By J. A. Young
A successful décor can do many things. It may enchant, comfort, delight - but it should always interest. Providing interesting décor for your walls can inspire conversations as well as admiration. While so much about decorating is about personal taste, there is such a wide array of options for walls that it may be difficult to narrow down choices. The following ideas will help you deck your walls for optimum interest destined to delight all who see them.First, consider your own likes when it comes to art. Do you prefer a certain era like Victorian or Art Deco? Or, do you find yourself drawn to certain styles - American country, English cottage or perhaps French provincial? These are great places to begin your plan to decorate your walls. You do not have to stick to one theme or one style - each room of your home might be a refreshing mix of eclectic styles brought together. A television room inspired by the noir posters of the 1950s, a living room inspired by Native Americans or an office covered with photos from favorite travel destinations - any of these will infuse a room with character and personality.
Once you have your paint, wallpaper or paneling in place, you will want to consider any number of wall hangings: original paintings, prints, framed photographs. Other options for the walls include shelves, shadow boxes, tapestries, floral arrangements, mirrors, wall-mounted fixtures - anything you can mount or hang is fair game for the walls. Antlers and stuffed deer heads may not be to everyone's liking, but they are certainly a stylish choice for a north woods décor.
Original art, paintings and illustrations can go in any room. Give consideration to the matte and frame for these items - they can help to dramatize a piece. Sometimes a great piece of art can inspire a whole room. Always hang pictures at eye level whenever possible. You may also want to install light fixtures to showcase the work even better. The walls are the perfect place to showcase your collections - illustrations of seascapes in charcoal, oil paintings of locomotives, watercolors of rose gardens - these things may not go over well together, but allowing the seascapes to inspire other parts of the room with decorative items will tie a plan together.
Prints are available in a vast array of styles by every renowned artist. From the fairy-like prints of Arthur Rackham to the medieval prints of John Waterhouse, a collection of English prints can make for lovely wall décor. Theatre, ballet, advertisements - these posters can also be found, framed and hung on the walls. Prints of old French product labels are a charming way to outfit the kitchen walls for instance. Prints of rainforest plants are a great way to add appeal to the walls of a sunroom.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with adding a large scenic tapestry above the sofa instead of the typical framed landscape print. Tapestries may feature scenes of forests, castles, gardens, etc., and be welcome additions to any room. They are unusual and so will provide fresh interest for any wall. From large to small, consider incorporating tapestry work into several rooms.
Mirrors can be simple or highly ornate, vintage or stylishly cutting edge. For a great Victorian touch, consider nothing but antique mirrors for the fireplace wall. Choose mirrors with character - unusual shapes or even with etchings of birds or flowers. Vintage mirrors can be expensive, but then, so can original artwork.
For hallways and foyers, it may be fun to think outside the box. Instead of posed portraits, gather a hilarious collection of snapshots - funny faces and funny scenes - the stuff that usually isn't featured, but provides candid interest. You may hang all black and white, sepia or digitally-enhanced features to make an artistic statement too. These areas are great places to hang framed postcards, or other memorabilia that might be seasonally-inspired.
Shelves and shadow boxes are ideal places to show off special collections like teacups and saucers, porcelain figurines, carnival glass, etc. Collections always inspire conversations. A love for pewter fantasy figurines of dragons and fairies might even inspire a conversation about fantasy literature, for example.
Walls are often the most delightful spaces to decorate. If you choose what you love, it will help you transform your room into one you love to be in. From antique maps to contemporary photographs of skyscrapers, the sky is virtually the limit when it comes to decking your walls. Simply choose wall décor infused with your own personality and you're off to a great start.
© Doityourself.com 2006
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