Wall Decor: 25 Unique Ideas You Haven’t Thought of Yet

One of the best parts of moving into a new apartment in Hartford or an apartment in Dallas is getting to decorate your new space to your personal taste. Taking up a significant amount of visual and vertical space, walls offer an exciting blank canvas for interior design and decorating.

The only hitch is that, as renters, your lease may have some stipulations against what you can do with your walls. Some apartments don't allow nails, while others only allow you to repaint if you get express permission from your landlord. Even if you are allowed to add nails, paint or alter the walls, it'll still need to be changed back come moving time. This can complicate your wall decorating plans, as you want to make the space look nice without causing damage.

Luckily, there are tons of ways you can decorate your apartment's walls with little to no damage, while also switching things up beyond the normal artwork and prints. To help make your decorating experience less stressful and more fun, here are some creative ways to decorate your apartment walls, which will help you avoid crossing the landlord or losing your deposit.

25 renter-friendly wall decor ideas

When it comes to decorating walls, lots of people follow the same tired ideas about hanging wall art or framed art to fill your apartment's blank walls. But you can get so much more creative than that. These 25 wall decor ideas can be used throughout your apartment to turn your walls into areas of visual interest.

If your apartment isn't that big, you can make the most of the small space by using your walls for storage. The sky is the limit, so use this list of 25 ideas to find some inspiration and start decorating.

Living room walls and bedroom walls

Both your living room and bedroom are important areas in your apartment. You'll start and end each day in your bedroom, necessitating a space that is calming, attractive, and relaxing. In your living room, you want the wall space to be nice-looking for guests while also being functional for your daily living. Here are some wall decor ideas that can work in your living room and bedroom spaces.

1. Accent wall

As a renter, in general, you want to avoid painting large parts of the apartment. When it's time to move out, you'll either need to repaint it the correct color or leave it and have the repainting cost deducted from your security deposit. But if you have the permission of your landlord, an accent wall can make your other walls pop.

For an accent wall, Van Sureja, owner and president of Liberty Painting, a Houston-based company, recommends considering “a well-lit space with a prominent feature like a fireplace or a headboard.” When it comes to your color selection, Van recommends “warm tones for lively spaces and cooler tones for more relaxed areas.” 

Aside from painting, an accent wall can be created by adding bold wallpaper to a wall in a room, turning the entire wall into an aesthetically pleasing eye-catcher. The pop of color or stripe pattern will draw the eye and create a nice contrast to the other white walls.

2. Tapestries and textile art

In lieu of the traditional artwork you'll find on most walls, try unique artwork like a textile wall hanging or tapestry to fill space on bare walls. If you want to fill an entire wall, a tapestry is the best way to go, with tons of different pattern options. Adding a nice organic texture, textile art, and wall hangings are another great option. Macrame tapestries are an especially popular option, made with tan, neutral colors that complement the white walls and add a boho-chic feel to the space.

3. Baskets and woven wall art

If you like adding organic elements like macrame and textile art to your walls, woven wall art and wall baskets are a unique way to fill a bare wall. Available in different patterns and colors, you can hang woven wall baskets in groups or spread out across the wall for a unique take on a gallery wall.

4. Statement artwork

If you like having traditional wall art on your blank walls but want something with more of a "wow" factor, try out some statement artwork. This could be anything for large, oversized paintings, huge photography prints or other oversized pieces of large artwork. These could look especially good as a focal point for rooms like the dining room.

Martin Worster with UK-based Canonbury Antiques, a globally shipping antique retailer, shares to those seeking to bring life to their walls, “hanging vivid still life oil paintings or floral displays. Whether it’s Georgian or Victorian oil paintings, the color and energy of the flowers will add some energy to the room and lift the mood.”

Statement artwork can also be conveyed in the form of personal belonging that displays your interests. Liticia Avery with Jameson and Thompson Picture Framers says, “Add personality to your walls by framing unique items such as vintage maps, record covers, or personal art projects.” Pieces like this offer a personal touch and a daily glimpse into the things that bring happiness.

