Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Defending the Small House – Decorating Walls

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Hey, it’s Small House time again! Welcome back.

This month, Brenda and I are going to talk about Decorating Walls in a Small Space. Now, you might think that I’m going to say something like, Be Careful – don’t put too much on your walls if you live in a small space! On the contrary. I think you should approach the walls in a small space the same way you would in a larger space. Fill them with what you love, what moves you, what has meaning.

So let’s talk about my house and the ways in which I display things on my walls, and hopefully, I can give you some tips along the way. I’ve always adorned my walls (oh that poster of Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid in my dorm room!) and am a firm believer in it. Don and I have lots of framed pieces we love, some are on display, others are stored away. But everything we have has meaning. I know, I say that all the time, but it’s true.

Tip #1 – Tell a story with your decorated wall space.

These two oil paintings live on the wall by our front door. The top one is of our cottage and was painted by my dad. The one on the bottom is of my grandmother’s childhood home in Canada and was painted by my great-aunt. Putting these two paintings together tells a story about my life now and the life of my ancestors.

Tip#2 – Use words, letters and graphics. They give personality to a room. It’s good to have a mix of paintings, prints and graphics.

I hung this sign on the wall above the landing on our staircase. The bold graphic is great and it’s playful, as well.

This sign, painted by Paula of Castle and Cottage Signs, hangs above the window that is over our kitchen sink.

More graphics in the living room. The Keyboard School sign over the piano and the vintage Hymns sign from an old church. These also fulfill the advice in Tip #1. They tell a story – about music – and they are purposefully placed by the piano.

This sign hangs over the archway into our living room and takes advantage of the high ceilings in the kitchen. We looked long and hard for a sign that was rectangular in size and would work in that space. Which leads me to Tip# 3: Think up. Don’t forget the the area of the wall that is near the ceiling. Hanging something up that high can make your room seem larger. You can see that I hung a vintage Currier & Ives print up high in the den (just look through those french doors.)

I hung the Cottage Home sign high up over the kitchen windows. You can see it as you enter the house as well as from the den and it says everything about how I feel about our house. (Sign by my friend Rita of Mammabellarte.)

Tip #4  – Don’t just use large expanses, use smaller expanses and corners. I love using little nooks and corners to hang favorite pieces.

This little section of wall borders the spinet desk by the stairs. I hung this little print there. It fits perfectly. On the right is the door to the bathroom.

This little section of wall is by the desk in the den. Immediately to the right is a closet door. On top is a favorite print of mine and below is a little shelf holding some of my favorite miniatures. If just the desk was there, it would be nice, but adding these two pieces on the wall makes the corner.

Tip#5 – Sometimes less is more. Two areas of my house come to mind.

This area, by the loveseat in the living room, has only one small framed piece on either side of the window. This lampshade is such a favorite of mine with its pretty flowered print and fringe, that I used the simple painting by Christie Repasy to echo that same flowery feeling. The color of the chippy wood frame is in the same family as the background color on the lamp. Simple and effective.

The other example is in this photo. The cabinet is substantial, has green pottery displayed on top and a crochet banner across the door. The two little rose prints on the left pick up those colors and help complete the total picture. Just two little prints.

Tip #6 – Use shelves and architectural salvage on your walls to decorate. I’ve done this throughout the house. I have little shelves holding my egg cup collection, little shelves in my studio, and some big shelves, too.

Here is a wall in my studio. I used an old mantel to create a shelf and to make a statement. And you can see, I’ve added all sorts of treasures to the rest of the wall space; a pretty memory board, a couple of prints that I love, a tiny little shelf. All of it together says a great deal about me and my studio space. Rather than work around it, I also used the funky slant to the ceiling to my advantage. I think it makes the whole thing more striking.

Another shelf, nestled under the slanted ceiling and hung on the wall, makes this niche pop.

Tip #7 – When you’re hanging something above a sofa or a chair, don’t hang it too high.  Sometimes I visit someone who has a painting above the sofa and it’s just too high. There’s too much space between the furniture and the painting. It should be hung at eye level. Excuse the messy pillows, but I snapped this to show you that this rather large print is hung fairly close to the sofa. It’s actually closer than this picture makes it seem. You don’t want too much dead space between the sofa and the painting.

Also, keep what you hang proportional to that large piece of furniture.

Tip #8 – Have fun! Hang some jumping jacks…or hang something else whimsical and fun. Not everything has to be just so or perfect. Wouldn’t you rather have have something on display that makes you smile?

