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How to Brighten up Bare Walls
We love to give Homeowners tips on the best ways to create the wow factor in their homes which help secure great bookings and 5 star reviews.
Past blogs have included the benefits of de-cluttering and how to inject a contemporary, fresh feel into a tired room without breaking the bank.
In this blog it’s the turn of the walls to take centre stage! Bare and boring isn’t a good look and there are lots of ways to make a room stand out by transforming a blank wall. Rather than ‘just a wall’ think of it as a blank canvas and you are the artist.
These days, wall décor goes far beyond a picture over the fireplace. Below we take you through other ideas including wall art, photo montages, mirrors, wallpaper, wall panelling and murals.
As with any project firstly head to Pinterest or Instagram for inspiration. Study lots of images to decide what you like and the feeling you want when you enter a room.
Create your own gallery
Nothing adds personality and pizzazz quite like a gallery wall where a collection (up to ten or even more) of often unrelated art and photographs are all assembled together. They can be different shapes and sizes and don’t have to be hung in a symmetrical fashion. Mixing them all up is more interesting.
Try an oversized vintage map surrounded by lots of your scenic photos or images from around the world. Or browse through the poster shops below and see what you like. Alternatively go to an art market like Spitalfields or other art fairs where they sell art by up-and-coming artists and start your collection that way.
If you’ve got a large wall consider a Triptych, artwork made up of three pieces. This can be the same scene cut into three, a sequential narrative, or different elements of the same subject. It can be more interesting than one huge scene.
Mirror, mirror on the wall……
This line from Snow White could just as easily be from an interiors magazine. A mirror is one of the most versatile pieces of home decor. They are vital to check your appearance or style your hair! They can fill a blank space and make a room look bigger and lighter by bouncing natural light around. (For this purpose your mirror should be hung near a window so outdoor light reflects off the mirror, into the rest of the room.)
But never underestimate a mirror as a centrepiece objet in its own right.
Some of the more eye-catching designs are sunburst mirrors or an arch-shaped mirror designed to look like a large window.
And even bolder still
Be brave and transform one wall with feature wallpaper. It adds depth and style and provides a focal point in a room. A big room instantly feels warmer and cosier and a small room can be brightened up using neutral or metallic wallpaper.
Good wallpaper is also durable - it can last up to 10 years, far longer than paint and if you have imperfect walls or cracks, it hides them.
If you’re feeling particularly brave another way to transform wall space is with a mural. This isn’t as scary as it sounds!
Murals are a great way to make a hallway more inviting, add character to kids' bedrooms or add appeal to a downstairs cloakroom.
You could opt for a custom-designed one from a local artist to really create the wow factor. Or keep it simple and buy a budget-friendly stencil pack with everything you need to create your own. Just line up the stencils and paint over them, then remove. Botanical themes are popular such as trees and flowers.
The good news is that for a small mural you can use a sample pot of paint.
Last but not least what about wall panelling as another wallet-friendly way to transform a wall. Usually MDF or real wood, panelling behind a bed or on a dining room wall is really effective especially painted a wow colour.
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