Decorating Ideas for Filling Up Wall Space

Top Textiles

• Fill wall space with fabrics. Tapestries and curtains are one idea. Hang them floor to ceiling along the length of a wall or across just a short section or two. They add not only visual interest but also drama to a room — and they’re an especially good way to decorate wall space if you’re not allowed to paint. Tapestries and curtains are available in many different colors, patterns and styles, so you can find ones to match any room’s décor.

Good Show

• Turn empty wall space into a gallery to display any items of your choosing. Put up a series of floating shelves on which to display your collection of cuckoo clocks, dolls, sports memorabilia, shells or antique guns. Frame and hang movie posters. Frame your collection of coins or arrowheads in shadow boxes and hang. Mount decorative tiles, a couple of faux windows, pieces of driftwood or a set of metal or wooden sculptures on the wall.

True Hue

• You can use paint in methods a great deal more imaginative than simply applying a coat or two. Hang empty frames and then use fun colors to paint polka dots, stripes, starbursts or any design of your choosing on the wall inside the frames. Another option is putting a mural on the wall. Use a do-it-yourself mural kit or hire an artist to paint a city skyline, mountain vista, garden full of flowers or sandcastles on a seashore.

Pretty Paper

• Wallpaper is one more creative choice for filling up wall space. Cover one entire wall with it to create a dramatic accent wall and then decorate the room in tones that complement the colors in the wallpaper. A less expensive option is framing it. Buy several mismatched frames at a thrift store. Buy inexpensive wallpaper samples — or check the dumpster behind the store for any that has been discarded. Then frame and hang on your wall.