Ways to decorate blank walls

70 Best Wall Decor Ideas

It doesn’t matter whether you live in a small city apartment or a sprawling country estate—or whether your personal style skews minimalist or maximalist—everyone is eventually confronted with the difficult decision of what to do with that large, windowless wall. Admittedly, many people have a complicated relationship with blank walls. Sometimes, a bare wall can feel refreshing—especially when a room is filled with bold furniture, printed area rugs, and plenty of objets. But more often than not, a blank wall can appear neglected and, let’s face it, boring. So do you want to bring style to every square inch of your space, walls included? Check out these designer-approved ways to give all of your walls the attention they deserve. From statement-making artwork to whimsical wallpaper and everything in between, every idea here is packed with visual intrigue.

Turn Family Photos into Art

Haris Kenjar

No wallpaper? No problem! Memphis, Tennessee–based designer Sean Anderson used his collection of Polaroid photos taken on family vacations and events to cover the blank space surrounding the door frame.

Embrace Shapes

Francesco Dolfo

Paolo Castellarin and Didier Bonnin used two “portholes” in a dividing wall between the living room and dining room to open up the space in their Milan apartment. The vases on the piano are by Gaetano Pesce.

Paint a Mural

Alanna Hale

In the Palo Alto, California, home of Florie Hutchinson, designed by Atelier Davis, the family commissioned the artist Mariel Capanna to paint a wall mural in a narrow hallway. The mural includes depictions of the family and their day-to-day life.

Lacquer the Walls

Cerruti & Draime

Milanese designer Fabrizio Casiraghi used a custom green color to lacquer the walls throughout a Parisian loft. The artworks, which include paintings by H. Craig Hanna and a 19th-century club from Fiji, add even more intrigue.

Go Crazy with Prints

Nicole Franzen

In the upstairs kitchen of designer Ramsey Lyons’s Pittsburgh home, patterned Schumacher wallcovering gives the garret a maximalist garden feel.

Add Texture

Kirsten Francis

In lieu of a flat paint, designer Augusta Hoffman covered the walls of her Manhattan bedroom with a tweed wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries.

Add Humor

Stephan Julliard

Designer Jacques Grange applied resin wall art by Jean-François Fourtou to otherwise blank walls in a home in Portugal.

Match the Furniture

Douglas Friedman

In a Sonoma County, California, home designed by Ken Fulk, the walls, shades, and ceiling were matched to the sofa and cushion fabric.

Go Bold

Nick Glimenakis

If the walls are blank, don’t be afraid to go bold. Designer Delia Kenza painted the blank walls and ceiling of a Brooklyn bedroom an inky black.

Mirror, Mirror

Stephen Kent Johnson

Mirrored wall panels not only enliven a blank space, but also enhance the natural light from windows. Gabriel Hendifar used bronze mirror panels in the dining room of his Manhattan apartment.

Try Some Color Theory

Emily Gilbert

Daun Curry brought some childish wonder to a girl’s bedroom in this home in the Hamptons with a painted mosaic, complete with varying shades of pink, purple, and blue. When paired with floating cubbies and pendants by Tom Dixon, this once-bare wall is transformed into an optical illusion.

Add the Midas Touch

Pascal Chevallier

Fancify your bare walls with opulent accents. When ELLE Decor A-List designer Jean-Louis Deniot restored this French manor, he festooned the walls with an ornate gold-framed mirror and matching bronze Empire sconces.

Stenciled Style

Simon Upton

If you want to add some visual interest to your bare walls—but don’t want to sacrifice that crisp, versatile look—consider a stenciled border. Let this Manhattan apartment by ELLE Decor A-List designer Stephen Sills show you how it’s done.

Embrace Embroidery

Miguel Flores-Vianna

Contrary to popular belief, embroidery isn’t solely reserved for throw pillows and upholstery. In her London home and studio, textile designer Nathalie Farman-Farma adorned her walls with embroidery by Namay Samay. Rounding out the look is artwork by Léon Bakst and a Napoleon III slipper chair in a Décors Barbares linen.

Rediscover Old Roots

Francesco Dolfo

As in this Art Nouveau townhouse in Tbilisi, Georgia, a home’s foundation can often provide all the inspiration you need. The frescoes, which depict scenes of Venice, were uncovered during a restoration; while they make a good case for leaving the walls au naturel, the sleek brass sculptures seen at right add a measured dose of modernity.

Mix and Match

Mark Roper

When it comes to adding prints to your bare walls, more is always more. In this townhouse in London’s Belgravia neighborhood, designer Thomas Hamel juxtaposed the agate-inspired backsplash with de Gournay’s Coco Coromandel wallcovering.

The Textured Treatment

Julie Soefer

Marie Flanigan gave this Houston bathroom a hint of texture by affixing hand-molded plaster dogwood branches on the wall. The result? The feel of a plush tapestry combined with the subtlety of a dainty wallpaper repeat.

Build a Bar

Simon Upton

Remember that your walls don’t have to be impractical. If you’re willing to get a little crafty, you can convert your empty space into a home bar. The built-ins seen in this Pittsburgh study double as the room’s focal point.

Wow With Tiles

Christopher Stark

As Antonio Martins’s San Francisco home proves, your walls can be anything you want them to be. So he made a statement in his stairwell with enlarged reproductions of 18th-century Portuguese tiles, custom painted by Linda Horning and Katherine Jacobus.

Strategically Placed Sculpture

Christopher Stark

You can break up a negative space with a slim sculpture; the key, however, is where you choose to place it. The linked sculpture Antonio Martins added to his San Francisco kitchen is both effortless and edgy in equal measure.

Use Your Nooks and Crannies

Fabien Charuau

Make the most of your space by adding artful touches to every square inch of your home—literally. While the area above an archway often gets overlooked, the owners of this Mumbai home incorporated a botanical mural, hand-painted by Prashant Miranda, into their attic.

