Not every apartment can boast of ideal proportions and correct geometric shapes. In many apartments there are various shortcomings that can only be hidden behind sheets of drywall. At first glance, it seems that in this case the room will completely lose its good appearance, but designers claim that plasterboard makes excellent niches. They hide the flaws of the bedroom, and also give the interior its own zest. This technique has taken root so well that plasterboard niches in the bedroom,
As in the photo, they began to equip it for purely decorative purposes. The interior turns out to be non-standard, but cozy - it’s pleasant to fall asleep and wake up in such a bedroom.
Advantages of niche design
All built-in niches in the bedroom differ from each other in a number of parameters: height, depth, material and shape. However, any sufficiently deep alcove has a number of obvious advantages in the interior:
- Additional space is created in the living room, which can be used to maximum benefit. In addition, the design of a bedroom with a niche changes dramatically for the better.
- The alcove at the head of the bed forms a kind of arch that covers the eyes of the lying person from the light of the ceiling chandelier.
- Auxiliary items, modular lamps, souvenir and decorative sets can be located in the niches.
- An alcove with a shallow burial depth can be used for beautiful decoration, for example, mounting panels, mosaic tiles, canvases with photo prints.
- A niche is most often designed as a bedroom, completely repeating the design features.
In deeper niches in the bedroom, rotating furniture structures with a transformation function are installed: wardrobes, beds, desks, folding bar counters.
Wardrobes and armchairs are installed in the alcoves, which can significantly save free space. A closet in a niche in a bedroom is an example of optimal distribution of free space in practice.
Optimal material for installation
Among all the variety of materials offered on the construction market, the most convenient and easy to use are plasterboard sheets. Fragility and fear of water are their main disadvantages. They have a smooth surface that is easy to process - putty, paint, wallpaper.
Before you go buying drywall, let's get acquainted with its variety:
- Arched;
- Wall;
- Moisture resistant;
- Fire resistant;
- Ceiling.
The thickness of the plasterboard is 12 and 9.6 mm. For the strength of the structure being built, we choose thicker sheets. Moisture resistant or wall, depending on the humidity level.
Ceiling - the thinnest. It is cheap. It will also work for cladding.
During the installation process, you will need profiles to ensure structural rigidity and self-tapping screws for attaching drywall to the posts and guides of the assembled frame. We study various photos of options for placing the bed in a niche, draw a working drawing, and make an estimate.
Drywall allows you to do without expensive tools during its use. A construction knife and a screwdriver with drill functions are enough to assemble the frame and attach the sheets to it.
In this regard, the layout of the bed in a niche made of plasterboard is the best economical option. You can do without expenses, and spend the saved money on purchasing finishing materials.
Types of niches by depth
One of the most important technical parameters for an existing construction niche is its depth. After all, focusing on the distance to the back wall, you can think over the layout of furniture in the bedroom interior. The following types of construction alcoves are distinguished:
- True niches. These structures are fairly deep alcoves in the wall in which any objects, devices, or furniture can be placed. Bedrooms with a niche for a bed are very practical.
- Decorative models. The depth of such buildings is minimal, and therefore the niche is used exclusively for room decoration.
There are also artificial niches in the bedroom, which are made from plasterboard or other building materials. A similar approach is used for beneficial zoning of the bedroom.
Advantages of niches made of plasterboard elements
Drywall niches in the bedroom are usually formed at the head of the bed. It is preferable to place all kinds of decor here: watches, gadgets, paintings, figurines, souvenirs, soft toys, even pots or flower pots. The interior looks more balanced, exudes comfort and special charm.
Compositions where the entire wall is involved look most advantageous. In the side parts of the niche you can place other functional devices or complex decorative structures. For example, a “dry” aquarium, shelves with books, several shelves for various accessories.
The main advantages of built-in plasterboard systems:
Types of niches by other parameters
Designers identify several more parameters by which a construction alcove is assessed: shape, height, number of tiers. Today, quite a few varieties of decorative and true alcoves have appeared:
- From floor to ceiling.
- At a certain distance from the floor level.
- Single alcoves (without division into tiers).
- Multilevel models. Decorative items, miniature table lamps, and souvenirs can be located on each floor.
According to their shape, all niches are divided into classic rectangular, semicircular, trapezoidal, elongated or square alcoves.
