What’s that saying? Those that can, do; those that can’t, train? Nicely, pals, I’ve a large wall in my major bed room that I’ve been stumped on for the entire 12 months we’ve lived right here. So as an alternative of determining what to do there, I’m going to make use of my mind energy to assist YOU work out what to do, as an alternative! Procrastination at its most interesting. (In all actually, I *do* have some concepts however it will value greater than I need to or need to spend for a short lived rental resolution, so, I’m holding off.)

For this week’s installment of Repair It Friday, we’re tackling the—dun, dun, dun…—large, empty wall. ::somebody screams someplace:: We’ve all been haunted by a stretch of wall in limbo sooner or later in our adorning pursuits, right? So we put out a name to the individuals to ship us your empty partitions for us to type by means of and dream up options.

The requests ran the gamut from individuals who have been simply searching for some artwork recommendation, and for others who have been as misplaced on what to do as me my first time in Amsterdam looking for the appropriate prepare again to the airport (woof!). And I get it. The choices for what to do on an empty wall are, in fact, infinite. I sat and brainstormed normal concepts for no more than 4 minutes and got here up with the next (which means, if I sat for longer, there would have been even extra concepts, so, yeah…there’s rather a lot one can do).

Right here’s what I got here up with, in case anybody right here simply wants a little bit of a jumping-off level:

• Massive-scale artwork (1-2 items)
• Massive flooring or wall mirror
• Console desk with mirror or artwork
• Cabinets or shelving unit
• Wallpaper
• Molding or millwork
• Constructed-ins ($$$)
• Gallery wall
• Massive-scale furnishings piece (storage armoire, China cupboard, bookcases, and so on.)
• Peg rail/rail/hooks
• Gallery wall hung from artwork rail
• Pedestal + vase + artwork
• Chair + lamp/aspect desk + artwork
• Bench
• Plant wall
• Fake hearth mantel (or actual built-in gasoline hearth)

See what I imply? SO. MUCH. TO. DO!

Now, a few of these are very massive investments that might contain a correct designer to draft out (I’m not that individual). And apart from, within the title of “Repair It Friday,” these needs to be quickish tackle-it-yourself forms of options. In order enjoyable as it will be to take a seat and take a look at my hand at designing some customized built-in for a mother and father’ playroom or the eating room of a killer flat in London (you already know who you might be), I opted to choose properties that have been extra common of their wants for everybody studying right here.

Earlier than diving into some inspiration and the reader’s house, I do need to say one factor (don’t I at all times?): You don’t need to fill each wall. Some partitions can simply…breathe. Particularly if you have already got plenty of artwork or furnishings, having an empty stretch of wall is likely to be what your room or house wants, actually. Have it fill a goal for you (storage, including coloration by means of artwork, and so on.) or go away or not it’s.

Okay, let’s take a look at a number of photographs from the EHD archive. The humorous factor, none of those are large clean partitions. Clearly. As a result of actually each single wall in a room begins as a giant clean wall earlier than any design is finished. However all of them felt like they *might* have been clean partitions if not for the options already enacted on them. Get me? From large-scale artwork, to many gallery partitions, to peg rails over a bench, to a complete built-in, right here’s some inspiration for you:

Alright, let’s take a look at some reader properties and stroll by means of among the concepts I’ve cooked up that don’t contain customized work (which is at all times an possibility however probably not the vibe of Repair It Friday). First up is a wall subsequent to a kitchen, subsequent to a lounge, subsequent to a staircase with no actual goal.

The Cross-By Limbo Wall

From the reader: “I lately moved into an previous Victorian and have a big wall within the center. You see it as quickly as you stroll within the house. It’s in the lounge and divides the kitchen and stairway. Dimensions: 8ft broad x 8ft 10” excessive. I’d love a big piece of paintings to fill the house and produce coloration into the home. Want to keep round $1,000.”

I’ve labored with many a wall identical to this in my time and they are often difficult. You don’t need to put something too cumbersome there because it’s a pass-through space. Our reader particularly requested artwork so as to add coloration into what appears to be like like a reasonably impartial house, in order that’s simply what I did. Now, selecting artwork for another person, particularly one thing this measurement, is an odd train. I’m going based mostly solely on appears to be like (plus, I don’t have a lot to work from by way of coloration palette as a result of I’m not seeing a lot of the house). However, as we’ve mentioned repeatedly on this weblog, artwork is hyper-subjective and private. I doubt this reader will purchase this actual factor, however possibly they’ll like the concept of a body canvas (which is my favourite for a wall like this).