Play With Proportions

Simon Upton

Large frames, or small? Why not choose both? Designer Hubert Zandberg upped the visual interest on this wall in an opulent Tuscan villa by experimenting with frames of various sizes, a round mirror, and equestrian accoutrements.

Seeing Double

Francesco Dolfo

In the dining room of this Milan abode, the table is complemented by two oil portraits and antique plates. Though the matching configurations create the illusion of symmetry, the subtle difference offers the right amount of visual intrigue.

A Metallic Moment

Nina Poon

Want to make your bare walls shine? Take a cue from Samuel Amoia, who covered a girl’s Manhattan bedroom in a metallic wallcovering from Calico Wallpaper. He rounded out the room with eye-catching pendants from Tom Dixon and an iridescent rose plaster.

Add a Workspace

Jennifer Hughes

If you’re looking to make your WFH office a permanent fixture in your home, consider installing a wall-mounted desk. In this Baltimore loft, designer Laura Hodges offset the crisp white walls with a sculptural floating workspace.

Aim for Three

Reid Rolls; Styling: Chelsea Fierst

Grouping artwork is a surefire way to make a big impact in a room. Here, three Andy Warhol pieces add personality to Hamptons dining room designed by Brigette Romanek.

A Black and White Photograph

Simon Upton

Sometimes less is more. A black and white photograph by Malick Sidibé serves as a focal point in Patricia Greene’s Upper East Side living room.

Hang it Low

Douglas Friedman

Hanging art low can make it even more impactful, especially in a high-traffic area like an entry. For a Miami Beach getaway, designer Lee F. Mindel opted for a vibrant piece to complement a sleek console table.

Create a Statement Hallway

Pernille Loof

In addition to being sheathed in mattress ticking, event planner Bronson Van Wyck’s Manhattan hallway features a selection of black and white photographs that bring the space to life.

Incorporate Symmetry

Kerry Kirk

Looking for a way to experiment with the principle of symmetry? Hang a large-scale piece of artwork directly above your console, then set a pair of table lamps on top. It’s a failsafe approach to inject personality into your space.

Combine Ceramics with Prints

Jason Schmidt

Architect Peter Marino loves nothing more than putting his impressive French porcelain collection on full display. His Southampton retreat features a floral print surrounded by Théodore Deck porcelain and earthenware.

Add Greenery

Courtesy of Wendy Haworth Design

A tall potted plant, as seen in this living room from Los Angeles-based interior designer Wendy Haworth, is one of the easiest ways to add interest to a wall area. Position your favorite type of greenery directly next to a piece of large-scale wall art for even more of an impact.

Consider a Cabinet

Mikkel Vang

A painted breakfront topped with Spanish terra-cotta pots from the 1930s adds interest to the entry of the Bedford, New York, home owned by Eric Hadar, a Manhattan real estate executive.

Complementary Artworks

Ricardo Labougle

In the living room of Kris Ghesquière and Eva Claessens’s house in southeastern Uruguay, a symphony of corresponding art works with yellow lamb sculptures by William Sweetlove and paintings and a feather sculpture by Claessens.

Frame All Your Art In Gold

William Abranowicz

Mix and match your favorite pieces of art, regardless of style or era, and display them using similarly gilded frames. In the master bedroom of a Los Angeles home, for example, the owners hung a wall of artworks from the couple’s collection above a decidedly feminine Italian giltwood settee.

Use a Picture Ledge

Courtesy Feather

A picture ledge is a simple—and inexpensive way—to display your art collection. Whether you opt for a single ledge or decide to group them, they're the perfect solution to fill a blank space.

Hang Dangling Frames

Douglas Friedman

In Steven Gambrel's Chicago apartment, a troika of framed artworks hang at varying lengths in a narrow wall niche, livening up the narrow recess between the chimney and the entrance.

Use A Sculptural Mirror To Catch The Light

Douglas Friedman

In this airy California living room, an antique mirror from India hangs over the fireplace, catching light to expand the room and illuminate the relaxed modern decor.

Cover Every Inch In Art

Eric Piasecki

In the living room of a PR maven's maximalist New York City apartment, a blank space is brought to life with an extensive gallery wall. Divide your stark wall into sections, including a small collage of art and mirrors and an array of larger paintings. The portraits shown here are by Kimberly Brooks.

Try A Statement Fireplace

Douglas Friedman

Andy Cohen’s Manhattan duplex doesn’t have many bare walls, but this one in his sitting room is dressed up with a statement-making fireplace. A Roy Lichtenstein lithograph hangs above the Chesney’s mantel in Nero Bilbao marble, which is a piece of art in its own right.

Style It With Simple Antiques

James Merrell

For a rustic feel, take a cue from this historic Long Island farmhouse and hang up a few antique pieces that you adore, whether they match or not. These 19th-century mirrors were found in Antwerp and give the entryway an eclectic feel.

Flank Artwork With Sconces

Joshua McHugh

Designer Kimille Taylor's Upper West Side dining room makes white walls look chic with a gorgeous painting by Allen Anthony Hansen, framed perfectly by silver sculptural sconces.

Prop A Mirror on the Wall

Stephen Kent Johnson

Perhaps one of the easiest ways of dressing up a blank wall is by propping a mirror up against it. Mirrors have the power to open up a space, and as shown in a guest room of Amanda Seyfried's Catskills retreat, opting out of hanging it gives the room a relaxed feel. The walls here are painted in White Dove by Benjamin Moore.

Hang Antique Plates

Richard Powers

Hang an array of antique plates on a blank wall for an unexpected collection for guests to admire. In a corner of a kitchen in a Connecticut country house, the walls are hung with Dutch plates purchased in Sri Lanka and turbans that the designer had made in India as gifts for friends.

