The columns in the interior surprise with unusual shapes and decor, help divide the space into zones, hide flaws. Monumental, majestic, luxurious - they can become the highlight of any room. Concrete beams, drywall constructions, antique capitals - in modern houses and apartments you can meet any variations on the theme of this traditional element.
Columns in the interior: basic functions
What is their popularity related to? Why are columns in the interior still relevant for more than a thousand years? First of all, designers are attracted by the versatility of these elements.
It:
- Reference function. Redevelopment, the goal of which is to free up space, violates the original idea of the builders. In such a situation, it is precisely the columns that can help to avoid destruction. They serve as a reliable support for floor slabs. Stone, concrete, brick, metal - these elements are made of durable materials.
- Decorative function. Columns in the interior are able to transform and ennoble any room. In one room there can be two or three of these elements at once, made in the same style or different from each other. Original forms and decor allow the columns to become the highlight of the apartment or house.
- Zoning. These designs not only decorate the space, they can also be used to divide it into zones. For example, a group of neat little columns will help separate the living room from the dining room.
- Concealment of flaws. False columns made of drywall or wood will help hide electrical cables.
Materials
What decision should be made first of all to homeowners who plan to use columns in an interior? They need to choose the material from which the structures will be made.
Stone, brick
Products made from brick or stone will be an excellent basis for load-bearing elements. It is important to remember that they have significant weight. If the columns should only decorate the room, it is better to use stone as a finishing material.
Brick elements will look spectacular in the interior, decorated in a loft or Scandinavian style. The stone structures fit perfectly into the country direction as well as the classic design.
Metal
A great idea is metal columns in the interior of an apartment or house. This solution is suitable for kitsch, hi-tech, minimalism styles . The cold surface of the metal organically fits into the big picture.
Fashionable choices are white or black matte surfaces. Those who want to save money do not have to complete the entire structure from solid sheet metal. An affordable solution from the economic point of view is metal paneling of the frame.
Wooden
Wooden structures are famous for their durability, strength and versatility, as well as natural beauty and original texture. Such columns will harmoniously fit into almost any style. They are capable of playing both a decorative role and taking on the functions of load-bearing structures when it comes to small loads.
Country, Provence, eco, classic and Scandinavian styles - all these areas are famous for their love of natural materials. Wooden columns can be coated with clear varnish, painted. In any case, they will look noble, elegant and stylish.
Concrete
Concrete columns in the interior of a house or apartment are a great choice for those who are attracted to the loft style. This material is famous for its durability and strength. Its use in design will help emphasize the feeling of incompleteness characteristic of the direction of the loft.
Concrete columns do a great job of supporting load-bearing structures. However, we must not forget that their monumentality can overload the room visually.
Drywall
This material is preferred by many designers. With it, you can revive and change the most boring interior. Drywall is famous for its pliability, low weight. Columns made of it can be given almost any shape.
The surface of the drywall can be painted, lined with gypsum bricks or artificial stone.
Polyurethane
This modern material has a dense structure and is known for its breadth of application. Polyurethane can be tough or bend. It is easy to create structures of unusual shapes from it. Decorative columns made of polyurethane in the interior - a solution that has not lost its relevance for years. Such elements can fit into almost any style.
Polyurethane goes well with decorative plaster, wallpaper, stone and many other finishing materials.
Original finishes
What are the design options for the columns in the interior? You can bring to life the ideas that are listed below.
Flexible stone
With this cladding material, which is famous for its flexibility, it is easy to give the columns a natural look. It is also known as “stone wallpaper”, as it is rolled up. The material is created from natural stone, or rather, from its small fractions, which are glued to a textile surface.
Flexible stone is a great solution for finishing round elements. It accurately reproduces the natural color of various species, is lightweight, affordable. Easy installation is another advantage of the material.
Mosaic
Mosaic has been invariably popular with designers for many years. The columns, lined with metal mosaic, will look great in a room that is decorated in the style of minimalism, hi-tech or loft. It can also be made of glass, mirror, stone.
Decorative panels
Decorating columns in the interior with decorative panels is another creative solution. The range of materials and textures is quite wide. It offers customers plastic, wood, cork, glass, aluminum products. The panels are characterized by ease of installation, durable, easy to maintain. This finish is worth considering if you plan to clad rectangular or polygonal columns. Unfortunately, it is not suitable if the structures are round.
Which material should I prefer?
- Aluminum panels create a unique visual effect, this is due to their unique pattern. The products are easy to clean, enough from time to time to wipe them with a cloth moistened with window cleaning liquid.
- Wooden panels repel many buyers with their rather high cost. A more economical option is varieties made of several layers of wood. Only the first layer is created from valuable breeds.
- Plastic panels are always popular, as they are affordable. The surface of the product can imitate various textures, be smooth. Antistatic coating (matte or glossy) allows them not to attract dust.
- Acrylic glass panels appeal with their diversity. Various materials can be used for their design - from shells to air bubbles.
