If you’re wondering how to decorate a slanted wall in the living room, you’re in the right place.
When you live in a place where not everything is a nice, perfect cube with four perfectly squared walls, it can be just a liiittle tricky to figure out how to decorate it.
But worry not! Today, we’re going to buckle down and get to the nitty gritty of decorating an odd-shaped space.
In this article, we’re going to discuss whether or not you should paint a slanted ceiling, how to hang things on a slanted ceiling, plus ways to organize your awkward living room.
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Should You Paint the Slanted Ceiling?
In a small room with lots of slopes and angles, you’ll typically want to paint the angled ceilings the same color as the walls to give the illusion of height. A paint with a satin sheen will reflect light more than a flat paint, helping to brighten up the room.
Lighter hues that reflect lots of light will help to brighten it up.
You can absolutely paint any flat ceilings in either white or a color that complements the walls, although if there’s very little flat ceiling, it might look better to just paint it all one color.
If the room is bigger and the slanted ceiling has a more gentle slope, leaving plenty of wall space underneath, it often works to paint it a different color than the walls.
In fact, I have seen plenty of great looking rooms with a medium to darker color on the walls, while all of the angles were treated as part of the ceiling, and are all painted the same color — typically white.
As you can see in the below photo, the flat and angled ceilings are painted white, while the walls are accented with a bold orange. The room is large enough to pull it off, not to mention there is plenty of light in the space.
Just keep in mind that using too many different paint colors in a room with slanted walls and ceilings could give the room a “choppy” look.
Related: 10 Best Paint Brands for Gorgeous Interior Walls
How to Decorate a Slanted Wall in the Living Room
And now, here are seven inspirational ideas for decorating a slanted living room wall.
1. Choose a cohesive color scheme.
As we discussed in the previous section, you can either treat the angled surfaces as part of the ceiling or as an extension of the walls. It all depends on various factors, particularly your end goal. What are you trying to accomplish in the room?
Are you trying to make it look bigger and brighter? Warm and cozy? Do you want to add more height? You’ll want to consider these questions when deciding on a paint color for the sloped wall or ceiling.
When it comes to choosing paint colors, if you have decided to use more than one, you’ll naturally want to choose a cohesive color scheme.
Read up on how to choose a color palette for any room in your home.
2. Stripe the walls.
If you want to make a bold statement, then wide horizontal stripes will accomplish just that. Or, if your goal is to add height, you could try vertical stripes — consider striping all the way up from the floor to the top of the sloped wall to draw the eye upward.
3. Create a fun wall mural.
A wall mural can make quite the statement in any room, but bringing it up a sloped ceiling is the ultimate statement piece for your living room.
Not all of us are artists, though, nor do we necessarily have the time to spend painting an intricate design. Fortunately, there are lots of convenient stick-on options to complement nearly any decorating style.
– dandelion and butterflies sticker
– large family tree wall decal
4. Apply vinyl wall stickers.
To expand on the previous idea, for those of you who don’t want a huge mural in your living room, you can still achieve a nice statement on a much smaller scale. Do this by applying a vinyl wall sticker to just the slope, rather than on multiple planes.
If you’re a brave soul, you could also achieve this look by painting it yourself (or with the help of these fun stencils!).
Inspirational words and quotes are popular choices, but if you know where to look, you’ll find plenty of non-text options, as well.
– paisley birds on a wire wall decals
– dream, imagine, believe wall decal
– acrylic bubbles mirror decal
– personalized family name wall decal
5. Hang artwork on the slope.
Yes, you CAN hang artwork on a sloped wall or ceiling! In fact, a slanted wall is the perfect place to hang larger pieces because they really pop.
When done well, it can help to bring the room together in a whole new way.
*Wondering how to hang artwork on a slanted wall? Scroll down to the next section for a few different options.*
6. Plank the sloped wall or ceiling.
Planking the sloped wall or ceiling can add a lot of interest and texture. Some ceilings feature natural wood paneling to create a warm, cozy vibe, while others might have white shiplap for a fresh look.
Another popular choice is to add exposed beams to the sloped ceiling for a more rustic feel.
7. Get creative with shelving.
Accentuate the slopes by adding a few floating shelves on one of the non-slanted walls. Of course, the shortest shelf should be at the top, and each shelf below it should be a little longer. You might even want to run the shelves all the way to the slope.
How to Hang Things on a Slanted Ceiling
Yes, it really IS possible to hang things on a slanted ceiling or wall! Here are a few ideas.
1. Security Hangers with T-screws
You can use security hangers with t-screws on either wood or metal frames. Once artwork is secured to the wall with drywall anchors, it’s not going anywhere without using special tools to remove it. (This is actually how public galleries keep valuable artwork safe from theft!)
2. Keyhole Brackets
Each of the keyhole brackets comes with two screws that you need to secure into the back of the frame — you will need four brackets for each piece of artwork (one for each corner).
Drill small pilot holes into the wall for the drywall anchors and use a leveling tool to make sure they are level. You’ll want to use 1-inch drywall screws and make sure the screw heads are sticking out about 1/4 inch.
You will then slide the wide openings of the keyholes over the screw heads — then slide the screw post into the narrow channel, securing the frame.
3. Earthquake or Museum Putty
This option isn’t quite as foolproof as the two above, but it should work for lightweight frames and won’t leave any holes in your walls. Simply roll up a small amount of museum putty and apply it to all four corners, then place firmly onto the wall.
4. Hook and Loop Tape
The hook and loop (velcro) method could prove a little tricky, especially when it comes to lining up the self-adhesive hook and loop tape on both the wall and the frame so that it’s perfectly straight.
You’ll want to run a long strip of tape along the length of each frame, and then secure the other side to the wall, making sure both pieces line up perfectly.
You might also enjoy: How to Arrange Artwork in the Living Room Like a Pro
How Do You Organize a Living Room With a Slanted Ceiling?
And now for the million dollar question: What do you put underneath a sloped ceiling?
Obviously, if the ceiling is really low at the bottom of the slope, you don’t have much space in this area. At least, you won’t be able to do anything that involves standing — you definitely don’t want to hit your head on it every time you stand up!
If the bottom of the slope is really low, the little nook underneath is the perfect place for a small bookcase or shelves for storage.
If there’s a window and enough room, you could even put a window seat there. This could be a good place for a desk, as well.
You can certainly put a sofa in the nook, if space allows, since you’ll be sitting down. (This is the perfect opportunity to use the methods discussed above for hanging artwork on the slope above the sofa!)
Final Thoughts on Decorating Angled Walls
Just because your living room isn’t a nice little perfect cube, it doesn’t mean you have to settle for an awkward, choppy looking space. With a few well-thought-out touches, you can pull an angled room together to achieve a home you truly enjoy spending your time in.
So, now that you have some ideas on how to decorate a slanted wall in your living room, which will you choose?
Read More:
How to Choose a Wall Color That You Won’t Instantly Regret
7 Stunning Color Curtains That Go With Gray Walls & Brown Furniture
These are some neat tips. I like the idea of painting a mural to be unique. The other article you talked about how to choose a color palette was spot on for me because I struggle with finding colors that go together. Thanks for the awesome resource!
Thanks Heather! So many people have a hard time putting together color combinations, which is why I’m gathering all these ideas and putting them together here. 🙂