Sometimes, simple posters or small framed art just don’t cut it. In many rooms (especially bedrooms and living rooms) bold art on the walls can create an important focal point for the room and can create a theme for the entire space. And, let’s face it: a big, bold beautifully decorated wall often adds that touch of amazing that you’ve been looking for. There are a few basic ideas for making it happen:
Bring the Indoors in
A large tree (painted or even made with real wood or papier-mâché) creates a dramatic look and is terrific for a living room where you want to create a natural look or for bedrooms where you want to create a fairy-tale feel. You can even hang decorations, bird cages, or strings of lights in the branches and leaves. If you want a green home, you can use trees that have already been cut down. For some great ideas on incorporating trees into your home décor, check out this blog site. If you prefer to go with paint, this Apartment Therapy blog post shows you how to create a dramatic tree mural.
Trees aren’t the only things you can bring indoors from nature. A dramatic vertical garden can also create a stunning focal point in a dining room, kitchen, or living room. It is a very eco-friendly option and can also help you improve indoor air quality. To find out how you can start your own wall garden, you can check out this site.
Water, Water Everywhere
Waterfalls and fountains are another great choice for living rooms and dining rooms. These walls not only look amazing, but they can help combat stress and dry air. In many cases, homeowners also find the sounds of water soothing and very pleasant. Check out this Freshouse blog post to see how waterfalls and fountains can fit in with any décor. Full-size aquariums are also a great option — as long as you are willing to put in the work.
Cover your Walls with Stone, Brick, or Wood
If you want a Western, rustic, or masculine look for studies or living rooms, this is your best bet. These types of walls are a bit more of an investment, because of the materials involved, but the final look will last for a long time. If you are lucky enough to live in an older home, simply exposing existing brick or wood can be enough. One caveat, though: keep in mind that all-wood or all-brick walls can make your room look tinier. If you have a smaller space, consider having one wall of brick or wood and keeping the rest of your walls a lighter color to create the illusion of light.
Add a Huge Fireplace
Instead of just adding a stone wall, you can create a dramatic fireplace that goes from floor to ceiling. Not only does this look amazing, but if you live in a cold climate, it can make your home cozier. Just make sure you check with local building codes and with your insurance company before you decide on this home improvement; to the fire hazard fireplaces can change your insurance policy and there may be some strict rules in your area about installing new fireplaces or wood-burning stoves.
Put Your Bed up High
A loft bed or tree house bed is a great idea, especially for children’s rooms. Not only is having a tree house inside lots of fun for kids, but it can look amazing and it saves a ton of floor space in small rooms. If you decide to go this route, though, you need to make sure that the structure is safe. There are kits available for parents who want to build this type of whimsical room within a room, and some the treehouses that you can create this way are truly spectacular. Check out this Inhabitat blog post for ideas.
Books
If you are a reader, putting in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves is a practical storage solution. It can also look amazing. Don’t just limit yourself to book shelves, though. Huge stacks of books against a book wall can look amazing, too (just make sure they are not in danger of toppling over). If you have books you no longer need or no longer use, you can even use them to create your own wall art. For example, check out the book headboard below. You can read this blog post here to get some more ideas about decorating with books.
Floor-to-Ceiling Murals or Art
Having an entire wall that is awash with color and texture can create a really dramatic look, especially in open-concept homes that have a modern feel to them. This can be a great way to ensure that your home stays personal and not too clinical if you have a lot of simple lines in your space.
It’s time to get dramatic about your space. Big, bold art on your walls can really make a big difference — just be sure to keep things simple by sticking with one dramatic piece per room to keep things from getting overwhelming.