At first, large interior walls seem like a gift – so much space! The sky’s the limit in decorating them, right? Not always. In fact, it’s a design gift to be able to style a large wall just right, with proportions, connections, and white space all thoughtfully considered. Here is a look at several ideas for how to decorate a large wall with style. You might be surprised at how simple it can be.
Built-in shelves.
If your large wall happens to fall between two perpendicular side walls, you might find that the best way to “decorate” the large wall is to get some use out of it.
Emphasize the architecture by painting a contrasting color on the back wall of your built-in shelves. This not only adds great color to the space itself, but it also showcases the shelving. When the shelf/back colors are greatly contrasted (white and black being the most significant in contrast), the visual effect will be inherently striking and “busy,” so be sure to
If built-in shelves don’t make sense for your space, such as if you are renting or simply aren’t able to make the built-ins work, you can easily go with Plan B: a large, sturdy bookcase on one side of the large wall, and some artwork in the empty space. Notice how the sofa is positioned offset-center here, a nice balance of visual weight to the side-positioned wooden bookshelves.
Mounted musical instruments.
If your large wall happens to fall in the space where music is (a) appreciated, and (b) practiced, it makes sense to have the instruments easily accessible…while keeping them safely off the ground. Mounted instruments look organized and can even pass as 3-D “art” to our senses.
Symmetrical décor.
A “large wall” may or may not include windows, doors, or other architectural components. When this happens, consider making those additions part of the room’s overall design by incorporating simple, symmetrical decorations. Wreaths hung over windows, for example, provide great greenery and contrast to a light window silhouette.
You can also create a sense of symmetry by hanging a line of large-ish photos, paintings, or other art pieces in identical frames along the large wall, in between two windows or doors or whatever else. This provides a straightforward connection and brings the potentially overwhelming scope of the large wall down to a manageable, even enjoyable, scale.
Large art.
Perhaps the most obvious way to
Gallery wall.
A
One way to do a gallery wall is to determine the room’s color scheme, and simply choose varying sizes and
Be sure, whether your wall is very large or just regularly large, that you have enough artwork that you can hang them relatively close together for a greater visual impact; if they are spread too far apart, the gallery wall loses a lot of its appeal. It’s better to have a great gallery wall on a smaller section of your large wall than it is to spread out your artwork simply in an attempt to cover more wall space.
Beautiful paint.
Sometimes, the best thing to do with a large wall is to turn it into a beautiful color, either via paint or wallpaper, and then let it simply be. This lovely, warm blue hue is serene and soothing, enhanced by a mirror’s reflection.
Depending on the age and style of your home, you might have some architectural features built in to your large wall, such as these small glass block windows. A beautiful paint color on the large wall will go far in embracing the architecture and laying the foundation of tasteful design sensibility.
Clustered smaller frames.
Oversized artwork can come with a hefty price tag. To keep your budget happy, consider clustering a few smaller pieces together to aesthetically “read” as one large piece. In this framed LOVE grouping, each letter is comprised of 1.5” photo squares, which adds a great personal touch to the artwork, along with an off-centered
This beautiful display is a set of many identical 5×7 frames, mounted and hung together, to become one single piece to enjoy on a large wall. Keep the photos similar in color tone and even content for best results. It’s an inexpensive and personalized way to cover a large wall.
Unexpected shape.
Hung quilt.
If you’re a world traveler, if you have a beautiful and/or sentimental keepsake quilt, or if you simply found a great piece that would look awesome in your space and you want to show it off, consider this creative idea: hang the piece on your large wall from a curtain rod. It immediately looks artsy, warm, and friendly, all at the same time.
Wallpaper.
Chunky stripes.
Keeping proportions in mind, consider painting big chunky stripes horizontally on your large wall. You could let the stripes stand alone as
Floor art.
While many of us focus on how to decorate the large wall itself, it’s refreshing to consider that you could perhaps leave the wall alone and decorate a small section of nearby floor. Lean a few pieces in frames, display some branches or grasses in a beautiful pot, and you’ve got yourself a nicely decorated corner of the large wall…which might be all you actually need.
Collection display.
For the collector of beautiful things, a large, blank wall probably feels like a gift, because it provides an obvious and perfect home for your collection. These
Bedroom large wall.
Treat your
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