Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's living room is a masterclass in styling an unloved corner

Living room corners are rife with decorating opportunities. Our love of nooks and cozy corners may be due to the feeling of safety or comfort they offer. Most of us shy away from sitting in the middle and would choose the edge, but we could instead make the space in the middle better by creating small nooks and pockets. 

While it can be tempting to leave an empty corner vacant, you would be surprised at how easy it can be to decorate this unloved space elegantly. This is something that TV host Ellen DeGeneres and actor Portia de Rossi know all too well and always ensure to capitalize on when decorating their many homes.

If you're stuck for living room corner ideas, make like DeGeneres and de Rossi by introducing statement art for a corner that truly sings. A wise investment in pieces you love brings pleasure, and beauty to your home and the prospect of rich returns, both aesthetically and often monetary.

Designed by Jane Hallworth of Hallworth, the striking art installation in this home is quite the statement. However, there are plenty of ways to decorate with art to introduce visual interest to unused corners. 

Art is the most powerful tool in any room and sets the tone. Furniture doesn’t necessarily last forever, whereas art is often passed down through the generations.

'Think about your art right from the beginning,' says Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby. 'I find it works badly if it’s used as an afterthought as it just doesn’t sing in the same way.' 

'People get intimidated when buying art and don’t know how to choose. Head that off at the start and integrate it from day one and then through every review of the design you’re looking at everything in the context of the art.'

'I like the main starting point to be dynamic. That isn’t to say it has to be vibrant and bold, there just needs to be a lot going on. Quieter art is better layered in once you’ve found the main event.'

Designer Rachel Chudley also believes that working with art can make a difference in a neglected corner space.

'I would never advise acquiring art to match an interior, but I would also say that an art collection should be an extension of your personality, as should an interior. It should bring joy – I really believe that living with art makes people happier.'

If you're not an art collector, shelving is a fantastic alternative. Living room shelving is a great way to add extra storage space to an underused or bland living room corner. 

Open shelving can create a real statement – it is both useful and beautiful. It is also more economical than a fully enclosed storage unit, especially in a compact room. It is particularly suited to small recesses in areas such as either side of a chimney breast or corner space, helping to enhance and correct uneven proportions visually. 

There are a multitude of things you can put in the corner of a living room – the possibilities are endless.

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