Today we are talking about how to decorate wall niches. Some people love them, and well…..others hate them. There seems to be no neutral zone where this is concerned.

Source: Founterior

Most new construction homes these days, almost always come with at least a couple of wall niches (also known as art niches and wall cutouts).

Source: Houzz.com

Here in the Houston area, wall niches are very common with new construction homes. In fact, home builders sell them as a special feature or an upgrade to the homes they build.

They are often found in the entry halls where there are really high ceilings, or in the living room above the fireplace as a place for the television. In some cases, these niches are a great feature for breaking up a large wall, or a very high wall. But there are those instances where these niches are more of an awkward nuisance, that baffle homeowners. The result is usually that they are left unadorned, or filled with a random arrangement of items that just don’t work.

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of these wall niches myself. Maybe because they are often just drywall cut-outs that are not embellished with moldings like they used to be in the past, or they are filled with fake floral arrangements and random tchotchkes. It could be because they are usually so high up on a wall that you cannot really see and appreciate the art that is displayed in them.

Here is a picture of how wall niches were adorned in the past

Source: Cote de Texas Blog

They were beautifully curved, and finished off with wonderful moldings and casing and used for displaying sculptures and other art. Although these might be a bit formal for the way most people live today, the wall niches of today are the other extreme, with no real architectural purpose. They are simply wall cutouts.

If you have some of these wall niches in your home, and you have no idea what to do with them, I am here to give you some ideas and tips, which will hopefully help you transform them into beautiful, eye-catching features.

• Drywall over them

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Not because the builder of your home thinks they are so special, it doesn’t mean you have to. If these niches don’t work for the way you live and decorate, cover them over with drywall and blend them into the existing wall space. That’s a better option than forcing them to work

• Give them a function

Source: AtticMag

Source: Cote de Texas

Instead of forcing them to be decorative, why not make your wall niches functional by adding some shelves and making them a functional display area.

• Resist the temptation of fake trailing ivy

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Whatever you do, PLEASE DON’T do this! Do not add fake ivy, and/or tiny art pieces and objects that result in a cluttered mess. Instead hang some plates using a great wallpaper pattern as a back drop.

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This would be a great way to decorate the wall niche pictured above. If it is deep enough, add a collection of ginger jars

Source: Chinoiserie Chic Blog

• Add a beautiful mural

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This can get tacky fast, so be careful with this idea. If you have multiple wall niches all over your house, do not add murals all over. Murals are meant to be a special accent and would lose their value or special-ness if they are done every where. The above picture is a great example of a mural done in a wall niche. Notice that the walls around it almost blend in and become a part of the scenery.

• Add a custom accent piece made to fit the space exactly

Source: Casa Vilora Interiors

Source: Casa Vilora Interiors

I commissioned this custom laser cut wooden wall panel for a niche in my client’s hallway near the entry. As you can see, it fits perfectly in the space. I had it painted in white to almost blend in with the cool light gray color of the walls. That way, it will not stand out too much allowing the pattern to make the statement.

Reina Entry Way Niches

Source: Casa Vilora Interiors

These are custom faux wrought iron pieces I had commissioned for two separate clients a while ago. The niches in the entry way  of the first picture were painted with a color two shades darker than the wall color and then the Tableaux faux iron was inserted.

The second picture is a stone fireplace wall with a Tableaux faux iron insert. Care should be taken that you are not applying Tableaux all over your home. It will get to be too much!

See a blog post I wrote about Tableaux incase you need more information.

• Play them up

Instead of fighting the fact that you have these wall niches, why not play them up and make them a big impact in the room? These niches in the first picture were accented with a darker color paint and then styled with tons of books and accents. Notice how the niches pop against the white walls in the rest of the space.

The second picture is a wall niche along a long hallway from the entry. Accenting with a red metallic paint makes it a feature wall, in addition to the beautiful vignette.

• Turn it into a plate rack

Plate Rack

Plate Racks

Source: Pinterest

I am a big fan of plate racks. They are so full of character and quite functional as well. Converting a wall niche into a plate rack is a  great way to display a beautiful collection of plates, mugs or glasses. If your niches are in an area where it makes sense to, that is a wonderful way to go.

• Add interesting accessories

Things like urns, finials, art and sculptures arranged in groupings can make your wall niches feel like they belong. Keep the scale of each piece compared to the size of the wall niche in mind, if you decide to go this route

• It is ok to add a vintage mirror

Vintage Mirror

Trumeau

Trumeau Mirror

Trumeau Mirror

Depending on the location of your wall niche, you can either convert it into a trumeau mirror or add a vintage mirror. The foyer or dining room are great areas to add a mirror. You can cover the niche altogether with a wall mirror, or add one that fits almost  perfectly into the recess of the niche.

Trumeau mirrors are a fairly easy weekend DIY project if you like that idea as a solution to your wall niche problem. I have a great client that actually made one all by herself, and in her own words she is “not very crafty” at all. I don’t have a picture but it was so well done, I thought she unearthed it at a flea market in Paris.

•  Make them symmetrical

If you have a wall niche that is asymmetrical, especially on a main focal wall, try camouflaging that fact by creating the illusion of symmetry. The above picture is a great example of an asymmetrical wall that could use some help.

One way is to add a second recessed wall niche to the left, but that requires some construction work. You could also build a wall shelf mimicking the niche to the right and then mount it to the surface of the wall on the left. That also requires some construction. A simpler way would be to add a piece of furniture that is a similar height and scale to the niche on the right. It cannot be too deep.This could be an armoire or bookcase. Then accessorize them in a similar way.

The picture below shows how well symmetrical wall niches work on a wall that is a focal point.  

So I am very curious to know, how many of you are the proud owners of wall niches? How have you decorated them? Were you at a loss as to what to do, or was it easy for you?

Please leave me a comment below.

If you are struggling with your wall niches, feel free to comment below with a question, or send me an email and I would be happy to help.

I am well aware that seems to be a big issue for homeowners, so don’t be overwhelmed!

I hope you found some great ideas, tips and inspiration to addressing the great wall niche conundrum.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon, Casa Vilora Interiors
VeronicaSolomon.com