Decorating Big Living Room Wall

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60 Genius Ways to Decorate a Blank Wall

Here are the best designer-approved ideas for transforming that wide open space.

samuel amoia girl's bedroom

Nina Poon

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.

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Try Some Color Theory

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.

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Add the Midas Touch

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.

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Stenciled Style

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.

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Embrace Embroidery

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.

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Rediscover Old Roots

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.

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Mix and Match

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.

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The Textured Treatment

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.

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Build a Bar

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.

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Wow With Tiles

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.

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Strategically Placed Sculpture

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.

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Use Your Nooks and Crannies

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.

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Play With Proportions

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.

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Seeing Double

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.

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A Metallic Moment

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.

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Add a Workspace

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.

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Aim for Three

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.

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A Black and White Photograph

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Hang it Low

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.

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Create a Statement Hallway

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.

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Incorporate Symmetry

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.

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Combine Ceramics with Prints

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.

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Add Greenery

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.

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Consider a Cabinet

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.

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Frame All Your Art In Gold

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.

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Use a Picture Ledge

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.

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Use A Sculptural Mirror To Catch The Light

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Cover Every Inch In Art

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.

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Try A Statement Fireplace

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.

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Kelsey Mulvey Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Marie Claire, Women's Health, and Men's Health, among others.

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