New wall art is one of the most budget-friendly ways to spruce up your living room and can be a fun way to show off your style and personality. From bold prints to unique installations, there are countless creative methods to quickly update your style. Let’s explore some fresh new wall art for modern living room vibes that you can enjoy (hopefully) for years to come!
Decorating a Modern Living Room
For the last twenty years or more, the open-concept living room has been the go-to in the design world. Everyone wants that wide open space with good flow for entertaining, plenty of natural light, and tall ceilings if you can afford it. This architecture no doubt creates a stunning space, but it can be a hard one to decorate, especially if you have a limited budget.
Large rooms equals large wall space and often no clear division of space. That can make finding the right wall art a challenge. That was the inspiration for today’s article. We want to help you find that piece that fits just right and says all the things you want to say!
We will discuss a few tips for filling a big space here, as we talk about specific pieces to update your living room, but for more tips and tricks, check out our article on creating your own art for a large living room wall!
Wall Art for Modern Living Room: 5 Unique Ways to Update Your Space
Alright, let’s get to it. Here are our top five ideas for jazzing up your living room walls this season!
1. Incorporating Textured Elements
Textured elements can really bring a space to life and add a lot of interest to a small space. Incorporating natural elements is on trend majorly for 2025 as well. Bringing in these earth tones and wood pieces is not only fashionable but feels warm and interesting.
Think about mixing materials like wood, metal, and fabrics to create visual interest. A few well-placed pieces can transform a simple room into a cozy and inviting spot.
Pro Tip: The important aspect of mixing textures is to ensure that you have a cohesive thread. Otherwise, it can start to look like a booth at a thrift store. Make sure that your pieces have something in common, whether it be color palette, sizing, or shape. For instance, in the art piece above, the designer has repeatedly used the circle shape and natural wood tones to bring cohesion to this otherwise hodgepodge collection of pieces.
2. Art Ledges for Versatile Arrangements
Art ledges are a fun way to showcase your favorite pieces without the commitment of hanging them. You can easily switch out photos and decor to keep things fresh and exciting. Plus, they add a cozy touch to any room!
I love an art ledge because it fits with most decor styles. For a farmhouse, use a rough, unhewn piece of chunky wood. When updating a traditional contemporary space, you can use a uniform series of three shelves hung precisely above each other. For a more modern take, offset the shelving like the pic above, and for a vintage/eclectic vibe, consider swapping out the frames for ornate antique store finds!
3. Graphic Art Installations
When it comes to wall art for modern living room spaces, you aren’t limited to photos and paintings! Feel free to branch out and fill those large wall spaces with unique art installations.
The options are endless. You could go with something geometric and repetitive like the one above, or build your own DIY piece with linear strips of wood. God horizontal and build a striking piece by layering 1 x 4 strips from Home Depot and painting them a few different colors. Art installations don’t need to be perfect, expensive, or time-consuming.
Here is one that I created in a large living room in just a couple of hours (not the best pic, but you get the gist).
4. Gallery Wall With a Twist
This gallery wall is a fun mix of styles and subjects that really bring the space to life. Each photo adds its own personality, making it feel warm and inviting. It’s a great way to showcase memories and art all in one spot! This example uses only photography but you can easily mix in small canvases or framed art pieces.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to composition and get a good mix for visual interest. Notice in the example above you have wide-angle landscapes juxtaposed against close-up portraiture. This tactic keeps the viewer interested and causes them to stop and contemplate for a while. Plus, it’s just more appealing from far away.
5. Oversized Art for Impactful Statements
Oversized art can truly change the vibe of a room. It grabs attention and adds a bold splash of color. A large piece not only fills empty walls but also invites conversation and creativity. One of the most common mistakes when decorating, especially in a large open space is hanging art that this too small. There is a time and place for petites, but it is not on a modern living room wall.
Pro Tip: Your art should take up at least 2/3 of the available wall space. I prefer mine to occupy 3/4 of more of the space. In addition to size, modern art typically hung slightly lower than traditional art. Make sure that the center of the painting is at our about eye level, and don’t leave more for the average person.
Wall Art for Modern Living Room: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What types of wall art work best in a modern living room?
Modern living rooms benefit from wall art that complements clean lines, neutral color schemes, and minimalist or contemporary aesthetics. Abstract pieces, geometric patterns, black-and-white photography, and oversized canvases often work well. For a pop of character, try a bold statement piece with vibrant colors or metallic accents.
2. How should I arrange multiple pieces of wall art?
When arranging multiple pieces, aim for balance and cohesion. A gallery wall is a popular option—start by laying out your pieces on the floor to experiment with different layouts before hanging them. Use consistent spacing between frames and choose art that shares a common theme, such as color, style, or subject matter, to create a harmonious look. For a symmetrical arrangement, align pieces evenly. For an eclectic style, mix different frame sizes but keep the spacing uniform.
3. What size of wall art should I choose for my living room?
The size of your wall art depends on the wall space available and the room’s furniture layout. For large empty walls, choose oversized pieces or a set of medium-sized works to fill the space proportionally. Above a sofa, aim for art that is at least two-thirds the sofa’s width, and hang it 6-8 inches above the backrest for ideal placement.
4. Can I mix different styles of wall art in a modern living room?
Yes, mixing styles can add personality and visual interest to your space. For example, you can pair abstract art with a vintage-inspired print or a modern sculpture. The key is to ensure the pieces have a unifying element, like a similar color palette or complementary themes, to avoid clashing.
Wall Art for Modern Living Room: Final Words
I hope this little list of tips and ideas helped you figure out how to update your living space. Wall art for modern living room spaces can be intimidating, but remember, art is subjective. You’re the only one who has to love it. Adhere to the basic tenets of filling the space, choosing a piece that’s visually stimulating and intriguing, and keeping cohesion. Other than that…just choose what you love! You have to look at it every day.
Also, consider creating your own art. That way, when you are sick of it, you can just paint over it, and you won’t feel guilty for destroying someone else’s creation!
