Wall Art + Mirrors

How to Decorate a Wall

Your furniture is in place, you’ve chosen the drapes and rug, now it’s time to decorate the walls. Whether you’ve just moved home, are redecorating a room or simply have an unused space on a wall, use each wall as a blank canvas to transform the look of your room.

A good place to start is with a mirror. Mirrors open up a room and reflect natural light. Face one opposite a window to bring the outdoors inside or hang one opposite a favorite feature to see its image echoed on the other side of the room. Using mirrors is particularly good in small or darker rooms as they make the room appear bigger in size.

A floor mirror propped against a wall in your bedroom or entryway looks elegant. Go for a faceted or framed design to suit your room’s decor. Wall mirrors come in all shapes and sizes so pick the right size to fit the wall space and decide on a square, diamond, circular, oval, rectangular or asymmetrical design, among others. Mirrors are highly decorative as well as functional so, if you don’t need one specifically to check out your look, then go for a bold design that makes a statement. This includes overlapping, smoked or colored glass, a woven design or multiple small mirrors fitted together in a pattern.

Shelves are another functional wall decoration. Wooden shelves add warmth to a room while metal shelves have a modern edge. Stagger the shelves at different levels or use differing lengths to create interest. Choose a design with decorative brackets or go for floating shelves. Boxed shelves resemble an artistic frame within which your objects become the picture. A shaped shelf, such as a circle with internal dividers, provides different storage areas within an attractive design.

Combine your shelving with hooks for two forms of wall organization. Hooks underneath your shelf are a suitable way to utilize extra wall space. This works particularly well in the kitchen with cookbooks on the shelf and utensils hanging underneath it, or in the entryway with keys and hats on the shelf and coats hanging underneath it. Go a step further and combine this with a mirror above the shelf. Hooks by themselves are just as decorative. One option is a multihook block or arranging individual hooks at different heights and using differing colors. Be original with shaped hooks that resemble, for example, different states or a wishbone.

Make sure you’re never late with a clock. Hang one in a prominent place, such as above the television or over the kitchen countertop. Choose a design that stands out, including clocks with big numbers and brightly colored hands to those with natural coloring and a numberless design. In your bedroom, place a traditional-style alarm clock on the shelf next to your bed for a fun and charming, albeit noisy touch when it’s time to wake up.

Frames are a terrific way to display photos of family and friends. Choose them with or without internal borders and decide whether to stand them on shelving or hang them on a wall. For shelving, a swivel design adds a unique touch. For your wall, go for gallery frames to display numerous photos in a pretty design. The material you opt for needs to complement your decor and with frames of polished brass or nickel, antiqued bronze, reclaimed wood, mirrored glass, bamboo, marble and more, there’s plenty of options for you to get the right look.

Your choice of wall art is a great way to express your personal taste. Designs range from minimalist to complex, prints of natural scenery to everyday objects, geometric patterns to abstract ink swirls, black and white or bright, bold colors. The texture is just as important as the image and while flat prints and paintings are ideal for many wall spaces, some spaces just need a little bit more to make them stand out. In this case, go for dimensional art. Intriguing designs made from paper, wood, metal or capiz make the wall art pop before your eyes. This type of art is particularly suited to a room with a calm, minimalist design, neutral tones or fairly large size.