Joanna Gaines' Smart Design Offers Cozy Seating To An Otherwise Wasted Space

Does your home have strange pockets or corners that make you wonder, "Why would they put that there?" These awkward spaces can throw off the flow of your home, especially if they're near main walkways or stairwells. It can be a struggle to find the right furniture to suit these spaces without feeling clunky or blocking the footpath, but leave it to interior designer Joanna Gaines to ensure every square foot of a home is filled with style and purpose.

The final episode of the Magnolia Network and HGTV series, "Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse" showed a stunning reveal of the front entryway and stairwell area, but left out one of her favorite portions of the home: the upstairs landing. With custom wood screens and thoughtful furniture, Gaines transformed the landing into a relaxing seating area. "I love this little landing. I think it turned out so good," said Gaines (via Instagram). "I would hang out right there if I lived here."

The remodeled home on Lake Waco quickly became one of the most talked about homes in Fixer Upper history, and was sold to a family just one month after the big reveal first aired. Luckily, you don't have to buy a million dollar home to enjoy features like Gaines's brilliant upstairs landing. All it takes is a little creative vision. Here's how Gaines pulled off her gorgeous remodel and tips for transforming your own upstairs landing into a cozy crash zone that suits your style and needs.

One of the most striking changes Joanna Gaines made to the Waco lake house was replacing the upstairs bannister with gorgeous, custom-made wood screens. "As you walk into the home, the first that you see when you look to your right is this new staircase that's all cherry wood," Joanna explained in the series' final episode. "And then when you look up, instead of a pony wall now you have these beautiful screens," she added. Her husband, Chip Gaines, chimed in, "It's almost like art, you know. It's gorgeous."

But the new screened-in area didn't get as much air time as Joanna would've liked, so she took to her Instagram to ensure fans got a full glimpse of the landing area upstairs. Holes in the screens still allowed natural light to flood through, but gave the landing a more cozy room-like feel. Joanna used that cozy space to her advantage, putting together a lovely seating nook at the top of the stairs.

A mid-century modern-inspired green sofa with built-in side tables with potted plants, books, and a nearby wall-mounted lamp turned the landing into a perfect place to sit and tie your shoes, wait on your family or friends to get ready, or just relax with a good book. An area rug partly acts as a runner rug for the walkway in front of the couch, tying all of the elements of the surrounding space together.

Joanna Gaines's upstairs transformation demonstrates one of the best tips for beautifying the neglected nooks in your home, and while your own upstairs landing area may look slightly different, there are plenty of ways to adapt her techniques to work in your space. Firstly, consider adding an elaborate screen to close off the landing without blocking light. You don't have to totally knock out an existing pony wall; just add a screen suspending from the wall to the ceiling. If you decide to remove the pony wall or railing, be sure to invest in a sturdy screen and attach it to both the floor and ceiling to ensure it's safe.

After reconfiguring your upstairs landing as desired, choose a sofa that is comfortable enough for lounging but appropriately sized so as not to block the walkway. To help visualize the space available, try the trick for using newspaper to pick the perfect size sofa. For some people, an upholstered bench or reading chair may be more practical. Don't forget to add a side table or shelf for setting down drinks.

Décor is key to making this a place you'll want to stop and rest, so invest in some cozy lamp lighting, an intriguing coffee table book, or live or faux plant to make the space feel fresh. Decorating with something quirky and utilitarian like an old fashioned telephone and notepad can make the corner feel perfect for lounging and chatting the night away.