Picture this: Every room in your home is perfectly decorated and organized to a tee. You love how everything looks and are very happy with the overall design… minus one thing — a large, empty wall. What do you do with this blank space to match the rest of your home? It takes a combination of creativity, planning and attention to detail.

Want to learn how to decorate a large wall like a pro, taking a blank space and making it a design feature that you and your guests will love? Here are some inspiring ideas to kick off your design process.

Getting Prepared

Before transforming your large empty wall, it’s important to do some prep work. This will ensure your color scheme, focal point and home’s aesthetic all work together to look beautiful.

Assess Your Space

Understand the dimensions and characteristics of the wall to determine the most suitable approach. During this step of the prep process, get measurements of the width and height of the walls so you know how much space you have to work with. This should keep the design idea you select from being an awkward size and shape for your specific wall.

Consider Scale

Make sure the scale of every piece you hang is appropriate for the size of the wall, and avoid choosing pieces that are too small and can get lost.

When hanging anything on your wall, there are a few important guidelines to keep in mind:

• When decorating a large space using a grouping of items, ensure each piece is about three to six inches apart. Otherwise, your collection may end up feeling either too scattered or disjointed. On the flip side, having things hung less than three inches apart can look cluttered and congested.
• Aim for pieces to hang eight to ten inches above the top of your sofa or seating arrangements.
• Ensure any piece hangs about 57 to 60 inches from the center of the item to the floor, which is an ideal eye level.
• When hanging a piece above your mantel, leave about three to six inches between your piece and the mantel. But, you can break this rule by propping art on the mantel, which is another stunning option.
• If you opt for multiple items to hang above your sofa, aim for their total width to be about the width of your sofa.

While these aren’t hard and fast rules, they can help your blank wall look perfectly balanced without drawing attention away from your other design touches.

Choose Artwork

After you’ve taken the architectural specifications and dimensions of your blank wall, it’s time to decorate! Before drilling holes and hanging everything up, it’s best to make sure you’ve selected the right artwork for your space. Explore various options such as paintings, prints, tapestries, floating shelves or photographs that complement the room’s theme and style. Whether you opt for one large piece or several smaller pieces is up to you — just pick what looks best with your home’s interior and go from there.

Select Storage

While this isn’t a necessary part of the preparation process, walls that still have space after hanging artwork can benefit from storage solutions. Shelving and display cases can add functionality to your wall decor while also providing a place to showcase decorative objects, books and plants. Think through what type of storage would work best.

• Floating shelves?
• A tall bureau?
• Floor-to-ceiling cabinets?

Any of these options can look great when paying attention to the room’s theme.

Tips for Taking Your Blank Wall and Making a Masterpiece

There are a lot of different directions you can steer your project. Here are some ideas for changing your bare wall into an accent wall with tons of visual interest:

Gallery Wall Arrangements

Create visually appealing gallery walls by arranging artwork in a cohesive and balanced manner. This wall decor idea works especially well for a tall wall, giving you plenty of space to work with. Play with a monochromatic art arrangement or select a few of your favorite family pictures to hang up beside one another.

Tips for getting a flawless finish include:

• Vary the sizes of wall art or family photos that you hang: Unless you want a fully symmetrical look with all the hallway decor lined up in identical sizes, it’s advantageous to select a variety of frame sizes. A good rule of thumb is to choose two larger items and then fill in the rest with smaller pieces.
• Repeat colors two to three times: Unless you’re going for a monochromatic look, it’s best to keep your wall cohesive by using the same handful of colors a couple of times throughout your pictures.
• Space your pieces: Don’t bunch all your artwork together. Instead, give each piece about 3 inches of space on all sides. It doesn’t have to be perfectly spaced throughout, but this keeps the wall from looking too cramped. If you have less wall space in a narrow hallway, you can create a mini gallery wall. Simply use photos or art prints in a smaller picture frame size to complete the look.

Statement Pieces

You may look at your big wall and wonder how on Earth to make the vast space look less empty. One easy way to do so is by hanging a statement piece that can act as a focal point. This item might not be the only thing hung on the wall, but it can guide and direct the rest of your pieces. Use mirrors, clocks or oversized art to anchor the space, creating a central axis for the rest of the room to revolve around. A mirror or clock can be a more toned-down, neutral option whereas a large-scale art piece can deliver a bright, bold effect.

Wall Murals and Decals

Add personality and visual interest to a large wall with murals and decals that match your home’s style. Whether you’re an artist with the capability of adding a customized design or you choose a decal that can easily be hung, adding a wall mural is a funky way to add color and vibrancy to your space.

Depending on your existing theme, you could choose a modern, abstract mural with lots of color and shapes. Or, you could do a life-like rendition of anything your family loves, whether that be a scene from nature, a cityscape or even an inspiring phrase.

Textured Wall Treatments

Explore wood paneling, wallpaper or faux finishes that can make any large wall seem instantly more beautiful. Adding millwork is a really clever way to break up the space while adding a refined and luxurious touch. Some examples of this is picture frame molding or wainscoting which can make any wall look less boring without being overly distracting.

Or, you can select a wallpaper that matches the color scheme you’ve established throughout your home, whether that be a subtle light blue pattern or a bright mustard or emerald green. After hanging up a large mirror or art, you’ll be stunned by how transformative a few strips of wallpaper can be!

Crown Molding

Similar to textured wall treatments, crown molding can make your room look chic while reducing the appearance of overbearing blank walls and framing the space. Whether you want an overly decadent Victorian-style molding or a clean and simple farmhouse option, there’s a version for every home. You can either leave them wood for a traditional look or either paint them the same color as the walls or white or black to stand out.

Here are some popular options:

• Craftsman.
• Traditional.
• Victorian.
• Art Deco.
• Mid-century modern.
• Farmhouse.
• Colonial.
• Greek.
• Arts and crafts.

Functional and Fun Decor

On the functional side of design, you can look for wall art that doubles as storage of organizational tools. Incorporate elements like open shelves, cabinets or display units into the wall design without sacrificing aesthetics. You could also consider custom-built wall storage solutions like built-in cubbies or alcoves that can be tailored to fit your specific needs.

For non-essential fun decor options, install wall-mounted planters or a vertical garden to add greenery to your space without taking up floor space. Succulents, air plants or trailing vines can thrive in these arrangements. Additionally, putting up wall sconces or decorative light fixtures can brighten up the space — both figuratively and literally.

Work With an Interior Designer

Still want some additional help with making your large wall seem less like a blank canvas? Get in touch with Decorating Den Interiors today to find a personal decorator who can help you achieve the look you want. Once you reach out, we’ll help guide you through the process of talking about your ideas, sharing your budget and going over the mood board and proposed design with your professional decorator.

Click the button below to find your local designer today.