Add pillars and columns for a majestic feel

Pocyline Karani

Modern day interior designs have myriad possibilities that fuse contemporary with ancient designs to produce a rich style that make bold fashion statements.

One rare yet very classical way of infusing primeval elements into a living space is by incorporating decorative columns and pillars.

Mentions of columns and pillars often invoke mental images of museums, cathedrals or a Pharaoh’s imposing and domineering palace. In fact, Egypt is credited with inventing and using architectural columns to support and beautify their mighty buildings, followed by Greeks and Romans who later adopted them.

Today, columns and pillars serve as decorative enhancements in homes as well as office interiors, adding a feel of majestic elegance. They introduce a touch of grandeur to a plain room.

Columns and pillars can also be used to augment an entranceway, break an oversized room or heighten the appearance of a corridor as an access way.

They can also be used to conceal a protruding cornier or swathe around an existing poll. This is commonly used in bathrooms especially around the Jacuzzi to give it a pleasant and posh look.

Ease of handling

Decorative pillars come in two sizes — full size, which runs from the floor to the roof, and half size, which is often used as a decorative stand within the living space.

Half pillars can also be used against a wall to produce a facade of a structural support or to cloak unsightly structural support on exterior applications. Full columns can be resized to match a height that is required.

Columns and pilasters are supplied in three sections — the shaft, capital and plinth for ease of handling and positioning. The plinth can be altered to offer a suitable height for the pillar.

Columns come in different decorative designs — Ionic, Doric and Corinthian, which are in 360 degrees and 180 degrees arch. These names represent the decorative designs of the capital and plinth.

Pilasters are stuck and fitted flat onto the walls and are ideal for mimicking window surroundings of older buildings. Pilasters and columns used in the interior are available in a wide range of materials from fibreglass to wood and faux stone, each with various benefits. Fibreglass is light and long-lasting while faux stone pillars give a palatial feel to a room.

Pleasurable adventure

Wood offers endless possibilities of curving and gives a handcraft beauty to a room. However, modern materials like gypsum ensure columns are termite and flame resistant.

Decorating columns is another pleasurable adventure. After allowing it to dry for approximately 24 -30 hours, the pillar is ready to be decorated.

Most columns come with a white primer ready for a final coat of paint. Water-based acrylic paints are recommended. To achieve fascinating colour effects such as marble, engage the services of a professional decorator.