How to Decorate a Wall in a Large Great Room

The great room is set up to accommodate hobbies, TV watching and other activities.

The decorative ambiance in the home's great room should reflect not only the character of the room, but also the character and tastes of the people inhabiting the home. The great room is typically the living room or den of a house and as such should be a place where people can come to unwind, connect with friends or to play around with a favorite hobby. The way the walls of the room are decorated enhance these feelings; they can also provide a visual focal point, an important consideration in the interior decorating decisions for any room of the house.

Things You'll Need

• Paint and accessories
• Entertainment cabinet
• Artwork and photos
• Wall sconces

Instructions

1. Paint the wall you'd like to emphasize. You should designate one wall in the great room as the focal wall. This wall functions as the most prominent wall visually and helps direct the eye to the rest of the decor by giving an anchor from which to start. One simple method for bringing this wall to the forefront visually is to paint a different color than you've painted the other walls surrounding it. Color combinations such as red and honey yellow or mint green and light pink work well together.

2. Add some visual anchors such as an entertainment cabinet. Many families use this room as the TV room, so placing the TV up against this wall makes sense; however, putting it into an entertainment center will also support the decorating style of the room.

3. Look for proportionate artwork for the wall. If the wall runs on the large side make sure at least one of the pictures or paintings is large enough to do justice to the wall. You can add other paintings or photographs as well, but don't skip this one. Visually it will look a bit like the wall is "floating away".

4. Hang the artwork in groupings and mix up shapes. Also make sure the artwork is hung so that your eye falls at the center point of the piece.

5. Remember to add items of visual interest, such as the antique sign you found at the flea market, framed pressed leaves or even a framed version of your child's school project.

6. Add wall sconces for area lighting. Include mirrors in the arrangement, because they will make the room look larger and reflect the light from the sconces, which makes the room lighter.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're feeling really brave, you may want to consider going with a giant photo wall mural; a personal family photo made into a mural brings a completely personal touch to the wall decor. Another idea that you can try is stenciling. A number of different styles of stencils exist, making it a sure bet that you'll find some that fit your room's decorating style.

• Pay attention to where you hang photos and artwork on the wall. Although you can hang these items at a position other than eye-level, something may look "off" if you don't have at least some of the pictures at that level.

References

• "Trading Spaces: Make It Yours"; Brian Kramer, editor; 2004
• Apartment Therapy: Surface View Wallpaper Murals
• Frugal Home Decor: Using Mirrors in Home Decor; Lesley Dietschy
• Better TV: How to Hang Art; Brooke Carlson
• Apartment Therapy: How To: Hang Your Artwork and Not Screw It Up
• Country Living: Budget Decorating & Makeover Ideas

Resources

• Rental Decorating Digest: Simple Ways to Decorate Your Walls on the Cheap; Kathy Wilson
• Country Living: Decorating Ideas for a Living Room
• Home Decorating Reviews: Enhance The Interior Of Your Home With Colonial Sconces
• Home Decorating Made Easy: Effective Ways To Use Home Lighting In Interior Decorating
• Apartment Therapy: How to Hang Art in Groups like Kate Spade