Bed with LED lighting in the headboard
The second available location for installing the LED strip is the head of the bed. This type of lighting is often used to implement complex design solutions, as a large area of the room is illuminated. There are 2 main ways to install lighting at the headboard: around the perimeter and only in the upper part. The choice of installation depends on the preferences of the owner and the interior of the room.
For bright bedroom lighting, it is recommended to install a tape around the perimeter of the headboard. The length of the tape should be selected based on the size of the furniture. Usually, when installing lighting on headboards, a 5-meter coil is enough. The lighting can be glued to a pre-installed aluminum profile or directly to the surface of the bed.
A beautiful design solution would be to illuminate the bed inside the headboard. It is usually installed in furniture where there is a glass or translucent surface that can transmit light. To install the lighting, you will need to make several holes in the furniture through which you should pass the wires for the power supply. The bed becomes like a big night light.
Also, when implementing design solutions, headboard lighting is often used only in the upper part, without the sides. The tape is installed in a straight line. In this case, a length of 1-2 meters is enough. The backlight will illuminate the headboard area and also add comfort when waking up.
When installing, it is recommended to place the power supply away from the bed. Transformer radiation affects the quality of sleep and human health.
You can complement a bed with lighting at the head by installing a strip at the bottom of the frame. By combining 2 types of lighting, the furniture is visually separated from the entire room. The LED strip will create an accent on the bed, highlighting it from the general space of the room.
Niche design rules
For apartment owners, the reliability and quality of the repairs carried out are an important criterion. For this reason, a number of rules for finishing a construction alcove should be followed:
- Before starting repair and finishing work, you should decide on the purpose of the future structure. For example, compare the dimensions of the TV and the connector itself intended for installation.
- Particular attention is paid to the quality of interior finishing. All surfaces are leveled and covered with a layer of antifungal and antiseptic composition.
- For lighting fixtures, care should be taken to ensure power lines.
- All wiring must be hermetically sealed to avoid possible moisture ingress and short circuits.
Special requirements are placed on artificial niches, which craftsmen make with their own hands from various materials.
All construction work should be presented in advance in the form of a drawing, which will allow the work to be carried out without gross errors. They also carefully select the shape, size and external design for a homemade frame that forms a niche.
Win-win solutions
Essentially, an alcove can be of two types: a deep recess or a built-in decorative structure. The deeper the niche, the more functional and decorative additions can be used. However, you should not abuse plasterboard structures either. Otherwise, an elegant element of the interior can turn into a tasteless, vulgar “sarcophagus”.
In addition to beautiful attributes and souvenirs, the lower segment can be equipped not with open shelves, but with closed cells for storing things. Considering the fact that a niche in the wall is placed in the bedroom directly next to the bed, bed linen and various linen accessories are stored in closed containers.
To make massive structures look light and sophisticated, wardrobes and plasterboard structures are complemented with mirrors, as well as LED lighting and other similar elements. If shelves are placed in a niche, some of them are made of glass, which makes the structure weightless.
The complex design of niches involves the use of a wide variety of decorative elements and finishing materials. The most popular options: textured plaster, photo wallpaper, 3D trellises, inserts made of various materials.
Interior finishing options
Today, a wide variety of interior finishing models for building niches are available to craftsmen. All finishing materials are available at any hardware store at reasonable prices. At the same time, the master will have to take into account the complexity of the design, the cost of the material, and the future design.
Original solutions
A bed in a niche is a fairly common and boring technique, as is creating a recess for a TV. Drywall is a convenient material in every sense. Various designs can be used in the following formats:
Bold, thoughtful, stylish designs can radically change the bedroom. The possibilities of drywall in combination with modern finishing materials allow you to realize the most daring ideas of the designer. Standard recesses are decorated with openwork partitions and form complex pedestals (only in spacious bedrooms) for a TV or other large equipment.
Decorative plaster
A niche covered only with decorative plaster has an advantageous design. The walls, bottom and ceiling of the alcove are white and blend perfectly with other interior features.
In addition, this finishing method does not require special skills and abilities, and the material is adequately durable. Before applying plaster, all surfaces must be coated with 1-2 layers of primer, which will increase the adhesion of the plaster to the underlying wall.
Liquid wallpaper for a niche
An alternative option for interior decoration of a construction alcove is liquid wallpaper. Modern compositions have a beautiful design, pleasant texture, and wonderful color combinations.
