The Quiet Power of Negative Space: Why Empty Can Be Beautiful

By Ester White Gherea | WBN News | May 30, 2025

Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt tired… and you didn’t know why?
Maybe it was full of beautiful things—cushions, books, art, candles—but instead of feeling inspired, you felt like you couldn’t breathe.

That’s what happens when there’s no space left to feel calm.

In design, there’s something called negative space—and no, it’s not a bad thing. It’s actually one of the most powerful tools I use when I want a room to feel peaceful, open, and clear.

What Is Negative Space?

Negative space is the empty space around things.
It’s the blank wall beside a piece of art.
The space between two chairs.
The clean part of a shelf where nothing sits.

It’s the room your eyes—and your heart—need to rest.

Why Empty Feels So Good

We live in a busy world. Always doing, always going, always looking at screens.
Our homes shouldn’t feel like more noise.
They should feel like a pause.

When you leave space in a room—real, open space—it creates a kind of quiet. And in that quiet, you can feel something powerful: peace.

Empty space gives your favorite things room to shine. It lets light move freely. It invites calm. And sometimes, it says more than decoration ever could.

You Don’t Need to Fill Every Corner

I know the feeling. You see a blank wall and think, I should put something there.
But what if you didn’t?

What if that blank wall was your breathing room?

What if that space beside your bed, or the empty part of your shelf, was left just as it is—on purpose?

Suddenly, the room feels lighter. Easier. Like you can think again.

How to Start Using Negative Space

Here’s a simple way to try it:

Pick one surface—like a shelf, nightstand, or coffee table.
Remove half of what’s on it.
Step back and look.
Breathe.

Feels better, doesn’t it?

Now try that with a wall, a corner, a window ledge. Keep the things you love. Let the rest go. Give your room a little silence. It might become your favorite part.

Let’s Pause Together

Design isn’t just about what we add.
It’s about what we choose to keep open.

What space in your home feels too full? What would it feel like to make a little room—for quiet, for breath, for being?

Comment and tell me where you’re craving more space. I’d love to hear what you’re letting go of—and what peace you’re making room for.

Ester White Gherea is an Interior Designer and the founder of Gherea Studios.
She can be reached at 236-339-6644 or estergherea@gmail.com. Connect with Ester on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ester-white-gherea-6b339a2b5/. Connect with Ester at https://www.ghereastudio.com/.

TAGS: #InteriorDesign #TimelessStyle #DesignTrends #HomeDecor #ModernLiving #StylishSpaces #GhereaStudio