30 Wall Décor Ideas Designers Swear by, From Hanging Plates to Oversized Artwork

Add color, texture, and interest to blank spaces with these simple solutions.

Adding wall décor to a space is like adding accessories to your favorite outfit—it provides the perfect finishing touch to polish your overall look.

But facing an empty wall—with no clear idea of how you want to fill it—is not for the faint of heart. But fear not! The ideas on this list offer a variety of inspiration to match any decorating style—maximalist gallery walls, understated natural textures, simple paint techniques, couldn't-be-easier potted plants, and more—so you can find a pretty, practical, and painless way to fill your home's blank spaces.

Related: 20 Shelf Décor Ideas That Turn Your Objects Into Wall Art

Display Pretty Plates

A collection of ceramic plates decorated with flora and fauna pops against dark, floral wallpaper. Plates don't have to be the same size or shape—here, the plates (by Astier de Villatte) have different edges and borders, with scallops, pearls, and smooth round sides interacting with each other.

Frame a Favorite Location

Whether you choose a vintage map of your hometown, a guide to your favorite city's subway system, or a wood-cut elevation of the beach town where you spent your honeymoon, a framed map can add a personal touch to any blank wall.

Hide Your Screen

Kelly Finley of Joy Street Design helped her clients accentuate a favorite abstract painting—and hide their television—by creating a hidden space behind the bookshelf; the artwork slides to the right, revealing the flat screen for movie nights and Saturday morning cartoons.

Show Off a Favorite Quilt

An heirloom quilt from your grandmother, the double wedding ring-style coverlet you received as a wedding gift, a throw blanket made from sentimental t-shirts: All of these (and any other cherished quilt) deserve a spot on your walls, not tucked away in a chest.

Hang Wall Planters

A set of wall-mounted planters allows you to bring the outside in and better connect with nature in every part of your home.

Cover With Fabric

A textural fabric wall covering, like the tropical-inspired print from Élitis in this modern living room—is a tactile alternative to traditional wallpaper, while large-scale prints mimic the look of a mural.

Make a Mirror Gallery Wall

Turn the traditional gallery wall on its head with a mirror gallery wall. Mirrors of various shapes and sizes, with different (but complementing) frames, beautifully fill a wall with added dimension.

Related: 7 Ideas for Decorating With Mirrors That Will Instantly Transform Your Space

Make Fashion Functional

Display your favorite clothes and accessories in a bedroom, closet, or foyer—instead of hiding them in a drawer—to appreciate them as works of art. Choose a collection of items in various materials (all your necklaces or all your purses) or hang just a few of your most striking favorites.

Frame Fabric

Mat and mount vintage blanket segments, heirloom linens, single quilt blocks, and fabric scraps in your favorite patterns to create a custom gallery of beautiful textiles.

Show Off Your Bottles

Visible wine storage turns your favorite reds, whites, and rosés into an integral part of your décor—consider each label a miniature work of art.

Related: The Area Under Your Stairs Is Brimming With Design Potential—Here Are 9 Ideas to Inspire You

Install Paneling

A bold color and geometric paneling frame this bold bedroom's opulent headboard and lush textiles. With such beautifully heavy paneling, the wall itself becomes décor.

Related: 20 Wall Paneling Ideas That Feel Fresh and Modern

Use Contrast to Showcase Art

A deep navy paint that could otherwise overwhelm a small room is balanced by three-quarter-height white wainscoting. The rich shade makes a strong statement and perfectly shows off two gold-framed artworks.

Match Wallpaper to Art

Art arranged on a painted wall can make a splash, but art arranged on patterned wallpaper can really make a statement. While finding the balance between dynamic and over-busy may take quite a few wallpaper samples, the end result can be stunning.

Related: 13 Wallpaper Ideas That Will Elevate Any Room in Your Home

Opt for Graphic Pops

Hang several oversized pieces with abstract shapes and a high-contrast color scheme to make a strong impression—without overwhelming the rest of your room.

Mix Art and Objects

The bright colors in this triptych of framed art pop against the slate-colored wall. Molding painted in the same color breaks up the wall, while the asymmetrical layout and mixed materials in the wall arrangement complement the furniture.

Display a Mini Gallery

If you find that an extensive display of framed art and photos overpowers your space, choose a few favorites to hang as a mini gallery. Accent molding helps define the individual paintings for a classic art museum atmosphere.

Make It Big

Hanging large, oversized artwork can make for a striking focal point in a room. Here, a print that looks like raindrops hitting the water stands out against neutral walls and neutral-colored furnishings.

Hang Empty Frames

Most gallery walls are designed to show off what's inside your collection of frames. But painting the frames themselves in a palette of similar hues and hanging them sans artwork allows the shapes, details, and craftsmanship to become the art.

Paint (and Fill) Your Bookshelves

Show off your bookshelf wealth with a vibrantly painted shelf—which serves as a decoration itself—filled with your favorite novels and nonfiction. Arrange the books by color or size for a cohesive look, or let the mixed tones contrast with and complement each other.

Hang Woven Art

Instead of a traditional mantel and hearth, this smooth fireplace wall offers a natural stone backdrop that complements an oversized fiber wall hanging.

Choose Eye-Catching Sconces

Wall-mounted sconce lights—like the dynamic gold fixtures flanking this fireplace—do double duty as both a practical lighting solution and standout wall décor.

Related: 3 Types of Home Lighting and How to Layer Them to Create a Beautiful and Functional Room

Install a Floating Shelf

Wall shelves are practical (and pretty) ways to turn essential objects and favorite items into décor. Upgrade the entire vignette with a shelf that's stylish all on its own, like the gleaming, gold-accented version in this office.

Cover Every Inch

Go maximalist with a gallery of artwork that covers several walls. Mixing sizes, frames, mats, and media into a cohesive array allows you to show off your entire collection of paintings or photographs.

Related: How to Embrace Maximalism Like an Interior Designer

Display Outdoor Items

On a back porch, in a beach house foyer, or at the entrance to your lakeside cabin, colorful oars are a playful accent alongside a combination of natural materials—including a stone bench, fresh flowers, and wood paneling.

Bring a Photo Into Focus

A single, oversized photograph serves as the focal point of this dining room. The white-and-gold sconce and bold, emerald drapes also help dress up the blush-colored walls.

Related: How to Hang and Arrange Pictures—From a Single Frame to a Gallery Wall

Install a Clay Wall

A neutral bedroom doesn't need dramatic artwork; instead, a fluted clay wall adds visual interest and texture to create a restful space that's simple and soothing.

Highlight Décor with Color-Block Paint

A color-blocked paint design is an easy way to dress up walls, especially in a child's, tween's, or guest room. Use the darker tones closer to the floor to ground the space; lighter tones near the ceiling make the room feel airier. And then use it as a backdrop for favorite décor items.

Get Reflective

A collection of matching mirrors in varied sizes and with an asymmetrical layout adds light and decoration to a foyer, stairwell, or other small space.

Employ a Statement Mirror

Vintage mirrors add instant charm and character to a home. Here, an oversized vintage mirror is the focal point above a black fireplace and mantel.

Mix, Match, and Add Artwork

Pair two different wall coverings for an unexpected contrast. In this modern nursery, black slat wall paneling and plaid wallpaper serve as a high-impact background for colorful artwork and white furniture.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.