Creating a comfy living room can be a difficult challenge, especially if you have a big wall above your couch.
Finding unique and interesting decorations that fit your space and work well on the living room wall often means filtering through lots of different style strategies.
Here are some original ideas and critical considerations to keep in mind when designing your ideal living room space.
Spoiler alert: these wall décor ideas above for the couch will have you running to the nearest home decoration store!
15 Wall Décor Above Couch Ideas
When it comes to making your living space comfortable, it can be tricky to find fitting decorations, especially in areas like the one over your couch.
Whether you have a small, large, or just odd-shaped spot to fill, there is a unique and creative idea for wall décor that can make just about any space look great.
1. Simple Geometric Art
gamespirit/Shutterstock
One of the more difficult aspects of filling your home with beautiful decorations and stylish furniture is that it can be easy to accidentally clash.
Keeping the style of the room consistent is especially challenging if your couch is a striking color or bold pattern.
Luckily, a simple geometric painting or image can tie a whole room together without making things seem too busy, and it’s often easy to find colors to match the paint of your room.
2. Picture Frame Collage
brizmaker/Shutterstock
If you’re dealing with a particularly large section of wall above your couch, just one painting or picture can look much too small by itself.
One of the biggest advantages of this style of décor is that you can add any number of picture frames (in any number of styles, sizes, or shapes) to fill any space you need.
They can even go around corners to decorate the space above L-shaped sectionals.
3. Macramé Wall Hanging
Photographee.eu/Shutterstock
If you’re going for a more bohemian look or want to accent your wall with a splash of whatever color you want, macramé is a fantastic option.
One of the best advantages to using macramé art for wall décor is that, through the power of internet tutorials, you can make them yourself!
That means you can select a pattern, color, and hanging material that perfectly suits your living room style.
4. World Clocks
Photographee.eu/Shutterstock
If you’re looking for something a little bit different—or you’re a big fan of traveling, business, or international sports—then setting up some clocks above your couch could be a great way to fill the space.
The beautiful aspect of this décor is that, in addition to selecting the style of the clock to suit your room, you can also pick whatever locations mean the most to you.
That makes this a popular choice for decorators with family members located across the globe.
5. Geometric Shelves
Dariusz Jarzabek/Shutterstock
Finding décor to suit a modern-styled living room can be a unique challenge, especially if you have a low-profile couch and lots of wall space to fill.
For cases like this, a set of organized, symmetrical shelving can make a world of difference.
In addition to taking up enough room to make the wall feel full, shelves like this also leave room for books, plants, and other knick-knacks that can give the room some personality.
6. Panoramic Photo Set
Sun-flower/Shutterstock
Another great way to seamlessly fill up a large amount of wall space is to take one picture and spread it across multiple frames or canvasses, creating a panoramic image.
While this is most often done with picturesque landscapes, virtually any large picture can be used to create this effect. Pre-made or custom options are available from many online retailers that sell living room décor.
7. Wreath
Dasha Petrenko/Shutterstock
For a more natural feel, adding a real (or high-quality fake) wreath to your décor can create a cozy, rustic feel without taking up too much space.
Unlike other floral elements, wreaths require no care or watering, making them the perfect type of plant for that tricky behind-the-couch spot on the wall.
8. Abstract Art
Followtheflow/Shutterstock
There’s a reason that so many people choose to decorate their homes, businesses, and other spaces with abstract art: it can go with anything.
While it’s true that not every piece of abstract art will work with every space, due to the extreme variety of this type of art, there should be a fitting piece that would look good in any living room.
Abstract art comes in all different styles and colors, so matching a painting to your particular style can be easier than it seems.
9. Unique Lighting Elements
AlexRoz/Shutterstock
One fantastic and useful way to fill the wall space above your couch is with unique and interesting lighting elements.
Whether they are attached to the wall or hanging above, throwing in some interesting lamps or sconces can help to give the room an element of utility and comfort. And it can help with any couch-time reading!
10. Maps
New Africa/Shutterstock
Another great option for those with a strong sense of wanderlust is a map of the world, town, country, or solar system you’re interested in.
Maps can be either accurate or decorative to suit your style, in addition to having a ton of aesthetic options to choose from. That makes them perfect to fit in many different kinds of spaces or color schemes.
11. Mirrors
Kuprynenko Andrii/Shutterstock
A classic but still unique choice for decorating the wall above your couch is a mirror—or a set of mirrors, depending on the space.
This versatile look can fit with almost any style if you match the type, shape, and placement of mirrors.
For example, some living rooms look great with a large, ornate mirror, while others look better if the walls are filled with a mismatched collage of mirrored diamonds.
12. Hanging Plants
Followtheflow/Shutterstock
To fill up the space above your couch with a bit of green, living plants in hanging baskets or containers can really make a living room feel inviting.
Having a few hanging spider plants or easy-to-care-for floral life can really brighten up almost any living area. Just be careful not to spill on the couch when watering the plants!
13. Chalkboard
Photographee.eu/Shutterstock
For a more crafty and inventive feel, you can add a chalkboard to the section of the wall above your couch—or even cover the whole wall in chalkboard paint for a really creative project.
After that, the living room wall is free to decorate and redecorate as much as you want!
It would also be a great place for grocery lists, important reminders, and spontaneous self-expression.
14. Natural Elements
Photographee.eu/Shutterstock
One of the great things about incorporating natural elements into your home is that there is a ton of variety in how you can accomplish it.
Whether you fill your home with living plants or just add a piece of natural driftwood as a decorative piece, bringing the outdoors into your living room is perfect for making the space comfortable.
Another fantastic part of using natural décor is that it is often multipurpose, as a hanging piece of driftwood can serve both as a stylish addition to the room and as a coat rack if needed.
15. Cork Boards or Bulletin Boards
Phaendin/Shutterstock
Another fun decorative element and DIY décor project is to make corkboards (or bulletin boards) covered in your favorite patterns or styles to match your living room furniture.
In addition to being easily customizable, these stylish pieces of décor can also hold pictures, notes, or other interesting things that you want to put up on the wall.
That makes this a fun way to fill the space above your couch with your favorite ticket stubs, dried leaves, greeting cards—you name it!
Things to Consider
To make sure that any of the styles or strategies on this list will fit with your particular space, there are a few important things to consider:
- Don’t put living plants in difficult-to-access places. Think of how you will be able to water and tend the plant before deciding on a location.
- Take into account the color scheme of your furniture and living room before choosing décor. If you’re not sure if a decoration will work, try taking a picture of it and digitally placing it in a picture of your living room. This can save you lots of time and money!
- Don’t get any art that you don’t actually like. It can be tempting to buy fancy modern or abstract art that matches your living room colors, but if you don’t like the actual image, it may affect your enjoyment of the room.
- Make sure you have enough lighting to show off your decorative pieces. You can have fantastic paintings that emphasize the natural themes of the room, but if it is too dark to appreciate them, perhaps some interesting lighting would work better.
- Measure your wall space before you go décor shopping. This one is a huge time saver, as you won’t be left looking at the ideal decoration and wondering if it will be too big—or too small—for the area you are looking to fill.
- Make sure the theme is cohesive. If you have a modern painting, rustic lighting, and a funky shelving unit, your living room may not have the unity of a fully put-together style.
What Are the Best Décor Ideas for Above the Couch?
The truth is that the perfect décor idea for your living room is going to depend on the style, color themes, and aesthetics that you want to showcase.
From plants to shelves to paintings, there are a ton of décor elements that look great above just about any couch.
The key is to find the one that best fits your style and make sure it matches the rest of the room.