Columns in the interior surprise with unusual shapes and decor, help to divide the space into zones, hide flaws. Monumental, majestic, luxurious - they can become the highlight of any room. Concrete beams, plasterboard structures, antique capitals - in modern houses and apartments you can find any variation on the theme of this traditional element.
Columns in the interior: main functions
What is the reason for their popularity? Why do columns in the interior remain relevant for more than the first millennium? First of all, designers are attracted by the versatility of these elements.
This is:
- Support function. Redevelopment, the purpose of which is the release of free space, violates the original idea of the builders. In such a situation, columns 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 can transform and ennoble any room. In one room there can be two or three such elements at once, made in the same style or different from each other. The original forms and decor allow the columns to become the highlight of an 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 small neat columns will help separate the living room from the dining room.
- Hiding imperfections. False columns made of drywall or wood can help hide electrical cables.
Materials
What is the first decision to be made by homeowners who plan to use columns in the interior? They need to choose the material from which the structures will be made.
Stone, brick
Products made of 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 are just to decorate the room, it is better to use stone as a finishing material.
Brick elements will look spectacular in the interior, decorated in loft style or Scandinavian style. Stone structures fit perfectly into the country direction, as well as into the classic design.
Metal
Great idea - 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 will organically fit into the overall picture.
Fashion choice - white or black matte surfaces. For those who want to save money, it is not at all necessary to make the entire structure from solid sheet metal. A cost-effective solution is metal frame cladding.
Wooden
Wooden structures are renowned for their durability, strength and versatility, as well as their natural beauty and original texture. Such columns will harmoniously fit into almost any style. They are able to both play a decorative role and take on the functions of load-bearing structures when it comes to light loads.
Country, Provence, eco, classic and Scandinavian styles - all these areas are famous for their love of natural materials. Wooden columns can be covered with a transparent 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 loft direction.
Concrete columns do an excellent job of supporting load-bearing structures. However, we must not forget that their monumentality can overload the room visually.
Drywall
This material is given awaypreferred by many designers. With it, you can revive and change the most boring interior. Drywall is famous for its flexibility, low weight. Columns made from it can be given almost any shape.
Gypsum board surface can be painted, lined with gypsum bricks or artificial stone.
Polyurethane
This modern material has a dense structure and is known for its wide range of applications. Polyurethane can be rigid or it can bend. It is easy to create structures of unusual shapes from it. Decorative polyurethane columns in the interior are 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 options for decorating columns in the interior exist? You can implement the ideas listed below.
Flexible stone
With this cladding material, renowned for its flexibility, it is easy to give 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, differs in smallweight, affordable. Ease of installation is another advantage of the material.
Mosaic
Mosaic has been invariably popular with designers for many years. Columns lined with metal mosaics will look great in a room that is decorated in a minimalist, hi-tech or loft style. It can also be made of glass, mirror, stone.
Decorative panels
Finishing the column 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, durability, and easy maintenance. This finishing option is worth considering if you plan to clad rectangular or polygonal columns. Unfortunately, it does not fit if the designs are round.
Which material do you prefer?
- Aluminum panels create a unique visual effect due to their inimitable pattern. The products are easy to care for, it is enough to wipe them from time to time with a cloth dampened with window cleaning liquid.
- Wooden panels repel many buyers with their relatively high cost. A more economical option is varieties made from several layers of wood. Only the first layer is created from valuable rocks.
- Plastic panels are always popular because they are affordable. The surface of products can imitate various textures, besmooth. Anti-static coating (matte or glossy) prevents them from attracting dust.
- Acrylic glass panels attract with their diversity. Various materials can be used for their decoration - from shells to air bubbles.
Gypsum stucco
Decorative column for an interior in a classic style needs an appropriate design. It can be decorated with plaster moldings. A variety of sizes and shapes allows you to use decorative elements for every taste. You can decorate the column trunk with stucco molding, smooth designs with elegant bas-reliefs on the capitals and base will look even more impressive. Individual fragments of the pattern can be highlighted using gold paint, which evokes associations with we alth.
