Unique Wall Decor Ideas To Inspire Your Home's Interiors
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“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” - Thomas Merton
The right pictures give a living space a real “home sweet home” feeling, providing a far more personal and welcoming atmosphere than bare walls. Let’s be honest, no one wants to stare at a blank canvas all day long. Especially since most of us are still in lockdown, working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, having some beautiful art on our walls is so crucial if it’s what you’re going to be looking at all day.
The cherry on top of creating your perfect home is by finishing it off with some spectacular wall art — no room is complete without. From DIY framed accessories and gorgeous mirrors to large-scale photographs and statement pieces, allow us to spark your imagination and creativity to help inspire your repertoire of wall decor ideas.
Statement Pieces
“More is more, less is a bore.” - Kristin Boman
One wall, one picture. Have you ever considered having a statement wall in your home as the centrepiece of your interiors? Whether that be a collection of matching paintings or a single piece of art, a statement piece, of often dramatic proportions, can be the solution for an entirely blank wall. From blocks of colour and large-scale graphic wallpapers, to stencil artwork and paintings, our member hotels feature some fantastic statement pieces on their walls to garner some inspiration.
Galleria Vik (photo above) truly is an art-filled wonder. Giving "living amongst art" an entirely new meaning, this Milan-based hotel is like walking through an art gallery. Each of the 89 rooms and suites showcases artists' work, amid a wash of stucco Veneziano. Fine art navigates from public art galleries to guesthouses for an exclusive in-room experience.
For the architecture and design enthusiasts, you’ll certainly be inspired by the oriental CHAO Beijing. Following a minimalistic theme, they focus on enlarging spaces and extracting as much natural light as possible through the use of ceiling-to-floor windows. CHAO aims to extract the artists within us through art exhibitions, cultural spaces and an amphitheatre in its very own basement.
If you’re looking for something a little more quirky, look no further than Sweden’s eclectic Bomans Hotell. Packed with personality and anything but ordinary decor, the owner’s playfulness and creative mind shines throughout the building. Have you ever thought about having a statement wall dedicated to your favourite icon? Following in the footsteps of Bomans, maybe someone like Keith Richards?
Portraiture
Capturing quality portraits is an art mastered with time, but placing them in your home creates a whole new story. Hanging up portraiture around the home truly adds a new level of personality and atmosphere. Aimed at capturing the personality of the subject, you can bring forth feelings and emotions with the correct lighting, backdrop and pose. Whether you are a photo-enthusiast and have a collection of favourite portraits you’ve taken over the years of friends and family that you want to hang on your wall, or some portraits of famous icons and old classics, you can never go wrong with portraiture.
The luxurious boutique of Mimi’s Hotel Soho (photo above) is the epitome of old-world British style executed with modern materials. Its dark hallway panelling and bedroom walls are graced with historical portraits in opulent frames that truly set the mood for your stay.
In Thessaloniki, Greece, the converted 1920s townhouse of The Trilogy House not only has a stylish yet playful industrial setting emphasised by the combination of prestigious international design brands utilised throughout the rooms, but also has a portrait of the Georgian revolutionary and Soviet politician, Joseph Stalin hanging in their lounge room — yes, this could turn a few heads, but that’s the beauty of wall art, the choice of subject and theme is entirely up to you!
Eastwest Hotel in Geneva takes a slightly different approach to portraiture. The oriental atmosphere and Japanese theme instilled in certain areas of the hotel succeeds in bringing out a sense of true luxury. From portraits of the backs of Geishas to colourful hanging paintings, the carefully curated wall art around this hotel truly blends in with its intimate environment.
Neon Signage
Are you looking to try something different and a bit brighter? Have you ever thought about using lighting to decorate your wall instead? From a string of fairy lights to glow up paintings, neon lighting has come back into fashion, managing to achieve the right mix of modern sophistication and fun. They look best when colours are kept cohesive, with the focus drawn towards the light itself, otherwise it may look a little cluttered!
