Successful Solutions for Odd Space

Space use planning is one of the several constant considerations of Interior Design teams.  That particular skill is most important when the Interior environment in question is odd, possibly confined, long and narrow, including off angles and with no clearly designated function.  Sometimes, such anomalies can be tackled with some limited re-construction, but in most situations, it’s just there – and the client wants us to: “do the best you can” with it!
 
Such Interior space challenges can be diamonds in the rough, just waiting for the right touch.  “Long and narrow” is one of the toughest, yet one of the best creative opportunities.  The primary solution lies in designing to take the emphasis off the oddity and onto the transformative purpose. Especially in vintage buildings, odd space configurations crop up.  They are often a reflection of times with fewer conveniences than we presently enjoy.  An example would be wider hallways (but not too wide) that accommodated the service function of sending and receiving necessities by dumb waiters installed in wall channels between floors.  Another example is buildings where the original use and the conversion use are radically different, and where adaptation requires a lot of ingenuity!

Don’t give up! Believe it or not, this beautiful banquet area was formerly a horse stable! There is hope for your odd space challenge

​Designing Interior space into balanced elements of color, texture, light, sound, materials and furnishings must also include clear understandings about the end use of the space.  (Sound a little “DUH?”)  Well, of course it is obvious if the use is straightforward, such as “workstations” or “kitchen,” etc.   Not so, for odd, small, or areas with other serious limitations.   Converting places like that from dead space to useful solutions can be a surprising relief.
 
Take a look around your residence or business Interior.  Most have dead zone areas that become the: “Oh, just put that in there – we’ll get to it later!” dump site.     Yet, elsewhere in the overall environment, occupants (businesses or families) are space hungry and probably “making do” for receptions, meetings and other activities that come up, are necessary, but have no legitimate place to happen in the Interior environment.
 
In other articles we have discussed making better use of the neglected space in hallways, attics and such – those spaces that have intended purposes, yet are wasted with clutter or unidentified, unremembered “storage.” This challenge is different – it’s about space that’s right there in the mainstream of an Interior environment, but difficult to use for any one of various reasons.
 
The space in the photograph that accompanies this article had potential, but was just narrow enough to be a tricky fit.   We began our search for solutions by re-assessing the functional needs of the business client.  They needed a place for very formal entertaining, but were stuck in the assumption that only vast open areas work for banquet seating!  Not only did the space eventually meet the need, it became a conversation piece for its untraditional presentation, and its past use history!
 
Not everyone can visualize an end configuration before it is an actual installation!  For that and other reasons, don’t write off odd spots as wasted, useless areas without getting some professional input!  There usually are solutions.