9 Wall Decor Ideas That You May Never Have Thought Of

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Tired of trying to find wall decor ideas that strike your fancy and fit in with your style? Art doesn’t have to be in a frame or on a canvas. Here are 9 unexpected wall decor ideas to fill up those blank empty spots in your home.

Looking for wall decor ideas for a large wall? Look no further than diy board and batten. #diywalldecor #farmhousewalldecor# #walldecorideas #uniquewalldecorPin
Do you find yourself doing this?  You need a piece of artwork, so you make the trek to your favorite store to hit the wall art section.  You find a couple of pieces that you like, head to check out and you’re done.. The problem is that if that’s all you’re relying on to add interest, color and dimension to your home, you’re going to run out of interesting art very quickly. No matter how much I like prints, paintings or photographs, I know that eventually I’ll get bored with the same ole, same ole art selections at the store.

For that reason, I don’t rely too much on your stereotypical wall art. I try mix canvas art or framed prints with other wall decor ideas. Mixing things up on your walls makes a much more interesting space, especially if it’s something unexpected.  See if you could use any of these ideas around your own home.

BOARD AND BATTEN AS ART

If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know that  I’m quite enamored with board and batten. I’ve added it to the guest room, the hallway and the foyer as well as in the dining room at the beach condo. It’s a super easy to do wall treatment and serves as a form of “art” all on its own.  Board and batten is especially good when you need to fill a large wall.

This wall in our foyer was a big blank space that I knew was going to need just the right artwork. Click HERE to see the before of the wall. Coordinating pictures above each bench would have been too predictable and matchy-matchy for me, so I decided to fill this wall with board and batten.

The addition of hooks to the boards not only gives me extra coat and purse storage during the holidays, but it also provides me with a great spot for seasonal decorations that serve as “art” too.  By the way, you can get the easy step-by-step tutorial for building the benches right HERE.

Hooks added to a board and batten wall hold seasonal decorations and become "art". #artideas #wallartideas #artworkideas #diyart #artworkdisplayPin

YOU EITHER LOVE FAUX ANIMAL HEADS OR YOU DON’T

I happen to love them and think they make a great piece of unusual kitchen wall decor.  From the moment my pig head made his debut, it divided folks. Most people loved him, but there were those who very strongly did not.  🙁  I’ve always loved him and had him proudly displayed above the shelves in our breakfast room for a long time.

Rustic farmhouse open shelves and a faux pig head make great art. #artideas #wallartideas #artworkideas #diyart #artworkdisplay #fauxpigheadPin

Whether it was the holidays or the dead of summer, I styled Mr. Wilbur, as I lovingly dubbed him, with a preserved boxwood wreath that I added ribbon to and tucked ornaments into at Christmas. then mixed up the shelf decor around him. He’s retired for the moment, but I sure do miss him.

A faux pig head surrounded by a preserved boxwood wreath. #artideas #wallartideas #artworkideas #diyart #artworkdisplay #fauxpigheadPin

 

ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS

If you’ve watched Fixer Upper at all, you already know that architectural elements make great wall decor.  When I found these Gothic arches at a local shop, I instantly fell in love and knew they would look great layered on top of the board and batten wall that I added to our guest bedroom.

The finish on them adds a bit of a rustic element that helps to de-formalize the dressiness of the furniture in this room. Plus, they do a great job framing the bed and bringing this whole room together.  Adding a small faux greenery wreath to each one helps them to pop just a little bit more.

Architectural elements are great for wall decor. #bedroomwalldecor farmhousewalldecor# #walldecorideas #uniquewalldecorPin

 

DIY GRAIN SACK BULLETIN BOARD

There’s no rule that says wall decor can’t be fun! I made this faux grain sack bulletin board by painting an unfinished empty frame and inserting a piece of foam insulation covered with a painted drop cloth.   Get the tutorial HERE.

I used it at our last house to hide the ugly exposed side of our refrigerator, but it found new life as diy artwork in our current house in the laundry room.  I crisscrossed twine across the frame and added some little mini clothespins as a nod to its location.  Now it makes a place to display cute cards and small pictures.DIY flour sack bulletin board adds farmhouse flair with function, too, in the laundry room. #worthingcourtblog #functionalfarmhouse #DIYbulletinboardPin

LARGE WALL ART DIY STYLE

The wall in our dining room that the sideboard sits on is a rather large wall.  I originally only had the sideboard against the wall with my vintage shelf above it, but it just wasn’t enough.  There was too much empty space for my liking.  I knew that I wanted to flank the shelf with something on each side, but because of the size of the wall and the size of the furniture and shelf, it needed to be something substantial.

Thus was born my idea for these diy Fixer Upper style hanging lanterns.  They are soooo easy to make – you only need four things to make them and you can find the tutorial HERE.  I love the look and think that the hanging lanterns combined with the shelf and all of its decorations make for a great art display.

Need large wall art? Fill your wall with a vintage shelf flanked by diy Fixer Upper style hanging lanterns. #diningroomart #farmhousewalldecor# #walldecorideas #uniquewalldecorPin

 

A LEANING BLANKET LADDER

This idea is definitely out of the box.  I know a blanket ladder isn’t technically wall decor, but it does help fill up wall space and it adds interest and texture.

