Decorating your room’s walls can completely transform the look and feel of your living space. Approaching wall décor with intention and purpose will result in a personalized sanctuary that reflects your style. Follow these tips on choosing wall colors, art, mirrors, shelves, and accents to create a room you’ll love coming home to.
Picking Wall Colors
The shade coating your walls impacts everything from the mood of the room to how furniture and accents pop. Consider the following when selecting hues:
- Lighting – North and east-facing rooms with limited natural light can handle deeper shades without feeling too dark and dreary. South and west-facing spaces will benefit from lighter colors that keep things bright and cheery.
- Room Size – Dark paint visually recedes, making small rooms feel more spacious. Lighter colors have the opposite effect, opening up large rooms.
- Style Goals – Bold, saturated shades lend a dramatic or elegant vibe depending on if you opt for darker or lighter on the spectrum. Neutral earth tones and pastels read more casual and airy.
Once you settle on a color family, purchase a few paint swatches in your top choices and paint 2-foot square patches on each wall. Evaluate how the tones change throughout the day before deciding.
Hanging Artwork
Art instantly makes any blank wall feel finished. When arranging fine art prints, photos, tapestries, and paintings, keep these guidelines in mind:
Select Cohesive Pieces
Choose works featuring repetitive design elements or colors from a similar palette. Eclectic collections also work nicely when uniformly sized and framed.
Height Matters
Place artwork so its center hangs 57-60 inches above the floor. Arrange groups in asymmetric formations with pieces descending towards the corners.
Leave Breathing Room
Don’t overcrowd walls with too many embellishments competing for attention. Leaving negative space around and between pieces gives the eye a place to rest.
**Use Consistent Framing **
Unify collections by framing all decorative additions in frames with comparable dimensions and styles. Straightforward modern frames suit contemporary interiors, while ornate options match traditional decors.
Installing Mirrors
Mirrors visually expand small living spaces and flood rooms with natural light. To determine proper placement and size options:
- Across from windows – Position centrally on the wall at eye level when seated to reflect the outdoors indoors.
- Above dressers – Install leaning vertically to expand tight corners and double as a practical way to check your look before heading out.
- On accent walls – Go bold with an oversized statement piece that makes a dramatic style impact.
- Framing doorways – Hang two identical mirrors facing each other to create a reflection tunnel effect.
Go with rectangular mirrors boasting clean lines for modern atmospheres or carved circular frames to embellish formal sitting areas. Lean into opulent extras like metallic finishes and beveled edges to up the glam factor.
Displaying Shelves
Shelving offers both form and function when thoughtfully incorporated into wall décor. Take advantage of vertical real estate to prominently showcase treasured items and purge clutter from horizontal surfaces.
Built-In Bookcases
Custom floor-to-ceiling built-ins provide ample storage and display space. Include adjustable shelves, cabinets, and drawers to stash odds and ends out of sight. Paint the backdrop a dynamic color to make the casework pop.
Wall Ledges
Outfit awkward slanted ceilings or ledges with display shelves without doing any handiwork. Lean floating ledges against the slope for an inventive spot to show off ceramic vases, framed photos, and leaning artwork.
DIY Shelving
Get creative with budget-friendly DIY options like wooden crates stacked tall and painted in a solid scheme. Mix closed storage crates with those featuring open backs to house both private possessions and decorative items worthy of ogling.
Readymade Units
Off-the-shelf shelving components available at home improvement stores come in every material from metal wire squares to reusable vinyl sticker rails. Affix as many units as your wall space allows to corral everything from potted succulents to jewelry.
Incorporating Wall Accents
A few specially selected accents introduce color, texture, and dimension to walls needing a pick-me-up. Zone in on standalone pieces ideal for sprucing up tired, dull spaces:
- Textiles – Lightweight woven wall hangings infuse bohemian character. Panel prints and quilted coverlets provide pattern and softness.
- 3D Elements – Wooden wall sculptures, molded geometric metal medallions, and abstract ceramic pieces inject artsy personality.
- Nature-Inspired Pieces – Dried botanical wreaths, framed butterfly displays, and sea fan arrangements bring organic life.
- Maps and Charts – Vintage local maps and tattered architectural drawings add well-traveled allure. Gallery walls grouping music, movie, and travel posters together channel wanderlust.
When selecting accents, consider the wall real estate available and arrange pieces purposefully instead of randomly for maximum design impact.
Key Takeaways
- Repaint walls in lighter clean hues to make small rooms appear more expansive and airy.
- Furnish awkward dead spaces like the area above kitchen cabinets with collections of art and accessories.
- Affix vinyl wall sticker decals and removable wallpaper to temporarily transform rental spaces lacking permanent alteration allowances.
- Display mirrors across from windows whenever possible to reflect beautiful outdoor garden views indoors.
- Lean narrow floating ledges along oddly angled attic walls to double awkward wasted space as display shelving.
- Sew lightweight tapestries and quilted coverlets to furnish dorm rooms forbid from installing permanent attachments.
- Arrange art, posters and prints in asymmetrical but purposeful formations for optimal visual appeal.
- Paint the backdrop of floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcases in a dynamic accent shade to make them pop.
Conclusion
The diverse options for embellishing lackluster walls now extend far beyond a fresh coat of paint. This makes it possible to infuse any rental, dorm, or dated room with loads of creative personality. Follow the tips outlined to dress up your wall real estate in a way that reflects your signature aesthetic. Thoughtfully decorated walls build the backdrop for a living space you feel comfortable and content unwinding in.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I decorate a small bedroom?
Paint the walls a light, neutral hue to visually expand the space and make furnishings pop. Outfit the wall behind the bedhead with a gallery arrangement of artwork leaning towards the corners. Hang narrow floating ledges for displaying meaningful mementos and leaning framed photos. Affix a full-length mirror across from windows to reflect soft natural light and views. -
What colors make a room look bigger?
