Wall Decoration

Painting a wall can achieve so many different looks and change the feel of a room. One of the advantages of a large wall is that you can choose to use any paint color. To make a room with large walls look even larger, use light or pastel paint and paint vertical or horizontal stripes. For a cozier feel that will make the room look smaller, choose darker colors and paint a border. You can even paint a mural such as a country landscape, especially if you have a Mediterranean-themed home. Painting a large wall is also one of the most inexpensive ways of decorating a room.An eye-catching design idea for large walls is to hang photographs on the wall. Photographs always get people's attention because they often have a story to go with them. You can frame photographs individually or in group frames. The frames can be displayed across the wall in a straight line and in several rows, or they can be hung in a random pattern.Wall accessories include curtains, plates, mirrors and shelves. Large, heavy curtains can give a large room a warm, cozy feel. A collection of plates and mirrors or other art can be combined and arranged on a wall to achieve an interesting pattern. Shelves can be installed across a wall in several rows and can be used to display books and other items.

Decorate Your Walls with Molding

A welcoming room begins with well-dressed walls. Consider these 10 stylish statements you can make with millwork.

Get a Custom Look
Standard boards used as millwork let you create a custom look personalized to your design style. Choose a simple pattern like this for a relatively easy project with big impact.

Mix and Match
For one-of-a-kind interest, pair triple-depth paneled wainscoting with walls painted with chalkboard paint for a charming bistro mood. A molding ledge along the bottom edge even holds chalk and an eraser.

Headboard Savvy
Although millwork often dresses entire rooms for architectural effect, it can make an equally stunning impact with a single strategic placement. Raised panels framed by molding create an impressive built-in headboard, for instance.

Eye-Catching Elegance
Applying narrow strips of molding to suggest panels is a popular treatment known as picture framing. Frame sizes may vary to emphasize small spaces above doors and windows and large expanses for artwork. The key to eye-pleasing design is to keep the spacing between frames uniform and edges aligned.

Chic Paneling
Chunky boards applied horizontally around a room offer a creative, contemporary effect. Apply the same concept using beaded board for old-fashioned country charm.

Indoor Garden
For a wainscoting that blossoms with garden appeal, simply overlap square-edge, flat boards in a latticework pattern.

Classic Look
Wainscoting is called such because it covers only part of the wall. High wainscoting extends roughly two-thirds up the wall and is often finished with plate rail molding that features a groove to secure pictures or plates on display.

Instant Art
Tall, flat-panel wainscoting is a cornerstone of the Arts and Crafts style.

Make a Statement
Popular in the formal living and dining rooms of traditional homes, raised panels make a dramatic statement when they continue up the staircase wall.

Classic Entrance
Beaded-board paneling is a favorite in classic cottage style. Commonly applied as wainscoting, it has a clean, crisp effect when hung floor to ceiling in mudrooms and recreational spaces.