5. Wall-mounted plants

Turn your apartment walls into your own indoor jungle by adding wall-mounted plants. Small wall-hanging planters like this chic geometric model are easy to hang without needing to drill nails. From green leaves to bright flowers, the plant colors also add a nice pop to the otherwise blank walls.

6. Tall plants and greenery

If you don't want to add wall-mounted hangers, you can still fill wall space with key placements of tall plants. If there's a wall you're unsure how to decorate, put a large palm or leafy monstera in front of it.

7. 3-D artwork

Make your walls jump out – literally – by bringing dimensions into play and adding 3-D art to the room's decor. Funky 3-D features like sculptures or metal wall art turn the wall from a 2-D canvas into a 3-D one, with the use of light and shadow to create more interesting visual spaces and negative space.

8. Family pictures

If you like to stick to the classics, you can't go wrong with hanging photos or prints of your loved ones. Black and white portraits will pop nicely against white walls, or go for a more eclectic look with gallery walls featuring pictures of family and friends.

Among the hundreds of photos you may have, Robbie Donahoe, owner of South End Frames, says, “Everyone has that one photo they’ve always wanted to blow up and make a print of” and there’s nothing more unique that displaying a large print that no one else has.

9. Contrasting color palette

If your lease allows you to paint or use wallpaper, getting to hand paint your walls and create your own color scheme to your walls will truly bring your own style to the space. Go for simple black and white, opt for tan neutrals, or embrace your love of color with bold maximalist hues up to the ceiling.

10. Open shelving

As a renter, you can't add built-ins for display or storage. Elisabetta Pianta, principal of San Francisco’s Pianta Design’s suggests exploring “modular shelving that doubles as decor” and states that her team's approach is to “transform plain walls into eye-catching focal points.”

The flat lines of open shelving add a nice symmetry to the space, and Serene Bacigalupi with Leroy’s Place, an uncommon arts and gifts shop, shares how you can “browse your local flea market for a statue or vase.” She adds that these items with “pops of color on a shelf can bring a playful accent to your home that feels modern.” 

The uses are endless: Display photos on them as picture ledges, add art prints or display cherished family heirlooms or other ephemera. Best of all, most open shelves are easy to install and take down. Needing only a few strategic nails, you can easily cover up any holes come moving time.

11. Mounted TV

Commanding a fair amount of space, the TV is typically the living room's focal point. With the use of wall mounting and an attractive frame with ornate gold trim, your TV turns from just a form of entertainment to a piece of art.

12. Lighting

Wall sconces. Neon lights. String lights. Tall lamps. There are tons of non-invasive, non-damaging ways to bring more light to your walls and living spaces.

Braden Macdonald of Artshack Brooklyn shares how “Wall-mounted sconces or lamps provide soft, ambient lighting without taking up valuable floor space.” Additionally, Braden adds how “Ceramic lamps can provide an artisanal touch to your bedroom or living room.”

Using paints or command strips, attach battery-powered wall sconces next to your bed for reading lights or illuminating dark areas that don't get tons of natural light. Put tall lamps in front of walls to fill the space and add light, string fairy lights around shelves or get custom neon lamps for a more edgy look. With lighting design, you also get to play with light and shadows more as well.

13. Gallery wall

From prints to framed artwork, gallery walls are one of the coolest ways to hang artwork and bring your own personal touch to the space. With a gallery wall, you can hang a montage or collage of art and images that tell a story about who you are and what you love. While some larger pieces may require nails, smaller prints and artwork may only need command strips or poster putty.

14. Washi tape

One of the most popular ways to add color and pattern to just about anything – including walls, notebooks, and furniture – is with washi tape, which is a pretty, lightweight masking tape that originated in Japan. This adhesive tape comes in a stunning assortment of colors, prints, patterns and sayings from the basic to the bold. Available cheaply at craft stores and online, scoop up the styles that appeal to you and use the tape to make a faux frame around a picture, "draw" a shape on the wall or add colorful edging to bookshelves. The best part about washi tape is that it's washable and removes easily–perfect for that no-nails stipulation in your apartment lease.

