What to do with a blank wall you don’t know how to style is something most of us wonder at some point. You move into a new place, or you finally get round to a room you’ve ignored for months, and there it is: a big empty wall staring back at you. It’s easy to put it off because you don’t want to get it wrong. The good news is that you don’t need an expert’s eye. A few simple ideas and a bit of patience will get you there.
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Think about the room first
Before you buy anything, look at how you use the room. A lounge wall is often the first thing guests notice, so it can take something bolder. A bedroom wall usually works better with something calm and soft, and a hallway wall can stay simple. Once you know what the room needs, it’s much easier to decide what goes up.
Start with one big piece
One large piece of art can do more than ten small ones. It makes the room look finished, and it saves you from making lots of little decisions. A good rule is to choose something that covers about two-thirds of the width of the furniture below it. If a large print is too much for your budget, a framed piece of fabric, a woven wall hanging or a canvas you’ve painted yourself works just as well.
Try a gallery wall
If one big piece feels like too much of a commitment, a gallery wall lets you build the look slowly. Mix framed prints, photographs and small mirrors, and add a woven basket or two for texture. Lay everything out on the floor first and move the pieces around until it feels balanced, then hang them. Keep the gaps between frames about the same and stick to a few colours so it looks neat and not messy.
Use a mirror to brighten the room
A mirror is one of the easiest fixes for an empty wall. It bounces light around the room, which helps if your windows are small, and it makes the space feel bigger. Hang it across from a window so it catches the daylight. A round or arched mirror softens a room with lots of straight lines, and a tall mirror leaned against the wall feels relaxed and modern.
Add shelves you can change
Shelves give you somewhere to show the things you love, like books, plants, candles and small frames. The best part is that you can change them whenever you like, so the wall never feels stuck. Try to leave a few gaps, because a shelf packed to the edges can look cluttered.
Don’t be afraid of paint
Sometimes the answer is the wall itself. A deep green, a soft terracotta or a warm cream can change a room without a single piece of decor. If you’d like something less permanent, paint a large arch or a block of colour behind your bed or couch. It gives the room a focal point and costs very little. If you rent, check with your landlord first, or try peel-and-stick wallpaper, which comes off easily.
Take your time
You don’t have to fill the wall in one weekend. Live with it for a few weeks, notice where your eye keeps landing, and add things slowly. The best walls usually come together over time, with pieces you’ve picked up along the way. A blank wall isn’t a problem to fix. It’s space waiting for something that feels like you.
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Featured Image: Pexels
