So you have a plan to make your place as spacious as possible. You have designated spots planned for where to put in your couch, your patio chairs, your dining table and all the rest of your furniture. But the unwanted happens and your engineer tells you, “We need to put a column to support that roof and upper floor.” As much as you would like to avoid it, you just have to agree since it’s a structural necessity.
The design might be compensated with structure – architects and interior designers still struggle with that. But they have also thought of different ideas of decorating and making use of those unwanted columns to turn them into desirable pieces.
1. Paint it to complement the walls.
If you think painting the columns the same color as walls would bore you, opt for similar colors of different shades or pick a contrasting color for a striking effect. If your interior style makes use of elaborate elements, you can paint a pattern onto the columns as well.
2. Create contrast between styles or materials.
Turn your columns as accents in the house by using a contrasting style or material (or both) from the main walls. For example, stone pillar columns add accent to your plainly-painted home exterior. Smooth, brick-like columns can break monotony on a room with a minimalist interior. Classical columns add focal interest to a contemporary-styled home.
3. Create a sense of rhythm.
So you need a column for structural purposes. Why not use more – real or faux – to create a sense of rhythm and pattern into your home. Pair it with beams on the ceiling to make it look more pleasing to the eyes.
4. Make it a divider.
The columns can create a defining “break” between two rooms, like between the kitchen and a family room, or between a kitchen and a dining area. You can put a countertop or low storage in between columns to create room for storing items and decorations while defining that the space on its other side is another room that serves a different function.
5. Turn it into a piece of art.
The column itself can be treated like a piece of art if you would showcase a unique pattern or carving on it. While it is usually done on wooden columns, it can be done with concrete columns as well.
6. Use it to display art pieces.
Don’t have room for a nice painting you received from granny? Attach a hook and display your art piece in there. A white column can also serve as a canvas. If you’re creative enough, you can paint some drawings or typographies into your column.
7. Light it up.
You can use light in your column to make it more interesting. You can wrap stringed lights in your columns (not just during Christmas) for an artsy effect. You can call a specialty lighting electrician to install uplight, downlight or backlight in your column. Doing this is great for exterior columns, especially in walkways, balconies, and garages; but it also looks great inside the home.
8. Wrap it with greenery.
The columns on your outdoor patio or terrace will create visual interest by using creepers or foliage that grow vertically and can cling and climb to exterior materials. Doing this would not only decorate the column, but it would also add beauty to the whole area altogether.
9. Create custom furniture.
Two adjacent columns create wonderful possibilities. They can be used as storage for display items like vases, toy collections, picture frames or anything you would like to show off. They can be integrated into built-in shelves for books or an entertainment center for TV and other media items. They can be encased to add some cubbies for wine, shoe or sculpture storage. They can also make a great spot to install a mini bar – the upper parts can be used for putting up a cabinet and the lower part can be installed with storage with the countertop.
10. Use it as an anchor for your kitchen island.
You may use your column as a pivot point where your kitchen island would settle. It can also be a space where you can install electrical outlets for your small appliances on the island.