Thanks to its special consistency, liquid wallpaper makes it possible to mask small defects on the surface of the walls. The advantages of using it include an environmentally friendly composition that is absolutely safe for humans.
Niche installation
Assembling a frame from a profile
It is quite simple to install a niche with your own hands.
This is done in 3 stages. At the first stage, the design is developed, markings are applied, and the frame is assembled from an aluminum profile. All elements are fastened using a hammer drill and dowels. If the shape of the niche is non-standard, then this should be calculated in advance. First, horizontal profiles are fixed along the floor and ceiling, and then vertical ones are attached to them. To add rigidity to the entire structure, an additional profile is used. Sheathed with plasterboard.
At the second stage, it is necessary to sheathe the entire structure. To cut out the required element from drywall, you can use an electric jigsaw or a special knife. When placing the lighting, it is worth laying all the wiring inside the structure in advance so that it is invisible. At the final stage, the prepared structure must be completely puttied. Do not forget to apply a special crimping tape to the joints, which will strengthen them, and fix special leveling corners at the corners. The fastening points (screw heads) are also carefully puttied. After complete drying, you need to start decorating the prepared surfaces, but before that, do not forget to sand them well with sandpaper to remove irregularities and make the surface smooth. In order for finishing materials to adhere well to the surface, it should be primed first.
At each stage, a building level is used to create a perfectly smooth wall with niches.
Decorative painting
For those who do not like interior decoration and large-scale renovations, there is an alternative option - stencil painting. For this purpose, a set of stencils (sets of PVC films) and acrylic paints are used.
The surfaces of the niche walls are pre-coated with plaster or liquid wallpaper. After the coating has completely hardened, you can proceed directly to the design of the alcove.
This method is especially popular for decorating children's bedrooms, because with the help of paints and a brush you can draw a whole fairy-tale plot in the room and create a fascinating atmosphere.
Decoration
The last stage - decorating the structure - can be called the most exciting and interesting from a design perspective. The most popular finishing materials: Traditional wallpaper (non-woven fabric, vinyl, paper, rice canvas, and bamboo);
Also, with the help of skillfully selected finishing (both in color and texture), it is convenient to enhance the quality of lighting fixtures. This applies to both general lighting in the room and local lighting.
The selection of finishing materials is carried out taking into account the overall interior concept. The dimensions of the structure also play an important role. Large, massive plasterboard niches are best decorated with light wallpaper. Miniature structures can be generously decorated with “heavy” finishing materials: brick-like, glass beads, complex mosaics.
Source
Films with imitation of various materials
For an interior style such as Loft, brickwork is often used. However, the dimensions of the niche do not allow the use of real brick due to its volumetric dimensions.
In such cases, you can resort to special PVC films with imitation of various materials: brick or masonry, wood, tiles. The films are easily attached to the underlying surface, tolerate wet cleaning well, and do not fade under the influence of sunlight.
Sheathing
The necessary elements are cut out from plasterboard sheets using jigsaws or a special knife. If an alcove is formed for a TV or other equipment, it is necessary to lay the wiring in advance, hiding the wires inside the structure.
Then the niche is plastered. A special tape is applied to the joints, which will strengthen the structure. At corners it is recommended to use special elements to ensure alignment.
Screw heads and other specific elements are puttied with special care. Before applying finishing materials, the entire surface of the recess is carefully primed.
Practical use of a niche
Decorative niches are used for decorative finishing of the bedroom. For example, a small arch has an interesting design, inside of which there are mosaic tiles, stone and brickwork. Inside such frames, panels of bamboo wallpaper are attached, and various stylish frescoes are glued. True and artificial alcoves are used for more practical purposes.
TV installation
Construction niches located on the wall opposite the bed are used as a platform for TV and music speakers.
If the size is sufficient, shelves or holders for disks and flash cards can also be installed there. However, it is worth remembering that a TV in a niche in the bedroom requires high-quality protection from moisture.
Creating a Closet
With enough space, a niche can be used for storing things and for decoration. Excellent options are offered by florists - plants decorate the top of the cabinet.
It is worth making a barbell from artificial material that will be used to hang things on hangers.
You can achieve an interesting result by creating shelves located at different levels.
Ways to decorate a niche
Any construction niche is a full-fledged piece of furniture in the bedroom, and therefore requires mandatory decor. There can be a variety of options for how to decorate a niche in the bedroom:
- Fresco mosaic, which is used to decorate decorative niches.
