Decorating Arched Recesses

Sweet Niche

• An arched niche is a shallow wall recess typically designed to hold sculpture or statuary. If you live in pre-war construction, you may have an old-fashioned telephone niche. For a classic look, place a single vase, urn or bust on the ledge, or hang framed artwork on the niche’s back wall. Affix a battery-powered puck light to the inside top to highlight your choice. If you long for a fireplace, fill the ledge with chunky pillar candles of varying heights. If practicing your faith requires statues, icons or candles, a small niche makes a fine altar or shrine.

Book Nook

• If your adult-height recess measures 10 to 15 inches deep, install shelves to turn it into a built-in bookcase. Finish the shelves to match the nook color or the room’s woodwork, as you prefer. Light the nook with a flexible LED strip installed along the inside curve of the arch, or mount a bookcase lamp just outside the nook at the top center of the arch. Fill your built-in with a mix of books and decorative accessories. Place the books first, leaving staggered openings for the accessories. Opt for different object types in a variety of materials and finishes, and arrange them in overlapping layers from back to front.

Cozy Alcove

• For an alcove 15 inches deep or greater, tailor the furnishings to the size of the space. Center a console table or chest against the back wall in a shallower recess. Hang a mirror or framed art above the piece and top it with a slender table lamp. In an alcove at least as deep as a coat closet, use a writing table, desk lamp and chair to make it a miniature home office. If your alcove is closer to walk-in closet size, hang a pendant or petite chandelier overhead. Furnish it with a bistro table and chairs to turn it into dining space for two, or add a comfortable chair and ottoman to create a cozy place to read and rest. Complete either look by hanging artwork and laying a small rug on the alcove floor.

Recessed Nest

• If you have a large-enough recess in a bedroom, turn it into a snug sleeping space. Recessed beds aren’t a modern idea. Thomas Jefferson added them to Monticello’s interior after noting the concept in France. Tuck your bed into the recess sofa style, with the long side nestled against the back wall. Use a bed-sized recess in a public room as a guest accommodation. For privacy, hang a pair of portieres -- which are door curtains -- over the arched opening. If your recess is wider than your bed but nowhere near as deep, place the headboard end against the back wall for a sheltered effect.