As a result of the finances was $1,000 and really massive artwork is extremely costly, I opted to fill the wall with two different issues to get away with a barely smaller piece (although this one from Minted is bought in a measurement as much as 48″x70″). A image gentle makes the artwork really feel further particular and purposeful. Like this was meant as a momentary pause for the viewer. The bench beneath provides some depth and likewise provides the performance of being someplace to pause to placed on sneakers (the doorway is close by) and even place one thing down once you want a hand. I went with one thing somewhat fashionable simply wanting on the kitchen and sofa on this nice room space, although the staircase and detailing to the appropriate feels extra consistent with the Victorian she talked about so she might at all times discover one thing a bit extra conventional.

Bench | Framed Canvas | Image Sconce

I did go over finances right here. With a reduction operating on Minted for the artwork, all three items collectively are round $1,650. I figured she might use this as a jumping-off level and discover a classic bench for much less, or perhaps a inexpensive piece of artwork (you wouldn’t imagine what you could possibly discover at HomeGoods generally, as a lot as I don’t suggest constructing your assortment from there).

The Above-Credenza Limbo Wall

From the reader: “I desperately need assistance determining what to do with this wall! Ending this venture would actually assist this room look full. The home is a small Twenties Spanish bungalow. My fashion is California-Impartial-Scandi. I’m a giant concert-goer and I’ve considered incorporating a classic print of the Hollywood Bowl, my favourite place in LA, right into a body wall, however I’m actually open to something. My finances is round $3-4k.”

As quickly as I noticed that barrel ceiling, my coronary heart swelled. I had a (form of) related setup in my final house, so it was nostalgic. Let me present you the opposite aspect to get a way of the reader’s fashion:

With such a big window, I believe the other wall wants one thing to steadiness it. I initially considered suggesting she eliminate the credenza (relocate it some place else, relatively), and do a big, open shelving system. That or an enormous leaning flooring mirror with an arched high to echo the window and bounce the sunshine in all places. I nonetheless assume that’s the most effective choices. BUT, I made a decision to work with what she had and got here up with two methods to do it.

The primary entails shifting the furnishings piece immediately in the course of the wall and including a massive framed classic print of the Hollywood Bowl, which she talked about wanting. Now that I take a look at the beneath, I believe this may very well be a lot bigger, contemplating the window measurement. Possibly even the complete width of the credenza. BUT, I’m going to stay to my weapons right here for this rationalization. I needed to deliver some lighting to this wall to actually make it a function, so I discovered these cool but easy sconces. These are hardwired, so she’d need to get junction bins put in, or discover one thing she appreciated that have been plug-in. As a result of I felt the appropriate aspect wanted one thing extra, I including in a sculptural aspect chair.

Sconce | Hollywood Bowl Print | Aspect Chair

I used to be itching so as to add some shelving and do one thing somewhat extra off-center, so I threw in a second, albeit related, possibility. Right here, I left the credenza the place it was and balanced it with a linear, vertical wall sconce to the vignette itself, relatively than the furnishings piece, was centered. The shelving unit speaks to the mid-century items she has (ignore that there’s a tree behind it…my Photoshop expertise have limitations, individuals), and might acquire fairly issues. I used the identical artwork print from the highest in a smaller measurement, and added in a further classic print above to refill the vertical house. I’m considering the tree can both spin to place the majority of the leaves in entrance of the window, or this entire factor can flip-flop with the tree on the appropriate, the sconce on the left, and the furnishings shifted proper.

Wall Shelf | Classic Print | Wall Sconce

The Eating Room Limbo Wall

From the reader: “I’ve a giant wall I’ve been eager to do a gallery wall on so as to add some coloration to our all-green every little thing eating ‘nook.’ Enjoyable information: We took an previous headboard from an EH DIY (used for a visitor room pre-kiddos in 2018) and made it right into a bench for the eating nook you see within the photographs. We get so many compliments on it. Measurements: Above the ‘headboard’ bench the wall measures 12.18′ broad by 4.8′ excessive on the brief wall and seven.15′ excessive on the tall a part of the wall. I’d love a colourful gallery wall the place I might embrace a few of my child’s artwork (3 and 1). The house is adjoining/open to the lounge, so we’d need it to tie in with that.”

This one is so enjoyable. Each due to the repurposed DIY (genius!) and since I’m inclined to at all times assist a father or mother with littles out. I haven’t but reached the stage with my daughter the place we’re hanging her artwork (she solely simply began scribbling and coloring), however as quickly as we do, I do know simply what I’m going to do…stunning frames the place swapping out artwork (or storing artwork) is tremendous straightforward.

