Decorating Large Empty Walls

Decorating large empty walls may seem like an intimidating task
but it doesn’t have to be that way.

All you need are a few pointers and the art of filling that interior space with reflections of you becomes simple. We will guide you through some simple principles of design and help dispel that anxiety.

Ceiling, Floor and Wall Planes

Many interior designers will tell you that they walk into beautifully designed interior spaces and see nothing on the vertical surfaces or a piece of art so small and faded that one just ignores it and moves on. It’s like someone just forgot about decorating large empty walls. Houses and offices of today have high ceilings which mean vast open spaces that seem to go on forever especially if there’s nothing on them. We’ve all walked into a great big open room (or perhaps you’re even sitting in one right now) and the first thing we notice is the spacious feeling because of high or cathedral type ceilings. But as your eye travels back down toward the floor, there is nothing between the ceiling and the floor that catches your attention or pulls the two planes together. Decorating large empty walls will do just that.
 
Design Basics

Let’s mention some design basics now and later we’ll get more into the elements and principles of design. Putting together a room that is comfortable, interesting and just downright feels good is like creating a good oil painting. Most important in making a good work of art is creating a focal point to draw the eye to that point first. From there, the eye should move around the painting or work of art in a continual flowing manner around until everything is absorbed by the eye. It’s the same when decorating large empty walls - the same principle should be applied to a room or space. Create a focal point to draw the eye to first and then add additional points of interest in the room to allow the eye to flow easily around the space.

Balance and Flow

Let’s again imagine that room or space with high ceilings. When you enter the room, one would first notice the expanded space drawing one’s eye to the ceiling. Then the eye moves back down to the floor where furniture and other items of interest are found. We’ve all walked into rooms or spaces like this where everything there makes the room feel “bottom heavy”. There is no sense of balance in the space. The simple act of adding interest and decorating large empty walls immediately changes that. It allows the eye to flow from up high, down the vertical surface to the floor (low) surfaces. Adding additional décor on other surfaces allows the eye to continue to move around the room creating flow and continuity to the space. That flow and balance are what makes a room comfortable and interesting. The same principles apply to those long areas with low ceilings.
 
Your Work of Art

Later we’ll learn more about creating balance and cohesiveness in a space. When decorating large empty walls, it truly can be as simple as that one special oil painting, or that beautifully framed art print or even that large decorative mirror. Or you may prefer a huge wall clock or a collection of your framed photo art prints. Whatever you choose will make your room your own work of art and in the process remove any fears of decorating large empty walls.