Do you have an annoying niche in your home? A niche might be something you love or it might be a space you want to update. I’m going to admit that I designed and added a niche in a home we built 20 years ago. It was in our family room just off the entry, I loved it but styles have evolved. When we purchased our semi-custom home it came with a few surprises. One of those surprises was the niche in our entry to the main bathroom and bedroom. The entry has double doors with the bathroom on the left the walk-in closet and the bedroom on the right.
From Traditional to Modern
When we purchased our semi-custom home we were able to make a few changes which made the home semi-custom but there were a lot of surprises. During the building process, we came to the home often to see how things were going. My husband and I had built two homes before this home. We lived in a small town so building a custom home was the only option when you built. We ended up doing a lot of the work which was a huge learning experience. Not only did we learn how to hang drywall, tape and mud walls, paint, install drywall, and more we invested a lot of sweat equity into our home. When we moved to AZ buying a semi-custom fit our budget more than a custom home. I thought we’d love the process, of watching others do the work. If I’m being honest we didn’t love the process. When we built our custom homes I could take months to make the big decisions. I didn’t have to pick paint, faucets, trim, flooring, doors, pulls, handles, etc in two short design center visits. There were a lot of surprises along the way. I didn’t know how what our fireplace was going to look like, or how the entries were going to look. Everything turned out ok, it made making decisions easier because once I got done at the design center we didn’t have to make any more design decisions. There were a few surprises along the way. One of the design surprises was the entry to our main bedroom. Instead of a large flat wall, we got a large flat wall with a large shallow niche.
I was ok with the niche for a long time. I liked the added dimension the wall gave, but after living with it for a few years I was ready to make the space more elegant and modern. To make it more traditional, which was what I loved a few years ago we framed the niche and added beadboard to the back. Tied into the beadboard wall we installed over our bed. I loved this wall for a few years but I was ready to get rid of it all. Let’s create something more modern with clean lines and beautiful art.
Taking it Down for a Fresh Start
The first step was taking apart what we had done a few years earlier. I took down and donated the vintage door handle hanger, ceiling tile, and large frame. Don’t be afraid to donate something when you get tired of it and ready for a change. Let it go and let someone else enjoy the piece. If it is a family heirloom don’t donate it to a place like Goodwill but pass it on to another family member.
Now that the decor is down you can see the beadboard and trim. We then pulled that off leaving us with the original look, a painted large niche. I thought about leaving the niche after everything was removed. The naked niche looks more modern but I wanted to create a more beautiful modern, clean, simple, and elegant space. So I decided to stick with my plan and fill it in.
Filling it In
Because we learned how to drywall, tape, and mud years ago I knew we could fill in the niche. And we were going to do it for FREE … almost. If you live in an area that has construction nearby, you can go dumpster diving. There is so much waste when the contractors are building a house, if they’ve got a dozen homes going up at one time on a street the dumpsters will be filled with treasures. You will be able to find the wood and drywall if the project isn’t too big. We were able to get the wood but decided to buy a sheet of drywall because the niche was so big. We also purchased drywall mud. It is something we usually have on hand but we needed more because of the size of the niche we were filling in.
You might be wondering why you need to frame the niche and add wood to the inside. The answer, you need wood to screw the drywall too. Wood on the edges plus the middle for support and something to screw into. The placement of the studs lines up with the existing studs behind the wall. This gives you support to screw too. Studs are easy to find if you have a stud finder. Here is a great stud finder. You will want the wood to be 1/2″ shallower than the wall so you end up with a smooth wall. If you make it flush with the wall when you add the drywall you’ll have a problem. One of those things you learn over time. Sometimes you need to make mistakes to learn and grow in your journey.
I love seeing the journey of a project. It is encouraging. It’s also fun to see the progress and changes you are making to cultivate your home. After the studs are in, the drywall is up you’re now ready to tape and mud. Being a Canadian, I love smooth walls. I’ve only had one home with textured walls. It was the home before this one, a spec home we purchased. I painted every wall in that home and cursed the texture with every stroke of the brush and roll of the paint roller. One of the selling features of our semi-custom home was the possibility of smooth walls. We had to pay extra for the smooth walls but it was so worth it, in my opinion. It is what we love and what we know how to do.
So filling in this niche wasn’t hard because we started with smooth walls, something we know how to work with. Add the drywall tape over the drywall seams, they have self-adhesive tape so it’s not hard to install. After the tape is up it’s time to get mudding with a drywall knife. For smaller projects, we buy premixed mud. Then use a wide drywall knife and mud pan. Here is a great set of drywall knives and mud pan that will last project after project. The key to a great finish is feathering the mud wider than the tape. It gives you the surface for a beautiful smooth finish.
The Power of Paint
After the first coat of mud is dry give it a light sanding. Use your hands to feel if there are places that need fixing. After it is sanded add a light second coat, let it dry, and give it a final sanding. Now comes the fun part, painting the wall. I love the magic of paint. Paint isn’t cheap but it is a lot cheaper than other options. You can change the look and feel of a space with a can of paint. Grey was the trending color 8 years ago when we moved into our home. I loved my grey walls, they were a beautiful change from the taupe, tan walls that I had previously. But like always, I get tired of a look. I was over the grey walls, so I’ve been slowly working my way through my home, painting all my walls in a modern white. My goal is to create beautiful elegant rooms and minimalistic spaces that are filled with love, not stuff.
Finding the right color is not easy. You can see how I came to the colors in my home here. It was a challenge but I am so happy with the results. Thankful the colors were picked before I was ready to paint this new modern niche-free wall. Making the process even more fun.
What you have here is a fresh clean slate, a new start. This is a space I walk into often, the main bathroom is to the left and our bedroom is on the right. It is our entry to the space where we end and begin the day. The space that helps set the tone for the day. Having a calm, relaxing home sets the tone of your day. That is why cultivating a home leads to a cultivated life. A life filled with dreams, trials, love, and much much more.
Beautiful Art
I looked for a long long long time for the art in this space. It is not hard to find beautiful art. The challenge comes when you have a budget. Especially if you are looking for a large piece of art. I finally narrowed it down to 2 or 3 pieces that I loved. Drum roll please, this is the one I chose. It came without a frame which helped keep the cost down. Thankfully my husband is a genius and was able to create a frame for me. I’ve got the ideas and he’s got the skill, we love working together and make a great team. This was FREE because we removed a large mirror in our bathroom that had a frame. Instead of throwing it away we pulled it apart and built it the size I needed. Then painting it a beautiful gold before it was attached to the picture. Creating a beautiful, elegant piece that is a beautiful entry to a space in our home that I love.
Cultivating a home takes intention. It isn’t something we do all at once. It’s about creating spaces we love, that are clutter-free, filled with items that speak to us and we’ve intentionally chosen. Take the time to be intentional about your home and what earns the right to stay there. Remember stuff doesn’t equate to love. You do not have to keep every item someone gifted you or heirlooms that have been passed down.
