Clever Ways with Walls
Forget paint. Chuck away the wallpaper. If you’re looking for something a little more creative to do with your walls, we’ve taken inspiration from those that do it best and come up with some great ideas.
Hang a rug
So you thought rugs were just for floors? Well think again, they also make pretty fantastic wall hangings too. Rugs hung on walls don’t just add colour and pattern but texture and warmth too – particularly if hung on an exposed brick wall or in a cooler room. Choosing which rug, you use is entirely down to personal choice; you may opt for a really bold and colourful design on a neutral wall or choose a highly texture rug, like this Berber one, in a similar shade to your wall. When it comes to hanging the rug, the easiest way is to attach a curtain pole to the wall and hang your chosen design from this.
Gallery Wall
Search on Pinterest or Instagram for “gallery walls” and you’ll find a plethora of ideas. A great way to pep up a plain wall, a gallery wall can be as large or as small as you like although ones that consist of large number of frames are more impactful and striking.
Creating a gallery wall takes careful planning. First you need to gather a selection of frames, using different textured designs in the same colour can look particularly impressive or you may choose to go for the same frame in a range of sizes (Ikea and John Lewis have particularly good ranges).
Then you need to decide what to put in them. Black and white family portraits, photos of favourite holiday destinations, affordable prints (try art gallery shops) and even postcards are all good options. Once you have your frames ready, lay them out on the floor and arrange until you’re happy with your display and then hang.
Wall of Plates
Displaying plates on walls until recently was considered a bit old fashioned but it’s having a bit of a resurgence and hanging decorative plates is a great way to spruce up a plain wall. There’s a plethora of pretty plates available from classic chintz patterns to contemporary designs, if you don’t have your own collection already and don’t want to spend a fortune, try searching on eBay or in charity shops.
Before you commit the plates to your walls, it’s a good idea to plan your layout first and the easiest way to do this is by placing the plates on the floor in front of the wall they’re going to be hung on. Once you’re happy, it’s time to put them up using adhesive disc plate hangers which are widely available from DIY stores.
Living Wall
We’ve all seen wonderful living walls in hotels and offices, but probably assume they’re super expensive and time consuming to maintain. And you could be right but if you want to achieve a similar look, then this idea we found via Pinterest is a good starting point.
It’s been created using the FloralLink Wall Vessels from Umbra which allow you to add potted plants to your walls. You could also try terracotta pots secured by wall-mounted pot holders for a more rustic look or galvanised steel designs for something a little more contemporary. Succulents work well as they need minimum maintenance and if you’re lacking in the green-fingered department then fake it with some realistic faux plants instead.
Clocks
Can’t bear to be late AND looking for a great way to pep up a really boring wall? Why not decorate it with a collection of clocks? We found this great decorating idea while having a mooch on Pinterest and not only is it quick and easy, it doesn’t need to cost a fortune either.
If you’re not massively worried about the clocks working, you’ll be able to pick up some bargains from charity and junk shops. As with the plates and gallery walls, it’s best to plan your layout first before committing your time pieces to the wall and then once you’re happy, grab your hammer and some nails and get installing your display.