Each week, Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week we look at how to decorate a room with an unusual shape.

Oval, octagonal—when you have a space that’s set in anything but four corners, outfitting it is a matter of artistry. “The biggest challenge is to use the eccentricity of the room as an asset as opposed to trying to ignore it,” said designer Michael S. Smithof Michael S. Smith Inc. in Santa Monica, California, who re-designed the White House’sOval Office in 2010.“It’s the proverbial putting a square peg in a round hole.

“You can turn the eccentricity of a room into an advantage if you address it, but if you ignore it, it becomes the most obvious aspect of the room.”

For tips on decorating your space to its full potential, follow this advice from the design pros.

More: Add Playfulness by Decorating With Polka Dots

“Furniture can balance almost any oddity in a space. In a curved space, for instance, a built-in sofa banquette or a curved sofa can work. For a room that is asymmetrical with a window off center, for example, you can use curtains to create a vertical presence that is stronger than the asymmetry.

“If there’s a deep corner for example, utilize that space for something with a special use–a desk with a chair on either side or a small game table can make it look like the room was designed with the oddity. In a room with a round part, a semicircular sofa, a round table to work at or a small dining table with chairs could work. A pair of pedestals with plants or lamps or a pair of trees can hide awkward corners—something that gives ceremony or architecture to the room that is not there.

“Sometimes built-in bookcases can fill in a space and make it feel symmetrical. But often times, if you build something too specific, it brings more attention to the oddity of a room.

“Wrapping a room in a pattern can be like wrapping a gift—it’ll even out the situation. If you do something with a big pattern where it looks like there is space beyond pattern, like a vine or a trellis, it can make the room feel bigger, minimizing the oddity and wrapping the problem away.”

— Designer Michael S. Smith of Michael S. Smith Inc. in Santa Monica, California

From Penta:Painting With Fire on Steel

“Rather than focus on perfect alignment and symmetry, allow a bit of fluidity and find the best natural positions for each furniture piece. Use a designated center point as the guiding force for furniture placement rather than trying to fit between walls or windows around the perimeter.

“For smaller features such as bay windows, it can be worth furnishing them to maximize utility. For a project on West 86th Street in New York City, we incorporated a pair of leather chairs with a side table for a seating experience that functions both on its own and as an extension to the larger living. For another bay, we utilized its natural curve as a circulation space behind the dining chair. This additional square footage allowed for a much longer table with more seating capacity.

“In regard to living and dining spaces, embrace circular and irregular forms, especially tables. This allows the furniture around them to be positioned to fit the natural contours of the room while being in direct conversation with the element in the middle that ties it all together.

“Depending on the degree of irregularity, consider a more restrained palette or softer tones in general to counterbalance the inherent energy.”

— Andrew Bowen, director of staging for ASH NYC

More: The Wonder of Winter Flowers

“Rather than avoiding obstacles in a room, make them part of the space. If there is a column in the center of your living room, for instance, flank it with your seating options and hang some funky art on that column.

“Try to float furniture pieces as much as possible so you can use them for multiple purposes. A console on the back of a sofa or sectional works well as a desk or small work area. There are so many furniture companies that will make a custom table to fit around a column. You could then dress it up with accessories, art and shelving.

“I recommend putting botanicals wherever possible. So, if there is an awkward corner, filling that space with a floor plant will hide the corner organically, and warm up the space.

— Samantha Steiner, sales and design manager at ROOM, a home staging firm with offices in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut

More: Elevated Ways to Display Your Family Photos

“See awkward spaces as opportunities rather than challenges. Maximize circulation to make the room flow better and feel as large as possible. This can really be helped by looking at the shape of the furniture. We recently had an incredibly tight living/dining room to design. We used a curved sofa, which kept the circulation space and made what was a small room feel very large indeed.

“Utilize awkward spaces to create a mini zone or display areas. For example, if you have an odd corner, place an armchair and floor lamp to create a reading nook. You could also make a small alcove into a study area with a simple floating shelf and chair.

“For an awkward corner, place a small side table with a vase of fresh flowers, display your favorite sculpture or use a cabinet to store family heirlooms for an interesting vignette. Feature walls, statement accessories and pops of color can help transform a once awkward space into an inviting space.”

— Ed O’Donnell, co-founder of Angel O’Donnell design studio based in London

More: Designing a Chic Basement

“Sectional or modular sofas are great because they are very flexible and utilize corners very well. Another trick is to use large mirrors. Either on a wall or floor standing, they can be used to box off awkward corners.

“Sometimes built-ins obscure the original form of a room, so instead you can use freestanding storage solutions—armoires, chests of drawers and sideboards. In the right context, built-in wardrobes and bookshelves can help.”

— Hong Kong-based Timothy Oulton, founder and creative director, Timothy Oulton furniture and interiors

Click to read more news and stories about luxury home design

COPYRIGHT © 2022 MANSION GLOBAL. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.1211 AVE OF THE AMERICAS NEW YORK, NY 10036 | info@mansionglobal.com

DISCLAIMER: The currency conversion is provided for illustration purposes only. It is meant only as an approximation based on the latest information available and should not be relied upon for any other purposes. We are not responsible for any loss that you may incur as a result of relying on these currency conversions. All property prices are as stated by the listing agent.