Eighty percent of homes I go into for interior design consultations have bare walls, and the common comment is, “I just don’t know what to do with all these walls” – Sound familiar? If you need ideas on how to dress up your walls, you’re going to love this blog post because I’m sharing a few of my favourite ways to decorate walls.
Let’s start with the obvious – Artwork. There are several ways to do this, and my favourite way is by placing one large piece on a large wall. A space looks less cluttered with one large piece rather than a bunch of little pieces hanging around. Use the rule of thirds when deciding on scale; for example, an art piece hanging over your sofa should be at least two-thirds the sofa’s size. So if you have a seven-foot sofa, the art above should be at least 56″ wide. If your budget allows for original art, that is the way to go, if not then one of my favourite places to shop for large (and affordable) artwork is Minted. They have a great selection and offer different sizes for each print as well as framed or unframed options, unframed is less expensive to ship, but then you’ll have to pay for framing locally, so you’ll have to do the math as to which option is better for you. CLICK HERE to shop Minted prints.
I do like to use small artwork for small walls, but I also do not think that every small wall needs artwork. Having clear space is nice and means that your home will feel less cluttered. Avoid placing artwork on a small wall that is right next to a large wall that has been decorated. Do place smaller pieces of artwork on small walls where there is no other wall decor around, for example, in a hallway next to the door leading to your bathroom where there is no other area to decorate with larger artwork. Again consider the rule of thirds, so if the wall is three feet wide, place a piece of art that is 24″ wide there to look purposeful. Minted has great small print options too, you can CLICK HERE to shop.
I love to use mirrors to fill a wall where you need them, like in a bedroom where you want to see yourself as you’re getting ready or in a foyer where it’s nice to see yourself as you head out the door. You can either use a large mirror above a dresser or console table or use a leaner mirror on its own to fill a large wall with no furniture. Keep the rule of thirds in mind here again to get the right size mirror for the space.
Wallpaper and panel mouldings are two things I love to use to decorate a wall. Wallpaper can either be bold and patterned or soft and textured – Both offer an excellent upscale look to any room. The same goes for panel moulding; adding architectural details like this helps a home to feel more custom and elegant. You can hire someone to do this or google online for lots of DIY tutorials if you feel like getting handy.
If you have the space to add shelving, it’s a wonderful option because it also allows for additional storage. Shelving can look great if styled well, and it helps you have a place to keep things you need hidden in decorative boxes or baskets. Shelving added to areas that typically require more storage like bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms (on either side of the fireplace or around a TV) are all great options.
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If you’d like to discuss your upcoming interior design project, please email us at hello@staciedwardsdesign.com to let us know a bit about your project, and we’ll schedule a call. Whether it’s a new build, renovation, or a simple refresh for your home, we’d love to hear from you. You can also visit our Services Page HERE to learn more about what we offer. Thank you!