Try Minimalist Bookshelves

Trevor Tondro

Install simple, minimalist shelving and display a few of your favorite books and objects to maintain a modern look. This Central Park apartment made use of an empty wall in the dining area by adding shelves that perfectly match the white walls.

Choose A Bright Wall Hanging

Ricardo Labougle

A wall hanging brings relaxed, seaside charm to this guest bedroom in a Portuguese home. The beds are topped with crocheted-cotton coverlets from Bulgaria and the tile floor is original to the house.

Statement Wall Sculpture

William Abranowicz

In a San Francisco home with art gallery sensibilities, a moon-shaped sculpture by Manuel Neri brings pops of color to a blank, white wall.

Celebrate Your Favorite Animal

Björn Wallander

In the bedroom of a Paris pied-à-terre, animal drawings cover the blank wall and include works by Paul Jouve, Georges Lucien Guyot and André Margat.

Incorporate Large-Scale Mirrors

Jon Call

These large, window-like mirrors will add depth to the living space, while reflecting off of bright, neutral walls for added light.

Set Up An Artsy Bookshelf

William Abranowicz

Inside a sophisticated New York apartment, a blank wall is given a museum-like quality with a bookshelf filled with reading material and collected treasures. Custom steel-and-oak stairs lead to the mini library.

Hang A Tapestry

Richard Powers

This Mexican treehouse has a living room with worldly charm, distinguished most notably by a tapestry created from a traditional Bhutanese man's robe and hung on the wall.

Split A Photo

Douglas Friedman

A painting of a 1970s plane split into three canvases makes a dramatic statement in retail guru Jeffrey Kalinsky's minimalist New York apartment. The painting is from Wyeth and the walls are sheathed in Venetian plaster.

Textile Wall Art

Trevor Tondro

Designer Kathryn M. Ireland adds a vintage hanging textile to her massive white living room wall to balance out the vibrant space.

Prop Up A Ladder

Gabriela Herman

In a serene Martha’s Vineyard vacation house, a ladder from Lostine propped up against a wall and paired with artwork bring instantly breezy personality to an otherwise drab wall.

Brick it Down

Courtesy of ELEVATE Design Collective

If you love the look of crisp white walls, consider adding a textural element to your space. This beautiful brick wall is a subtle pop, adding flair to the minimalist space.

Neatly Arrange Frames

Ricardo Labougle

This jewel-toned London townhouse turned blank walls into a cohesive gallery of artwork with numerous frames of the same size. The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball's Borrowed Light and Elephant’s Breath, and the bronze lantern and marble floor are both original to the house.

Make It Reflective

Ricardo Labougle

One wall in this lively São Paulo duplex is covered with mirrors that reflect the room's vibrant pieces. The artwork on the mirrors is by John Grant, the 1940s sofa is upholstered in a Rubelli velvet and the Louis XV-style armchairs are antique.

Cover The Wall With A Collection

Simon Upton

Use a blank wall to showcase your collectibles, as in this morning room’s floral china collection by Royal Worcester in a historic English estate.

Hang A Massive Photograph

Francis Amiand

Two brass-and-alabaster pendants by Humbert & Poyet flank a photograph by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre for added dimension in this Monaco apartment. The artworks at left are by Alex Perweiler.

Add a Vintage Wall Covering

Simon Upton

Give your walls a romantic, antique feel with a high-impact wallpaper. This 19th century wall covering in this Milan apartment gives a traditional vintage space a cool wow-factor.

Branch Out

Jignesh Jhaveri

Displaying artwork isn’t your only option for livening up a blank white wall. This stunning home in India showcases a large branch for a natural, earthy aesthetic in the sitting room.

Room Dividers

Stephen Julliard

Even if you’re not literally dividing your rooms, a wall divider is a space-saving accent piece that easily covers a boring wall.

Select A Single, Eye-Catching Painting

William Abranowicz

In a San Francisco home, a single piece of artwork by Joan Mitchell is enough to make a statement on the blank walls painted in Benjamin Moore's Super White.

Book(less) Shelves

HomeGoods/Reid Rolls

A built-in bookshelf stocked with framed art is an easy way to simultaneously display your favorite pieces and cover a boring wall. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about eventually covering up nail holes from hanging art.

Create a Curtained Backdrop

HomeGoods/Reid Rolls

Add texture and comfort to your space by hanging a curtain over a dull wall. The draped look creates a cozy space and can easily be moved if you ever get bored.

Select An Experimental Piece Of Art

Laura Resen

In William Frawley’s SoHo apartment, the photograph of a rib cage is by an unknown artist and once belonged to a San Francisco museum.

Contrast Styles

Courtesy of Cullman & Kravis

In this rustic game room, a bold black and white painting contrasts the wood-inspired space, serving as a focal point on a neutral-toned wall.

Cover The Wall In An Iconic Wallpaper

Simon Upton

Brian Atwood and Nate Berkus brought a splash of Southern California to their former Milan home with a palm-print wallcovering. The solid-brass dining table is from the 1970s.

Combine Different Shapes

Courtesy of summerthorntondesign.com

Add a round piece of art to elevate your wall with atypical geometrics. As designer Summer Thornton puts it, “You can use plenty of traditional pieces as the core, but always intentionally do something that throws it off just a bit!”

Try Rustic Reclaimed Wood

Simon Upton

A wall in the living area of Hilary Swank’s Manhattan home is clad with planks of reclaimed barn wood; the photograph is by Jackie Nickerson, and the painting is by Carlos Vega.

Kelsey Mulvey Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and ELLE Decor, among others.

