It’s not an uncommon dilemma: you have a large blank wall and no idea how to fill it. Even in the best-dressed room, an unfilled wall can be a distracting element that pulls the eye to its vast expanse. Filling this space can be easier than you think if you consider a few creative and often functional solutions.

Architectural Art

If you have a big wall to fill, make a big statement. Architectural salvage, vintage advertising or, in this case, a letter from an old store sign can be just the thing to attract attention to a wall for all the right reasons.

Bring the look home: Spend the day at a flea market and peruse a few vintage offerings of large-scale finds. Look for vintage advertising, signage or architectural components such as moldings, window casings, fretwork or ironwork.

Screen Savers

Lizzie McGraw, proprietress of Tumbleweed & Dandelion, a home decor boutique in Venice Beach, California, took the classic approach to wall art for her guesthouse. She propped a four-panel room divider against the main wall to add color and visual interest to the open-plan room.

Bring the look home: From folding screens to decorative panels to quilts and embroidered linens, think about a variety of large-scale items that could be repurposed on a wall.

More Ideas to Decorate Your Walls

To help tame an empty wall, consider letting the paint do the talking. Choose a deeper shade taken from a predominant color in your décor to paint the wall an accent color. This will make the wall look a bit smaller. Consider wallpapering this wall and choose a big, bold pattern. Like a modern-day mural, this gives the room a punch of personality that looks fresh and interesting.

If the large wall seems like more than you can chew, take a bite out of it. Break the space in two parts with a large bookcase or armoire, and you’ll create two areas that are more manageable.

Use decorative molding or wainscoting to give a large wall texture and dimension. Get in touch with your inner curator. Photographs can be arranged in a variety of ways to fill a wall to dramatic effect. Choose a single frame color for a classic unified look or experiment with a collage–style arrangement using a variety of frames for something more adventurous. Try hanging a few rows of tension wire and clip family photos to it for another unique look.