A blank wall can be as intimidating as a writer’s blank piece of paper or a painter’s blank canvas. Some people have no trouble letting all sorts of ideas run wild in their minds for what could be, while others get a mental block. A great place to start to get inspired is using the web and Pinterest to search for ideas that others have done. We’ve also got ten tips to help bring out your creative interior designer side!
1. Adding Bold Appeal with Color and Pattern
The first place you will start is with paint, or maybe wallpaper. While it went out of favor by some designers over the years, many modern homeowners are embracing wallpaper once again. Designers have crafted creative, new approaches to wallpaper these days, and using patterned wallpaper to create eye-catching accent walls or to boldly update an entire room are both growing in popularity. Creatively using wallpaper has become an art form in and of itself!
2. Create a Picture Collage
It’s typical to see a few square or rectangle photo frames sparsely placed across a wall to showcase family pictures. Step outside the realm of tradition and create a gallery space that mixes all different shapes and sizes of frames. Add circle and oval frames, descend from large to small while filling in the gaps and mix your frame styles. Start with a general shape, like a large rectangle, and fill it with frames in an interesting composition.
3. Add Lighting
Wall lighting can highlight decorations you have on the wall or stand alone as a centerpiece. Small wall sconces can create dramatic effects with dimmable bulbs. Wall lamps with long, retractable arms can give you light directly where you want it. And long LED strips can light up any shelf. Depending on which direction you want to go, you could opt for vintage-style lighting or bring your room into the future with modern lighting that features unique styles of lightbulbs.
4. Modern Shelving
Shelving is decorative and functional, though it will give you more space that needs to be dusted from time to time. Recently, designers have been choosing wall-to-wall shelving that creates a break in the wall. Double wall-to-wall shelves give you the opportunity to paint different colors above, below, and even in between the two shelves. Another popular shelf style includes using multiple floating shelves in rectangle, square, and U-shapes.
5. Mirrors Add Depth
If you’re dealing with a small space, wall mirrors can help create depth that makes the space feel larger than it really is. Uniquely shaped mirrors beyond the classic square or rectangle design can help infuse any space with a more contemporary, modern, and creative vibe. An added bonus is when you use mirrors to help reflect exterior light sources and provide additional, natural illumination to enhance your interior lighting naturally.
6. Hang Organic and Artisanal Pieces
Think baskets, hats, wreaths, planters, decorative ceramic plates, shadow boxes, and macrame. Items that have a bit of dimension to them, like shallow baskets and wicker weavings, can really make a wall feel like it stands out. We love the splash of color and mood-enhancing qualities that a wall-hanging planter can bring to an inside space. And macrame can be a cozy addition to add to bedroom and nursery walls.
7. Make a Statement with Art
Whether you use an original piece or a reproduction of an artist’s work, a large framed piece of art is an excellent way to create a statement wall. Make your artwork even more noticeable by giving it a large matting space between the frame and the actual image. A large piece of artwork can make short work of decorating a living room space and serve as a unique conversation starter.
8. Hang a Tapestry or Quilt
If you liked the idea of hanging a statement piece of artwork but found it to be a pricey option, then you’ll love this more frugal decor avenue. Tapestries and quilts can be just as beautiful as a painting, yet you can cover much more space for less cost. There’s something cozy and comforting about the textures a wall tapestry or quilt brings to the room as well. Create a unique hanging apparatus for your tapestry by using a wooden rod and chains to suspend it.
9. Hang in Three’s
Three is a visually pleasing number that is perfect for creating a series of anything. Hang three circular or square framed pictures horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. When hanging horizontally, try connecting them with a bottom picture ledge. Use frames that are the same size, or descend in size. Hanging in three’s also lets you group pictures that have similar themes or styles.
10. Split a Photo
A large frame can be quite expensive all by itself, so we love the idea of creating extra interest with one photo split between multiple frames. For subject matter, consider going with something large, like an airplane, cityscape, or ocean scene. Break it up between three or more frames, leaving a bit of wall space between each picture frame. You can keep it simple with three rectangular frames placed side by side, or get creative with different sized frames and composition.
Remember not to rush when decorating your blank wall. Any holes you place accidentally will mar your perfect wall space, unless you want to spackle and paint again. Take time to measure twice and use a level when hanging shelves. Painters tape can be a handy tool when you want to perfectly align your picture frames. We hope these ten tips have given you some great inspiration!