How to Decorate a Blank Wall

Use shelves to help decorate your bare wall.

Decorating an entire blank wall may seem like a daunting task, but with a change of perspective this arduous task can instead be the ideal opportunity to decorate a clean slate. A creative use of paint, wall decals, molding or wall covering can quickly provide a foundation for other decorative pieces. Top the wall with appropriate lighting and family pictures or original artwork for a completed look.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Painter's tape
• Hammer
• Nails
• Molding
• Drapes
• Curtain rod
• Pictures
• Accessories

1. Paint the wall a color that complements walls that touch it. Options include painting the wall one color, using two colors with a darker shade on the bottom and a lighter shade on the top or painting a pattern. Paint the wall with vertical stripes to make it appear longer. Use painter's tape to separate vertical lines and to protect from getting the paint on existing molding and window frames.

2. Nail molding or decorative trim to your wall. Options include crown molding that wraps around the top of your wall, baseboards for the bottom of the walls or molding that serves as architectural detail in your room. Install a chair rail around the room to make a defined separation on the wall or a plate rail to emphasize the height of the room.

3. Add wainscoting or bead board, if desired. Wainscoting provides a thicker panel design that adds elegance and formality to your room. Bead board is a more casual material with thinner strips between each board. Both materials typically cover the bottom portion of the wall.

4. Adhere wallpaper to your wall, if you prefer a patterned design. Many attractive options are available today to suit versatile styles. An alternative to wallpaper is to attach fabric panels to the entire wall to provide a similar pattern with a softer touch.

5. Apply wall decals for a decorative look without a lot of cost or permanence. Decals are readily available online, as well as at a craft and home goods store. Use Eiffel Tower decals in your Parisian room or jungle animals in a child's room.

6. Cover windows with drapes. The drapes can cover a large portion of the wall, depending on the size of the window, so that you don't have as much excess space to decorate. If your wall has no windows, hang curtain panels to give the illusion of a window being there.

7. Hang family pictures or pieces of artwork. Hang all pictures higher than 58 inches from the floor. Pictures should be an equal distance apart in a symmetrical grouping. Add sconces or art lamps beside or above the pieces to add more emphasis.

8. Add accessories. Place shelves on the wall and a few key accessories on each shelf. Decorative plaques are another option to help cover the space left on your blank wall.

References

• MyHomeIdeas: 12 Ways to Decorate Your Walls
• Rental Decorating Digest: Decorate Walls Without Painting
• Rental Decorating Digest: Arranging Art Groupings
• FloridaToday.com; Designers' Do's and Don't for Decorating with Decals; Melissa Rayworth; June 2011
• "Southern Living"; Decorate With Cottage Style; Nancy Staab; July 2003
• Rental Decorating Digest: How to Hang Pictures & Displaying Art