visually expanding the space of the room.

For example, you can glue a niche with wallpaper in a contrasting color, complement the recess with moldings, giving the room additional lightness and originality. An interesting decor can be obtained by covering the recess in the wall with light curtains.

Before proceeding with the direct construction of recesses on the walls of the living space, it is necessary to think over the general design, to appreciate the appropriateness of the location of new elements.

In modern interior design, special niches in the wall are increasingly used, which give the room a special appeal and individuality.

What is a niche in the wall

The wall niche is a recess in the wall, which plays a decorative or functional role and allows you to create original architectural compositions. Today, such niches are often created at the design stage, as they are very popular. However, almost everyone who wants to decorate their apartment can make special notches.

Niche in the wall and its advantages

A niche in the wall gives us extra space, for example, with a wall thickness of 25 centimeters, you can gain an extra 20 centimeters of depth. And if this depth is not enough for you and you want to put something large in a niche, you can build a protruding shelf, then even video and audio equipment will enter there.

How to make a niche in the wall

You can make a niche in any wall, however, interfering with load-bearing walls will require an engineering permit and the consent of the appropriate authority.

Making a niche in a load-bearing wall is much more difficult. but plasterboard partitions are easily amenable to any intervention and can be easily changed even on their own, but this will require correct calculations and a special tool. Therefore, it is best to turn to the services of professionals who will quickly arrange for you a beautiful niche of the desired shape. After you make a niche, you need to take care of sound insulation, finishing the back wall with insulating material, or put cabinets in the next room in this place.

Niche design in the wall

Modern niches are no longer just a recess in the wall for vases and figurines, but a harmonious space with an individual color scheme and lighting system.

Designers identify two ways to design a niche- using a contrasting or similar shade. It is not recommended to paint the indentations in dark colors, as the niche will look like a "black hole".

It is better to prefer calm pastel shades or bright colors. Also pay attention to the shape of the niche. Horizontal is suitable for rooms with low and long furniture, such as a bed or nightstand. Also, a horizontal niche is able to visually lengthen a short wall. A vertical niche will look good next to a window, door, bulky chest of drawers or wardrobe.

Niche in the wall: what can be placed in it

Usually, decorative elements are located in niches, vases, figurines, bookshelves, or hiding massive pieces of cabinets and other furniture, household appliances and electronics. In some apartments there are natural niches, for example, recesses in the kitchen and bathroom, necessary for the ventilation system, recesses near the fireplace and radiator, the protruding parts of the walls of frame houses with pillars also form natural niches.

Small shelves for decorative items can be placed in niches, paintings, photographs, vases, and even place a library there. They are also perfect for placing cosmetic and other small items, such a niche is ideal for a bathroom.

Niche for large items

In addition to decorative ones, there are functional ones, which are made specifically to accommodate various large-sized pieces of equipment or furniture. They can accommodate a TV, stereo system, washing machine and furniture.

Dresser, sofa, wardrobe, rack, put in a niche, it saves a lot of free space in the room and brings order to the interior. Particularly popular are cabinets built into the wall, which save space as much as possible. Household appliances placed in a niche, for example, a washing machine or refrigerator, will be practically invisible.

Small notches can function as a bookcase or crockery shelves. Decorative niches are usually located in the most conspicuous places where the eye lingers. The great advantage of such recesses is that you can often modify them by repainting, gluing, sheathing and supplementing with various elements.

Niche decoration in the wall

You can emphasize the relief of the wall by combining different textures. It is not uncommon for niches to be decorated with metal, decorative stone, glass or wood. At the same time, the stone is ideal for public rooms - a dining room, living room, hallway, and is not suitable for a bedroom and a nursery, as it makes the space heavier.

Lighting for niches in the wall

Most modern decorative niches today are equipped with lighting, which can be located on top or on the side.

In the evening, they can be used as a source of subdued lighting. The number of niches in one room may vary. If you make several indentations in the wall, they must be "rhythmic", that is, they must be located at a specific distance with a certain frequency, and their design must match.