- Large-scale painting on the surface of the wall (alcove).
- You can place spotlights around the perimeter of such an alcove, and hang a mirror on the wall itself. This niche serves as an original boudoir.
Using a number of practical tips from experienced designers and original designs (available on web portals dedicated to interior design), you can get a profitable alcove. This design has maximum practicality and fits perfectly into the bedroom design.
What are niches?
It is quite difficult to list the variety of designs and shapes of plasterboard niches. They can be of various shapes: rectangular, square, round, or include many combinations. Niches also differ in size and depth. Based on this, they are divided into two types.
- Deep niche.
- Shallow niche.
By adding appropriate lighting, you can get a real fairy tale atmosphere.
Deep niche
This design can reach a depth of 40 cm or more. Most often it is mounted next to the sleeping area or above the bed. The advantages of such a plasterboard model lie in its multifaceted use. It will not only effectively highlight the head of the bed, but also convenient shelves, bedside tables, and cabinets.
Niches can come in a wide variety of shapes and differ not only in depth, area and design, but also in functionality.
How to decorate a niche in the wall in the bedroom:
- For ease of use, be sure to think through the lighting of this area. Spot lighting is often used, but wall sconces or table lamps on bedside tables can become a convenient addition and decoration.
- Spacious bedrooms allow you to use deep niches as room zoning. A small library with a comfortable chair and an original lamp, a wonderful and cozy relaxation area with a fireplace or a huge sea aquarium will be quite impressively placed here. You can completely hide a recess in the wall from prying eyes by placing a spacious, comfortable closet or dressing room there.
- For small apartments, a deep niche can be used as a wardrobe or a transformable bed. During the day it looks like a closet, and at night it turns into a comfortable sleeping place.
- An endless fountain of interior design ideas with a deep plasterboard design on the wall in a children's bedroom. Here you can create a play area or a sports corner, or equip a work area with a comfortable desk and plenty of shelves. And, of course, to create a cozy and fabulous sleeping place, in addition to the bed, you can place your favorite toys on comfortable shelves.
The niche will make you want to spend days in bed.
shallow niche
A shallow version of plasterboard niches serves more of a decorative function in the interior of a bedroom. As a rule, they are used as bright accents complemented by spectacular lighting.
This design will effectively highlight the headboard.
Here you can place chic panels made of textured plaster or mosaic, original stained glass windows and spectacular photo wallpapers, as well as mirrors. This design solution can become a decoration for the head of the bed.
In addition to beauty, it is also very practical.
The shallow design can also accommodate shelves with designer items, figurines or photographs in original frames.
If you cut out small shelves in it, the issue of storing remote controls, mobile phones and a night light will be resolved once and for all.
As a rule, the niche is decorated in the same style as the entire bedroom. The location of the niche is selected based on the layout, size, shape of the room, ceiling height and lighting. The choice of shape and size of the structure also depends on the shape and size of the room.
Convenience is the main rule that should be followed when arranging a cozy alcove for relaxation from daytime worries and night sleep.
A small bedroom will look more attractive with a vertically elongated niche or a square-shaped design. If the bedroom has high ceilings, it is better to use horizontally elongated niches.
A suitable option for spacious bedrooms and small rooms that lack volume.
Arch over the bed in the bedroom
The classic style involves the use of arched compositions in bedrooms above the bed with stucco molding and the use of light colors.
In order not to burden the bedroom design with a complex plasterboard structure, it must be decorated with lighting.
The arched design of the bedside area is typical of the oriental style. It allows you to recreate a princess’s bed with the characteristic mystery, originality and brilliance of decorations, as well as the variety and richness of fabrics.
The most striking and widespread solution is Moorish arches. The installation of such arches provides for various height parameters. The internal filling of these niches is distinguished by expensive lamps, decorative vases and other elegant little things.
The bedroom is designed for privacy, love, and relaxation. Therefore, its interior is thought out to the smallest detail and created with soul!
The arch above the bed will be perfectly emphasized by a canopy made of transparent colored organza with a large pattern made in oriental style gold or silver tones.
If the arch above the bed is deep enough, it can be decorated with plaster stucco or using textured plaster to create sophisticated romantic pictures, using soft pastel colors and original spot lighting with an emphasis on important details. You can complete such delicate and romantic beauty with a light transparent veil.
This area should evoke peace and harmony, so warm light is optimal.
