How to Decorate a Bare Bedroom Wall
- This article was written by Joshua Lewis – an academic writer and keen DIY and home decor enthusiast – to ensure maximum factual accuracy and unique content.
Many people choose to have a TV on the wall opposite their bed.
But what if you're looking to do something different – how do you decorate the wall across from your bed effectively?
The best ways to decorate the wall opposite your bed include creating a photo wall of memories; hanging fairy lights; displaying posters or prints; installing hexagonal shelves; showing off trophies; tapestry; accessories; and/or painting it a different color.
The rest of this article expands upon these methods to give you 8 actionable ways to make the wall opposite your bed more appealing and functional.
Some of the methods I have personally implemented myself and I can vouch for their effectiveness.
Related: discover 13 more bedroom wall decor design ideas here.
8 Ways to Decorate the Wall Opposite Your Bed
Here are 8 ideas to give you some inspiration for decorating the wall opposite your bed:
1: Create a Photo Wall of Memories
One of the most effective and sentimental ways to decorate the wall opposite your bed is to create a 'photo wall' that displays key moments in your life.
This is one of my favorite ways to decorate any bedroom wall because it creates a sentimental atmosphere that really makes your bedroom feel like a safe haven that's full of feel-good memories.
It is a great way to use any photos that you might usually keep in a keepsake box and display them instead, and it adds a really personal touch to your room.
There's a couple of ways to create your photo wall, and it depends on not only how you want it to look, but also whether you are in rented or bought/mortgaged accommodation.
How to Create a Photo Wall in Rented Bedrooms
For rented houses, we suggest not using sticky tack or anything similar, as these leave grease marks on the wall that may void your deposit.
Instead, take some string and stick your photos to this using pegs or sticky tack, leaving space between each photo to make it look effective.
Once done, use some removable sticky hooks (these should not leave marks!) to hang the photo line up so it hangs slightly loose.
How to Create a Photo Wall in a House You Own
If you do not need to worry about the walls, you can get away with some simple sticky tack, meaning you can put them wherever you like and arrange them however you want!
That said, it is not the most effective method – so using the sticky hook and photo line method is the best way to put photos up on your wall.
It shows you have put more effort in and makes the room look that bit more glamorous.
To really make it look effective on the wall opposite your bed, make sure that you do not just place your photo lines next to each other.
Spread them out a bit, having them going in different directions and at different heights.
If you want to make it feel a bit cozier, add some fairy lights around the photo line, as this looks great with the main light off…which brings us nicely to tip number 2!
2: Hang Fairy Lights to Create Ambiance
Fairy lights are a great addition to the wall opposite your bed as shown above because they add a cozier feel.
So how do you hang fairy lights on the wall opposite your bed effectively?
Well, from personal experience, I find that you can easily hang some different colored lights from the wall using the same sticky hooks used in the photo wall approach.
I suggest using two different sets, both of which have contrasting colors, and cross them over a bit when you put them up…like you would with a Christmas tree!
By starting at the top of the wall and going down, position your lights diagonally and use the hooks to secure them in place.
(Some tape or sticky tape would be useful here).
Do this for both sets and as said, cross them over – this will draw more attention to them and maybe even shine different variations of colour out too.
Make sure to get some multi-setting lights too, as this means you can get them flashing or have them remain still – depending on your preferences.
Don't go wild though, just use small sets if possible, because it's easy to over do it with lights.
Just don't cross over TOO much, don't use lots of different lights, and keep it tasteful and you should be fine.
Click here to learn how to warm up a north-facing bedroom with layered lighting.
3: Display Posters and Prints to Reflect Your Personality
Displaying posters and prints on the wall opposite your bed is one of the most effective ways to inject your personality and taste into your bedroom in my opinion.
Since prints/posters can be personal and have such a variety, this approach can be used to amplify the theme that you're aiming for in your room and draw more attention to it.
For example, if your room is fairly minimalist then some monochrome prints can really help to express this theme.
But if you have a child's bedroom with a car theme, for example, prints of different cars or racing quotes would further enhance the theme.
Therefore, if you know what theme you're going for, then prints and posters can really help with this.
Use Prints on Smaller Walls
Prints are better for smaller walls or if you want quite a few on the same wall, but just make sure to space them out evenly.
Position the prints in such a way that it doesn't look too disorganized, as this makes it look like you're just trying to use up the wall space.