I simply switch out which blankets I display on it, depending upon the season.  Winter gets heavier, fuzzier blankets and summer gets lightweight cotton ones. The blanket ladder is another super simple diy of mine and cost less than $20 to make.  Get the tutorial HERE.

Use a blanket ladder for rustic wall decor. #diywalldecor #farmhousewalldecor# #walldecorideas #uniquewalldecorPin

 

ADD SOMETHING UNEXPECTED TO A GALLERY WALL

Putting together the gallery wall in the stairway in my foyer was a real challenge for me.  I knew the layout that I wanted, but trying to come up with what to actually use within that layout took me a long time.

You’ve seen me use wreaths on my walls many times, but who would have thought about adding rustic spindles to a staircase gallery wall? It was a crazy notion that crossed my mind when I was putting it all together and amazingly enough, it works.

These spindles were very inexpensive from a vintage/repurposing type of store, but you could do the same thing with spindles from the big box home improvement store.  They’re simply held in place with Command Velcro Strips.

Gallery walls are the perfect place to add unusual elements. #worthingcourtblog #gallerywallrockstar #unexpectedwalldecorPin

CUBBIES MAKE GREAT ART

The wall behind the desk in our office is another one that I really struggled with.  I considered some black and white photos of architecture from our town, but that didn’t look right. Then I looked at some Civil War battlefield maps, but when I tried that it didn’t look right either.

I was literally at a loss for what to do and then I unexpectedly stumbled across this large antique mail sorter when I visited a popup barn show. I love the patina so all I did was to give it a thorough cleaning and then filled some of the cubbies with small pieces out of my stash.

An authentic postal sorter adds a great rustic element to the office. #worthingcourtblog #farmhousedecor #authenticrusticelementPin

SHUTTERS FOR WALL DECOR

Another large wall in my dining room is the one opposite the wall holding the sideboard, vintage shelf and hanging lanterns (see a photo above).

I needed more than just a mirror above the chest to keep the room feeling balanced.  A pair of painted shutters with plates attached proved to be just the thing and added enough width to keep the wall from looking empty.

Plates on brackets add an unexpected element to these shutters. #worthingcourtblog #unexpecteddecor #farmhousefindsPin

Needless to say, there are a lot of ways to mix up your wall decor and make your home interesting. Keep your home from being boring by stepping outside the norm of framed prints and canvases and consider something unique and unexpected!

Worthing Court BlogPin

Wall decor ideas you never thought of #walldecor #artwork #artideas #farmhouseartideasPin

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16 Comments

  1. Kenetta Markelionis says:

    Suzie,
    Thank you for your inspiration!

  2. Thank you so much for this post! I always struggle with what to hang on the walls, so I never hang anything. I have a lot of bare walls. You’ve inspired me to get started!

  3. dj Vinolus says:

    Thank you for this post. I pinned almost all of the ideas! Could you please tell me where you found the drapes in your dining room? I am redoing mine and these would be perfect for what I want to do.

  4. Thank you for some unique and creative ideas! I always enjoy reading your posts because you offer ideas that are affordable and doable.

  5. Jan Schouw says:

    Suzy, how did you attach the plates to the shutters? I love the look. Jan

  6. I too was one who loved hanging unique items on the wall and as decor in general. However I was given a reality check when my daughter shared that her new boyfriend had asked why I had so much “stuff” hanging on the walls and in my decor! It caused me to take a different look at my home and what kind of message I was generating. I wanted my home to present an aura of peace and contentment and while quite the decorating showplace, it was honestly TOO FULL of things that I found interesting and valued. I have since learned to pare down to a “less is better” style and constantly have ladies ask me if I will consider coming to their homes and giving it “my touch.” That boyfriend has since become my son-in-love and is cherished beyond words, for many grateful reasons! 🙂

  7. Suzy, I love everything that you do. It’s just enough not to look cluttered. I am doing so much better at not displaying everything that I own. I have also gotten rid of most of the family pictures and gallery walls. Less is definitely better.

  8. Thanks for sharing such lovely ideas. These are very creative and beautiful.

  9. Your breakfast room and dining room walls are my fabulous!

  10. Really I never thought about such amazing ideas. Thanks for sharing.

  11. Adding a wall art decor to your house, office, or your buildings’ interior can create an impact. Art helps in creating a mood that you want for your interior and can help express what you want others to feel as well. It is important to know first what type of wall art is suitable for your interior’s setting. Thank you for sharing this helpful information!

  12. Steele Honda says:

    I love the picture of the pig’s head with a wreath around it and apples in front of it. I would never have thought to do something like that, but it looks so cute here. I think that wall decor can be such a great way to add to your home’s personality and get the look that you really want. I’ll have to try something like this in our kitchen to help give it a cute farmhouse look.

  13. Thank you for sharing these great ideas! I love your large wall art DIY style as one can take those other empty spaces and have them decorated with beautiful objects of your liking, and make it look like one huge wall art. I’m just wondering if choosing the colors same as the vibes of your room for your decors should be followed or if one may opt for stronger colors? What would you suggest?

  14. Wow, what a fantastic collection of wall decor ideas. I’ve been exploring different ways to elevate the look of my home, and I must say, these suggestions are truly inspiring.
    One idea I’d like to add to the mix is using framed photo prints. They add a personal touch to any space, telling a unique story with each image.