How To Decorate Above Furniture
If your living room is feeling a bit sparse- you’re not alone. Surprisingly, we are asked “What do I put on the wall behind the sofa?” more than you think.
The ‘behind the sofa’ or above the sideboard spot are notoriously tricky places to decorate because there is usually quite a bit of blank space to fill. Although not all living rooms need copious amounts of artworks, behind-the-sofa decor can be the perfect way to add more style to your living room and pull everything together.
Here are some of our favourite ways to decorate above your furniture:
WALL LIGHTS
Recently, we’ve seen more and more scones above and behind sofas and chairs, and we love it! Wall lights above seating are perfect if you want to create more depth and visual interest but have minimal space. Plus, they are functional in creating the perfect cosy lighting for a living room - a true win-win!
Psychology tells us that people are more drawn to lit surfaces rather than standing directly under lights. Washing a wall with light from a sconce is not only inviting, but it also makes you want to be near it. Perfect in a living room. You could even consider a folding arm version as a reading light or one with a built in shelf to showcase your ornaments.
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WALL ART
We use the term wall art to cover a plethora of objects. This is because merely suggesting artwork, can inadvertently narrow down options to paintings and drawings. Wall art can encompass many delicious things, including textiles, planting and sculpture to name but a few. Adding texture is a game-changer in most spaces. If you have smooth, flat walls, consider pieces with a raised surface or possibly something three-dimensional to add juxtaposition.
Wall art is a great idea in almost any open space, and above the sofa is no exception. If you have little height, but minimal width, try a long horizontal piece, and vice versa.
Top Tip: When hanging two pieces next to each other, we recommend spacing them only a few inches apart, so they don't feel disconnected.
Although we typically stick with more rectangular-shaped pieces above the sofa, if we have more height than usual, we do two vertical pieces side by side. For example, hanging a pair of same-sized artworks have the same effect as a larger piece while creating an additional visual dimension.
Here the square proportions and colours of the artwork work beautifully with the sideboard that sits below.
Remember you don’t have to fill the whole space - sometimes a smaller piece, centralised over furniture can be just as striking.
HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG WALL ART ABOVE YOUR FURNITURE?
When hanging wall art above your sofa or any other piece of furniture, it should be at least 10-15 cm above the top of the furniture. This is so you can still see the bottom edges when viewed from across the room.
If there are children in the household you may want to consider taking this measurement higher, and opting for items that will stand up to being touched or played with. You may also want to consider alternative mechanical fixings to ensure they will not easily detach from the wall too.
If the art is going above a sofa or console, the piece should be approximately 2/3 width of the furniture. Smaller than this and it can look lost.
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MIRRORS
Mirrors have a way of bringing light into a space while opening it up and making it feel larger. They also anchor the space when centred above a piece of furniture, making everything feel balanced. We love using mirrors above the sideboards for a unique and refreshing look!
Top Tip: Mirrors are your friend in north facing rooms. Strategically placing mirrors can help to bounce the small amount of light through the room and even borrow light from other rooms and windows.
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Sources, From Top to Bottom:
Title image: Skyline wall art from Cox and Cox
Wall Sconces, clockwise from top left: Ogilvy swing arm light from Made.com, Boundary wall light from John Lewis & Partners, the Wall Box light from Cox and Cox, and the Rarni single wall light from Nkuku,
Artworks: Karana wall hung planter from Nkuku, Fern prints from Cox and Cox, Skyline wall art from Cox and Cox
Mirrors: Antique glass mirror from Cox and Cox, Patsy mirror from Habitat, and Bold Monkey Peek Into The Cosmos mirrors from Cuckooland