Blank Space: 17 Ways to Decorate a Large Walls in Your Living Room
Can’t figure out how to decorate a large wall in the living room? You’re not alone. It’s one of the most common design dilemmas we hear from homeowners, and we can see why.
It can be intimidating to stare at a blank wall and try to decide whether to hang a piece of art or experiment with other wall decor ideas, like a cool mirror or a tapestry. After all, you want to make sure whatever you fill your empty wall with not only looks good but also goes with everything else in your living space and shows off your personal style.
Don’t let fear stop you in your wall decor tracks. To inspire you, we’ve rounded up 17 simple and stylish living room decor ideas to help you ace decorating large empty walls. See them all below!
1. Large Piece of Art
Hanging a statement-making wall art piece above your sofa is the easiest way to fill out empty vertical space in your living room. It’s a great way to add a central focus to your space, and the larger scale your art the more color, texture, and visual appeal it will bring to your room. Consider an oversize painting, photograph, or a diptych, like this space, for high-impact options.
2. Eclectic Gallery Wall
If you can’t land on a large art piece, create a curated gallery wall instead. It’s one of our favorite wall decor ideas because it works in any size living room. Start with an eclectic mix of drawings, paintings or photos, then lay them out on your floor to come up with an arrangement. We like to use an odd number of art pieces in different sizes for some contrast in scale.
3. Grid Gallery Wall
For a more tailored and organized gallery wall, try this themed grid approach. It’s a symmetrical and streamlined art display that looks right at home in polished and classic style living rooms. This is perfect if you have a collection or a series of art pieces you want to hang. Or take a cue from this grouping of botanical prints, which is one of our favorite gallery wall ideas.
4. Statement Mirror
When it comes to wall decor ideas that don’t involve a single piece of art, a unique sculptural mirror is one of our favorites. Not only is a mirror great for reflecting light, they also open up rooms by giving the illusion of a large space. Choose a mirror with a bold or fun shape, which will make it feel like a piece of wall sculpture—that’s also super functional!
5. Wallpaper
Few wall decor ideas add all-around impact like wallpaper. No matter your space, a wallpapered room sets a vibrant tone and is guaranteed to be a focal point in your home. Pick a fun pattern or a paper that mimics natural textures, like marble or wood graining, for a clean, layered look. If you’re not ready to commit, start with removable wallpaper that can be swapped out as needed.
6. Wall Mural
For something that’s just as captivating and elegant as art or wallpaper, hang a paper mural. Think of it as a large piece of wall art but more affordable because you don’t need to frame it. A garden or nature mural is a beautiful way to add richness and texture. The best part is that it doesn’t have to be permanent, so you can switch it out for other wall decor down the line.
7. Bookcase System
Sometimes art and other hanging decor just aren’t enough to fill entire lengths of walls in the living room. If that’s the case for you, consider a full bookcase system, whether it’s a series of matching tall bookshelves or floor-to-ceiling built-ins. Store and style your favorite reads and objects into cool vignettes that become different focal points for your room. In terms of living room decor ideas, this nails style and function in all the best ways.
8. Sconces
Wall lighting can be a simple addition with bold visual appeal. A pair of sconces flanking a large painting, TV, console cabinet or mirror will bring a sense of symmetry and balance to your living room. Or if you only have a sliver of wall space for just one sconce light, center it to make it a focal point that provides both sculptural intrigue along with functional lighting. Seek out sconces with interesting shapes and finishes, like a minimal streamlined cone lamp or a matte black.
9. Hanging Tapestry
Much like large artworks, wall tapestries make for gorgeous hanging decor that bring a touch of soft natural texture to a room. Compared to wallpaper and mirrors, tapestries are definitely considered one of the more unique wall decor ideas. Because tapestries are not big heavy pieces, they’re pretty and practical wall art in family homes with kids. Plus, they’re usually very affordable, so you can try a pair that have complimentary patterns for some visual variance.
10. Hanging Plants
One or two hanging plants alongside a gallery wall can be super impactful. A planter or two of trailing leafy greens can add a lush look and an organic touch that balances out framed artworks. If you’re into lots of plants, you can also experiment with a living wall (or faux living wall) of succulents and small greenery for a bold wall-to-wall interior vertical garden look.
11. Painted Accent Wall
Sometimes all you need to liven up a blank wall is a fresh coat of paint. Before you pick up that paintbrush, do some quick research on accent wall ideas to see if what color is right for your living room. A brighter paint color will turn your wall into an instant focal point while a softer color can shift the attention to your furniture pieces. You can hang some art over your accent wall or leave it blank, but either way, this is the simplest trick to punch up your walls and give it some depth and dimension.
12. Floating Shelves
Another one of our favorite ideas for blank walls is to use floating shelves for artful displays. Instead of hanging wall art, lean a few large art prints and mix in small objects and tiny plants on the shelves to create visual interest while showing off your personal style. Just remember that less is more when it comes to styling; you want the shelves to appear curated, not cluttered.
13. Woven Baskets
For an alternative to the gallery wall that doesn’t involve art or plants or shelves, we love a display of hanging woven baskets. They add tons of natural texture to any blank wall, and they’re a nice contrast to boxy windows and clean-lined furniture. straight lines. Hanging wall baskets also often come in gorgeous color combinations, so they’re perfect accents for enlivening neutral or white rooms.
14. Sculptural Lighting
For those of you who love minimalist and streamlined spaces with unadorned walls, leaning into sculptural lighting designs can help keep your room from feeling spare and sparse. Here, it’s about using your empty walls as a backdrop to amplify shapes and forms of sculptural light fixtures and floor lamps. For instance, against a white wall, a cylindrical ceiling pendant will draw the eye up and visually fill out the negative space created by blank walls.
15. Folding Screen
Think of the folding screen as a standing sculpture piece. What’s great about folding screens is that they act as wall decor without needing to be hung or installed. Line one along a blank wall or in a corner of your living room for a sophisticated focal point. They become instant statement pieces wherever they’re placed, and one with shelving gives you the added bonus of storage.
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16. TV Wall
Sometimes filling the largest blank wall in your living room is as simple as hanging your TV there. You want to make sure it’s the best spot for your TV also, especially if you plan on using your living space for family movie nights or marathons with friends.
But why stop after the TV is up? As far as what to do with the wall behind your TV, try working in other wall decor ideas to round out the entire space, like adding a pair of sconces or a floating shelf. They’ll add function as well as balance out the boxy lines of the TV.
17. Leave It Blank!
Finally, there are also times when a blank wall just needs to be left as is. We love this in living rooms that are decorated with furniture pieces that all have unique shapes and forms. Here, it’s about embracing the negative wall space and leaving the focus to be with the materials, details, and other standout design elements in the room. If you’re a staunch minimalist, this is for you!
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