A TV on a stand or mounted to the wall can often look cold or out of place without any other wall decoration. Since the standard height for a TV on the wall is around 70 inches, the remaining empty space will give you room to play with. With a touch of imagination, you can easily transform the empty wall above the TV with some excellent decor ideas.
Check out our list of inspiring above TV decor examples to help you figure out how to decorate the empty wall space above your TV.
Best Wall Decorating Ideas for Above the TV
Install Floating Shelves
One of the most common ways to decorate the wall above your TV is to install floating shelves. This gives you flexibility for placing your accessories or books there. The floating shelves can serve as an extra storage for your magazines and other essentials.
To coordinate the floating shelves with your TV, opt for a similar design or color as the TV stand as shown in this image. In this case, we picked contemporary, minimalist shelves that go with the TV cabinet stand as they blend together perfectly.
As you can see, these two simple floating shelves have taken the focus off the black screen TV while filling up the empty white wall space. The furniture and fixtures in this modern living room complement the floating shelves without making the TV look out of place.
Add Several Wall Sconces or Hanging Lights
Adding decorative wall sconces or lamps can be an effective way of making the blank wall space above your TV look more interesting. This is especially true if your living room lacks natural lighting. With wall lamps or sconces, you are not only adding a decorative element to the empty space, but you’re also brightening up your living room.
Although some people may think that lamps or sconces above the TV can be bothersome for the eyes, as long as the light beam isn’t pointing directly at you, (position them downwards to face toward the floor), then you won’t feel uncomfortable when watching TV.
In this example, the elegant hanging lights aren’t pointing outwards, thus making them the best choice for decorating the empty wall. The closed lamps are in chic black just like the TV and cabinet stand. You may prefer to add a row of several lamps above the TV, or use suspended ones on either side of the TV.
Decorate with a Wall Painting
A wall painting above the TV is the ideal way to fill up the empty space. Whether you go for an artistic piece or put your own artistry on show, be sure not to exceed the size of the painting with the TV as shown here.
The idea is to keep the TV firmly in focus without the painting detracting attention.
Hang a Decorative Mirror
Mirrors are highly functional and versatile pieces for any room. When you’re decorating your bare wall space above the TV, a decorative mirror will do the job nicely to make your wall visually more interesting.
Mirrors make a small room appear larger and more spacious. Moreover, they reflect light so your living room can feel much airier and brighter. Bear in mind to choose an ornately designed mirror instead of a plain one in order to avoid a bland look.
Create a Gallery Wall
Another effective (and gorgeous) way to decorate an empty wall above the TV is to create a gallery wall. This is the best opportunity for you to express your personal style.
To give you some ideas, consider using different types of frames or materials to display your favorite collection. Place the frames in rows or columns for a highly composed impression. That said, there are no rules to follow when creating gallery walls, so just let your creative juices flow!
Show Off Your Black and White Photos
If you’re not feeling creative at the moment, then a simple hand selection of your favorite black and white photos on the wall above the TV is all that’s required to showcase your pictures.
This idea brings visual interest when your TV isn’t on. With this setup, all you need to do is select the frames that most appeal to you and arrange them how you like on the wall.
Paint the Wall a Solid Color
The wall above your TV doesn’t have to remain white. Any bold or solid color can transform the space, without having to use any decoration for visual interest.
For example, a pastel green paint color for the wall that displays your TV can blend well into the space, with nothing else required above the TV. Just remember to balance out the furniture colors with the wall color to keep the interior design cohesive. Soft green is the perfect wall paint for achieving this effect as you can see in this photo.
Surround the TV with Built-in Shelves
By surrounding your TV with built-in or integrated shelves, your entertainment device won’t stick out like a sore thumb on the wall. In fact, a big screen TV can blend into the background with show-stopping open shelves.
This is an excellent opportunity to show off your decorating talent with an entire wall full of open shelves and a big screen in the middle of it. Note: to avoid cluttering the shelves, go easy with the display of your favorite items as the idea is to keep the TV in focus. With open shelves all around your TV, including above the screen, you can gain heaps of storage to keep your accessories out of sight.
Get Creative with Decorative Wall Stickers
Wall decals are fast becoming popular for both modern and traditional interiors. Decorative stickers can be purchased from any online or offline store.
These affordable stickers can be any niche you like. As above the TV decor, the bare wall space will find balance between expressiveness and creativity. Just be sure to buy high-quality stickers as they are more likely to remain attached to the wall. After all, these are works of art produced by digital machines using color tones and symmetry.
All you need to do is simply peel off the backside of the decals and stick them on the wall above and around the TV. The result is a perfect viewing experience – and we don’t just mean with the TV!
Go Rustic with Hanging Plates and Planters
There is nothing more aesthetically appealing than blending technology with nature. We’re talking about TV as technology and hanging plants in pots or baskets as nature. Add some rustic hanging plates to this duo and you’ll have a perfectly filled blank wall space above the TV. This boho-inspired idea provides a clean, welcoming vibe as shown in this photo.
Keep in mind that hanging plates and planters don’t quite work in a modern interior. However, in a rustic setup, they can do wonders in transforming your wall space above the TV.
By adorning your wall with decorative planters and plates, your visitors will have something to talk about when they’re not watching TV! This is a great alternative to gallery walls, but just be sure not to hang too many plates and planters so as not to clutter the wall.
Keep it Minimal with a Simple Wall Panel
A simple wall panel is an excellent way to inject some character into your room. This idea not only adds a pop of color to the empty wall above the TV, but it also makes the screen stand out and be the star of the room.
Whether the wall panel is made of wood or vinyl, it perfectly ties the room together in a minimalist manner. You may also opt for grid or vertical paneling in any size you like. Real wood panels in shiplap or wainscotting patterns, however, cost more than vinyl counterparts so if you’re not looking for a permanent feature, opt for the latter.
Conclusion
Decorating the wall above your TV adds visual interest and color to the bare space. This prevents the TV from becoming an eyesore.
With your collection of paintings, photos, planters or even just a decorative mirror, you can transform the accent wall into a visually interesting focal point. Don’t forget to refer to our pocket-friendly above TV wall decor ideas to draw inspiration from!