ME Cabo (photo above) is a sleek and contemporary hotel located just a short distance from downtown Marina on the Medano Beach of Cabo San Lucas. Timeless white exteriors are mixed with a combination of Art Deco arrangements inside. The lounge corner is filled with dark, Chesterfield vibe furnishings, highlighted by the magnificently red neon light quoting ‘Dare to be me’. This cool and mischievous sign really sets the mood for this corner of the hotel.
If you’re looking for some urban eclecticism at its finest, look no further than The Pinnacle Athens. Managing to strike the perfect balance between comfort and style, modern elements meld with the building's original architecture, in a feat of urban eclecticism. Completely opposite to the fiery red lights in ME Cabo, the baby blue ‘Pause’ neon sign in the hotel restaurant gives a more relaxing and cooling feel to the room, blending in with its chilled-out vibe atmosphere.
Located a stone's throw away from the emblematic Empire State Building and Madison Square Park, Mondrian Park Avenue encapsulates the quintessential spirit of New York while bringing its particular vibrant energy to the city. Fusing sophisticated, modern design elements with artfully curated amenities, sleek and classy interiors fill the hotel. Whilst the rooms were designed by the iconic Phillipe Starke, the ‘EXIT’ neon signs in their edgy Boogie Room bar truly highlight the combination of street art and retro furniture that fills this magnificent bar.
Mirrors
"Mirrors instantly add depth and light to any room for a larger, brighter feel. Experiment with the size, shape and directional hang of your mirror to achieve a variety of looks. Pull in decor trends such as bone inlay or acrylic to create an interior that feels layered and intentional in the space." - Wendy King Philips
Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Whether you have a large or small space to work with, mirrors will guarantee the illusion of spaciousness. It’s a quick, easy and stunning way to decorate a blank wall in your home. From floor-length and freestanding mirrors to statement and eclectic ones, a mirror not only adds style to the room, but also reflects light around the space, making it feel a whole lot bigger!
Take Casa Decu for instance. Blending timeless comfort and luxury with contemporary concepts and design throughout the hotel, the neutral tones and furnishings intermingle with splashes of bold patterns on the walls and floors, presenting a comforting yet surprisingly unique atmosphere at every turn. Its gold, artfully appointed mirrors give a sunshine vibe to the walls and are placed all around the hotel to truly highlight the magnificence of the artsy and leafy La Condesa neighbourhood, one of the most up-and-coming areas in Mexico City.
Maybe you’re looking to place a smaller and more standout mirror in your hallway to blend in with the color scheme and wallpapers? The sophisticated and elegant hallways of Flemings Mayfair (photo above) is the perfect place to inspire those with this theme in mind. Converted from 13 Georgian townhouses in 1851, this miraculously glamorous hotel (the second-oldest in London) takes its inspiration from the pivotal era of interior design, the 1930s, with its quirky details and ornate decor with a contemporary flourish.
To instill some tradition into your home, you may consider placing a mirror either above a mantelpiece or a chest of drawers. This not only gives the wall some decoration, but also brings that whole section together as one. Hotel Heureka encompasses the atmosphere of Venice, a modern composition within the magic of the past, and the in-depth, unique and multi-dimensional Italian design utilised throughout the hotel is the perfect place to draw inspiration from.
Framed Photographs
From vintage poster art series to framed photographs of friends, family or landscapes, you can’t go wrong when it comes to gracing your walls with framed photography to brighten up your home. There’s absolutely no limit to what you can and can't, should and shouldn't put on your wall, so long as you frame and hang them properly — think an old-time iconic masterpiece or an old-school poster or advertisement.
Bringing a touch of French sophistication to Denmark, Villa Provence (photo above) is a charming boutique hotel nestled within the heart of Aarhus, a Danish city gleaming with vibrant culture and history. The signature Provençal country style of Villa Provence has taken its inspiration from the owner’s love of the South of France. Filled with gorgeous furnishings and an overall Provençal charm, the extraordinary collection of vintage and retro French film and advertising posters that grace the inside of the hotel walls make the space even more spectacular.