Soft blues, airy greens, warm taupes and cloudy grays widen rooms by receding. Dark shades have the opposite effect, closing in space. Light to mid-range tones keep things open and ethereal. -
How do I decorate my apartment on a budget?
Upcycle flea market finds like old frames and reinvent scraps as wall art. Sew leftover fabric into bohemian wall tapestries. Paint dated finds fresh bright colors for cheap. Display collections of your things creatively – vintage fans, plants, mugs make great repeat arrangements. -
How do you decorate a wall with nothing on it?
Zone in on layered textures and materials to introduce visual interest on blank walls. Affix natural wood wall planks in an overlapping formation. Arrange an asymmetrical metal medallion sculpture ensemble. Frame vibrant patterned fabric in identical clean-lined frames for quick art. -
What should I put on my boring bedroom walls?
Transform lackluster bedrooms with a vibrant accent wall covered in removable wallpaper or painted an energizing hue. Display concert/travel posters and casual polaroids in mismatched frames for youthful personality. Replace dated headboards with floating shelves to hold piled books, framed photos and leaning artwork. -
How do I choose artwork for my walls?
Collect pieces featuring colors pulled from your room’s existing palette for a cohesive arrangement. Keep things visually balanced by selecting artwork of similar proportions. The central focal point over a sofa or bed can make more of a bold colorful splash. Frame recurring subjects like architectural drawings, nature prints or music icons. -
Should you hang mirrors across from windows?
Yes, mirrors perfectly placed across from windows optimally reflect beautiful outdoor scenery and natural light indoors. Position centrally at standing eye level height. Opt for a mirror approximately 2⁄3 the width of the window space for ideal proportions. Go bigger to exaggerate the light and view or smaller to leave negative space. -
Where should you hang a mirror in a bedroom?
The optimal mirror placement depends on bedroom dimensions and layout. For expansive rooms, hang a full-length mirror on the wall opposite the bed to widen space and reflect bedside views. Small rooms benefit from slim floor mirrors in tight corners or narrow wall mirrors between windows and dressers. -
Should TV be center of wall?
A TV installment centered on any wide wall can throw proportions out of balance by creating odd leftover dead space on each side. Offset flatscreens slightly off-center of expansive walls. An asymmetrical arrangement with additional décor pieces filling the remaining room looks more balanced. -
What height should I hang pictures on a wall?
In general, hang artwork with the center point approx. 57-60 inches above the floor for ideal visibility. Arrange pieces descending towards wall corners in uneven clusters. Align especially small or large pieces approx. 10 inches higher or lower than your central gallery focus point to unify groupings. -
How do you decorate a small room?
Visibly expand compact rooms with mirrors reflecting views and light. Paint walls light breezy hues or energetic brights depending on exposure and preferences. Outfit slanted ceilings/corners with narrow shelves for vertical storage and displaying collections. Multifunctional furnishings like storage ottomans, folding dining tables and raised beds save precious square footage. -
How do you make a small room look bigger with paint?
Take color cues from serene skies and ethereal clouds by selecting airy light blue and blue-gray paint hues for cramped rooms. Soft greige (grey + beige) combinations and warm antique whites also widen space nicely without sacrificing character. Avoid dark, saturated tones that absorb light and restrict space. -
What makes a room feel cozy?
Layering welcoming textures like woven throws, plush shag rugs and linen bedding helps rooms feel cozier. Candles, twinkly string lights and ambient lamps set a restful mood. Natural elements such as rattan and wood finishes as well as living green plants nudge spaces closer to a comfy oasis. Frame family photos and cottagecore prints for familiar charm. -
How do you make plain walls look nice?
Transform boring blank walls with energizing paint – vivid lavender, serene sage, spirited teal, sunny mustard, fiery red. Create textural interest with removable grasscloth wallpaper, wood planks, concrete backsplashes or tile transfers. Hang gallery walls mixing canvas prints, papercuts, macrame hangings and framed photos. -
How do you decorate a room with high ceilings?
Visually balance towering walls by dividing them into vertical thirds – artwork up top, shelving/furniture centrally and area rugs grounding bottom portion. Repeat trellis, floral and lattice motifs decoratively on ceilings to make them feel less empty and cavernous. Multi-level floor lamps, tall bookshelves and elongated wall mirrors also help fill vertical space stylistically. -
What colors make a small room look bigger?
Hues mimicking the sky on clear sunny days visually raise ceilings for an airier appeal. Try pale powdery blue, weightless gray, breezy aqua and buttery yellow paint shades. Crisp whites paired with the occasional slate blue accent elevate cramped rooms from dreary boxes to ethereal spaces. -
How do you make walls look cool?
Slate grays, evergreen hues and denim blues bring natural tranquility to modern spaces begging for a punch of bold color. Paint walls in these deeper nature-inspired tones, then hang gallery walls mixing layered organic textures like woven tapestries, leafy wreaths, feather prints and driftwood photography. -
How do you decorate a wall behind a couch?
Take advantage of the often sizable blank space behind sofa backs – it invites creativity. Float open-backed shelving filled with rowed books and trailing plants above small loveseats. Boldly cover expansive vertical runs behind sectionals with vivid removable wallpaper or painted faux architectural arches. Hang an oversized statement mirror directly behind the sofa center to double the seating view when seated. -
What should I hang above my sofa?
Artwork is most commonly hung above sofa backs, but also consider mirrors, macrame weavings and floating shelves. Coordinate piece colors with sofa upholstery for a unified vignette. For adequate breathing room, select options approx. 2⁄3 the width of your couch. Gallery groupings with multiple framed pieces provide visual balance on expansive walls.