18 wonderful ways to transform a blank wall |

(Image credit: Mary Wadsworth/Irene Gunter / Nina Campbell / Future/Emma Lee)

Wall decor ideas are so wide-ranging it can be hard to know where to start. So, we have created a room-by-room, technique-by-technique guide to help you narrow down your options, for you to discover the latest trends, and for you to discover brand new innovations.

No matter your decorating style, we've got the tricks that can give life to your walls and bring out your true personality. Keep reading to discover the best wall decor ideas that are sure to add character, interest and intrigue to your home – we are looking way beyond wallpaper ideas and paint ideas.

Wall decor ideas

Looking for wall decor ideas to refresh a tired or blank space in your home? Those empty walls are filled with endless possibilities – and a few stylish wall decorations can make a house feel like a home. From accent wall ideas to whole room solutions, we bring you our favorite ideas.

1. Think practicality when considering wall decor

(Image credit: Future)

Wall decor ideas have to look pretty, inviting and alluring, of course, but they must also be practical, and this is never more true than in an entryway, which is a space that gets lots of wear and tear.

'Entryway wall decor ideas are best split between the upper and lower part of the wall,' advises Sarah Spiteri, Homes & Gardens' Editorial Director. 'This means considering very tough surfaces, such as wall paneling ideas for the lower part of the wall, and wallpaper or paint finishes from waist level upwards. Even then, I would ensure the paint or wallpaper chosen is wipeable as it will inevitably become scuffed, especially if you have children.'

2. Invent new architecture for living room walls

(Image credit: Nina Campbell)

Very plain architecture can mean that living room walls are very one dimensional, even with the addition of wallpaper. However, have a carpenter create wall panels that complement the age of your home and the style of your decor, and you can totally transform your space.

Here, the curves within the panels creates added interest, as does the wallpaper, however the important technique to note here is that the vertical panel shapes make this Nina Campbell -designed living room's ceilings look higher and the room bigger.

3. Work a TV into your wall decor plans

(Image credit: Kelling Designs)

Yes, you can combine TV wall ideas with attractive living room feature wall ideas, and while it can work when the TV is wall-mounted, the effect is far more impactful when the TV is incorporated into a storage and display unit, as in the apartment above.

'Kelling Designs has cleverly incorporated the TV into the wall decor system in this room, with contrasting paint colors used to help the TV blend away a little into the background, allowing the display of china to become the main focus,' says Jo Bailey, Deputy Editor, Homes & Gardens. 'With this kind of unit, doors could easily be integrated so that the TV is totally hidden when not in use, allowing the wall decor to take center stage.'

4. Choose color for the kitchen

(Image credit: Little Greene)

Color has never been more en vogue in kitchens than now, as we look to create cook spaces that are as highly decorated as your living spaces are. You can introduce this through kitchen wall decor ideas that are beyond what we might have used in the past.

'Case in point: this Little Greene wallpaper, which is perfect for anyone searching for farmhouse kitchen wall decor ideas,' says Andrea Childs, Editor, Country Homes & Interiors. 'Matching the main accent colors in the wallpaper with the kitchen cabinet color heightens the impact.'

5. Embrace the trend for nature-inspired murals

(Image credit: Polly Wreford / Kiera Buckley-Jones)

'Interior designers have enthusiastically embraced the trend for nature-inspired wall mural ideas, seen above in one of our decorating shoots and, perhaps more famously, in Gwyneth Paltrow's dining room created for her by interior designer Brigette Romanek ,' says Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens' Editor in Chief.

'Dining room wall ideas are the perfect spot for murals, since they create a real moment when you are entertaining guests. Dining rooms also tend not to be used all the time, so if you are using a decorative element with huge impact, it needn't be diluted with daily views.'

There are ready-to-hang mural designs available, but you can commission wallpaper and murals.

‘Ask a mural artist to create a preliminary drawing, preferably to scale, so any alterations can be made at this stage,’ says Helen Barnes , Murals and Tromp L’oeil Specialist. ‘And remember that if you commission a design on a penal or a fabric canvas, it can be portable, too.’

6. Be bold in a bathroom

(Image credit: Caroline Brackett Studio of Design)

Interior designers generally urge their clients to be braver with powder room wall decor than they might be with other wall decor around the house, particularly bathroom walls, which generally need to be much more practical to cope with the damp conditions.

'Powder rooms are often featureless – sometimes without even a window – so why not?,' says Jen Ebert, Homes & Gardens' deputy editor. 'And because they are the one space you might like to decorate to surprise guests when they come to visit, you really ought to choose a more adventurous treatment. Since they tend to be small spaces, you might like to indulge in that beautiful wallpaper you can really only justify buying one roll of.'

7. Consider fabric walling for a bedroom

(Image credit: Kit Kemp Design Studio | Firmdale Hotels)

Installing fabric walling is once again becoming fashionable and is beloved of designers such as Kit Kemp , who decorated the bedroom above with a beautiful golden fabric.

'Bedroom wall decor ideas are perfectly suited to fabric walling,' explains Sarah Spiteri. 'It creates a very subtle texture and sheen that you want to reach out and touch, ideal for intimate spaces.'

8. Think above the bed, too

(Image credit: Mary Wadsworth)

One easy wall decor treatment for a bedroom is an expansive headboard idea. However, there are more imaginative treatments that you can try, pretty simply.

Above the bed decor ideas such as the one above is the perfect example: the art is framed by the trim around the edge of the wall, while the use of different shades of pink adds further interest to the wall. The use of the lighter color above the dark helps to visually raise the ceiling, a trick to make a small bedroom look bigger, too.

9. Play with a room's proportions with wall decor

(Image credit: Katrin Cargill / Jon Day)

As we have said above, wall decor ideas can be used to correct or improve the proportions of a room. The office wall decor above does this as well as adding interest to a small, dark space.