Berlin’s magnificent Hotel Zoo really is the true meaning of extravagance. With bright interiors that fill the hotel with a colourful vibe, it revives 1920’s Berlin glamour whilst reflecting the vibrant culture of the buzzing city it’s nestled within. From an interior courtyard filled with ivy-covered elephants and giraffes to the exclusive artwork by Swedish photographer Andreas Kock, the framed photographs of animals with a unique twist really reflect the colourful culture of the streets outside.
Görväln Slott’s tongue-in-cheek decor is definitely a place to draw inspiration from. This stately manor house built in 1679, is not only filled with lavish, opulent furnishings, but also graces its walls with extraordinary framed photographs around this impeccable Swedish estate. The hotel’s restaurant is not only complimented by its food, but also by a collection of different shaped and sized picture frames around the walls which gives a more old-school and cosy feel and within an entirely unique arrangement.
Accessories
This is the part where you experiment and try something a little different. Whilst statement pieces and portrait images are a great way of decorating your walls at home, you may wish to add a special twist by hanging accessories and objects instead. There are various items you wouldn’t even consider that could be turned into wall art by either putting it on display in a cluster fashion or allowing it to shine in its solo glory. Think retro telephones, typewriters, hats, or woven DIY macrames. It's a fun, stylish, and affordable way to give new life to the things you already have or can pick up relatively cost-effectively.
Manchester’s Hotel Gotham (photo above) focuses its offering on glitzy decadence and theatre with a wonderfully distinctive twist. Hailed as the ‘Coolest Boutique Hotel’, its interiors set the scene when it comes to retro early twentieth century Manhattan glamour, not to mention, their staff dress go about their days in signature Gotham-esque roles. From ‘wonderwall’ screens to chain hanging mirrors, their eclectic vintage typewriters placed on the wall with personalised Gotham Bugle news articles attached are truly inspiring.
Charming and intimate, CasaDodici is a sophisticated boutique hotel located on the Porto Canale, a canal harbour dating back to 1502 and designed by Leonardo da Vinci himself. To blend in with its surrounding atmosphere of fleeting old maritime fishing boats, it has a gorgeous selection of handcrafted accessories shaped as fishes made from old wire, rope and wood, hanging in their restaurant, 12Ristorante. However, they also contradict their seaside surroundings with opulent-designed suites named after famous actresses and celebrities, showcasing a number of cool, black rams heads and paintings on the walls.
Maybe you’re not really into hanging too much on your walls and you’d rather something a little simpler? The charming guesthouse of Locanda al Colle is your go-to for inspiration. This converted farmhouse is filled with Art Deco styles from the 1920s and vintage designs from the late 50s and 70s. One wall hosts a collection of straw hats, blending in with the property’s cool and laid back atmosphere. If you have a collection of cool hats that you don’t know what to do with, be sure to showcase them on your wall!
Paintings
Amid all of the machine-made items around our homes, sometimes it’s nice to have something placed on our walls that effortlessly brings a bit of life back into the room. There’s something about a simple painting that allows you to sense the time, effort and love that was spent putting into its creation. From old-time classics and landscapes to abstract paintings, be inspired by some of our favourite hotel member paintings.
With a wonderfully charming focus on architecture and design combined with a truly contagious family-oriented vibe, Hotel Muchele allows many of its architectural concepts to embellish each space. They hold a beautifully personal meaning to the lineage of the Ganthaler family, the latest generation of whose heart and passion provides the backbone to this astoundingly successful South Tyrolean home away from home. Whilst their rooms are minimal and uniquely modern, their placement of landscape and colourful animal paintings really blend in with its surroundings, giving a sense of calm to the room.
Maybe you want to take some inspiration from The Siam, a boutique beauty among Bangkok's skyscrapers. This private urban sanctuary situated on the Chao Phraya river has a real Siamese and oriental charm when it comes to its design and wall art. From traditional hanging tapestries to Jazz-themed pictures in the in-house French bistro that oozes a Great Gatsby charm, there’s something about the outline paintings of women that really bring a sense of intimacy to the rooms.