Gypsum stucco
A decorative column for an interior in a classic style needs appropriate decoration. It can be decorated with plaster moldings. A variety of sizes and shapes allows the use of decorative elements for every taste. Stucco can be decorated with a column trunk, smooth designs with elegant bas-reliefs on the capitals and the base will look even more impressive. Individual fragments of the pattern can be highlighted with gold paint, which evokes associations with wealth.
Environmental friendliness, chic appearance - the advantages of gypsum stucco. However, it is important not to forget about the shortcomings that this material has. Among them is fragility, impressive weight, discoloration over time, poor moisture tolerance.
Use cases
What role can a column play in the interior of an apartment? Ideas for using this design are discussed below.
- The fulcrum is the role that the column will do just fine. Built-in furniture, say, a kitchen island, can be attached to this element.
- A number of columns will help to indicate the difference in floor level. Vertical structures will become not only a highlight of the interior, but also a signal warning about the need to look at one's feet.
- The column can be turned into a media center. This option is of interest to those who do not know where to put the TV in an apartment or house with an open plan. It is important that there is an outlet block next to the structure.
- Two elements located side by side can be turned into a rack. This design is ideal for placing figurines, commemorative photographs.
- The column can be turned into a wine cabinet, if it is located next to the corner for relaxation. For this, it is enough to surround the structure with the cabinet body. A similar solution is suitable for storing CDs, books, shoes and so on.
- Between the two columns you can place a bar. This will separate the kitchen from the rest of the space in the studio apartment.
How to beat a column in the interior? Yes, very simple. Say you can place seats around this design. This option can often be seen, for example, in shoe stores. A bench can also be placed between the two elements. This solution is ideal for the hallway, as it allows you to change shoes with comfort.
Mirrors
Mirror columns in the interior are the best solution if the owners of the room want them to merge with the room. The pillars will “dissolve” in space, and the room itself will become three-dimensional. This option will help not only visually push the boundaries of space, but also refuse to place a separate mirror. You can also use a mirror mosaic, if the design of the apartment or house allows this.
Modern interiors
Obviously, the appearance of the structures should favorably emphasize and complement the features of the style chosen for the entire room. What can be the columns in a modern interior?
- Loft. This style can be called a kind of projection of abandoned production facilities. Columns that look like unfinished, rough structures fit perfectly into it. Brick, metal, untreated concrete are suitable materials. Rough textured surfaces, strict forms, limited color scheme are welcome.
- Art Nouveau style loves asymmetric shapes and smoothly curved lines that emphasize its originality. Columns in such a room should not just attract attention, but should mesmerize the watchers. The use of backlight is welcome.
- The high-tech style will organically fit the pillars lined with metal mosaic.
- Columns decorated with paintings or photographs will help emphasize the sophistication of art deco design. You can also give preference to designs made in cheerful colors. Of course, you need to make sure that such a solution does not overload the space visually.
Classics of the genre
The classic style approves of strict regular forms, solid materials. Such a design looks respectable and expensive, and it can not be denied conciseness and elegance.
Wooden columns are a great buy for a classic interior. Designs must necessarily have the right shapes. It is desirable that the tree retains its natural appearance. Its shade can be emphasized with a transparent varnish or stain.
Polyurethane columns in the interior of classic rooms also occupy a worthy place. The main thing is not to get involved in experimenting with forms, as classics love rigor and elegance, rather than creative solutions.
Ethnic styles
Structures made of wood or brick organically fit into the ethnic interior. Also in such rooms you can use arches, supplemented on both sides by columns.
Antique style, baroque
What can columns look like in the interior of a living room if it is decorated in an antique style? This direction traditionally prefers expensive materials, due to which the splendor and luxury of design are striking.
The use of not even paired elements, but full-fledged colonnades is encouraged. It is great if the designs are made of natural malachite, jade, marble. Most often, designers prefer to confine themselves to facing from these materials, as this can significantly reduce costs.
In this design, poles made of cheap materials are not acceptable. This will destroy the atmosphere of the entire room.
Baroque
Baroque design is hard to imagine without columns. Designs can be made of artificial stone, gypsum, polyurethane. However, wooden poles will look most effective, the use of which will emphasize the luxury of historical style.
Egyptian style
The Egyptian style does not tolerate rough and textured surfaces. Therefore, the surface of the columns must certainly be smooth. It is great if the design will be decorated with floral ornaments.
The color scheme should also be given attention. You can use red, green and blue colors, as well as a number of their shades, say, coral and olive.
Paired columns
Paired columns are most often found in the living room, although they may be present in other rooms. Say these structures can be installed on both sides of a window, fireplace or staircase. Also, columns located next to each other can be easily converted into a rack or cabinet.
Small room
It is believed that columns in the interior of small apartments and houses should not be used. This is a mistake, because with the help of such constructions it is easy to divide the space into functional zones. It is easy to assign the role of a kind of interior partition to the column. It can also be turned into a rack or cabinet, which will create an excellent place to store personal items.