Wall Décor That Goes Beyond Paintings

If you have a blank wall in your living room that’s crying out to become a focal point, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a framed piece of art to make it a showstopper.

Just get creative!

Here are five favorite ideas, whether you’re staging a house to sell, just moving in to new “digs,” or wanting to give your bedroom  or the family den a bit more warmth and personality.

1. Paint the single wall a rich shade of taupe, navy, cranberry, or terra cotta. With a darker accent color, you don’t need art. An oversize floor vase with tall dried reeds would be enough. In a bedroom, paint the wall behind the headboard.
2. Collect empty frames of various styles, shapes and sizes; paint them all the same color as the wall, even if it’s ivory or pale beige. Hang them as a cohesive grouping, and add one or two trinkets to the display — leather strap with antique belt buckets, a vintage sign or an antique clock face — just for the fun of it.
3. Use textiles to add color and dimension. Many options exist — antique quilts, African textiles, bright Mexican serapes or natural hides. The wall hanging should complement your room’s overall decor.
4. Find a craftsman to create a sign of wood or metal with your last name in oversize letters. Or simply buy oversize letters representing the first names of all family members. Scale is important; keep them large!
5. Paint a meaningful quotation on the wall in flowing script. Hire an artist if you hesitate to do it yourself. When you tire of it, simply paint it over.

You only need a small measure of ingenuity, a pinch of time and a willingness to improvise to create wall art that will win you raves. It’s attractive, economical and easily changed when necessary. The same “fix” can be applied on a commercial scale, to building lobbies and offices that have little design appeal.