Q: Often, the best way to use a niche is by turning it into an additional storage area, especially in small houses that don't have a lot of extra space. Though not always practical for small wall compartments, large niches provide ample room for a variety of objects. Try:  Attaching hooks to the wall, creating a spot for keys, coats, and other items. Installing shelves in your niche, turning it into a bookshelf or something similar. Placing lightweight drawers in the niche, converting it into a supply area. To some people, niches feel incredibly cramped and flat even when there's something inside. Thankfully, a simple mirror can usually fix the problem, creating the illusion of space and depth. Mirrors go particularly well with bathroom and bedroom niches, often serving as makeup or wardrobe aids. Bathroom niches, especially those placed inside a shower, are not well suited for displaying art. However, they often make for perfect supply stations. Because they're typically made with tile, these wall compartments work well with soap, hand sanitizer, lotion, and similar messy substances. Some other design ideas include:  Turning the niche into a towel holder. Using the wall compartment as a medicine container. Giving guests a spot to place their rings. In some houses, you may find a wall niche located next to the fireplace or in a nearby area. If you build fires often, the easiest way to decorate this wall compartment may be by simply filling it with lumber you intend to burn. Not only is this decor incredibly functional, but it will create a warm, natural aesthetic perfect for the winter. To avoid damaging the niche, place a sheet of cloth underneath the firewood.
A: Turn your niche into a storage area. Install a mirror in your niche. Turn bathroom niches into supply stations. Store lumber in your niche if it's near a fireplace.

Q: Get a natural roller with a thick nap. Fill your paint tray with your paint and run the roller back and forth in the tray to load it. Apply paint to the larger surfaces of your wall using vertical back-and-forth strokes. Cover each area 3-4 times with your roller as you paint to fill in the pores. Leave the 3–6 in (7.6–15.2 cm) around the top, bottom, and sides of the walls unpainted to avoid messes accidentally rolling the wrong surface. You can use paving paint or porch-and-floor enamel for smoother concrete if you’d prefer. Waterproof masonry paint will work on either cinderblock or concrete walls. After waiting at least 2 days for the paint to dry, grab another sheet of sandpaper or a sanding brick with a grit of 40-80. Sand your primed walls using circular strokes to remove the upper layer of the paint and make the surfaces paintable. If you don’t sand your primed walls, the paint will peel, crack, or fail to hold up in cold or hot temperatures. Once you’ve sanded your finished walls, fill a clean paint tray with your paint. Opt for semi-gloss to protect your basement walls from moisture or water. Fill your roller in the paint tray and roll the larger sections of your walls, leaving the 3–6 in (7.6–15.2 cm) around the edges unpainted. Work slowly and apply even pressure with your roller to get a beautiful base coat.  You can use matte or flat paint if you’ve never had any issues with water in your basement. Semi-gloss paint will be easier to clean and will do a better job of protecting your walls though. Use standard paint on stucco or plaster walls as well. Whether it’s concrete, cinderblock, or finished drywall, you will finish the trim the same way. Get a 2–3.5 in (5.1–8.9 cm) angled brush with natural bristles. Load your brush and use the rim of the paint tray to scrape excess paint off of the brush. Carefully paint the trim around the edges of each wall, angling the tip of your brush towards the exterior edge as you paint around the ceiling, adjacent walls, or floor. Use even back-and-forth strokes to paint the trim. You can use a nylon brush to paint finished walls if you prefer. Let your first coat dry for 2-3 days. Then, apply a second coat to your basement walls using the same method that you used the first time. Roll the center of each wall first and then paint the trim using the same brand and color of paint. When you’re done painting, clean up, vacuum any dust off of the floor to keep it from kicking up into the wet paint. Wait at least 3 days before touching your walls or putting any furniture back.
A:
Roll your cement walls with waterproof masonry paint and a thick-nap roller. Sand finished walls a second time before painting. Use a roller to paint finished walls with a semi-gloss paint. Paint your trim with an angled brush. Apply a second coat to finish painting your walls. Clean up and wait 48-72 hours before touching your wall.