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How to Decorate a Large Wall in Family Room

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If you have a large, naked wall in your living room, you might be stumped over how to dress it up. But there are many options for decorating a big wall in a living room, none of which need to be complicated. You can hang framed art, tapestries, paint it, or use wallpaper to make it pretty. You just need to know what option you like and how to do it.

  1. 1

    Hang multiple pieces of art on the wall for variety. Hang a line of medium-sized photos, paintings, or other art in identical frames along the wall for a symmetrical look.[1] This would look good between two windows or two doors.[2]

    • As a rule of thumb, art should be hung at eye level, but not if the ceiling is low. A low ceiling height is considered 8 to 9 feet (2.4 to 2.7 m).[3]
    • If you're hanging a collection of art, hang it as though it were one piece, as opposed to individual pieces.
    • Pinterest and home decor magazines can provide a lot of inspiration for arranging your wall art, especially if you want to create a gallery wall.

  2. 2

    Hang 1 large piece of art to create a focal point. The center point should be at eye level. When hanging art above furniture, leave at least 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) of space between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the art.[4]

    • If you hang art above a sofa or another piece of furniture, its width shouldn't span more than 2/3 the width of the length of your sofa. If the art is larger than the piece of furniture, the furniture will look too small.
    • If you're mounting above a fireplace, the art's width should fall between the length of the fireplace opening and the length of the mantelpiece.

  3. 3

    Make a gallery arrangement for an artsy vibe. Print your favorite photographs and hang them at different heights to make an art gallery look in your living room. When grouping 4 or more pieces 1 above the other, the art should be visually balanced on both sides of an imaginary vertical line. So too many larger frames on one side of the imaginary line will unbalance the arrangement.[5]

    • For instance, if there are only large frames on the right side of the arrangement, and only small frames on the left, it would look clumsy.
    • Make sure the art is similar in color scheme, subject matter, or frame style. You should also coordinate the artwork with your living room's color scheme.
    • You may change the art in your gallery wall over time to accommodate bigger, smaller, or different artwork without it becoming outdated or mismatched.
    • It's okay for your gallery wall to start small and grow over time. Add more frames as you get more photos or art to hang.

  1. 1

    Install shelves to create more storage space. If the wall is long and sits between two perpendicular walls, installing built-in shelves will make your wall more functional. You'll have more space for books, collections of music, and nick-knacks.[6]

    • Set up a desk as a workspace against the lower half of the wall.
    • Painting a contrasting color on the back wall built-in shelves emphasizes the architecture by showcasing the shelving. Don't make the colors contrast too much, such as with black and white. For instance, opt for a green background wall color with white shelves.
    • Built-in shelves can also be arranged around a TV to make a home entertainment system where speakers, video games, and their accessories can be on the shelves while the TV is at the center of the arrangement.

  2. 2

    Hang musical instruments on the wall for organization. If you practice music, install mounts to hang your musical instruments from the wall. With musical instrument mounts, you can hang any instrument and keep it safe, while giving them a more organized look and passing as 3-D art.[7]

    • Hanging instruments on the wall keeps them clean and safe from harm.
    • You can buy musical instrument wall mounts from any music supply store.
    • For example, if you play string instruments, you can hang guitars, violins, or ukuleles by the neck using special wall mounts.
    • You can expand your design by hanging framed sheet music, vinyl, or music posters around your instrument. Incorporate your instrument into the mix.

  3. 3

    Display plates on your wall for a vintage look. Mount plates of different shapes and sizes so that you utilize the white space on the wall and in a decorative formation. They can be organized in a circular formation if all the plates are round. Hang them in an oval shape with an oval plate in the middle of the formation. These could be above a cabinet dressed up with a couple plants or precious China urns.[8]

    • Hang a framed photo or some wooden letters with the plates to create a personalized configuration.[9]

  4. 4

    Make wall-mounted tin can tea lights to create a DIY look. If you like candles and need to keep them out of the way of pets, recycle old tuna cans to make wall-mounted tea lights. Wash out three tuna cans, spray paint them, decorate them with paper, and mount them on the wall using sticky tack.[10]

    • You can spray paint the cans or use a paintbrush.
    • Wrap a strip of decorative paper around the can.
    • You can also put a strip of washi tape around the tea light candles for decoration.

  1. 1

    Hang a tapestry to add texture. Tapestries are renter friendly, and they come in many colors and designs, so you can find ones that have scenes on them or just patterns.[11] You can hang a tapestry with a rod, pushpins, nails, a baseboard, or frame.[12]

    • Hang with pushpins in each of the corners, allowing the fabric to drape for a casual look. For a straighter look, hammer a row of nails across the top of the tapestry.[13]
    • Nails and pushpins work best on tightly woven, lightweight tapestries, because they're not as likely to damage the material as they are with polyester.
    • You can hang a large tapestry over a wooden dial rod that is longer than the tapestry's width. Drape the tapestry over the rod, then tie each end of a decorative rope or cord on the exposed ends of the rod. Hang the rod, with the tapestry attached, on the wall using the rope or cord.

