Whether you’re a minimalist or maximalist, the idea of totally bare walls might be a foreign one. And with good reason too, as with so many wonderful bedroom wall decor ideas to try out, wasting blank space is a missed opportunity to add character, color and personality to this important part of your home.
You should hang pieces that you love, that have meaning to you – it could be artwork painted by a family member, or a sculpture created by yourself. You can add wallpaper, stickers or simply get creative with a couple of paint colors to stay on budget – the world is your oyster. All you need is a little decorative and dreamy inspiration for your bedroom walls to come alive.
1. Trompe l'oeil bedroom wall decor ideas
Wallpaper is one of the easiest bedroom wall decor ideas going and a fabulous way to decorate your space. Sure, it's one of the most obvious but it’s still a winner to us as Elizabeth Rees, Founder of Chasing Paper says, 'Choosing a bold wallpaper gives a high impact to any bedroom - whether it's simply an accent wall or if you embrace your inner maximalist and paper all of the walls with the print.'
You can make a statement by choosing a design that’s more creative like this Vintage Art design by Graduate Hotels x Chasing Paper. You can hang your own portraits alongside it to create a double effect and if you’re not big on color it will tick the monochromatic box.
2. Use shelf space for levels
A ‘floating’ shelf behind your bed will create a space for you to decorate an otherwise plain wall. Make sure you paint it in the same shade as the wall color so you can create the illusion. Use it for your plants, candles, books and personal knick knacks.
3. Choose subtle wall paneling
This beautiful Summerside linear wallpaper design is a celebration of the California poppy, the design is modern due to the nature of the line drawing in one single color of either blue or green. This style of wallpaper will work with most color schemes, that’s the beauty of simplicity and it looks great with tongue and groove wall paneling.
4. Match lots of texture with tiny art
Wallcoverings add texture and color, which means you can tie them into the rest of your scheme easily. Use similar colors to create a cohesive feel and look out for one piece that ties in with the wallcovering, for example, the herringbone blanket on the bed mimics the lines of the wallcovering whilst the rest of the pillows and bedding is plain. And with so much going on texture-wise, your picture frames can afford to be tiny...
5. Peel and stick for an affordable refresh
Choosing a peel and stick wallpaper will revolutionize your decorating life, it’s quick, easy and no mess involved - what’s not to love? Jennifer Matthews, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Tempaper explains why it’s such a great idea, ‘To wrap a room in wallpaper shows that the space is curated and thought-out. It brings the room together and creates a polished look. Tempaper’s peel-and-stick utility makes it easy for customers to create a defined space within their home. Whether that means decorating an accent wall behind their desk for an instant home office or covering a bookshelf as a decorative piece, peel-and-stick wallpaper can be used to beautifully construct an area.’
6. Paper your panels
If you have panels, then utilize them by creating a design feature trio with wallpaper. It’s easy to do and super striking. Make sure you choose a paint color that matches a main color from the design to bring the walls together visually. If you pick a large scale design like this one the results will be stunning, just remember to keep the rest of the scheme simple so the wall decor takes pride of place.
7. Color block by hand
If wallpapering isn’t your bag, then choose a couple of your favorite paint colors like these from Crown and get creative with a brush and some wall painting ideas instead. Using a darker shade on the lower half will ground the look visually and also creates a ‘painted’ headboard. Then paint a lighter shade above and up to the ceiling. Finish the look with bedding and pillows in similar shades to paint colors.
8. Use wall storage as a design feature
When it comes to how to decorate bedroom walls, shelving ideas are sure to create a feature whilst being super practical at the same time. Opt for beautiful clean and modern designs that match your scheme so they seamlessly fit in. Don’t overfill them with clutter, keep streamlined as much as possible so you let the designs speak for themselves.
9. How to decorate bedroom walls with lights
Anything that you add to your walls can be perceived as being decorative, even the most practical items like a wall light. To make it stand out as a feature choose a design that has a beautiful shape that will enhance your bedroom space. Atia from @thebrightbloomshome has done just that with this gorgeous wall light that sits above her bedside table.
10. Opt for a half mural
If the idea of a full mural behind your bed seems a little full on, then opt for a half mural instead. You can start it from above the picture rail so there’s a section of solid color at the base. Big blousy designs are a trend right now so embrace it and choose a design that lights up your room. Keep the rest of the scheme simple and use the colors from the design in your accessories.
11. Bedroom wall decor ideas you can DIY
This clever idea is easy to achieve and won’t cost a bomb - because you’re using less than a roll of wallpaper or one single panel, that’s then trimmed with wood. It’s a fabulous way to create a feature on your wall that also works as a decorative headboard. Keep the wall color dark behind it for extra impact.
12. How to decorate bedroom walls with sculptures
It doesn’t have to be all about wallcoverings and paint with bedroom wall decor ideas, you can create a stunning focal point in your bedroom with a 3D sculpture. Keep your walls plain so your artwork stands out and look out for designs crafted from interesting materials like leather, wood or metal.
13. Light it up with signage
Wake up to a super cool cheery design like this one. These kind of bedroom lighting ideas will brighten your day before it's begun! Neon lights are a great way to add a contemporary feel to a bedroom wall, and you can also use it as an ambient light.
14. Design your own gallery wall
Fill your bedroom wall with memories by creating a gallery wall. It could be favorite photos you’ve taken yourself, or pictures that mean something from the travels you’ve been on. Use a mixture of different sizes and shapes - some square, some rectangular to create an interesting display. Using all white frames as shown here creates a cohesive look that despite the different colors within the images, still ties the display wall together.
15. Mirror your bedroom wall decor ideas
Mirrors are definitely a ‘wall decor’ option and as well as creating a decorative aspect, they are also great for making your bedroom feel larger if needs be. They also add light to an otherwise dark space. Whether you choose an ornate design with detailing or a modern design that’s sleek and round, it’s a piece that will add a decorative quality to your bedroom wall.
Join our newsletter
Get small space home decor ideas, celeb inspiration, DIY tips and more, straight to your inbox!
Sophie has been an interior stylist and journalist for over 22 years and has worked for many of the main interior magazines during that time both in-house and as a freelancer. On the side, as well as being the News Editor of indie magazine, 91, Sophie trained to be a florist in 2019 and launched The Prettiest Posy where she curates beautiful flowers for the modern bride.