What’s Dead Space in a Home and How to Fix It

Dead space appears in every single apartment and it can be transformed into something that bring you joy through the power of interior design.

Summary: Good interior design makes the most of a flat’s layout. This means addressing dead space and turning it into something beneficial. If you don’t know how to transform these lifeless areas, there are a couple of professional hacks you can employ to add value to your home décor.

Even if you live in a space-starved home, you’re probably experiencing a phenomenon known as dead space. Tackling dead space effectively and attempting to utilise it functionally can create some added value for your interior design. Here’s how to deal with dead space in the most effective way.

What Is Dead Space?

The term dead space refers to a part of the home where nothing is happening. Most often, dead space is found in room corners, nooks and crannies (especially in the bathroom), in the hallways, underneath the stairs or behind the sofa.

Usually, these are awkward spots that tend to accumulate dust without bringing anything meaningful to the home décor.

Many people who lack professional experience in interior design don’t know how to make use of dead zones and transform them into something beneficial or productive. Still, there are clever and simple tricks that bring life and function into the dead areas.

Create Smart Storage Solutions

If there’s one thing that every flat needs more of, it’s storage solutions.

Dead space provides perfect opportunities for the addition of more storage units to your property.

The space underneath the stairs is ideal for the purpose – it’s very large and difficult to utilise in another way. The same applies to the space underneath a piece of furniture, behind the sofa or in an awkward corner.

Take some time to conceptualise the unit and if you need to, have a carpenter execute that piece to your specifications. While paying for custom storage will cost more than acquiring a mass-manufactured item, you’ll get a perfect fit and a chance to make the most of a part of the room that will otherwise be dead air.

Make Your Own Functional Corner

Adding a reading corner or a meditation space to your home has never been easier. Just locate the largest dead space and transform it into a functional zone.

You’ve probably seen some of those Pinterest publications that show how much you can fit in an awkward corner to make a little activity zone.

With the right furniture and equipment, you can even fit a home office in a piece of dead space.

Folding or multi-purpose furniture would be the best choice to make a tiny corner more functional than it’s ever been. Depending on the layout, you may also consider the addition of functional or movable partitions that will give you a bit of privacy.

Add Seating to an Empty Corner

It’s always a good idea to have some extra seating in your home. Additional seating gives you the chance to relax in different settings. You’ll also get a wonderful opportunity to host more guests and have a blast without needing to acquire additional chairs or stools for your place.

An empty corner is the perfect spot for the addition of seating, be it in the form of benches or custom furniture that matches the size and the shape of the area.

Some interior designers can even take an empty corner and turn it into an additional dining area. What could be better than sitting down to enjoy a meal in a nook by the window? It’s a perfect choice for a quick bite and a chat with a loved one when you don’t have the time to set up the entire dining area.

Banquette seating is the best choice for such zones because it eliminates the need for having chairs and moving them around. Since banquette is especially sized for a certain zone, it’s also going to match the scale of the respective dead space to create a harmonious functional area.

When in Doubt, Plant It Out

Sometimes, you’ll see an empty corner and you’ll know that it doesn’t look right. At the same time, you’ll probably be clueless about what to put there.

You don’t need to carry out a massive transformation in order to utilise a dead space.

Sometimes, the addition of a simple decorative element will be enough to completely transform the lifeless appearance of a corner or an angle.

When you’re missing ideas and you simply don’t have the budget to come up with a custom solution, employ the power of plants.

You can feature a single pot in a dead space or create an entire urban garden. Adding levels and depth through a few shelves or pots of different sizes will give you some dynamic visual appeal. And if the corner is narrow and tall, you can always plant a vertical garden that will give you a stunning visual.

There’s no need to be a landscaping professional in order to make the idea work. Various plant species are very easy to care for while also giving you a beautiful alive installation to enjoy day after day.

Even if you plan your living space very carefully, there will still be some dead areas. As annoying as they may seem at first, such spots give you opportunities if you’re willing to take on the challenge.