How To Hide A Pillar In The Living Room: Decorating Ideas
Structural columns are often the most polarized architectural features in a home. In open-concept lofts or basement renovations, they are essential for keeping the ceiling up, but they can wreak havoc on your floor plan. I remember one specific project in a high-rise apartment where a massive, concrete column sat exactly four feet from the kitchen island. The client wanted it gone, but physics (and the building superintendent) said absolutely not.
We had to pivot from viewing the pillar as an obstacle to viewing it as an anchor. Instead of fighting the structure, we wrapped it in fluted white oak and built a small banquette seat connecting it to the wall. It instantly transformed from an eyesore into the most popular seat in the house.
Dealing with a pillar requires a shift in perspective, moving from concealment to integration. If you are looking for visual inspiration, you can skip straight to our Picture Gallery at the end of the post.
1. The Art of Camouflage: Paint and Color Drenching
The most cost-effective way to handle an intrusive pillar is to make it disappear visually through color. If a column is painted a contrasting color to the walls, your eye will immediately be drawn to it as a separate object. To combat this, I usually employ a technique called “color drenching.”
You should paint the pillar the exact same shade as the surrounding walls. However, the finish matters just as much as the color. If your walls are matte but you paint the pillar in semi-gloss because it is a “trim” piece, the light will hit it differently and highlight its existence.
I recommend using a flat or matte finish for both the walls and the pillar. Flat paint absorbs light rather than reflecting it. This reduces the shadowing around the curves or corners of the column, helping it blend seamlessly into the background.
Designer’s Note: Dealing with Imperfections
In my experience, structural pillars are rarely perfectly smooth. They often have bumps, chipped drywall corners, or uneven concrete textures.
If you paint a textured pillar white, the shadows will catch every imperfection. If sanding it down to a level 5 finish isn’t in the budget, opt for a darker paint color like charcoal or navy. Darker colors absorb the shadows of the texture, masking the uneven surface much better than white or beige.
2. Strategic Furniture Layouts and Zoning
The biggest mistake I see homeowners make is floating furniture too far away from a pillar. This creates “dead zones” of unusable floor space. Instead, treat the pillar as a boundary line that defines different zones in your open living area.
You can use the pillar to separate the living room from the dining area. Place your sofa so that the back aligns with the pillar. This visually anchors the furniture so it doesn’t look like it is drifting in the middle of the room.
Another effective layout strategy is to place a heavy case piece, like a sideboard or a console table, directly against the column. If the column is wide enough, this grounds the furniture. If the column is thin, place the furniture adjacent to it to create a visual distraction.
Key Measurements for Layouts
When arranging furniture near a structural element, you must respect traffic flow. Here are the rules of thumb I use in every floor plan:
- Walkway Clearance: You need a minimum of 36 inches between the pillar and any piece of furniture if people need to walk through that gap.
- Tight Squeeze: In small apartments, you can cheat this down to 30 inches, but never go lower. It will feel claustrophobic.
- Rug Sizing: Try to position your area rug so the pillar lands either completely off the rug or completely on it. Having a rug corner curl up against the base of a pillar looks unintentional and messy.
3. Custom Joinery and Wrap-Around Shelving
If you have the budget, custom millwork is the gold standard for hiding a pillar. By wrapping the column in cabinetry, you turn a structural annoyance into a functional asset. This is particularly effective for square or rectangular columns.
You can build shallow shelves on all four sides of the pillar for a library look. This does add bulk, so you need to ensure you have the square footage to sacrifice. Even adding 8 inches of depth on all sides will increase the footprint of the column significantly.
For a lighter look, consider floating shelves that span the gap between the pillar and the nearest wall. This connects the pillar to the architecture of the room. It turns that awkward gap into a dedicated space for books, plants, or pottery.
What I’d Do in a Real Project
If I am designing a living room with a column near a wall, I almost always design a built-in desk or bar unit.
- The Connection: Install a desktop surface that runs from the wall and terminates at the pillar.
- The Support: Use the pillar to support one end of the desktop. This eliminates the need for legs on that side, keeping the look clean.
- The Finish: Paint the shelving and the pillar the same color to make it look like one cohesive unit.
4. Cladding with Texture and Materials
Sometimes, you cannot hide the pillar, so you should celebrate it. Cladding a generic drywall column in a premium material changes the narrative. It stops looking like a mistake and starts looking like a custom architectural feature.
Vertical wood slats are currently very popular and effective. The vertical lines draw the eye upward, emphasizing ceiling height rather than the width of the obstruction. This works well in mid-century modern or Japandi-style living rooms.
Another option is brick or stone veneer. If you have an industrial loft, exposing the concrete or cladding a drywall column in thin brick veneer adds character. Just be mindful of the “lick and stick” stone products; if they look too faux, they will cheapen the room.
Common Mistakes + Fixes
Mistake: Stopping the cladding halfway up because of a beam or ceiling drop.
