WALLS ABOVE SOFAS Turn this

4 wayswith…WALLS ABOVE SOFAS

Make the most of this blank canvas in your living room

1BUILD BESPOKE SHELVING There’s no rule that says a sofa has to sit against a wall. Why not pull it out and build or hang shelves behind it, which you can fill with decorative objects? It’s easy to reach over to grab a book or remote control off the shelves and, as long as they don’t jut out at head height, you don’t have to worry about knocking them. This shelving has been painted in the same blue-grey as the wall, door and door frame, while the red sofa adds a punchy contrast. 2 HANG A GALLERY FEATURE WALL Gallery walls have become hugely popular, with a mix of framed prints and other objects used to create eye-catching displays. What makes them ideal for the wall behind the sofa is that you can add as many or few items as you like, tailoring them exactly to the space you want to fill. Before hanging the elements, lay them out on the floor until you are happy with the arrangement and make sure that they’re large enough to add impact.

FEATURE HOLLY WALSH PHOTOGRAPHS FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM, FURNITURE VILLAGE, NATUREWALL, SOFA.COM 3 EXPERIMENT WITH TEXTURE We’ve seen wall panelling ideas take the interiors world by storm and using a slim slatted design, like the one shown here, makes a big impact with its beautifully textured finish. If you want to go for dramatic effect, then a dark colour such as this charcoal black is perfect – or opt for a more natural wood finish to match the tone of your furniture or to add warmth to your scheme. 4 CREATE HEIGHT WITH A SHELF If you don’t have the luxury of high ceilings, one way to cheat them is to hang a shelf towards the top of the wall, as it draws the eye up and creates the illusion of height. Here, instead of having varying shelves behind the sofa, which can make a small room feel more enclosed, one long floating shelf runs high up on the wall, creating a neat spot to display accessories in an orderly fashion.