5 GIFs That Might Help You Figure Out What to Do With That Blank Wall

A blank wall can be an inspiring canvas waiting to painted with your style—or it can be a stop-you-in-your-tracks source of indecision. Let’s push past the wondering and see how various ideas work. Inside this post: the same empty wall filled with a variety of design elements, from paint to pattern to art and more. See how different decor choices affect the look and feel of a room.

White is great, but splash paint on blank walls (even just one accent wall), and you get a bold color statement in a room. In Alison & Jeff’s Chill Scandinavian Meets Mid-Century Style, living room, Benjamin Moore’s Dragonfly is a vibrant addition. In the above photo, the same color is added to the room’s blank wall (at about 50% strength).

In Noah’s Industrial Loft with a Vintage Vibe, wide, painted-on black and white vertical stripes create a dynamic statement. I added them to the blank wall above in gray, and they add a graphic pop to the entire room.

Whether you make it or buy, there’s no doubt about it: One dramatic piece of colorful art can completely transform a room when added to a blank wall. The above the art piece is from Kristina & Jason’s Gorgeous, Graphic Australian Home.

Not everyone has the money to buy a large piece of art, so a gallery wall is a great way to cluster small pieces of art together to make a visual impact. As you can see from the GIF above, a blank wall is made bold with a beautiful set of art pieces. (This real gallery wall can be found in its original living room in Mery & Mili’s Mix in Valencia.

A hanging wall textile can be an affordable alternative to a larger art piece, but still add a lot of color and texture in a space. This earth-colored wall hanging is from Sarah and Morgan’s Relaxed, Modern Santa Monica Home.

• GIF Magic: See How Wall Paint Color Changes the Feel of a Room
• Art Power GIFS: See How Art Upgrades These Rooms
• Pattern Power GIFS: See How Wallpaper Completely Transforms These Rooms