How To Fill That Big Empty Wall (6 Ideas For Your Blank Wall)

Wall decor has always been my least favorite part of decorating a room. I always get stuck on how to fill the empty space without making the room look too busy, or finding the right size decor. Recently I’ve been trying to think of what to do with one of the walls in our kitchen… and then one of my friends (hi Colleen! <— check out her blog!) texted me saying she’s been struggling with a wall in her living room! Sooo I’ve decided to put a list together of some good go-to’s for when you have no clue what to do with a wall!

1 ) FLOATING SHELVES / ART LEDGE

Floating shelves or art ledges are an amazing way to fill space! Plus, you can switch out the decor that you display on them whenever you feel like it. You can decorate these with minimal decor (think: mostly white/ beige decor, or only black and white prints) or you can use them to display your favorite shelf styling accessories and art! In children’s rooms or playrooms, art ledges are also amazing to display kids books!

Example of beautifully styled floating shelves from Amber Interiors

Christ & Julia of Chris Love Julia made this DIY Art Ledge to fill the space above their couch

In my own home, I have an art ledge from IKEA with some simple decor as well as a small floating shelf above the chair in my living room.

2) A MIRROR

A well placed mirror can work miracles for a room! Whether you choose a leaning floor mirror or wall mirror; they can help a dimly lit room appear brighter, while also helping to fill some of that empty space! Mirrors are great to use when you need to fill an area but don’t want it to overwhelm the overall design.

IN THIS DESIGN BY STUDIO MCGEE, AN OVER-SIZED FLOOR MIRROR IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF STATEMENT THIS WALL NEEDED!

THIS MIRROR FROM BALLARD DESIGNS LOOKS PERFECT ABOVE THIS BENCH!

3) WOVEN ART / TAPESTRY / BASKETS

I lumped these three together because they all help to add a sense of texture to your room. Woven wall art can include macrame, fiber art (those beautiful yarn wall hangings), or even any type of woven sea grass art!
Tapestries were in style when I was in high school, but those were crazy tie dye ones that you had when you went through your “hippie” phase. These days, they make wall tapestries to suit every decor style! Basket walls definitely had a major moment- almost everyone had a wall dedicated to their gorgeous basket collections! I still love them, especially when paired with a more minimal style!

I’VE HAD THIS PIN SAVED FOR SO LONG, I LOVE HOW IT’S COLORFUL BUT NOT OVER THE TOP!

I LOVE HOW MODERN AND MINIMAL THIS WALL TAPESTRY IS! SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD ALSO BE A SUPER EASY DIY.

I LOVE HOW THIS MACRAME IS STYLED IN A MORE TRADITIONAL ROOM. IT SHOWS THAT MACRAME DOESN’t HAVE TO MEAN BOHO.

4) PLANTS

Hanging planters, plants on wall hooks, plants on floating shelves, wall planters - however you want to add them, plants make a great addition to any room! Bonus points for if you use real plants and can keep them alive (I definitely can’t)!!

THE MIX OF GREENERY ON THESE FLOATING SHELVES ADDS SO MUCH TO THIS ROOM! (via a beautiful mess)

ANGELA MUELLER OF RESTORING HOME USES SIMPLE WHITE WALL PLANTERS TO CREATE A MINIMAL WALL GARDEN

5) GALLERY WALL

What I love most about gallery walls is how they different they can be. You can make them minimal and organized, or colorful and random- and everything in between! You can really flex your creativity when dreaming up a gallery wall.

THIS GALLERY WALL MAKES A BIG STATEMENT WITH DIFFERENT SIZED FRAMES, HOWEVER KEEPING ALL THE PHOTOS BLACK + WHITE STOPS IT FROM BEING OVERWHELMING. (VIA PINTEREST)

THIS GRID STYLE GALLERY WALL FROM STUDIO MCGEE LOOKS VERY CLEAN + POLISHED.

THIS GALLERY WALL IS HELPING TO TAKE FOCUS OFF OF THE TV. (VIA EMILY HENDERSON)

6)WALL HOOKS

Wall hooks are the latest thing I’ve become really into when deciding what to put on a wall. There are so many different styles of hooks available (a couple of my favorites affordable hooks: these + these). Hooks are also very functional! You can use them to hang up/ display your beautiful purses, scarves, or hats. You can put hanging planters or hanging banners on them. Or in a kids room or playroom, you can hang fun costumes from them!

THESE WALL HOOKS ARE VERY FUNCTIONAL, BUT KEEPING EVERYTHING HANGING ON THEM IN THE SAME COLOR PALETTE PREVENTS IT FROM LOOKING MESSY. (VIA INSTAGRAM)

DIFFERENT TEXTURES + NEUTRAL COLORS MAKE THIS SPACE BY AMBER LEWIS BEAUTIFUL!