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CHI Good Questions: What to Do with Big Empty Wall?

2008-05-07-wall.jpgCarole is looking for some ideas: "I am at a loss of what to do with the big empty wall in our front room, which is a living room and dining room combo. The wall is 23' long and 8' tall. As you will see from the picture, there is a pathway from the front to the back of the room, so we need something decorative but flat because of the traffic that goes through the area to/from the front door.

 
 

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Opposite the wall is a Marimekko tapestry and a danish buffet with a mirror on top (see photo). The house style is vintage modern.


2008-05-07-wall3.jpg

I have one print that I would like to hang on the wall behind the dining room table (see photo). But, I am unsure of what to do with the rest of the wall, and think one picture alone will look lonely.

Help? Suggestions? Thanks in advance!"

Carole, here's one idea: we were thinking that perhaps the Marimekko hanging could be switched over to the opposite wall - it is a strong visual and it's size is appropriate for the big open space. Then, you could replace it will a cluster of artwork over the sofa to help balance the room. The print you included a photo of could be the anchor piece to the wall, mixed in with other, smaller framed pieces, like the two sitting on the buffet.

Readers, please share your ideas for the big wall with Carole in the comments below...

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Comments (15)

Do you have anywhere else for the print? I think it would be awesome to take a giant image (a map or anything really) and cut it across 16 - 20 frames (so the image reads as complete, but each segement is in a different frame).

Or while I'm really getting sick of that wall of photos look, I do like it when varied slightly with photos on ledges. Take four or five ledges and fill them with framed photos.

And this is crazy, but for some reason, I think a wall of curtains would be cool. You could put a flat-screen TV on the wall and hide it with fabric.

T8
www.strangeclosets.com
When design takes priority, the result is often strange closets.

posted by t8 on May 7th 2008 at 8:30am
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I would move buffet as it is now to the empty space opposite the sofa that's against the wall. Take the sofa with its back to the viewer in the photo onto the other side of the room. Take the armchair currently there and put it where the sofa is now, facing it towards the buffet. You could place the print where the buffet is now. Hope you find a solution!

posted by retrostyleguy81 on May 7th 2008 at 8:40am
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How are your shelving needs? I have a similar wall that runs along the hall and straight through my kitchen. It's the perfect place for my bookshelves: a set of three Ikea BILLY shelves, with height extenders for that built-in, floor-to-ceiling look. The BILLY is only 30 cm deep, so it doesn't take up that much real estate.

posted by TammyE on May 7th 2008 at 8:43am
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I'm sure there are many different ways in which paint could be used to break it up a bit. Stripes or blocks of color perhaps. Maybe even some panels covered with fabric or wallpaper that could be removed and changed up from time to time.

posted by mattab on May 7th 2008 at 9:02am
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I like big bold statements, and I think you could paint the entire wall one color (maybe that light green, lime, I'm not sure what it is exactly, of the pillow on the sofa), or one of the colors from your table runner.

I've had this problem of a long dining/living room before myself, but so long as you break up the room into discrete spaces and decorate the walls correspondingly, like putting mirrors in the dining area, or a grouping of mirrors or framed pictures/art in the living area, everything looks fine!

I also think the buffet should be moved, since it looks a little awkward where it's at right now. You could back it up against the sofa that's dividing the dining area from the living area.

posted by mermerings on May 7th 2008 at 9:13am
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retrostyleguy81: 1

posted by bepsf on May 7th 2008 at 9:27am
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I agree with moving the buffet, if there's room for it on that wall (or if space can be created, as retrostyleguy81 suggests). The way it is now the room seems off-balance, with all the furniture on one side of the room and no furniture at all on the other wall.

posted by Jenny in DC on May 7th 2008 at 10:07am
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I agree with those who say some furniture, be it bookcases or the buffet, need to be on the long wall. It will really help break up the looooong wall.

posted by jennifer in sf on May 7th 2008 at 10:16am
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another vote for retrostyleguy81

posted by mrs yow on May 7th 2008 at 11:32am
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How about a wallpaper mural? Big statement, sure, but quite fun and funky. Relatively cheap and easy, too.

posted by allisonlindsay on May 7th 2008 at 12:29pm
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Or rather, how about this link.

posted by allisonlindsay on May 7th 2008 at 12:36pm
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How about also pivoting the dining room table 90 degrees. Maybe it's just the photo angle, but it's feeling cramped turned the way it is right now - with no need, as it's a long room. Two big, separate area rugs, one under anchoring the couches, the other the DR, would also help define the two spaces better. I really love the furniture, this person has a nice eye - it's coming together really nicely!

posted by 50s Pam on May 7th 2008 at 5:50pm
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Put some furniture on that wall. The one-sided arrangement you have now looks cluttered. We all have travel paths thru rooms. They do not have to be straight and consume an entire blank wall. Do your space planning first. You'll find your way to the various rooms.

posted by quiltmaster on May 7th 2008 at 8:30pm
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I love the shelving Idea. It's what I did with my large wall. If you don't find ikea shelves that you like *gasp I know* you can do two large floor to bookcases on each end and then say 4' bookcases in the middle. That way you have an instant focal point where you can hang art, cluster photo's whatever.

posted by surferartchick on May 8th 2008 at 11:16am
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Hi everyone! It's the homeowner here! Thank you for all your comments!

The other tricky thing about this room is the behind our dining room table is a china hutch and a door to our upstairs. See picture here.

I plan to explore some of your ideas posted in these comments. Thank you so much!

Check out our homeowning blog here!

posted by carole78 on May 10th 2008 at 5:22am
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