Inspirational or funny quotes can be effective prints to hang.
Use Posters on Larger Walls
For larger walls, posters are better as they fill the room more effectively.
However, if you only have space for a single poster, pick one that sums up the theme of your room nicely.
If you can't think of anything and don't have a particular theme, a map is perfect to put up on the wall opposite your bed.
Prints and Posters Can Change the Aesthetics of the Room Significantly
In my experience, I prefer smaller prints as they're easier to hang (you don't have to worry about weight!) and they're more minimalist, which is my preferred style.
However, I did recently invest in a large scratch map poster, and I've really come to appreciate it.
It's personal to me and it's fascinating to look at, especially as it sits across from my bed.
This goes to show that no matter what theme you want, in my case the minimalist theme, you can use posters and prints effectively to bring a new aesthetic to the room and make it more personal.
Click here to learn how to style a minimalist bedroom on a budget.
4: Go Modern With Floating Hexagonal Shelves
When it comes to shelving, my personal favorite is hexagonal shelves as you can see above.
They really look modern and effortlessly work with any room.
That said, I've found that wall shelving in a room is not only helpful for storage, but it fills the wall space effectively and with the right things on them, can look quite aesthetic.
I think 2-3 shelves is enough on the wall opposite your bed, especially if they're quite large.
You don't want to make it look like it's just there for storage as this will ruin its aesthetic features.
Instead, take your 2-3 shelves and place them equally spaced apart but in different ways.
For example, instead of doing them all in a straight line, have them at opposite ends to each other.
If it's one large shelf, make sure to place it central, as it will look odd if not.
You might need to get your drill out for shelves, but they're worth it.
I think that floating shelves are much better than brackets just because they look fancier, but I also think hanging shelves work well too.
Try shelves that look a bit unique too, such as different shapes or alternating colors.
Also consider your room theme, as this will affect the color and shape you choose your shelves to be.
When it comes to what to put on your shelves, there are a few things you can do.
Sometimes shelves look most effective when it's quite minimalist (I know I'm a fan of the minimalist theme, but I'm not biased – promise!) and only contain a few items, particularly plants or books.
If you want them to have a bit more though, some ornaments or trophies will look good too…which brings us nicely to our fifth method of decorating the wall opposite your bed.
5: Parade Your Trophies, Ornaments, and Achievements
I believe a great way of decorating the wall opposite your bed is by displaying your personal items, namely ornaments and trophies/achievements.
You can use a shelf for this as mentioned in method 4, but you could also just free hang smaller items such as medals with hooks or string.
By having these items opposite your bed, it's a nice reminder of what you've achieved and what makes you who you are, as well as being a good talking point (well, show off) for anyone who sees it!
As a kid, I had a couple of trophies for some sports, but I mostly had ornaments and souvenirs.
I had quite a few of these ornaments and souvenirs that I had acquired from both being abroad and from religious events, as well as any other keepsakes I wanted on display.
It was quite a wild shelf – with a football trophy and the leaning tower of Pisa on one end and a few medals and St Anthony on the other, but I didn't really know a lot about interior design at this age.
Organize Your Items Appropriately
I suggest that if you're going to be having lots of trophies/ornaments that are heavy, keep them on a lower shelf and don't do too many at once.
Any lighter or smaller items are good for a higher shelf.
If you have both, mix and match them a bit for maximum effect, but make sure to keep the weight on the shelves equal.
If you have all sorts of items, try and categorize them and place them on the same parts on the shelf too.
For example, have your trophies and medals on one end, but have your souvenirs or ornaments on the other.
Or, if you have enough space, use different shelves or hanging techniques to separate them a bit more.
Hang Larger Items
If you have a large ornament or trophies (say, an animal ornament or something similar), then I think it's best to leave any shelves and just use some hanging techniques to suspend it on its own.
It largely depends on what you have but putting up your ornaments/trophies on the wall opposite your bed is an effective way to make it personal to you.
I now have my souvenirs from abroad up on a shelf next to my bed, but I'm planning to place them just under the scratch map that's currently on the wall opposite, as this will amplify my travel hobby more and remain minimalist if done effectively.
This is my choice, but of course, it will be personal to you!
6: Tie in a Wall Tapestry Feature
In my opinion, a tapestry or wall hanging feature isn't as simple as the other methods in this article, but it still works great in the right room.