  2. 2

    Stretch textile over a frame or plywood board for a framed look. Stretch and fold a tapestry over the board or frame, and staple it in place with a staple gun. This will give you a neat, framed art look without taking up a lot of space on the wall, as opposed to if you just hung the tapestry freely.[14]

    • If the fabric is thin, you should stretch and staple canvas to the frame before attaching the tapestry, so the wood doesn't stick out.
    • You can buy frames and plywood boards from craft stores.

  3. 3

    Paint your wall for a pop of color. Paint it all one solid color or paint horizontal stripes. If your wall is painted with a matte finish, make a horizontal stripe in a glossy color that matches the color of your wall. The stripes can stand alone, or you can hang artwork over them.[15]

    • Hang a canvas of art over the painted stripe, or let the stripe stand alone as wall décor.

  4. 4

    Use wallpaper for design or texture. If you don't want to paint the wall, you can use a wallpaper with a design or texture to make your wall visually appealing. There are different kinds of wallpaper to choose from, the most popular being embossed, vinyl, and textile based.[16]

    • Vinyl is the most popular kind of wallpaper. It's easy to clean, cheap, and durable. It only needs to be changed every 10 to 20 years.
    • Embossed wallpaper has textured designs, so it's good for hiding imperfections in the wall.
    • Textile wallpaper is made of different fabrics and is flame-retardant, stain resistant, and provides better insulation than other wallpapers.
    • A simpler option is to use vinyl wall decals to add texture and decor to your walls. For example, you might choose a vinyl wall decal that looks like faux brick, faux wood, or faux shiplap.

Add New Question

  • Question

    How far apart should I hang paintings for a gallery wall?

    Peter Salerno

    Peter Salerno is the owner of Hook it Up Installation, a professional installation company, which has been hanging art and other objects around Chicago, Illinois for over 10 years. Peter also has over 20 years of experience installing art and other mountable objects in residential, commercial, healthcare and hospitality contexts.

    Peter Salerno

    Installation Expert

    Expert Answer

    It kind of depends upon what style and look you're going for. On average, I think 1 to 3.5 inches apart is the normal spacing.

  • Question

    Are grid walls in style in 2021?

    Peter Salerno

    Peter Salerno is the owner of Hook it Up Installation, a professional installation company, which has been hanging art and other objects around Chicago, Illinois for over 10 years. Peter also has over 20 years of experience installing art and other mountable objects in residential, commercial, healthcare and hospitality contexts.

    Peter Salerno

    Installation Expert

    Expert Answer

    Yeah, grids are definitely super popular right now, especially when you're using the same exact frame and size.

  • Question

    How can I frame art around a big wall-mounted TV?

    Peter Salerno

    Peter Salerno is the owner of Hook it Up Installation, a professional installation company, which has been hanging art and other objects around Chicago, Illinois for over 10 years. Peter also has over 20 years of experience installing art and other mountable objects in residential, commercial, healthcare and hospitality contexts.

    Peter Salerno

    Installation Expert

    Expert Answer

    I'm not a big fan of putting art near or around a TV. You can if you really want to, but it's not something I'd ever recommend. It just ends up looking too busy, and the visual elements of the art are going to muddy whatever is on the TV and vice versa. It just ends up looking like too much.

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  • If you want to hang multiple works of art on your wall, plan your layout by modeling it on the floor or a table first. Lay them out in terms of theme, color, size and subject.[17]

  • If your wall is made of drywall or plaster, don't just nail a frame into it. Heavy mounted objects on a plaster wall will come crashing down without the use of studs or anchors.[18]

About This Article

Article SummaryX

Decorating a large living room wall may seem intimidating, but you can easily add some style to your home by hanging wall art or displaying your treasured belongings. To add some variety to your wall, hang multiple pieces of art in identical frames. Alternatively, hang 1 large piece of art to create a focal point for the room. If you're placing the art above a piece of furniture, make sure its width is no more than ⅔ the width of the furniture. To get the most out of your wall space, install some shelves where you can display books, music collections, and knick-knacks. For a more creative look, try hanging musical instruments, like guitars, violins, or ukuleles, from the wall using mounts. To learn more from our Interior Design co-author, like how to decorate your wall with tapestries, read on!

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How to Decorate a Large Wall in Family Room

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Decorate-a-Large-Living-Room-Wall