Make your walls wear art

If furniture fills our rooms, wall decor brings the room alive. Our walls and the way they are done have a lot to build in the way we feel about the room. It’s not easy to pick a colour from the shade card. Given the myriad tones and shades, any one would go crazy. And once the walls are done, choosing a theme for decor is a step above it all. You will have to go through options like botanical, coastal, Zen, foodie, seascapes, maps, organic, solid colours, stripes etc. Whatever inspires you, simply pick that up.

For the next few days, observe your surroundings and focus your mind on the subtle aspects that pull you. It could be a flower, a colour, a fruit, a painting, dance, food, certain aromas or just how you feel at any given moment – focus on just about anything. Now pick your top two or three inspirations and associate colours, objects or feelings with them. For example, you associate with peach the fruit. Now, look for what other colours and textures merge well with the colour.

Turquoise can add a dimension to the natural peach. So, you have your two colours, and all you need to do is to think of ways to get them on the wall. Go for a broad-striped wall in peach and turquoise or create a mural with objects in turquoise and peach in ceramic, clay, or even exotic shells for that matter. Let your imagination run in all directions and let there be no stopping. Look for artefacts, sculptures in metal, clay and wood, ceramic art work or antique objects safely tucked in some
attic.

Wall decal
A wall decal, also known as a wall sticker, wall tattoo, or wall vinyl, is a vinyl sticker that is affixed to a wall or other smooth surfaces for decoration and educational purposes. Decals can range from simple and small wall borders and cut-outs to more complex murals covering entire walls, featuring words, pictures and
designs.

Vinyls can be as small or as large as necessary and they come in many different finishes — glitter, metallic and even mirror effect. With a little bit of experimenting, you can take your decals just about anywhere — from windows to walls to tiles.

Art speaks
Art is another great way of attesting to your tastes and likings — in this case,
taking them up our wall! From the Statue of Liberty to a tropical forest — it can all come alive on your walls. All you need to do is find good artists who can revive your walls and create magic. The good news is that they are not difficult to find. Raje Chauhan from Delhi works wonders on walls. “It’s important to first understand the client’s art need and the available space for the artwork. Once I have a fair
understanding, I suggest ideas to match,” says Raje. It takes weeks to develop the
final product, but the wait is worth it.

Bhajju Shyam a leading practitioner of Gond art from Madhya Pradesh has
created a tree mural at Chennai’s Tara Books, a publishing house. “It was a long process and took me time to complete, but the final product was really appreciated by all,” says Bhajju. If traditional is your calling, look for bhil and magahi artists from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Children can be encouraged to create their own wall graffiti. You may like to invest in some erasable paints, just to be on the safe side. Gauri Sharma from had her children run riot on a designated wall and they
thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “It was fun deciding what to draw and then actually getting to draw and paint our room walls,” says Ankur, Gauri’s son.

Out of the blue
Vases on the walls are an amazing way to bring some green inside. They look great, and you can try putting in different flowers like button roses, in vibrant colours. Mix and match the vase and flower shades to either go with the wall paint or strike a contrast with it. So, to a yellow wall, add red button roses. On a burnt orange wall, bunch clay pots with real flowering plants or perhaps fabric lookalikes, if maintenance is such a big issue. Live moss can be an interesting rendering to an exterior wall. Grow moss in pre-designed patterns. Keep it alive by sprinkling water. Monsoon season supports this kind of creation.

Wall of China
Got some old china that you don’t want to use anymore? Take them up the wall. Don’t bother creating a set with similar plates and bowls. Strikingly different sets would also do. Add a dash of gold to a rusty wall for a perfect oriental effect. Or keep

elegant Victorian on a white wall. Steel too could find its right place if placed
creatively. And then, there are the gifted etched ones that need to find some corner in the house. Here’s your new found place for items that were homeless.

Abstract
Have parts of the wall painted with abstract designs, or landscapes. Now position a mirror on the opposite wall. The effect will echo across the space. Canvas paintings have the ability to break the monotony of any wall and add colour and warmth.

Abstract wall art goes well with contemporary and minimalist styles of modern home decor, while warm canvasses gel well with country-style home set ups. Old silk saris and printed fabrics can also form a piece of art. All you need are some
kanjeevaram borders and patch them up with chikankari work or art prints. Old baby frocks and booties too can go up the wall and make for a cute memorabilia.

What more...
An expansive floating shelf adds character to a blank wall. Add life to it with books and pictures. For a larger wall, position shelves in an arrangement. Mirrors are always a safe bet. Try an oversized mirror to cover a large wall. This once-dull corner will instantly come alive with the mirror in a bright blue or yellow frame. Metallic or rusted look frames are best if you want to create an old world charm.