While this is an article all about wall decor, we urge you not to forget your ceilings — after all, they’re kind of walls too. Consider it an additional surface you can decorate! The elegant restaurant inside Switzerland's Art Hotel Riposo has a truly inspiring painted ceiling. Full of colourful animals, nature and figures playing musical instruments, having a statement painted ceiling is a stylish way to decorate the room and turn the ceiling into the centrepiece.
Maps & Tapestries
If you’re a travel enthusiast like us, you may want to incorporate this passion into your home decor — after all, we’re sure you’ve got lots of souvenirs and mementos you’re not sure what to do with. Whilst it’s not possible for us to travel at the moment, maps or tapestries make great pieces to fill a blank wall, adding charm and interest to the space. From an oversized vintage world map to colourful framed maps of your city or town, you can never go wrong with a good-looking map on your wall.
Richly designed in relation to the history of Pienza and widely known as "the ideal city of Renaissance", La Bandita Townhouse (photo above) is a loving acknowledgement to the heritage of the Tuscan town. Decorated with spaciousness and light in mind, La Bandita not only incorporates decorative mirrors on its walls as windows, but the large-scale vintage map of Italy hanging in the lounge area is the real cherry on the cake to its magnificently humble design.
Lisbon's charming As Janelas Verdes has been classically decorated in-keeping with its eighteenth-century history. Around every corner lies a magical detail or refreshing space to discover; works of art, books and family photos create a quintessentially romantic novel atmosphere. From a selection of framed portraits in the hallways to outstanding wall-to-wall bookcases, As Janelas Verdes also interprets large-scale maps in gorgeous frames to really highlight its walls.
Situated next to the famous Sao Jorge castle, Solar Do Castelo was built on the ancient kitchens of the Royal Palace and adheres to a medieval contemporary style — think thick castle stone, heavenly rich ochre, turquoise walls and plenty of charm. Whilst the contemporary medieval design of the furniture was specifically made for the hotel, the old and worn maps plotted around give the place a rustic, romantic charm.
Bookshelves
You can never go wrong with a bookcase! From built-in shelves to mountable ledges, whether you have a ton of books that you want to showcase, or you’re looking for a more artsy approach, a well-styled bookcase will be your saviour. Not to mention, it’s also a great way to add a pop of colour to the room!
Once a boarding school, the charming, art-filled boutique of Hotel Vilòn generates an exciting new level of luxury within the Eternal City of Rome. Having been transformed into a wonderfully stylish mix of 19th-century grandeur and refreshing modernity, the sultry and seductively rich hues that fill the hotel walls really are the crème de la crème of luxury. The inhouse Adelaide restaurant not only glimmers with a certain grace of Italian hospitality, but its lavishing black bookcase filled with collectables and publications really highlights the restaurant’s luminous heights.
Inspired by the goal of creating a space of comfort with a focus on the sacredness of water in the modern world, the self-reliant Waterline Villa (photo above) takes pride of place on the dunes overlooking Noordhoek beach, with panoramic views of the sea and mountains. Ranging from expansive and freeing to cosy and exquisitely intimate, there are multiple areas to please every kind of guest. The design emphasises total relaxation and its wall-to-wall wooden bookcase filled with travel and interior design books, and local handicrafts, blends in seamlessly.
Hotel & Restaurant Bad Schörgau uses a slightly different technique with their bookcases. This alpine haven located within Italy's enchanting South Tyrol, exhibits a strong focus on a family-run atmosphere. All rooms are crafted and delicately furnished with the alpine aesthetics of the surroundings in mind, aided by 16th-century style. From alpine-inspired furnishings to natural materials melding with modern interpretations, be inspired by the log-filled wall featuring an embedded bookcase in the central lounge area. It not only blends in wonderfully with its natural surroundings, but also gives an artistic twist to a simple bookcase on a wall, making it the perfect peaceful hangout.