Tapestries come in all sorts of colors and patterns – which must fit in with the theme of the room to work.
For example, my preferred minimalist theme would not benefit from a tapestry such as the one shown above, as it's the opposite of minimalist!
The tapestry colours must work with the room, so if it's the same colour of some items or is the same colour scheme as the room, you're good to go.
Perhaps have some matching cushions or pillows, as this will provide cohesion.
Tapestries are very fashionable, particularly amongst young people, and bring a unique aesthetic to your room.
If tapestries such as the one shown above are a bit much though, some other hanging features can be used.
You could even try a flag or a sculptural piece, depending on what your tastes are.
Whatever you use, a large hanging feature that overhangs on the wall is perfect for the wall opposite your bed.
To hang it, sticky hooks are perfect.
Click here to see how textures can be used to style your bedroom door (19 methods).
7: Paint the Wall a Different Color
Painting the wall a contrasting color is a different way to decorate the wall opposite your bed compared to other ways in this list, but it's just as effective in my opinion.
Having one wall colour in your room is fine, but I think it always helps if you mix it up a bit.
Therefore, having a different colored wall opposite your bed can look good if you do it right.
I prefer a contrasting wall which isn't too extreme.
For example, my room is primarily beige-colored, but the wall opposite my bed is a faint green.
This isn't too extreme to the point that it looks ridiculous and provides just enough contrast for it to be effective.
I suggest similar colour schemes or if you want, go for brighter colours, but make sure that each colour in the room is bright too.
Use Wallpaper for More Patterns
Wallpaper gives you even more options for decorating the wall across from your bed.
Try some different patterns or colors with your wallpaper, but just make sure the entire wall is covered and not just some of it.
This is because whilst the wall opposite your bed might not just be in line with your bed, it will look badly done if the whole wall isn't done.
By using some new wallpaper or paint on the wall opposite your bed, you bring in a new color scheme and draw more attention to that wall, so any other décor or features are more strongly expressed.
8: Create Detail With Accessories
This is a bit more of a general suggestion, but in my opinion, the wall opposite your bed is a great spot for a few different items (provided you have space).
Sometimes you don't really want to add a feature or have a specific focus, but you might also not need any storage or shelving, so what should you do?
Well, I find that there are a few options for different items you can use to decorate a wall that not only looks good but is useful too.
Firstly, a mirror is always perfect and can work well if it's not the focus of the wall, so there's no need for anything big.
Keep it to the side instead of it being central, unless it's a small or rounded mirror in which case place it at the top of the wall.
If you don't want a mirror, try a clock instead.
Secondly, plant features or overhanging plants are perfect for bringing some color to the room and fill the wall space up nicely without it being over the top.
All you will need are some small hooks to hold the plant feature, so its not much effort at all.
You could even add some clothing or key hooks if you need to use up some more space, it's up to you!
Add whatever accessories onto your wall that you want, but don't go over the top with it.
Aim for 3-4 different items to make it look good but not too overloaded.
Conclusion: Don't Overdo It!
It may be tempting to try to do too much with the wall opposite your bed.
I recommend that you stick to just a handful of methods on this list.
For example, you could paint the wall a different color and then add a photo wall and/or some shelves to avoid too much clutter.
But ultimately, the choice is yours – so be sure to have fun with it!
Up next: 9 ways to make your bedroom look bigger using furniture.
Image Attribution and Licencing
All images used with permission under the terms of Canva's One Design Use License Agreement.
Individual attribution is as follows:
Main image: 'Spacious Brick Wall Bedroom' by KatarzynaBialasiewicz (Getty Images Pro).
Image #1: 'Photos on Wall' by Vladyslav Dukhin (Pexels).
Image #2: 'Fairy Lights' by Sunstock (Getty Images Pro).
Image #3: 'Many Posters on Wall' by KatarzynaBialasiewicz (Getty Images Pro).
Image #4: 'Floating Hexagon Shelves' by Brett Taylor (Getty Images Pro).
Image #5: 'Trophy Display' by blackred (Getty Images Signature).
Image #6: 'Mandala Tapestry in Living Room' by KatarzynaBialasiewicz (Getty Images).
Image #7: 'White Room With Blue Accent Wall' by Navamin Studio.
Image #8: 'Climbing Plant on Wall Above Glowing Lamp Reflecting in Mirror' by Charlotte May (Pexels).
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How to Decorate a Bare Bedroom Wall
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