'Shiplap wall ideas introduce vertical lines to a wall, which draws the eye upwards, creating a visual trick that makes a room feels taller,' says Jen Ebert. 'The higher up the wall the shiplap goes, the better the effect. However, putting a panel of bold wallpaper above the shiplap will add the color and character that shiplap can't. '

10. Reflect light with mirrors

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)

Everyone knows that decorating with mirrors is a good way to visually 'double' the sense of space in a room – but we also love a mirror for how it magnifies light and adds a magical mood. ‘I always use mirrors with an antiqued effect, says Henriette Von Stockhausen, founder, VSP Interiors . ‘It softens everything that it reflects. Sadly, it is more expensive but it really is worth it as it makes the room feel immediately more settled.

‘Think carefully where mirrors are positioned, where they end and what will be reflected in them,’ she adds. ‘I don’t use them in a dining as people don’t like to see themselves reflected while eating or speaking. I wouldn’t place a full-length mirror opposite a shower and never one behind a loo.’

11. Opt for large-scale art

(Image credit: Studio Ashby)

If you are looking for wall decor that is easily changeable, then consider decorating with art. Hanging a picture, such as an oversized painting, will command attention and set the tone – even in a relatively small space. Alternatively, opt for gallery wall ideas if you have a plethora of artwork to display.

'Bold and extrovert wall accessories look great against a contemporary background,' says Deborah Heath of Design By Deborah . 'But a wall of vivid color would swamp a watercolor and an oil painting may look dark and imposing on small delicately patterned wallpaper. It’s matter of trial and error –and personal taste.’

12. Arrange books for an attractive focal point

(Image credit: Future / David Lovati)

Wall decor ideas don’t have to be purely decorative, they can be functional, too.

‘Books can bring culture and intelligence to any room,' as Cicero said, ‘A room without books is like a body without a soul.’

One formal way of decorating with books is the classic library approach, that is by genre – fiction, non-fiction, history, art and so on. ‘It’s probably one of the most popular ways to organize a bookshelf in a domestic setting,’ says Philip Blackwell, founder, Ultimate Library .

‘Those looking for a more stylized result, which will have a greater impact on the overall look and feel of them too, will style a bookcase in blocks of color,’ he adds. ‘Some will go for one accent – we’ve done entire walls in Penguin paperbacks, from example – others will want a kaleidoscope effect with different pops of color.’

13. Take a world view with geographical wall decor

(Image credit: Future / Jody Stewart)

Whether vintage, wall sized or illustrative, a map can add interest and evoke happy memories of your favorite trips and destinations. Plus a map makes a perfect children's bedroom wallpaper idea.

This feature wall will have particular appeal for budding explorers, who can stick mementos on the map to show where they’ve been, or mark where they would like to go in the future.

14. Fashion a wall display with plates

(Image credit: Future / Emma Lee)

If your best china is too good to eat off, or perhaps you have decorative antique plates hidden away in a cupboard, make a gallery wall display with them.

Hanging plates on a wall is easy: simply select a few varying sizes and patterns and measure up the placement of each piece on the wall before you go in with a hammer and nails, to make sure you get the spacing right.

Once you’re happy, attach the plates to hanging wires – you can get ones especially designed for plates that will hold them firmly without damage – and hook onto the walls.

15. Dress your walls with decorate paneling

(Image credit: Future Owns)

Originally installed to protect walls and hide damp, panelling is enjoying a style revival, and is perfect as farmhouse living room wall decor. We adore the instant character wall panelling can provide, especially in featureless rooms. And of course it is a practical way to keep scruffs at bay.

‘Panelling is a useful way of introducing warmth and character to a room – there is something cozy about being surrounded by wood, says Bruce Hodgson, founder and creative director, Artichoke Interior Designs . If your budget doesn’t stretch to wood panelling, high-quality MDF painted with an eggshell paint is a convincing alternative.

16. Display houseplants – on the wall

(Image credit: Future / Jake Curtis)

Shown off with imagination and ingenuity, the best indoor plants add natural charm to any scheme. Swap a mirror above the fireplace for a wall-hung pocket planter filled with a verdant display of ferns and trailing vines. Different heights add visual interest – mix up plants with different leaf shapes and colors for an abundant display.

A well-edited arrangement of houseplants will not only life the spirits and help purify the air, it’s also great for adding color, style and an artistic flourish.

17. Introduce wall-to-wall style

(Image credit: Future / Jake Curtis)

If you want to add a unique touch to your home, a bespoke trompe l’oeil is a great wall decor option. You’ll need to commission a specialist and be prepared to make a significant financial investment. Designs like these suit traditional schemes particularly well.

Although trompe l’oeil (meaning ‘deceive the eye’ due to the optically illusive nature of the art technique) is popular for large areas, such as dining and living rooms, it can add space and depth to smaller spaces, such as powder rooms.

Murals can incorporate specific themes, personal motifs or favored landscapes in any style. If your budget doesn’t stretch to a hand-painted design, consider a tiled alternative or a mural wallpaper, which can be custom-made and can even feature your own photos.

18. Opt for an instant update with wall decals

(Image credit: Future / Jake Curtis)

Instead of conventional artwork or feature wallpaper, why not choose wall stickers or decals (transfers) to make a statement? Options range from colorful designs, perfect for adding character to a child’s bedroom, to sophisticated silhouettes, elegant monochromes, witty graphics and adhesive chalkboard, ideal for kitchen walls.

Think about where to place them – off-center or above a baseboard often looks more interesting than a centrally positioned design, which can appear lost in a large space. Consider the style of your interiors, too; simple graphics and block colors will suit minimalist layouts. Wall art can look fussy in a busy scheme, so remember to pare back on other accessories to enable your art to stand out.

What can you do with a blank wall?

