Moving on Up: Beautifying Your Walls

I moved into a new house a few months ago, and for two whole weeks, I stood staring at a blank space on my wall, trying desperately to figure out what should go there. Finally, I realized that my problem was that I was thinking too small; I was thinking about a painting or a picture frame, when I should have been using my creative side to fill in the blanks.

Paintings and picture frames are great additions to walls, but there are other options as well. If you're just a little handy by which I mean, you can use a hammer at least half the time, you can make unique wall decorations that will be the envy of your friends and a joy in your home.

When I was still in my teens, my maternal grandparents died. We were very close to them, and my mother had an especially hard time with their deaths. So, in my mother's grief, wisdom and creativity, she created shadow boxes for our family of her parents. We went to antique stores and found old domino sets and handkerchiefs and other items that reminded us of our loved ones and created shadow boxes that now hang in the entry ways of their homes. The boxes decorate the walls but they also symbolize the love and legacy left by those we love.

If you love blankets or quilts, there are some very unique ways to decorate your walls with the items. This is where the hammer comes in, by the way. You can actually take pieces of wood attached to your wall, drill holes in them, and put dowel rods in the holes. On these rods you can hang your quilts or blankets just like you can on a regular quilt rack, except this way they decorate your walls. Placing the items just above a sofa is a great way to keep blankets nearby when you watch movies or snuggle up next to the fire. Also, if you enjoy quilting or sewing, you may want to use a similar structure on the wall to hold bolts of fabric for your creations. The walls look lovely, and you're also organizing your home!

Here are just a few other ideas. You can use old windows and some curtains to make a faux window in a room without enough windows. Your can use old picture frames to "frame" an oil painting or collage or quotations. Using small vases, you can have fresh flowers hanging on your wall. You could also make part of your wall into corkboard or a set of box frames so that you can display your children's artwork.

However you choose to decorate your walls, create a room that will be enjoyable for all. When a room fits the personality of you and your family, then anyone who visits will feel comfortable spending time with you. Your comfort is equivalent to your guests' comfort, so enjoy your home and your friends will enjoy it too.

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Rhonda Morin, owner of http://myinteriordecorator.com and author of The Decorating Bible, enjoys writing and teaching others how to decorate their homes their way online.

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Copyright (R) Rhonda Morin, MyInteriorDecorator.com. Article may not be reprinted without permission and may not be reprinted without author byline including the active links.

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