Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Home
  3. Living Room
  4. Our Best Living Room Wall Decor Ideas

Our Best Living Room Wall Decor Ideas

Grace Haynes, Associate Homes Editor for Southern Living
By Grace Haynes Updated April 05, 2022
Skip gallery slides
FB
Nicola McLaughlin San Antonio, TX Home Living Room After
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Wake up tired living room walls with creative decor ideas. Transform stark, sterile spaces by adding warm, welcoming accents that will make the living room the most inviting space in the house. Hang a gallery wall of thrift store finds, cover the walls in patterned paper, or put antiques collections on display—there are countless ways to show off your personality and bring a boring living room to life. Here, 15 of our best decorating tips for making a living room the most popular hangout space in the house.

Start Slideshow

1 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Create a Gallery Wall

Lauren Liess 2016 Idea House Bedroom Seating Area with Gallery Wall
Credit: Mary Katherine Morris

In our 2016 Idea House, decorator Lauren Liess hung a gallery wall over a blue settee to add interest to the primary bedroom's quiet seating area. She scored all the framed pieces from local antiques malls. "I want everyone to realize that you can arrange something interesting out of imperfect finds," she says.

1 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Make a Bold Statement

Celerie Kemble Pool House Living Room in Lexington, Kentucky
Credit: Evan Sklar

A vibrant painting pops off the pastel blue walls of this pool house in Lexington, Kentucky. The artwork, a nod to the horse pastures surrounding the home, complements the interiors punchy colors scheme.

2 of 15

3 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Cover Walls in a Favorite Pattern

Whitney McGregor Greenville, SC Home Living Room
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Lizzie Cox

A scrap piece of favorite wallpaper served as the starting point for Whitney McGregor's bright living room. She layered the blue-and-white wallcovering with colorful artwork in complementary hues to bring the space to life.

3 of 15

Advertisement

4 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Go for the Mirror Effect

Margaret Kirkland Georgian Makeover Green Living Room
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Designer Margaret Kirkland incorporated pieces of the homeowners' antiques collection in this formal living room. An ornate mirror hung above the mantel reflects light, making the room appear larger.

4 of 15

5 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Display an Antiques Collection

Blue and Yellow Living Room in Florida Cracker Style Home
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Barbara Schmidt

In the living room of the Jacksonville, Florida, river house, designer Stephanie Jarvis hung a trio of brass botanicals found at the Marburger Farm Antique Show in Texas.

5 of 15

6 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Put Creative Storage on Display

Rancher Living Room with Brown Sofa with Wood Storage next to Fireplace
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Storage doubles as decor in this mid-century modern home, with tucked-away firewood becoming a rustic statement piece in the living room.

6 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Play with Pattern

Janie Molster Seating Area with Suzani Wall Decor
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Richmond-based designer Janie Molster used a striking Suzani to dress up with wood-paneled walls of her Nags Head summer home. Hanging a pretty textile curtain-style can help define a seating area.

7 of 15

8 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Designate a Kid-Friendly Space

Holly Williams Colonial House Remodel in Nashville, TN Kids' Playroom
Credit: Annie Schlechter; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Whimsical faux-taxidermy heads add fun personality to the white walls of the kids' playroom in Holly Williams' Tennessee home. A gallery hung on the adjacent wall shows off a collection of sentimental family photographs and prints.

8 of 15

9 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Make Smart Substitutes

Nicola McLaughlin San Antonio, TX Home Living Room After
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Covering an entire living room in luxe wallpaper is pricey. In her San Antonio home, designer Nicola McLaughlin instead framed two panels of de Gourney's Badminton pattern to lend a refined accent.

9 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Show Off Pieces with Meaning

James Laughlin Birmingham Bungalow with White Walls and Meaningful Artwork
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Keeping with the neutral palette of his Birmingham bungalow's living room, architect James Laughlin framed six sketches from his college thesis and hung them in a grid.

10 of 15

11 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Bring the Outside In

Hanna Seabrook Living Room in Louisville, Kentucky
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper

Graphic designer Hanna Seabrook chose collections of botanical-themed accessories to carry out the English garden look of her Louisville, Kentucky, living room.

11 of 15

12 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Disguise Unappealing Wallspace

Dana Gibson Colorful Richmond Home Living Room
Credit: Helen Norman; Styling: Lizzie Cox

Richmond-based artist Dana Gibson couldn't stand having a plain wall in her living room, so she covered the boring drywall with wainscot. "I'm not a fan of drywall and will do anything to make it more interesting," she says. The remaining space peaking out was coated in bright yellow (Bridget Beari Colors' Bing Bong).

12 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Embrace Funky Finds

Brittney Forrister Pink Living Room in Her Nashville, TN Cottage
Credit: Mary Craven

A quirky red-and-yellow hat-lady print pops off the powder pink walls of Brittney Forrister's Nashville bungalow. Though Brittney's fond of the print, she's not so keen on its color scheme. "Even the things you don't love can work in the right space," she says.

13 of 15

14 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Use Every Inch of Wallspace

Look for Unused Spaces
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Every inch of this living space is functionable with built-in open shelving for displaying a bookworm's collection and cozy upholstered bench for curling up with a new novel.

14 of 15

15 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Make Unexpected Artwork a Focal Point

Original Artwork in P. Allen Smith's Little Rock cottage
Credit: Helen Norman

A personal piece of décor hangs in garden designer P. Allen Smith's Little Rock cottage. He mounted an assortment of old farm tools over the mantel. The idea is cost-efficient, and he says, "Original artwork adds so much soul to a home."

15 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Grace Haynes

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 15 Create a Gallery Wall
    2 of 15 Make a Bold Statement
    3 of 15 Cover Walls in a Favorite Pattern
    4 of 15 Go for the Mirror Effect
    5 of 15 Display an Antiques Collection
    6 of 15 Put Creative Storage on Display
    7 of 15 Play with Pattern
    8 of 15 Designate a Kid-Friendly Space
    9 of 15 Make Smart Substitutes
    10 of 15 Show Off Pieces with Meaning
    11 of 15 Bring the Outside In
    12 of 15 Disguise Unappealing Wallspace
    13 of 15 Embrace Funky Finds
    14 of 15 Use Every Inch of Wallspace
    15 of 15 Make Unexpected Artwork a Focal Point

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Our Best Living Room Wall Decor Ideas
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.