Adding impact to your walls needn’t be confined to the traditional methods of wallpapering or painting. There are plenty of ways to enliven your scheme, whether you opt for an easy-to-change option, such as witty wall stickers and whimsical decals, or invest in a bespoke solution, such as a striking mural or a delicate trope l’oeil. Whether your schemes are traditional or contemporary, there is a wealth of creative ways to let you walls do the talking.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

With contributions from

Lucy SearleGlobal Editor in Chief

How to decorate a blind fence - decor options

Very often, summer residents and owners of private houses face the question - how to decorate a blank fence or a wall of a house without windows. Indeed, the contemplation of a flat plane of a large area is not particularly interesting, unless you practice Zen meditation. Although, I'm sure there are such people among the connoisseurs of landscape design 🙂

Sometimes our fences are so high and long that the question involuntarily arises - is it possible to somehow use this surface in country design? The blank walls of the house will also not decorate your territory. Here are some of my ideas for solving these problems.

Vertical gardening

The first and simplest thing that comes to mind is the ability to close blank walls with shrubs or climbing plants, using vertical gardening techniques.

Suitable for this purpose: actinidia, capsis, parthenocissus. Annuals can also be planted, which can twist along vertically stretched ropes or wire.

Painting and painting

Another option to decorate the fence. You can select small sections on the fence with a certain step and give them to your children or grandchildren "to be torn to pieces." Let the young artists prove themselves, and you will have the opportunity to admire their work for a long time.

Planters and hangers

Another way to decorate a blank fence or house wall is to hang planters with hanging plants on them. Petunias, pelargoniums will look good on the wall of your house. These hardy plants can bloom almost all summer long!

Ready-made wall for gazebo

A blank house wall or fence can also serve well in the construction of a gazebo or shed. Think for yourself, you already have one finished wall - just make two more supports and arrange a roof - and you will have a covered patio for gatherings!

Raised beds

Several raised beds can be made along the wall. This technique will visually break the long fence into pieces and it will no longer look so monotonous. And in raised beds, you can plant both tall flowers or ornamental plants with bright foliage, as well as shrubs.

If you use conifers, then in late autumn they will decorate the territory of your site with a pleasing green color. Just do not forget to cover them for the winter - after all, thujas sensitive to the bright spring sun can die if they are not protected in a special way.

Optical illusion

And finally, an original solution for connoisseurs of everything unusual. Use the French technique Trompe l'oeil, the name of which in translation means "illusion trick" to decorate a blank fence or wall of the house.

With it, you can visually expand a narrow area or enlarge a small one, illusoryly changing it to the point of being unrecognizable.

Video ideas

Wall decor: 44 photo ideas for unusual wall decor note

Some young ladies confuse the decor of the walls in the interior with her husband, believing that he should be chosen once and for all. Not at all: there are a thousand legal ways to change the picture before your eyes without getting involved in repairs. For starters - 44 ideas from Russian and foreign projects.

aamodt / plumb architects

1. Framed Carpet
Don't laugh, one of the most original wall decoration ideas is a carpet. Provided that it is framed and behind glass. It looks solid, museum and hypoallergenic.

READ RELATED…
Good question: Is hanging a carpet on the wall shameful or fashionable?

ZykinaProject

2. Framed wallpaper
Some wallpapers cost so much that it's cheaper to stick money on the wall. Another thing is that they can be used exclusively as a decoration - for example, as a large picture in a spectacular baguette. Then it makes sense to hunt for sale remnants of wallpaper. You won't need more roll anyway.

Interested in interior design?
Let's find an artist according to your criteria

TS Design | Taras Bezrukov and Stas Samkovich

3. Wallpaper-coloring
With them you will have fun not only in the process of gluing! For the boy's room in this Moscow project, the owners chose a coloring wallpaper with a jungle-themed pattern. Presumably, the baby should have enough of them for three years.

LineBox Studio

4. Rock painting
Another coloring idea can be borrowed from this Canadian project. The designers staged a festival of cave painting on wet concrete plaster, and then covered it with a special composition so that the walls could be washed without harming the interior and psyche. Now the children, squealing with delight, paint artiodactyls with crayons.

What is especially nice - the drawing is simple, primitive people did it, which means we can do it too.

Lucia Tacla

5. Wall art
No coloring book compares to being able to paint whatever you want on the wall. At least for a decent person. The drawing can smoothly flow into a three-dimensional installation. An example is the wall decor in the photo.

READ ON TOPIC…
Artistic wall painting: Recent history

“Own history” | Zasimova Lada, Nikolaeva Victoria

6. Painting on the lining
This bathroom was created for the designer's daughter Lada Zasimova. The wet area is decorated with Bardelli tiles with a large floral pattern. And the wooden wall opposite is decorated with a painting with a similar motif.

Janna Makaeva/Cutting Edge Stencils

7. Stencil painting
At school, they thought that fine art comes from the word bullying? In fact, painting a wall on a stencil does not require special skills, only accuracy. In the photo above - a branch of flowering wisteria, at the link below - a master class from designer Zhanna Makaeva.

READ ON TOPIC…
DIY: Wall painting with a stencil, or DIY wallpaper design

Maxim Samsonov

8. Decals
Vinyl decals are probably one of the quickest solutions for interior transformation (and stain removal). And this decor does not care about humidity: a photo with birds is from a St. Petersburg project, stickers with birds adorn both the main and guest bathrooms there.

Denis Furmanov

9. Draw with scotch tape
Colored scotch tape can serve as a decor for the walls, if pasted without creases according to a pre-planned plan. This is exactly what designer Denis Furmanov did with a wall in a rented Zhulebinsky “three-ruble note” (pictured). This trick is trickier than it looks. The table, located against the wall, emphasized the tightness of the room. Therefore, the designer decided to divert attention from the table with active graphics on the wall. And the lines, by the way, are not just lines, but a hint of wallpaper from the Viceroy Santa Monica hotel by Kelly Wearstler.

