Our Best Living Room Wall Decor Ideas

By Grace Haynes
Helen Norman

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 16

Create a Gallery Wall

Mary Katherine Morris

In our 2016 Idea House, decorator Lauren Liess hung a gallery wall over a blue settee to add interest to the master 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.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 16

Make a Bold Statement

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.

3 of 16

Cover Walls in a Favorite Pattern

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.

Advertisement

4 of 16

Go for the Mirror Effect

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.

5 of 16

Display an Antiques Collection

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.

6 of 16

Put Creative Storage on Display

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.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 16

Play with Pattern

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.

8 of 16

Designate a Kid-Friendly Space

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.

9 of 16

Make Smart Substitutes

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 16

Show Off Pieces with Meaning

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.

11 of 16

Bring the Outside In

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.

12 of 16

Disguise Unappealing Wallspace

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).

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 16

Embrace Funky Finds

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.

14 of 16

Use Every Inch of Wallspace

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.

15 of 16

Make Unexpected Artwork a Focal Point

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.”

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

Advertisement