As an interior designer, I am often faced with a design dilemma to solve.  Some problematic issues would be a room with angled ceilings, a room that is a passageway between other rooms, or a room without opposing walls to place a sofa and television.

These are all what I call “awkward spaces”.  An awkward space is one that is hard to furnish, so many clients leave them empty or try to ignore the space, which draws even more attention to it in my opinion.

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So how do you turn a negative design element into a positive one; a space that you will utilize and will flow with the rest of the home?

When I am faced with this challenge, I draw attention to the awkward space with a creative design.  By embracing the space, it will make it both beautiful and functional.

Let’s use the example of a very small bedroom.  The tendency of many is to select small-scale patterns on fabrics, minimize furnishings and paint beige on the walls.

I suggest going bold and choosing large scale items to play against the small space.  For instance, how about bold patterned damask bedding or drapery and a daring paint color on the walls.

To capture the limited light, hang a mirror on the wall. It will reflect light into the room.  A chandelier will give a lovely glow to the room at night and make it feel grand and important.  Consider some wall sconces to flank the bed and provide reading light at night.

With these design elements, you will flip that negative design element into a positive and create a dramatic bedroom that will become your favorite room of the house!  We are here to help you realize your dream home, call Tami at 661 430-0127¡

Tami Smight Interiors, a full-service interior design firm, has been gracing southern California homes with warm, accessible designs since 2004.

As a certified professional interior designer, Tami Smight shares expert design tips, tricks and trends in her column. Check out her articles in our SCV Your Home Inside And out section