Fix: Always take the material all the way to the true ceiling if possible. If there is a beam, clad the beam in the same material or paint the beam to match the ceiling. Creating a visual break horizontally will make the room feel shorter.
Mistake: Using material that is too thick for the space.
Fix: Remember that adding brick or stone adds 1 to 2 inches to every side. In a tight hallway, losing 4 inches of total width matters. specific “thin-brick” veneers are available that are only 1/2 inch thick.
5. Mirrors and Optical Illusions
Mirrors are the magician’s tool in interior design. If you clad a square column entirely in mirror, it essentially disappears. It reflects the surrounding room, breaking up the solid mass of the pillar.
This is a bold look and works best in contemporary or glam interiors. It is less effective in rustic or farmhouse settings. If a full mirrored column feels too aggressive, consider hanging a single tall, narrow mirror on the side of the column that faces the main entry.
This serves a functional purpose allowing you to check your look, but it also bounces light into the darker parts of the room. This is crucial because pillars often block natural light from windows, creating shadows in the center of the home.
Safety Considerations for Mirrors
If you choose to clad a column in mirror, safety is paramount.
- Tempered Glass: Always use tempered glass. If someone bumps into it (or a child throws a toy), you want it to shatter into dull cubes, not jagged shards.
- J-Channel or Mastic: Ensure your contractor uses the correct adhesive (mirror mastic) that won’t eat through the silver backing of the mirror over time.
- Corner Guards: Mirror corners are fragile. I recommend having the glass fabricator polish the edges or use a very thin metal trim to protect the corners from vacuum cleaners and foot traffic.
6. Softening with Greenery and Lighting
If construction and heavy lifting aren’t options—perhaps you are renting—you can use decor to soften the presence of a pillar. Plants are excellent for this because their organic shapes contrast with the rigid vertical lines of a column.
Place a tall tree, like a Ficus Audrey or a Fiddle Leaf Fig, directly in front of the pillar. The canopy of the tree will obscure the top of the column, and the visual interest of the leaves distracts the eye.
You can also use climbing plants. A simple trellis attached to the column allows Pothos or Ivy to wrap around the structure. This turns a cold architectural element into a vertical garden.
Lighting Strategy
Never rely on a single overhead light near a pillar. It creates harsh shadows. instead, use the pillar to mount lighting.
Sconces are a perfect addition to a living room pillar. They bring light down to the human level. If you cannot hardwire electricity into the column, use battery-operated rechargeable sconces. They look identical to wired fixtures but require no drilling into concrete.
Alternatively, use a floor up-light positioned at the base of the column behind a plant or chair. This “grazes” the column with light. If the column has texture (like concrete or brick), this highlights the texture and creates a cozy, dramatic atmosphere at night.
Final Checklist: Before You Decorate
Before you buy materials or start painting, run through this checklist to ensure your plan is viable.
- Identify the Material: Knock on the pillar. Is it hollow (drywall) or solid (concrete/wood)? This dictates how you can attach shelves or art.
- Check for Utilities: Hollow pillars often hide plumbing stacks or electrical wires. Never drill into a hollow pillar without using a stud finder and voltage detector.
- Measure Twice: Map out your walkway clearance with blue painter’s tape on the floor. Ensure you have at least 36 inches of walking space around your proposed changes.
- Assess Lighting: Check how natural light hits the pillar at different times of day. This helps you decide on paint finish (matte vs. satin).
- Durability Check: Is this a high-traffic zone? If you have kids or pets, wallpaper on a pillar corner will peel quickly. Opt for wood cladding or durable paint instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drill into a concrete pillar to hang art?
Technically yes, but it is difficult and risky in apartments. You need a hammer drill and masonry bits. In condos, drilling into structural concrete is often against HOA regulations. I recommend using high-strength adhesive command strips or tension-mounted systems instead.
How do I handle a pillar that is halfway in a wall?
These are called pilasters. Treat them as part of the wall. Do not paint them a different accent color. Paint them the same color as the wall to help them recede. You can also run crown molding around the top to integrate them into the room’s traditional architecture.
Is it expensive to wrap a pillar in wood?
It depends on the wood species. Solid white oak is expensive. Using a veneer over MDF is much more affordable and looks very similar. A DIY pole wrap (a flexible sheet of wood slats) is the most budget-friendly option and costs between $100 and $200 per column.
Should I put a round table or square table next to a square pillar?
I prefer contrast. If you have a square pillar, a round coffee table or dining table softens the hard lines. If you have a round column, square furniture provides a nice geometric balance.
Conclusion
Hiding a pillar in the living room is rarely about making it truly invisible. It is about managing attention. You are choosing where you want the eye to go. Whether you choose to camouflage it with paint, wrap it in beautiful wood, or use it as the backbone for a new shelving unit, the goal is intentionality.
When a design element looks intentional, it no longer looks like an obstruction. Take a moment to assess your lighting, your traffic flow, and your budget. With the right approach, that awkward column might just become your favorite feature in the room.
Picture Gallery
