When it comes to design, I love a good architectural detail. Details that have a sense of style and history to them and that add character to a home. Corbels are one of my favorite architectural accents. Do you know what a corbel is? Basically it is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal that juts out from a wall and is meant to hold-up or carry weight.
Corbels have been used for centuries in building construction and over the years have become a decorative element that people are adding to the interior decor of their homes.
Besides being used as a structural element, there are lots of creative ways to add corbels into your decor.
Large corbels are a great way to accent and anchor the corner of a room especially in rooms where crown molding is not used. Larger corbels can also be used to visually balance a room if the doors and windows are off center.
Corbels are ideal to fill in that dead space under kitchen cabinets and their soft lines offset the rigid structure of boxy cabinets.
As a decorative accent, corbels look great placed on top of bookshelves or cabinets and I also like the idea of using smaller corbels as decorative bookends.
Do you have a tight space that needs a table surface? A narrow corbel can be turned into a wall mounted side table/night stand.
Floating wall shelves always look prettier with corbels holding them up.
The idea of using corbels to create a wall bench is another fave of mine and is a pretty easy diy project. Learn how here.
Open shelving in a laundry room can be easily created using corbels and you can paint them to match your decor.
My favorite creative use for corbels is as the support to a floating desk. Such a unique idea.
When shopping for corbels, you can find basic styles at big box hardware stores like Home Depot . For more artistic pieces and more size options, check out the online shop Architectural Depot. And if you want a more rustic look head to your local salvage store or flea market.
Here are a few of top corbel picks…
Happy Decorating!
Beautiful inspiration!!
Thanks so much Tanisha. Corbels are such a fun decorative element to add to your home.