a woman on a bed with a laptop, holding a cup of coffee - next steps to future-proof your small business

Top 7 Ideas To Liven Up A Bare Wall At Home Or The Office

16 Jun 2024 | home & cosy

(collaborative post)

Decorating a bare wall can both be an exciting and intimidating project. It’s fun to imagine all the possibilities you can do on this blank canvas, yet it also feels like a huge decision to make considering that anything you place on this space can change the entire look of your home or office. Thus, you need to be very careful with your choice.

If you’re still not entirely sure what to do with that plain wall in your space, we’ve come up with several ideas for you to consider trying out.

1. Put up a gallery wall

A gallery wall can be a collection of anything you want to display: paintings, art prints, posters or even collectible items. The main idea is that you are grouping them together to create a coherent look. The best thing about putting up a gallery wall is that you can customise it depending on what statement you want to make. For example, you can take your guests on a trip down memory lane by including old travel photos or souvenirs. Of course, a gallery wall can simply be a showcase of your favourite art pieces. Either way, decorating your bare wall with this method both covers up the blank space and adds a touch of personality to your home or office.

Keep in mind that gallery walls work best when the items are not strictly lined up and are of varying sizes. The placement of each item also doesn’t have to be perfectly symmetrical, but do be mindful of balance so as not to overwhelm the wall with too much decoration.

2. Try wall panelling

Using decorative wall panels can turn a drab blank wall space in your home or office into something more elegant and classy. With a variety of designs and materials to choose from, you can easily change up the look and ambience of a space. This is a perfect option if you want to maintain the cleanliness of a negative space without making it look too boring.

Your choice of wall panels can also be used to complement furniture that you already have. For instance, dark wood panelling can make your light-coloured couch stand out more. Moreover, wall panels can be painted over to add a splash of colour in your room.

3. Decorate with wall sculptures

If you don’t have an art collection or would prefer something other than paintings, you can opt to hang three-dimensional art such as wall sculptures to add texture on the otherwise flat wall. This kind of art can even function as the centrepiece for a room and can certainly be a conversation starter for when people visit. Although there are many designs to choose from, make sure the one you go for is the right size for the room. Better yet, go with a wall sculpture with multiple pieces so you can cover the expanse of the bare wall without looking too overpowering.

a white chair in front of a wood panelled wall - ideas to liven up a bare wall

4. Hang colourful tapestry

For something a little more unique, consider hanging some tapestry on a bare wall. Whether it’s a bold-patterned cloth or a cultural heirloom, hanging tapestries on your wall can liven up the overall look of the room. You can also consider embroidery, whether it’s one large piece or multiple small pieces. 

5. Use wall decals

Wall decals are essentially vinyl stickers that you can use to decorate any flat surface. What’s great about them is that they’re removable so, if you change your mind about the design, you can just as easily take them down and replace them with another. Aside from being easy to install, wall decals also let your personal style shine through. You can make themed rooms a reality thanks to decal stickers, as putting them up is easy and cheap. In fact, if you have the equipment or if there are printing businesses nearby, you can customise your own wall decals!

6. Mount a mirror

Putting up a mirror on a bare wall can give the room a sense of additional space, as well as make it look brighter by reflecting natural light. You can get creative with this approach, too, by either partitioning a large mirror or placing together several small ones. For easy installation, you may consider getting acrylic wall mirrors as these are more lightweight yet still durable.

7. Add a fixture

Mix decor with functionality by adding a fixture on your wall. This can be a wall-mounted desk, a hanging bookshelf, or a cupboard, among other options. Installing the fixture on the wall also opens up more floor space in the room, allowing you to bring in other furniture or just enjoy the less cluttered look. These fixtures can even be accessories to help decorate the room further. For example, you can place figure collections or hanging plants on a wall-mounted shelf.

With some effort and imagination, you too can spruce up that bare wall in your home or office. Let your personal style shine through and surprise your family, friends, and colleagues the next time they drop by to see your wall makeover. Use the ideas discussed in this article to help you figure out which ones best suit your space!

This post was published in collaboration with a content partner. The article is meant to inspire you how to live a slow, simple, soulful and sustainable lifestyle and may contain (affiliate) links to articles, websites or products/services that may be of interest to you.

Would you like to receive inspiration from The Slow Living Guide regularly?
Sign up for the newsletter here.

a bed with a book, notes and a cup of tea - your slow living reading list

Your slow living reading list

Things To Love About Summer

There are many things to love about summer. Join us as we explore our favourite reasons why summer is a season to be celebrated and loved.

a plate with toast and blueberries lit by the morning sun - the slow living guide slow & simple blog category

Blog categories

cosy pillows on a bed - the slow living guide blog category home & cosy

Directory