If you walked around my little cottage, you’d see something hung on nearly every wall – maybe every wall. I think the things you hang on your walls tell a story about you.  Don’t be afraid to combine prints with graphics with architectural salvage. Create wall vignettes. Have fun and don’t be shy because you have a small space. Go for it!

Be sure to stop by and see Brenda’s tips for Decorating Walls. Have a great day!

Comments

  1. I love your cottage and style of decorating. So much to look at and so much of your personality shining through. Nothing cookie cutter or trendy, and it looks like everything on the walls were chosen and hung with love.

  2. I agree with Syndi. YOu have your own style. Simple, sweet and cozy. The choices you have made to adorn your walls brings out the colors in your other furnishings. Such a COZY cottage. I love it.

  6. A very pleasant post. Your decorating is lovely and creates a serene feeling. I never thought to hang anything up high until moving into our current home, a small 50s era ranch with a cottage feel to it. A couple of framed entry ways just seemed to be calling for something to be hung above them. Placing something up high lifts your eye up and seems to make the room seem a bit more expansive, or at least more interesting!

  7. Beautiful spaces! I really like how you decorated around the piano with those unique looking finds. Music is a big deal in our home, and I like how you accented the piano into a “music corner” that’s tasteful and fun!!
    Blessings,
    leslie

  8. I had not seen the Hymn church sign before and it is lovely there. I also like the small unframed oil paintings you have. I am buying oil paintings from now on, as money allows, because number one I like them and number two no glare. The signage is fun and having whimsy is always good. hugs, olive

  10. Love it. Loved both of your homes, and the spaces you filled on the walls! My favorite is your paintings of your home, and your Auntie’s home. I also adore the blue crochet banner!!! Such a cozy home you have!

  11. I love the paintings of your cottage and that of your Grandmother’s childhood home in Canada. Your cottage is very colourful and fun to look at. I’m always attracted to your green pottery!

  13. These are great ideas. I’m just getting started on the walls – beyond the artwork that I’ve had up since we moved in – starting to gather ideas about other things I want to display. We only moved here a few months ago so I’m still pondering…. I love your style!

  14. Love it, especially your little desk area. Also love your aqua highlights. You and Brenda are such an inspiration, I’m working on my walls right now and am thankful for the input from each of you. Hugs ~ Mary

  15. Your home is so sweet Claudia, there is so much personality there; on every wall.I have a small house too, I think its even smaller than yours so we too have become good at making the most of the space.You are dead right about having pictures at eye hieght but also having interesting things above doors- we have an old rowing oar above the door into our living room.xx

  16. You have some great things on your walls, Claudia. I really love the sign with your blog name, the squash sign and that little piece by your floral lamp. Thanks for sharing.

  20. Yes, our walls should tell a story, about what we enjoy doing, who we are, places we’ve been etc……great post!

    In my small space, I really know how to artfully pack things in using the wall space! It’s fun.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Ciao Bella
    Creative Carmelina

  22. I couldn’t agree more..I have my walls full of all the things we love. I was just laughing the other day with Gary saying “is there any more room on these walls for one more painting” LOL I think “yes” I can always squeeze another picture somewhere..
    I love your home its so full of love! and isn’t that what a home is suppose to be, full of love and full of our favorite things!
    Have a sweet day, Elizabeth

  24. Just now catching up on the last couple of days of blogging posts. Your walls are beautiful. They really do reflect a lot about you and Don. They show the colors you love, your love of music and flowers, and they scream “cottage”. One of my favorite pieces is the collie standing over the lamb in the snow; I remember that print from my childhood!
    Can’t wait until your Etsy shop opens! Hurry, hurry, hurry! And I love the “Scout Harper” makes me think of “To Kill A Mockingbird” every time I see it! Is that why you picked Scout’s name?
    Have a great day!

  25. Just had to come back and share this info with you and maybe some readers who love that collie/lamp print, too. I googled and found that is it titled “FOUND” and is by Albrecht Schenck. I’ve always loved that one and then there’s another one I remember from childhood that’s a wolfe alone in the snow (if memory serves me correctly) with his head up howling.
    Have a good day!

  27. claudia, i just love seeing glimpses of your home – don’s, too. i really love how you pull like colors together for beautiful vignettes. the crochet banner is soooo sweet. did you make it? those would be awesome for etsy.

    xxo
    becky

  28. I came to your blog by way of COZY LITTLE HOUSE. So, so glad I did. Your space is beautiful and inviting, and I’ll be back again.

    (How much would I love to own a vintage hymn board like yours…)

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