Under are the adjoining rooms she talked about, and I really feel like we are able to usher in a contact extra coloration:

A gallery wall can rapidly turn out to be visually overwhelming, so I opted for bigger, fewer items, together with a handful of frames for household photographs or child masterpieces. The frames you see beneath with the grommets within the nook as from this firm known as Wexel Artwork they usually’re nice. They’re single-pane plexi with tiny magnets to connect your artwork. Acquired one thing new to hold? Simply transfer the magnets, substitute the artwork, put the magnets again on and BOOM, executed! It’s wonderful. They arrive in tons of sizes, too. To spherical it out, I picked two extra Blockshop prints as a result of she talked about loving their stuff, a hanging canvas from Upton (such fantastic stuff for those who haven’t checked out that storefront), and a large, anchoring 3D piece for some curiosity. I saved every little thing principally impartial since I do know crayon and marker artwork can get…colourful. 🙂

The important thing right here is staggering the items in order that they principally observe the angle of the ceiling to fill the house and make the impression I believe she needs to make. I used to be additionally considering of suggesting they transfer the placement of the sconce to the artwork wall and proceed the artwork onto the wall the place the sconce is now. That, or change up the sunshine fixture to one thing with a good longer arm to behave extra as a chandelier. I believe it may very well be very cool (possibly one thing like this if finances permits).

Prime Row: White 3D Artwork | Black & White Blockprint | Floating Body | Backside Row: Floating Body | Honey & White Blockprint | Hanging Canvas

One other Eating Room Limbo Wall (That’s Additionally A Cross-By Wall)

From the reader: “I reside in a loft apartment in Chicago that’s flooded with gentle and uninterrupted metropolis views from floor-to-ceiling home windows. The primary flooring has a residing/ eating/ kitchen open flooring plan combo nice room. As a result of I’ve a nook unit, there’s actually just one true ‘adorning’ wall within the house, subsequent to the eating desk. When my husband and I purchased our house, this wall had large bookshelves that have been too visually heavy for the in any other case ethereal house. Now that we eliminated them, we’ve the other challenge with this large clean wall! The wall presently has my beloved ‘Blue Canine’ paintings on it, however the scale will not be proper for the house. The wall measures about 15 ft lengthy by 10 ft tall. It’s a reasonable site visitors wall, as we use this pathway to get between the hallway to the left of the wall and our den/television room behind it and balcony doorways subsequent to it (on the appropriate). There may be about 3 ft of clearance between the wall and the eating chairs. For additional scale references, the desk is 5×5 sq. and the sofas are 9 ft lengthy.”

I used to be actually hoping for a situation the place I might suggest a wall of shelving. It’s the closest to “built-in” as we’re getting in the present day because it’s an impactful almost full-wall set up, however with an off-the-shelf product. This reader talked about this being the one “adorning” wall in the entire of the residing areas, so I needed to offer numerous alternative for his or her books, vegetation, a bar in the event that they please, and different fairly issues. Because it’s a pass-through space, no matter we put right here needed to be streamlined and never overly cumbersome. To not point out they already eliminated bookcases from this wall.

Sure, they might simply flip this into an artwork wall, and construct across the piece they already had, however I felt prefer it may very well be extra. I made a decision to take their present framed artwork and shift it left (I additionally considered placing a pedestal below it with a plant or vase, however didn’t need issues to get too cluttered). With the remaining wall house, I discovered a modular and versatile shelving system from Room & Board. There are a ton of choices for configurations, however I saved it easy right here. This one is 80″ which needs to be simply sufficient to fill this stretch of wall. It’s solely 12 inches deep, so it shouldn’t intervene with the eating room furnishings or with passersthrough. I gotta say, I’m into it and hopefully the reader will likely be, as nicely.

Shelving Unit

And that’s it for in the present day! I hope one thing right here acquired you to pause, take into consideration your individual clean wall and say to your self “Oh! Possibly I can do one thing like that!” Even when that inspiration got here from my preliminary laundry checklist of choices. It truly is infinite, however I recommend you consider what you want or need to accomplish functionally in your house and begin there. But in addition, simply taking a look at one thing fairly is simply advantageous, too. 🙂

Now we have a number of extra Repair It Fridays (FIFs, as I name them to myself) on the docket, however please tell us within the feedback if there are small, tangible areas in your house you could possibly use our assist with. Till subsequent time…

Opening Picture Credit: Design by Velinda Hellen Design | Lead Designer: Julie Rose | Styling by Emily Edith Bowser | Images by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: A Kitchen Makeover That Targeted On Small Adjustments For A BIG Affect (Julie And Velinda Did It Once more!)