If you’re not a fan of traditional paintings there are many decorative alternatives to experiment with, says Jane Drew
Paintings are not the only things you can put on your walls. Hammer in a few nails and you have a place to put your bicycle. Even posters – vintage or modern – can look good if they are well-framed. But note that what you place on your walls reveals a lot about your personality.
Decorative textiles of all kinds make wonderful wall hangings and have done since medieval times when tapestries lined castle walls. In a modern flat, lengths of shot silk or even velvet look good, as do Indonesian ikats and Malaysian batiks. For maximum impact, limit the use of fabric to a single wall panel and hang from a decorative teak pole or basic curtain rod.
Fabric panelling is a more permanent way to dress up walls. Silk, leather, or natural fibres, such as hessian and tatami impart a warm feel, and work particularly well in bedrooms. Another good option is to frame a big piece of fabric, and use it to cover one wall. Modern fabrics with big patterns look good, and it’s a simple and inexpensive way to change the look of a room.
For a rather more exotic, harem-type effect, which will work wonders in a cosy den, all you need is a couple of metres of fabric, a staple gun and double-sided tape. But if you want padded panelling, which doubles as soundproofing, contact a professional designer.
For something purely decorative, a kimono or mandarin robe hung on a lacquered pole brightens up a bare wall, and can either be mounted in a traditional frame or in clear Plexiglas.
Of course, much can be done with a blank canvas, particularly if you’re the sort of person who looks at a Jackson Pollock and says, “I could do that”. For a five-minute masterpiece, all you need is a stretched canvas, brushes or rollers, a paint pan and either latex (regular emulsion) or acrylic paint. The best effects are easy to achieve – simply set two or three blocks of colour against a boldly contrasting background. Check your design out on paper first to see if the colours work together.
Less ambitious home decorators can opt to create a single feature wall by painting it a different colour to the other four. This simple but effective decorating device provides focus and drama in even the smallest room. For a sophisticated look coordinate your choice of paint colour with the surrounding soft furnishings.
Likewise, wall-hung mirrors (the bigger the better) can make a powerful design statement. Note that a large mirror is best set off by a heavy, though not necessarily ornate, frame. Decorative mirrors also have a functional use as they create a feeling of space in a room, and do a lot to promote the flow of light.
If you are a collector, a feature wall is the obvious place for you to display your passion. To maximise the impact, display your specific interest across a single wall, as a cohesive collection, whether it is blue-and-white Chinese porcelain, matchboxes or Venetian glass.
By covering a length of wall with niches of varying heights, you can display any number of pieces. Each niche provides a point of focus in its own right, framing the individual objects. Paint the alcoves a different colour to the surrounding wall to draw the eye. Alternatively, individual bracket shelves, set at different heights across a single wall, are a great way to display anything from plants to ceramic pots.
A display of books, assuming your collection is large enough, looks best set across an entire wall from floor to ceiling. Books vary greatly in size, so adjustable shelves or niches of differing dimensions are more flexible than fixed shelves. Likewise, few collections remain static so you should allow for expansion by providing up to 50 percent more space than you need initially.
For a professional look, use track lighting or spotlights recessed into the ceiling to highlight your feature wall. Position target lamps obliquely for the best effects — an angle of 40° to the perpendicular will cut down on glare. Low-voltage tungsten bulbs work best but place them some distance from the display pieces to avoid heat damage.
Just about anything looks good on the walls as long as it is well-framed, and the way you arrange your pieces counts for a lot. Remember that wall displays should never be static: they can be constantly changed, rearranged and improved. Think of them as an extension of your personality.
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