How to Style a Big Blank Wall
05/07 Design

How to Style a Big Blank Wall

One of our most common questions, answered—tips and tricks for that white space. A few of our favorite tips

Over the years we’ve asked you what styling tips you’re interested in. What did you need the most help on? Every time one of the questions we consistently see toward the top is, “what in the world do I do to make a big, blank wall look styled?” Tackling an abundant amount of wall space AKA “a big blank wall” can be hard to navigate when designing a space and comes with a unique set of challenges, and we hear you in your question of how to make the most of them. It doesn’t surprise us as open floorplans with one room bleeding into another is so common and often the reason for long, daunting empty walls.

After years of designing homes, we’ve learned that filling blank walls is about more than hanging a piece of artwork. Creating balance is key, and it’s much more straightforward once you have a few tricks up your sleeve. Whether you’re working with an open-concept space with long, big blank walls or you’re looking to bring more dimension to a single room, these tips are sure to bring you some inspiration. So, it’s about time we make good on our offer and break down how we approach this.

Tip No. 01 | Make a Statement

Tip No. 02 | Make a Group

Tip No. 03 | Play With Scale

Tip No. 04 | Play With Furniture

How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall

Tip No. 01 | Make a Statement

For a clean, streamlined look, incorporating a large piece of art is a foolproof way to make an impact and balance a design. Scale makes a huge difference—go more substantial to fill the space. Even subtle, minimal pieces can pull a room together without distracting from a focal point. We recommend hanging a large art piece at eye level when hung alone, or 4-6 inches above a furniture piece for the most balanced look.

Adding a large mirror to your space is one of the simplest and best ways to fill an empty wall and create the illusion of more space in the process. We love leaning large mirrors in bedrooms and living spaces to bring contrast to artwork.

How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
McGee & Co
Clouds at Dusk
McGee & Co
Clouds Along the Mountain Range
McGee & Co
Apples Still Life

Tip No. 02 | Make a Group

When incorporating more than one piece of art on a large blank wall, we like to play with scale to make things more interesting. Whether you’re styling two complementary pieces or a streamlined gallery wall, make sure you give each piece a few inches of space in-between for a balanced look.

We do this on a bunch of different scales! Sometimes we have to fill for both height and width and using two or four tall pieces that work together can solve either situation!

When you have multiple spaces for art, change up your scale, so each art grouping doesn’t compete with another. If you fill a wall with oversized artwork, then consider using a group of smaller pieces or a stack elsewhere to avoid too much of the same shape.

How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall

Artwork by @bkingston

How to Style a Big Blank Wall
McGee & Co
Herbarium Study III
McGee & Co
Shadowed Shore 2
McGee & Co
Rose Study

Tip No. 03 | Play With Scale

This is by no means a rule, but rather a helpful hint for making big, blank wall styling a little hard to mess up. When you have multiple spaces for art, change up your scale so each art grouping doesn’t compete with another. If you fill a wall with oversized artwork, then consider using a group of smaller pieces or a stack elsewhere so your room doesn’t look like just a bunch of massive rectangles.

How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
McGee & Co
The Grove by Bruce Brainard
McGee & Co
Schoolhouse
McGee & Co
Window to the Mountains

Tip No. 04 | Play With Furniture

Incorporate furniture pieces for added height and dimension when you’re figuring out how to style a big, blank wall. Sometimes an empty wall needs more than a single piece, and we love working with layers of furniture and artwork to complete a look. Start with a piece that brings height and create asymmetry by layering a chair or a stack of artwork next to it for a foolproof combination.

We love using tall cabinets to add height, but that usually doesn’t feel quite right sitting by itself. Elevate the space by working in layers like a chair with a stack of artwork off to the side. Stack artwork under a library light or above a side table.

How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
How to Style a Big Blank Wall
McGee & Co
Blue Sky & Trees
McGee & Co
Quiet
McGee & Co
Figure Sketch
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1 Comments
Studio McGee
  1. Thanks for the tips. I’ve been needing some inspiration on where to start with our blank walls. xx

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