Tip: doesn't like scotch tape on the wall - these stripes can also be drawn with paint using masking tape as a stencil.

Inna Velichko

10. Drawing around the thing
Yes, such a floor lamp cannot be moved. But it has no other disadvantages: any design, any shape and any color are available at a minimum cost. This optical illusion in the room of the designer's daughter Inna Velichko is only partly an illusion: the lamp is absolutely working.

Architectural workshop za bor

11. Cable figures
A few meters of black cable, a white wall - this is how an unusual decor is born. The bunny and the giraffe are an allusion to the images of the owners of the apartment, the architect Pyotr Zaitsev and his wife Anastasia Solomatina. Thus, they signed who sleeps where (by the way, the hare is Peter). If you do not have extra cable left, you can use colored cords from hardware stores. True, you have to glue them to keep their shape.

Erika Bierman Photography

12. Divider strip
On the one hand, white walls are fashionable. On the other hand, it's too easy. Try adding a bright colored strip around the perimeter of the wall: by narrowing and expanding it, you can create various optical effects.

ANNAmorphs.

Another example: the yellow stripe in the gap of a narrow white corridor in itself looks quite impressive. But it has another function - the portal seems to cut the space into two separate rooms, which is why the corridor no longer seems like an endless tunnel. See how this strip goes across the floor and bench. In fact, everything is even cooler: an unusual effect is achieved through a well-thought-out optical illusion - see the next photo.

Hendricks Churchill

13. Bright baseboards and skirting boards
An extremely simple, but very effective technique is to paint the slopes and skirting boards (including ceiling boards) in a contrasting bright color. In this way, you can still maintain the color of furniture or other decor.

0063
Another interesting technique is to paint the window slope in two colors, one of which is the color of the wall. In addition to the decorative effect, it is also an opportunity to “adjust” the width of the slope.

Greta Wolf

15. Slope with finishing
It is enough to cover wide slopes with cheerful wallpaper and divert attention from the too active or, conversely, neutral color of the walls. Slopes can also be ennobled with paintings and tiles.

READ MORE…
Decor ideas: Window slopes and how to frame them

16. Slate wall
Endless change of images, creative freedom and a daily planner included - this is not a new gadget, but a wall painted with slate paint.

Alison Damonte Design

17. Quotes within
To make the inscription look more solid, you can print the quote on paper in a fashionable sans-serif font and place it in a laconic frame. The frame has a magical property: to give additional significance to any word or object.

18. Letters for inspiration
A good font can decorate a wall better than a picture. Sticker letters are sold in stores, but they can also be cut on a plotter in any advertising workshop. The most difficult thing is to choose a phrase that will not start to annoy before you finish the repair.

Nikolay Nikolaev/Design Studio N-Kub

19. Inscriptions on a stencil
You can go the other way - cut a stencil out of paper and paint over the walls according to the stencil. This is exactly what they did in this project, decorating the room for the eldest son with motivating inscriptions. You can choose your own, in the spirit: “if you don’t study, you will go to the janitors.”

Mary Cook

Amy Lau Design

20. Volumetric applications from paper
This fun is called paper plastic. Flowers, sheets, butterflies, spirals, fans and masks are cut out of thick paper, bent as needed with a pencil, a stationery knife and scissors, and glued to the wall if desired. This, of course, is a romantic decor, more suitable for a bedroom or boudoir, but away from conventions. The main thing is to understand how to vacuum it.

Siobhan Loates Interiors

21. Mirror on a mirror
You can soften the coldness of a large mirror and protect it from the foreheads of inattentive guests by hanging another mirror in a beautiful decorative frame over the canvas.

READ ON THE TOPIC…
Mirrors in the interior: how not to overdo it?

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

22. Shards
You can assemble a panel from small pieces of a geometric mirror (hint: you can cut the mirror into pieces in any glass workshop). As an option - buy round, oval, square and rectangular small mirrors and make a composition out of them.

SPACE FOR LIFE

23. Mirrors and blinds
By combining mirrors and wooden panels, you can decorate the entire wall. In this project, the designer used ordinary louvered doors from a building hypermarket. This technique brought down the pathos of large mirror surfaces, but added volume to a small space.

24. Window imitation as wall decor
Even an empty window frame or shutters will create the effect of an additional window, which will be useful for small rooms and blank walls. The effect will be twice as strong if you glaze the “window” with a mirror. At the same time, you can look into it.

The background for this decor does not play a special role. For example, at first they wanted to hang a mirror from the Moscow project in the photo on the brickwork in the living room, but they changed their minds and sent it to the bedroom.
MORE PHOTOS…
25 more examples of the fake window in the photo section of Houzz

Acanth Architectural Studio

So, you can pull them on the frame and hang on the wall. Vintage will look especially colorful.

TS Design | Taras Bezrukov and Stas Samkovich

26. Panel giclee
The little thing above the sofa in the photo is called panel giclee — a poster with the author's refinement with a brush. It all started from there. that the decorators stumbled upon a silk scarf by Olga Nikich. But along the edges it had a pattern that did not fit into the interior, so the designers bought a file with a scarf pattern from the author, printed it on canvas, and then Olga manually painted the triangles with mother-of-pearl.

Ekaterina Lieberman

27. Three-part panels
This ethno wall decor in the photo is actually beehive covers bought on the market in Serbia. But pictures are often hung using this technology: one image is divided into several fragments in independent frames. No one brings Cameroonian hats from Cameroon anymore, they are produced all over the world and sold in interior stores. They are hung on the walls one by one or in a company, choosing by color and size.

Riegler Photography

29. Blank Frames
A beautiful baguette is good on its own, and painted in rich color is even better. Strict geometry sets the rhythm, and if they ask where the photo is taken, answer mysteriously: “the inner emptiness conveys a philosophical understatement to the interior.”