Environmental friendliness, chic appearance - the advantages of gypsum stucco. However, it is important not to forget about the shortcomings that this material has. These include 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 construct are discussed below.
- The fulcrum is a role that the column will perfectly cope with. Built-in furniture can be attached to this element, say, a kitchen island.
- A row 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 lookunder your feet.
- The column can be turned into a media center. This option is of interest to those who do not know where to place the TV in an open-plan apartment or house. It is important that there is a block of sockets next to the structure.
- Two elements located side by side can be turned into a shelving unit. This design is ideal for placing figurines, commemorative photographs.
- The column can be turned into a wine cabinet if it is next to the seating area. To do this, it is enough to surround the structure with a cabinet body. A similar solution is suitable for storing CDs, books, shoes, and so on.
- Between two columns you can place a bar counter. 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. Let's say seats can be placed around this structure. 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 will allow you to change shoes in 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 acquire volume. This option will help not only visually push the boundaries of space, but also refuse to place a free-standing mirror. You can also use a mirror mosaic if the design of the apartment or house allows it.
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 columns in a modern interior?
- Loft. This style can be called a kind of projection of abandoned industrial premises. Columns fit perfectly into it, which look like unfinished, rough structures. Brick, metal, raw concrete are suitable materials. Rough textured surfaces, strict forms, limited colors are welcome.
- Modern style loves asymmetrical shapes and gently curved lines that emphasize its originality. The columns in such a room should not only attract attention, but hypnotize the viewers. The use of backlighting is encouraged.
- Pillars lined with metal mosaics will organically fit into the high-tech style.
- Columns decorated with paintings or photographs will help to emphasize the sophistication of the design in the spirit of Art Deco. 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.
Classic of the genre
Classic style approves of strict correct forms, solid materials. Such a design looks respectable and expensive, as well as conciseness and elegance.
Wooden columns are a great addition to a classic interior. Designs must have the correct forms. It is desirable that the tree retain itsnatural look. Its shade can be emphasized with a clear varnish or stain.
Polyurethane columns in the interior of classic rooms also occupy a worthy place. The main thing is not to get carried away with experiments with forms, as the classics love rigor and elegance, rather than creative solutions.
Ethnic styles
Designs made of wood or brick will organically fit into the ethnic interior. Also in such rooms you can use arches, complemented on both sides by columns.
Antique, Baroque
How can columns look in the interior of a living room if it is decorated in antique style? This direction traditionally favors expensive materials, thanks to which the magnificence and luxury of design are striking.
The use of not even paired elements, but full-fledged colonnades is welcome. It is great if the structures are made of natural malachite, jade, marble. Most often, designers prefer to limit themselves to cladding from these materials, as this can significantly reduce costs.
Poles made of cheap materials are not allowed in this design. This will destroy the atmosphere of the entire room.
Baroque
Baroque design is hard to imagine without columns. Structures can be made of artificial stone, gypsum, polyurethane. However, wooden poles will look the most impressive, the use of which will emphasize the luxury of the historical style.
Egyptian style
Egyptian style does not tolerate rough and textured surfaces. Therefore, the surface of the columns must necessarily be smooth. It's great if the design is decorated with floral ornaments.
The color scheme should also be given attention. Red, green and blue colors are allowed, as well as a number of their shades, for example, coral and olive.
Paired columns
Paired columns are most often found in the living room, although they may be present in other rooms. For example, these structures can be installed on both sides of a window, fireplace or flight of stairs. Also, columns that are next to each other can easily be converted into a rack or cabinet.
Small room
There is an opinion that columns in the interior of small apartments and houses should not be used. This is a mistake, since with the help of such structures 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 converted into a shelving unit or cabinet, making it the perfect storage space for personal items.
