Decorating a living room with tall walls can sometimes feel a little intimidating. Those high ceilings and large blank spaces can create a decorating void, leaving you wondering what to do to make the most of your vertical space. With a bit of creativity and the right designer techniques, you can turn that expansive living room wall into a stunning focal point that adds character and style to the entire room. Here are some expert tips for how to decorate a tall wall in your living room.
How to Decorate a Tall Wall in the Living Room
The goal when decorating a tall wall in your living room is to create a sense of balance between the height of the wall and the rest of the room. Tall walls can sometimes feel big and empty, like something is missing on the top half. So, it’s important to fill up that extra vertical space with taller decorative elements, like large-scale art or tall bookshelves, This will help draw the eyes upward, highlighting your ceiling. You’ll also want to add visual interest at various levels throughout the room, creating a sense of balance throughout the entire space. Let’s talk about 10 tricks interior designers like to use to decorate tall walls in a living room, to achieve a beautiful, inviting look.
1. Create a Gallery Wall
One of the most popular and effective ways to decorate tall walls in a living room is by creating a gallery wall. The beauty of gallery walls is their flexibility—you can mix and match artwork, framed photos, and smaller decorative pieces to fill your tall walls with a display that is interesting and reflects your personality. Use a combination of frames, matting, and artwork in different sizes to add texture and create a unique arrangement.
Expert Tip: For tall walls, try grouping smaller pieces vertically to make use of the height and draw the eye upward.
2. Use Oversized Art
For a large blank wall, oversized art is one of the easiest ways to fill the empty space and make a statement. Choose artwork that complements your room’s color scheme and is proportional to the size of your wall. See my Wall Art Size Guide for help determining the right dimensions for your space. A single oversized painting or a triptych (three-paneled artwork) is a great option for creating a bold focal point and drawing the eye upward.. For minimalist styles, one large piece can serve as a stunning focal point without overwhelming the room.
Expert Tip: Vertical art is ideal for tall walls, as it connects the height of the room to the rest of your décor.
3. Add Tall Bookcases or Built-ins
Tall bookcases or custom built-ins are an easy way to fill vertical space while adding functionality. Display books, plants, items from your travels, and other decorative accessories on the shelves for a cohesive, well-designed look. In a living room with high ceilings, bookcases are a perfect way to add height to the upper portion of a tall wall and create visual interest.
Expert Tip: Consider placing two matching bookcases on either side of a fireplace wall to frame the space and create balance.
4. Install Architectural Details
Adding wood trim, moulding, or wainscoting can turn bare walls into pieces of art. Adding a beautiful architectural element to a big wall provides texture and breaks up the expanse of negative space (i.e., empty space). By adding textural details to the entire wall, you’ll make the living room feel cozier. Board and batten or picture frame moldings are two of my favorite ways to dress up a tall, blank wall.
Expert Tip: Pre-fabricated picture frame molding is easy to install for DIY beginners, and makes a beautiful statement in any room.
5. Create an Accent Wall with Paint or Wallpaper
Painting one of your tall walls in a bold color or using a unique wallpaper is another creative way to elevate your living rom. A feature wall can be used to provide color, texture, and contrast in your space, adding a ton of character. By turning a tall wall into an accent wall, you can take advantage of that large space and really make a major statement.
Expert Tip: Be sure to use colors from your accent wall or wallpaper throughout the space for a cohesive look
6. Use Vertical Decor
Using decorative elements with some height, like tall mirrors, floor lamps, tall plants, wall-mounted lights, or other vertically-oriented decor, can help balance the height of your living room walls with the rest of the room’s decor. Mirrors are not only functional, but they also reflect light around the room, making the space appear larger and more open. Vertical decorative elements help to visually lower the ceiling height, making the room feel more proportionate and balanced.
Expert Tip: Use a group of smaller mirrors arranged vertically to elongate the wall, reflect light in the room, and add interest.
7. Upgrade Your Lighting
Tall ceilings and walls create the perfect opportunity to use dramatic lighting. Chandeliers, oversized pendant lights, or tall floor lamps can illuminate a tall wall, while drawing the eye upwards. Wall sconces can be used to highlight a gallery wall or large artwork, while breaking up the vertical space of the wall. Use statement lighting to add a touch of luxury, and showcase your decorating style.
Expert Tip: Hang a dark chandelier against light walls and ceilings to make your light fixture a standout focal point.
8. Hang Wall Textiles
Textiles such as tapestries, macramé, or other fabric wall hangings can add a softer texture into your room, making it feel more cozy and inviting. A large textile can also take up a lot of wall space, so it’s a great idea for decorating tall walls. They’re also a creative way to bring color and pattern into your living room.
Expert Tip: It’s important to choose wall textiles that align with the decorating style of your living room.
9. Run Fireplace Stone or Tile to the Ceiling
One of the most striking ways to decorate a tall wall is by running your fireplace tile or stone all the way up to the ceiling. This creates a dramatic focal point that naturally draws the eye upward, while adding texture and depth to the room. If stone or tile is out of budget, you can also add wood planks or other molding to create a unique architectural feature above your fireplace.
Expert Tip: For a more modern or dramatic look, consider contrasting your fireplace material with the wall color to really make the fireplace pop.
10. Hang Drapery Close to Ceiling
Another great way to decorate a tall wall is by hanging curtains or drapery as close to the ceiling as practical. Installing the curtain rod higher, just below the ceiling, helps elongate the vertical lines of the room, making it feel grander. In a tall room, this technique can also have the effect of visually lowering the ceiling height of the room, making the space feel more proportionate. Choosing neutral tones or fabrics that blend in with your walls can create a seamless transition from floor to ceiling, adding softness and warmth to the entire room.
Expert Tip: When hanging drapes, ensure the curtain rod extends beyond the window frame by 3-6 inches on either side. This makes the windows appear larger and allows more light to filter through when the curtains are fully open.
Final Thoughts
Decorating tall walls may feel like a daunting blank canvas, but it’s all about balance. There are lots of options, from filling the space with oversized art, or adding architectural elements, to incorporating tall shelving. The key is to make sure the design complements the scale of the wall and fills some of the empty space in the upper half of the room. With these tips, you can transform your tall living room walls into a stylish and cohesive part of your living room design. Choose whichever tall wall decor ideas work best for your home. And, don’t forget to inject your unique personality and style into your living space!
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