Jordi Folch

If the frames "run into" the painted part of the wall and spoil the purity of the color, feel free to paint directly on the frame. What do you have to lose something with such a philosophical understatement.

The empty frame can also perform solo.

Rikki Snyder

30. Plywood Panels
Cutting clouds out of plywood, painting or varnishing it while preserving the natural texture of wood is not difficult at all. Applications can be mounted on the wall, but more often they are mounted on small racks - so that the decor slightly moves away from the wall. This makes the drawing look bigger.

Dmytro Aranchii Architects

It can also be a complex, well-thought-out wall decor, a leitmotif stretching through the whole apartment - like the branches of a miracle tree in the project of a Kyiv architect.

2B.GROUP

Idea: plywood figures for children can be covered with fabric.

Olga Shangina | Photography

31. Cork houses
This appliqué is cut out of cork wood according to the designer's sketch. In fact, the fate of a photo album is destined for her, but until the owner of the room has accumulated enough personal history, cartoon characters live in the windows of the houses.

Stashchuk Tatiana

32. Three-dimensional decor made of laths
Geometric pattern and rhythm organize any space. An alternative to wallpaper with the “correct” pattern and color is its own geometric pattern of narrow wooden slats. Paint them the same color as the wall and you have an exclusive wallpaper with a 3D effect.

3D Group

The beauty of slats is that they, even being the same color as the wall, make it three-dimensional. Now imagine that these are white slats on a dark background, or vice versa - dark on a light one!

The New Design Project

33. Paintings in one color
As you know, the Black Square has a deep philosophical meaning. But even if there is less sense in the green square, it will be enough to revive an empty wall. Canvas is optional, the frame can be covered with fabric, pasted over with colored cardboard, vinyl film, etc.

Mclean & Tircuit Designs

34. Unusual gallery
The photos themselves can hardly be called unusual decor. But the original way of attaching them to the wall is easy. For example, mounting on a painted board by surprise.

READ ON TOPIC…
Not like everyone else: Non-standard mountings for pictures on the wall

David Rausch Studio

look like a photo exhibition. Pictures suspended from the rail can be moved back and forth. Great option for a long corridor.

Enjoy Home Studio

Another unusual way to decorate a wall is to use a floor standing photo. A strong decorative effect is achieved due to the scale of the canvas.

Behind the architectural "trick" in the center of the hall in the photo, like behind a screen, the door of another bathroom was hidden. By the way, the designers of the Enjoy Home studio found this picture in a photobank.

SUSANNE KAISER Innenarchitektur Berlin

Well, no one canceled the photo wallpaper either.

Gaile Guevara

35. Three-dimensional hanging
Another option for non-standard photo hanging is a rhythmic composition of cords and fasteners. A similar installation can be done by replacing the frames with stationery clips.

Prokhorova Natalia "Arahis design"

36. Clock without case
The very case when the decor is absolutely functional. The main thing is not to confuse the numbers (although this is an idea!).

In this Novosibirsk apartment where a young couple lives, a clock mechanism adorns the wall of an office with no numbers at all. His role is rather edifying. As they say in articles about the benefits of marriage: the clock is ticking.

Zouk Architects

37. Shadow theater
Chiaroscuro is a great tool for quick interior design. Especially in terms of costs. To get an unusual light pattern, you can purchase a special lamp - with a "leaky" frame. The light, falling through artistically carved holes, casts elaborate shadows on the surface. Most often, this is either a repeating pattern, or associations on a forest theme. Ideal - when the walls and ceiling are of the same color, then the pattern comes out the same.

READ RELATED…
Home “Shadow Theatre”: Learning to work with decorative light

38. Lighting decor
Directional light lamps turned in different directions also create an interesting decorative effect. In addition, this technique adds volume to the room.

Arkee Creative

Martha O'Hara Interiors

39. Decorate the wall with furniture
It can be just a small shelf with a spectacular outline. And if part of the wall is occupied by a highly respected wardrobe, rack or sideboard, you can decorate it too by pasting the insides with pretty wallpaper. And the wall will immediately become brighter.

READ RELATED…
Leftovers are sweet: 10 places where wallpaper will still come in handy

Odnushechka | Odnushechka

41. Painting like a screen
If you want to revive a wall on which a TV has already taken its place, just hide it behind an abstract-style canvas of two movable halves.

READ RELATED…
Out of sight: What to do with the TV screen in the interior

Barlow & Barlow Design

42. Splashes, drops and streaks
Who said that the picture on the wall should be objective? Abstract flows and splashes look no worse (and certainly brighter) than Christmas trees and birds. However, such painting has one important property - it is very expressive. With such decor, not everyone will relax.

Rebel Walls

Even in monochrome, this pattern will look too bright, so do not decorate more than one wall with drips.

Mia Mortensen Photography

Much calmer in this sense is textured granular plaster, painted in a dark deep color. Against this background, shelving and cabinets without a back wall look good.

Art-Ceramics by Vladimir Kovalev

43. Ceramic panel
The photo is not a painting, but a ceramic decorative panel “Cosmos” (fireclay, enamel, glaze, firing) by Moscow artist Vladimir Kovalev. In essence, it is a giant handmade tile ceiling-high; designers built it into a shallow niche.

44. Relief wall
With the help of timber painted in a noble shade, the renovation in the new building looks “angry and spectacular”.
Learn more

Newest living room designs

Perennial climbing flowers

Luxury hotel room design

Farrow and ball bathroom paint colours

Best kitchenaid mixer to buy

Boutique hotel bathroom

How to get rid of cockroaches in my house

Bathroom white tile designs

Above window decorations

Upper cabinets for laundry room

When to plant cool season grass