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One alcove, four ways

allaboutyou.com brings you four different ways to use an alcove to fit in with your needs.

Home office

home inspiration,home makeover,House Beautiful hb home office alcove

A neat writing desk, noticeboard and box files are all you need to turn your alcove into a useful home office, ideal if you don\'t have a separate study. The compact Tuvan desk from The Dormy House is available painted in white, ivory or stone, or can be left unfinished, ready for you to paint and coordinate with your existing room scheme.

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Tuvan upstand desk, from £190; noticeboard, from £65; both The Dormy House. Chair, £125, Graham and Green. Desk lamp, £15.99; Ikea. Box files, £24, Harris and Jones. Rattan file box, £61, The Holding Company.

Create a picture gallery

home inspiration,home makeover,House Beautiful hb photo alcove corner

Turn your alcove into a mini art gallery by grouping a selection of framed prints together. Try out different styles of pictures and frames to create an exciting display.

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Walls painted in Rich Praline matt emulsion, £16.99 for 2.5L, Dulux. Flynn armchair, £795, Oka. Floor lamp, £155, Pied a Terre at House of Fraser. Rug, £49.50; cushion, £29.50; both Marks and Spencer.

A place to read

home inspiration,home makeover,House Beautiful hb reading area alcove

Create a cosy reading spot with decorative bookshelves and a storage bench. Define the area by papering the alcove wall with a bold paper. Add adjustable wall lights and a comfy covered foam seat pad and cushions.

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Oscar Red 472-54 wallpaper, £48 a roll, the Gustav collection, Sandberg. Made-to-measure drawer unit (unpainted), £187.81, Jali. Baroque bookshelves, from £42 each, Graham and Green. Seat pad covered in Lucca stripe fabric, £38 a metre, Laura Ashley. Original BTC Hector wall lights, £80 each, Geoffrey Harris. Cushions, £15 each, Marks and Spencer.

Media clutter sorted

home inspiration,home makeover,House Beautiful hb multimedia corner alcove

A made-to-measure unit with shelves and cupboards to hold all your DVDs, games and books is a worthwhile investment. Jali\'s bookcases, dressers and media units can be made to your exact requirements and measurements.

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Walls painted in Peachblossom acrylic matt emulsion, £24 for 2.5L, The Little Greene Paint Company. Dresser, £480.52, Jali. Armchair, £939; throw, £70; both Pied a Terre at House of Fraser. Curtains made in Pondicherry LF1038, £39.90 a metre, Linwood. Purple vase, £9.50, Marks and Spencer. White vase, £45, Laura Ashley.