Large blank walls
by
Pat Nesbit
+12
I have a two story family room with a very open floor plan. I need advice trying to find a way to decorate. My husband wants to use one wall for family pictures - and I'm afraid they will look lost on the large wall space.
View of wall on the right as you enter room.
View as you enter room
View toward second floor.
View of back wall.
View on left side of room into kitchen and breakfast room.
View of right wall from breakfast room
View of right walk from kitchen
View toward breakfast room from entry hall.
13 answers
-
I have a similar set-up to yours. I used the stairwell as my family photo gallery and hung pictures as high as I could reach on two walls. I have shorter walls in my dining room due to an attic over the kitchen, DR, laundry room and garage, so two of those walls are used for pictures as well. If you have some large portraits you may be able to hang a few of those on selected walls, but I agree with you that smaller ones would get lost on the tall walls.
Carol
on Aug 09, 2014
-
I'm no decorator, so if someone out there wants to shoot these ideas down, go for it. One idea comes to mind. Paint some sort of geometric pattern on the big wall to add interest. If you keep it muted and simple, large photos can still be hung there. Additionally, you could hang several really large frames, and then hang smaller pictures within them, using the larger ones to anchor the space. With some really good planning, you could paint the wall within the large frame a different color (to replicate the look of a mat. Build a barn wood wall using old pallet wood. Saw instructions in a magazine recently. Really cool effect. With ceilings and wall space as high as yours, you could also hang something really large. I have seen people use everything from propellers to canoes. Here's a link that may help: http://fredgonsowskigardenhome.com/2013/02/03/its-easy-to-decorate-a-room-with-a-tall-high-ceiling/ And here...scroll down to "Patterns for Big & Tall Rooms" (refers to what I mentioned above regarding a geometric pattern: http://www.interior-design-it-yourself.com/interior-design-information.html
Lex263207
on Aug 10, 2014
-
One thing I have seen on HT is taking old windows, cleaning them up and painting them if you wish...or leaving them distressed...then placing photos in the windows. You could make them of various family events...vacations, graduation, early photos of your babies, one for your pets, etc. Different size and shapes of windows would be great!
Jeanette S
on Aug 10, 2014
-
The huge space needs to be broken up. I'd put a wainscoting the same width as the top of your window frames and run it to the top frame of these lower long windows (this would create a look closer to a normal wall height). .Then you can decorate it as you would an ordinary room with more standard wall height - and don't worry about the area above the wainscoting. Otherwise, the area is so huge, it calls for huge art or such which would dwarf your furniture. The two-seater and large china cabinet look crowded in the current space - I'd reposition them. It might also help if you added an extension to the ceiling fan and light to lower it. The eye is drawn to it which emphasises the height of the room.
Marion Nesbitt
on Aug 10, 2014
-
I would paint large faux beveled frames much larger than the pictures and hang your frames inside the larger painted wall frame. sk
SK on Elderberry
on Aug 11, 2014
-
We just moved into a home with a two story living room as well so I totally get the headache in trying to figure out how to decorate the walls! Typically the rule of thumb is to decorate with larger pieces or group several items together to appear as one large art piece (ie. a gallery wall with same size frames and clean, crisp lines) Also, similiar to what @Marion Nesbitt said a look like the pic below would also help break it up
Delightfully Noted
on Aug 11, 2014
-
Use the space you have with great Pictures in frames different and change the wall color first to black. Light up the wall directly. Use family pictures small and enlarged and mix with real paintings to give more energy in the mix. Black school paint to write on here and there will be great information.
JANE VON RATHSACH
on Aug 20, 2014
-
@ Pat Nesbit Lovely home. My sister-in-law has high spaces in her homes and she hangs some gorgeous quilts. The great thing about quilts is that there are both graphic and modern varieties and traditional patterns. I find the quilts also add a warmth to any room.
Audrey
on Dec 28, 2014
-
Ok, My 2 cents, You have a lot of builder beige walls there...My suggestion is change the paint color to something that isn't white or cream, but will help make it brighter. Here are several suggestions, Iced Cube Silver, Sea Haze by Benjamin Moore. You can also go darker as well w/ Antique Pewter by Benjamin Moore, maybe the wall above the kitchen? All of these colors can be the perfect backdrop for artwork, mirrors, family photos. On the short wall above the kitchen you can hang large scale artwork in whatever your tastes are. The wall on the stairs you can do both artwork, prints, or photos I wouldn't limit your creativity to just one thing. For the wall w/ it's tiny door...Here is an unusual suggestion that you probably never thought about...I would make an industrial pipe and wood book shelves. There is so much wall you could do it to whatever size you want. Plus there is nothing like a library, knick knack display & TV area all in one. Then move the couch 90 degrees to face the bookshelves w/ a side table closest to the bookshelf or fireplace (I can't tell which) so you can watch TV. The 2 chairs can be moved over w/ a side table in between. The chair next to window move it so it's in front of the bookshelves. but still out of the way of the TV. Hope this helps.
Kayo Frazier
on Jan 13, 2015
-
You could take a favorite family photo and take it to one of the box store office supply places and have it enlarged to poster size and then take some nice molding to frame it out, or even do a grouping of enlarged photos.
Belinda Todd
on Jan 16, 2015
-
I LOVE family pics. But, NOT IN THE LIVING ROOM!!! Go to a "Tuesday Morning", something similar and find a very large floral pic, or something that would go with your furniture. I have seen decorators use 4 very large pics mounted 2 over 2 and it looks great. I think you keep your personal pics in halls, stairs, bedrooms. Decide what colors you need to give your room a "punch of color" that is what it needs. You already have red furniture, get some really pretty pillows and use the same colors I your pic.
Had272500
on Feb 16, 2015
-
Suggestion: Go to this site: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/decorating-... Okay, that's all the help your gonna get for me......:)
Embellish Ment
on Aug 31, 2016
-
I would approach it like this, two floors. I would get extremely large art work. Before you think not in budget, remember that you can take your kids art work to FedEx store and have it made large. Then on the area that would be considered the first floor, do as you please. Just make sure that you keep color scheme of art similar to kids works.
Eroque022810
on Aug 31, 2016
Sign Up to Answer
