Decorating A Two-Story Wall

Decorating Dilemmas is a weekly column in which our stylists answer your design questions, so you can tackle your home decorating project with complete confidence.

Dear How to Decorate,

I purchased a new construction home last year with two-story ceilings in the informal family room. The primary wall in the room is blank and I have no idea how to decorate. It looks so bare and sterile.

How high up does one decorate? Is a cluster of artwork appropriate or one big piece? Help!

-Sarah

Sarah,

When working with unusually large walls, a simple guideline is to look for major architectural elements within the space. Once you have identified the elements, use their visual framework as your guide to hanging artwork.

In your case, draw a loose line with your eyes from the top of the left window to the top of the right window. Now stay under that line with your artwork collection.

Since you have ample space, we suggest a collection of several larger pieces … artwork, mirrors and a plaque. Our Elise Living Room is a fabulous example of how to use several larger pieces together.

Based on the color of your walls, along with the leather color, we suggest a couple of different art pieces as the anchor for your wall collection.

Consider our Breathless Abstract Landscape for an abstract start or our Twilight on the River Giclee for a more traditional feel. Now add in a few smaller pieces and a mirror or two … we suggest our Alastair Convex Mirrors.

Another suggestion is to hang drapery panels on your windows. This is an additional idea for creating volume on expansive walls. Our Concorde Medallion Panels in black are a superb pick for your styling.

Good luck and Happy Decorating!

The Style Studio Team

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