Small apartments can be tricky as balancing your tastes with the space available can be a bit of a high-wire act. But it’s not impossible. Playing around with colours, decor, and furniture can make the space appear larger and wider than it really is. Here are five simple wall decor ideas that can take your apartment from being small to cosy.
Focusing on a single wall
Artwork is always a saviour. Whether it’s to hide a crack on the wall or display genuine interest in art, paintings and framed photos bring a classy and inviting feel to any room. Pick the largest wall in your living room and hang an oversized piece that will immediately command attention. Try an uncomplicated photograph or a colourful painting that is arresting. Or if minimalism is what you like, then opt for a black and white landscape or an abstract.
Another strategic way to make your wall stand out is to shun the large centrepiece and make a collage of paintings and photographs of various sizes. Give it a gallery-like feel by choosing different types of frames, and a range of sizes. To streamline it a little, stick to squares or circles.
Mirrors and other objets d’art
Artwork is not limited to framed pieces. Try out an intricate macrame or a vibrantly patterned tapestry. Hang a big one that covers the wall or go for a couple of small ones. If it’s macrame or richly coloured textiles, then mix and match them so that they stand out against the colour of the wall.
If you really want to be different, try getting an artist to paint a mural. Think Japanese garden landscapes, lush forests or mountains or a tropical beach. Make it detailed and intricate to ensure it makes a statement.
Gilt-edged oval mirrors settled on a ledge along the wall or floor to waist-high mirrors with ornate frames also double up as art and are perfect for a small room. They reflect light, make the area look larger, and just let the room…breathe. You can even make the mirror the highlight of an entire wall by extending it from floor to ceiling or even wedge it along with the other art displays. Add a floor lamp or set up lights on a table in front of it and watch the room come alive!
Wall hangings and fixtures
If you don’t have the inclination or time to pick out art, then try displaying what you already have at home. How about that heirloom dinner set? The vintage cutlery? Dust them out from those mouldy boxes and hang them on the wall.
These enhance the decor and also save you some space! You can do the same with your collections of vinyl or guitars or toy cars. Just about anything that can be hung or placed on floating shelves can also be part of the wall decor.
Allow your walls to speak about you and be a reflection of the people who live in the house. If you are a cyclist, and you have a funky-looking bike, how about hanging it up? Have no space for a garden? How about bringing the garden into your house? Fix a little wall stand for pots and grow your herbs there to your heart’s content.
Get wall-mounted planters to make it a little interesting or try hanging a few. Even if you are in a small apartment you can still have a mini-yard in your drawing room.
Lighting and accessories
Lighting is always the key to enhancing the atmosphere as well as the appearance of a room. Using lighting smartly along with some clever accessories on the wall can make your room appear airy and expansive.
Use some stylish wall hooks and decorate an entire wall with patterned string lights interspersed with polaroid-sized photos. Not only does it brighten up the room but it also makes for an instant gallery of your memories. More interested in light fixtures? Why not opt for sculpted wall sconces? They add drama and bring in a vintage touch and automatically double up as wall decor.
Or how about fixing a big mirror and adding bulbs along its edge not unlike the ones found in a dressing room? The mirror enhances spaciousness while the light takes the unusual element up a notch.
Don’t forget the ceiling
In any home, ceilings are often sorely neglected. Ceilings are nothing but an extension of the wall, after all, and there are many ways to use the ceiling to improve the decor of your home. Plaster tracing, for example, is a style that has been popular for centuries. Ornamental designs give a classic feel to the room while geometric shapes lend a more contemporary and modern feel.
Stick to plain white or make it more eye-popping by painting a different colour in between. If you want to go all out, then why not even paint a mural or two in the style of old European palaces?
If this doesn’t interest you, then how about making your ceiling a different material altogether from the rest of the house? Use decorative wooden beams or bamboo rafters to give a rustic and very chic effect. Pair it with some appropriate and equally trendy lighting like hurricane lamps or large lanterns, and your decor is complete.
very attractive ideas!!! best blog i have ever seen!! thanks for sharing