A large blank wall can make a room feel unfinished, echoey and a little cold, but filling it with lots of small pieces often looks cluttered. The key is scale: one big gesture or a well-planned group reads better than scattered decor. This guide covers how to decorate a large wall with art, mirrors, shelving, storage, paint, texture and lighting, plus the sizing rules that make it look intentional.
Start With Scale
- Art or a grouping above furniture should be about two-thirds to three-quarters the width of the piece below.
- Hang art so its center sits about 57 to 60 inches from the floor, and 6 to 10 inches above a sofa or console.
- On a wall with no furniture, aim to cover a meaningful portion of the wall, not a postage-stamp piece in the middle.
- Leave breathing room at the edges and ceiling so the wall doesn't feel crammed.
Large Wall Ideas
| Idea | Best for | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Oversized art | Living rooms, above sofas and beds | Low |
| Gallery wall | Stairways, hallways, family photos | Medium |
| Large mirror | Dark rooms, dining rooms, entryways | Low |
| Wall unit or built-in storage | Living rooms, home offices, libraries | Medium |
| Floating shelves | Kitchens, offices, reading corners | Medium |
| Accent paint or wallpaper | Any wall that needs color | Medium |
| Wainscoting or paneling | Dining rooms, bedrooms | Higher |
| Textiles and tapestries | Bedrooms, echoey rooms | Low |
1. Go Big With One Piece of Art
A single oversized canvas or print is the simplest way to fill a large wall. Abstracts, landscapes and large-scale photography all work. If one piece is too pricey, a diptych or triptych (two or three panels hung with even 2 to 4 inch gaps) covers the same width.
2. Build a Gallery Wall
Gallery walls fill space and tell a story. Keep a common thread, such as matching frames, a color palette or a theme, and lay the arrangement out on the floor or with paper templates before you hang anything. See our gallery wall ideas.
3. Hang a Large Mirror
An oversized mirror fills the wall and bounces light around the room. Lean a floor mirror for a relaxed look, or hang a large round or arched mirror above a console or sideboard. See how to decorate with mirrors.
4. Add a Wall Unit or Storage Wall
A wall unit decorates and stores at the same time, which makes it one of the most practical ways to fill a large wall. Arched shelves and glass doors give it the look of a built-in. The Grand Arched Modular Storage Display Wall Unit with Integrated Lighting measures 92.5"H × 147.2"W × 18.9"D, with arched display shelves, glass side doors, fluted drawer fronts and built-in lighting, and includes anti-tip hardware. For a wall about 8 feet wide, the Relievo Grand Arched Storage Display Wall Unit is 86.6"H × 94.5"W × 14.5"D with arched display shelves, glass doors and lower cabinet storage.
Style the shelves with a mix of books, vases and a few larger objects, and leave some empty space. See how to style a bookshelf, and always anchor tall units to the wall: how to anchor furniture to a wall.
5. Install Floating Shelves
Rows of floating shelves fill a wide wall while holding books, plants and art. Stagger them for a casual look, or line them up for a cleaner one. Mount into studs or use anchors rated for the load.
6. Use Paint, Wallpaper or Paneling
Sometimes the wall itself is the decor. A deep accent color, a mural, bold wallpaper, wainscoting or board-and-batten adds interest without any objects at all. See our accent wall ideas and wainscoting ideas.
7. Hang Textiles
A tapestry, a woven hanging or a large quilt adds texture and softens sound in a room with hard floors and high ceilings.
8. Add Lighting
Wall sconces on either side of art or a sofa make the wall feel finished and add evening light. Picture lights and lit shelves highlight what's on display. See our living room lighting ideas.
9. Bring in Plants
A tall potted tree in front of a large wall, or a cluster of plants on a console beneath art, adds life and fills vertical space.
Large Wall Ideas by Room
- Living room: A wall unit around the TV, or oversized art above the sofa. See living room wall decor ideas.
- Dining room: A large mirror or art above a sideboard. See dining room wall decor ideas.
- Bedroom: An upholstered or paneled wall behind the bed, or a large textile.
- Stairway: A gallery wall that follows the line of the stairs.
- Entryway: A console with a large mirror above it.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Art that's too small for the wall.
- Hanging pieces too high.
- Lots of unrelated small items with no common thread.
- Filling every inch; leave space to breathe.
- Forgetting the furniture below; the wall and furniture should work as one composition.
Related: see our step-by-step guide to decorating a living room and guide to creating a focal point.
FAQ
What do you put on a large empty wall?
Oversized art, a gallery wall, a large mirror, a wall unit or shelving, accent paint or wallpaper, or a large textile.
How big should art be on a large wall?
About two-thirds to three-quarters the width of the furniture below it, or large enough to cover a meaningful portion of an empty wall.
How high should you hang art?
With its center at about 57 to 60 inches from the floor, or 6 to 10 inches above a sofa or console.
How do you decorate a large wall on a budget?
Paint an accent color, hang a large textile, frame oversized prints, or group thrifted frames into a gallery wall.