Your Walls Are Never Finished: How to Make the Most of the Biggest Space in the Room

For ages, no one was talking about walls. We'd spend months choosing a sofa, fuss over what goes on the mantelpiece, and then give the walls a single coat of paint and call it done.

But walls are just as important. They're such a large, forgotten space, and they can show a pop of who you are, or the whole of you. Think of them as a big canvas, not just a space for one colour of paint. That's why I'm so pleased walls are finally getting some attention again.

Start with the room, and with you

The first thing to think about is the purpose of the room, and you. What happens in that room, and what do you want to see when you're in it?

I prefer a nice mix of things. As always, there's not really a rule, except to be yourself. One of my favourite things on one of my own walls is a handmade ceramic fried egg. We don't stock them, but I love it, and that's the point: it's mine, and it makes me smile every time I walk past.

And remember, walls are never finished. You can always add to them, move things around and take things down. Nothing has to be forever.

Gallery wall or one big piece?

For me, it's a gallery wall every time: a mixture of things, and shelving too. Art, objects, mirrors and a shelf or two all on the same wall give it depth and a story, rather than one picture hung in the middle.

A few pieces I love

• The new HKLIVING mirror. The Ripple Wave mirror in mango wood adds depth and texture, and a mirror on a gallery wall bounces the light around the whole room.
• The Dent from HKLIVING. The chrome Dent wall sculpture is a mirrored piece that's as much art as it is mirror.
• HKLIVING's Pocket Exhibits. Little pieces of art that are perfect for filling the gaps on a gallery wall, like Verdant, Crave and Palette.
• The Delete key from House Doctor. The Delete key ceramic wall art has been so popular that it's on back order until early next year, but it's worth the wait.

You'll find plenty more in our art and wall decor and mirrors.

What if you're renting?

Talk to your landlord first. If you have white walls, it's very easy to cover over the tiny hole a small nail leaves when you take it down.

If you're worried about your walls, don't hang big, heavy pieces. Go for a few smaller, lighter things instead. You can also get plastic hooks that stick to the wall, which are worth a try for lighter pieces.

Just start

Pick one thing you love and put it up. Then add to it, move it, take it down again. Your walls are never finished, and that's the fun of them.

Kamil