15. Vinyl decals

Vinyl decals are a new way to add elegance without painting or using framed artwork. Sometimes called cutouts, these decals are removable adhesive images that can be stuck and replaced as many times as desired with no harm done to the wall, furniture or other items on which they are applied. Available in a variety of designs, you can easily find styles that fit your aesthetic.

16. Stick-and-peel wallpaper

Though paint may not be an option for most renters, adding color to the walls is still possible with stick-and-peel wallpaper. Amanda Tallerico, owner and principal designer for Lady Bird Interiors, says, “One of my favorite ways for renters to transform their walls is with peel-and-stick wallpaper.” She adds how, “This removable option comes in endless patterns and colors, making it perfect for adding style without damaging the walls.” 

17. Repurposed decor

Not all decor ideas have to involve attaching anything to the actual walls. Some renters can bypass strict lease restrictions by repurposing unexpected items in fun, playful ways.

For instance, an old, beat-up ladder may not be safe for climbing, but it can lean against the wall and provide a shabby chic accent that also holds blankets, magazines, small potted plants, throw pillows and other trinkets. You can even paint the ladder a bright color for a statement piece. Another example is old shutters, which can be turned into letter holders, or you can add hooks to the slats and hang a variety of items, from cooking utensils to accessories such as jewelry or purses.

18. Oversized mirror

Although you may not be able to safely hang it from the wall without risking damage, you can lean a giant, ornate mirror against a wall for a stylish and functional space filler. By adding a mirror, it can also make your apartment feel bigger by increasing the visual space.

19. Blank wall

Sometimes a blank space says more than a cluttered space. Having an empty wall can be a nice contrast to your other decorated walls, creating a visually empty space that makes the spaces that are decorated pop out more.

20. Display instruments

Are you a musician? Put those walls to use to both store and display your instruments. You can easily find wall mountings for guitars and other string instruments, creating an instant decorative feature that also doubles as a place to keep your instruments. Plus, that way, you free up floor space.

Kitchen wall decor ideas

From cooking to eating to simply hanging out, the kitchen is another place where you spend a lot of time.

21. Cutting boards and utensils

Apartment kitchens are often on the smaller side. If you love to cook and bake, you may run into issues with not having enough space to store everything. Take a page from the book of many chefs and cooks and hang your tools from the walls! Add small hooks to hang things like cutting boards, spatula, colanders and other items for a kitchen-themed cohesive look.

22. Floating shelves

Similar to your bedroom and living room walls, open shelves in the kitchen function both for displaying prized objects and storage. These are especially good as both storage-and-display spaces for some of your more attractive kitchen tools like wooden salad bowls or nice plates.

23. Plates

Have tons of ornate vintage plates you keep stacked away? Add interest to your wall by installing plate hanging brackets and displaying those beautiful plates for the world to see.

24. Stick-and-peel backsplash

Not sure how to make the smaller wall spaces in your kitchen pop more? Add a stick-and-peel backsplash that you can remove when it's time to move out. Not only will it not damage the paint, but it helps you customize the kitchen more to your liking.

25. Calendars and organization

You don't want to hang wall calendars or planners on a bedroom or living room wall. From keeping grocery lists to staying on top of your to-do list, you don't want that visual and mental clutter to take up your relaxation spaces. But they'll work great in kitchens. From blackboards to dry-erase boards, use one wall in your kitchen as the place to keep track of your schedule, errands and chores.

Show off your creative side with these unique wall decor ideas

After using Apartment Guide to find your dream apartment, put on your interior designer cap and use these 25 wall decor ideas to make the most of your apartment walls.

 

When you buy through links in this article, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The post Wall Decor: 25 Unique Ideas You Haven’t Thought of Yet appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

source https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/wall-decor-ideas-you-havent-thought-of-yet/