Do your blank walls bore you to tears? Try to look at them as if they’re canvases, just waiting for your inspired touch.
By Jennifer Noonan
Assemble a Gallery
Use a blank wall to exhibit your best photos, be they of family or life’s adventures. You’ll become curator of a gallery that will interest your guests and let you take a walk down memory lane each time you pass by.
Display Dishes
Make a big impression by artfully displaying a collection of dishes or other objects on a blank wall. Use objects that are similar in color and tone; for example, devise an arrangement of simple white plates of varying shapes. A scheme using mirrors, hats, or vintage posters would be just as compelling. Let your creativity run wild.
Play With Plants
Breathe life into a room with a living wall of lush plants. Any well-lit, vertical space is a suitable environment. A living wall is not only a beautiful design feature, but it can also reduce noise, improve indoor air quality, and relieve stress through its calming effects. Can’t you just smell the pretty?
Show Off Mirrors
Round up an assortment of mirrors and hang them in attractive groupings, and your blank wall will become an artful centerpiece. A cluster of mirrors lends drama and distributes reflective light throughout your space as well.
Install Salvaged Wood
Give a blank wall a warm, rustic finish with an expanse of salvaged wood. Because every board has a story, the highly individual color and texture of weathered wood can imbue a once-sterile space with character.
Paint a Chalkboard
Your blank wall will truly become a canvas if you cover it with chalkboard paint. Let your wall reflect your current mood or just help you keep track of your slate of projects. Chalkboard paint is available in a variety of colors—one is sure to complement your design palette.
Store Your Wine
Let your blank wall do double duty by serving as both a work of art and a wine rack. This particular model is modular and comes in several finishes, but choices abound. No matter the size of your wine collection, there is a wall-mountable rack to suit your style.
Hang a Few Lights
Brighten up your blank wall—and your entire room—with a collection of wall lamps. Whether you choose a monochromatic scheme or a rainbow of colors, you’ll bring some major atmosphere into your space.
Dress It Up With a Decal
Apply a bit of wonderful to a blank space with a super-size wall decal. Decals are simple enough for a DIY beginner to handle and can make a huge statement with very little effort. Better yet, they are easily removable when it’s time for a change.
Put Up Shelves
Arrange those favorite objects and mementos on a display shelf, and your blank wall becomes the center of attention. Buy it or DIY it—either way, a shelf lets you enjoy your cherished pieces, turning them into focal points and conversation starters.
