Welcome to our guide to living room walls!
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One of the most fundamental aspects of your living room are the walls. They set the backdrop for everything else that you do in the living area. The entire design and corresponding furnishings are set against the backdrop of your walls.
It is important to choose the proper wall for your space, and hopefully, this gallery can help you choose what best fits your living room design.
Drywall
The most common style of living room wall is drywall. Drywall is cheap, easy, and versatile. It can be changed, painted, or covered in wallpaper and is easy to repair.
There are many advantages to drywall. It holds paint and wallpaper well, so it can be adorned with nearly any design, color, or finish you want for wall decor. Drywall is also easy to repair if it is damaged. With very little effort, a hole in drywall can be patched, painted over, and forgotten. Drywall is also very easy to change. A new paint job is a task that is very simple and can be accomplished by most novice DIY people.
On the other hand, drywall is susceptible to damage. It is quite easy to punch a hole straight through drywall. It may be easy to fix, but if you are not careful, you may have to fix it often. Drywall is also not particularly impressive on its own. If you want some interesting textures and appeal, it may be up to you to get creative with the drywall or go for another option.
Drywall is very cheap and, on average, ranges from $1 to $2 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
If you are looking to spice up your drywall with some patterned wallpaper, it may add to the cost. Depending on the color, style, and quality of the wallpaper you choose, you can expect to spend between $2 and $8 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
Painting your walls is another option to add some interesting design to your room. There are different types of paint that can vary in price greatly. On average, you can expect to paint your walls for between $3 and $6 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
Wood
Wooden walls are an easy and interesting way to add dimension to your space. A wooden wall goes well with a rustic or natural tone and color palettes. If you are going for a more rustic look, leaving the wood lightly treated, unfinished, and in its natural tone is a great way to bring out that rugged and natural look.
However, finishing a wooden wall can be quite elegant. Finished wood can really warm up a space, making it very cozy and welcoming. A wooden wall painted white can stage a good backdrop to a shabby chic design and really can brighten up a space.
There are various kinds of walls you can make out of wood, from planks to pallets. Wood can make a great wall because there is such a wide variety of wood types in many different colors. Wood also holds stains and paint very well, furthering the variety and versatility of a wooden wall. (Source: DIY Crafts)
The downside of wooden walls is that they do age. If not properly cared for, they can warp and discolor. They are also subject to many kinds of damage and staining, so they should be watched and cared for carefully.
Wood varies widely. You can refurbish old pallets for nearly nothing if you are looking for a shabby unfinished look, or you can get wood paneling from $3 to $6 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
Cultured Stone
Stone is one of the toughest materials used as a finish. It can be cut into many shapes and sizes and used in a variety of places. Often used around fireplaces, stone gives a hearty outdoorsy feel. If left to its natural color, it can bring a rich and dynamic rustic look to any living room. (Source: Guiding Home)
One trend is to paint the stone a single color to retain the texture of the stone while fitting the tones into a more cohesive color palette.
The advantage of stone is that it is strong. It can resist damage, and even if you do manage to damage it, it may simply add to the texture and character of the wall.
However, it is heavy and difficult to work with. It is advised that you get a mason if you are not comfortable working with these kinds of materials.
Stone walls, depending on the materials and quality of the stone you find, range from $22 to $33 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
Exposed brick
If you are looking for a rough and textured finish to your living room walls, the most popular option is exposed brick. Typically red or brown, brick is a rich and timeless look that fits a great many styles and designs. It is never out of style and is durable; the rough finish gives the brick character. (Source: Guiding Home)
Brick is a very strong material and is difficult to damage. It always looks good and can be covered if you want a change.
Although if you do manage to damage your brick wall, the repairs may not be the easiest matter to deal with, finding a brick that is an exact match may be a pain.
If you are lucky enough to have brick already, an exposed brick wall can be pretty inexpensive as you just need to expose it. But if you are working with a different framework, creating an exposed brick look can cost from $20 to $27 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
Concrete
Concrete is the quintessential minimalist wall choice. It is simple, elegant, and modernwithout being intrusive or expensive. (Source: Guiding Home)
Concrete is great for a bare-bones, minimalist design. It is durable and long-lasting, and also very cheap. It lacks all impression and expression, so it can really let your other design choices speak.
A concrete wall is not a warm material. It does not create the cozy atmosphere that other materials may. It is a utilitarian design; the concrete wall is designed to be the wall, nothing more.
As with brick, if the bones of your home are already concrete, there is no need to crack open your billfold to get a concrete wall. But for those who want a concrete wall from scratch, they may be looking at spending $8 upward to $13 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
Metal
Metal walls are an interesting choice for any living space. There are many different kinds of metals and styles of metals that can be used, even in different states. Rusty, old distressed metal can be as viable as clean and sleek metal sheets. (Source: Guiding Home)
Metal is very strong and easy to clean. It can give an interesting look that accentuates certain kinds of designs. It does add a great deal of texture and interest to a room.
While it can accentuate some designs, metal does not work with all designs. If metal is not treated properly it can oxidize and rust even further. This may be desired in some cases, but you may not want the rust to get too extensive or you may have to replace portions of your wall.
Tile
Tile walls can be a fun and creative way to design your space. A mosaic or designed art tiles can really liven up an area. There are lots of options when it comes to tile, and the sky’s the limit as far as color and design.
There are countless styles, sizes, and shapes of tiles that come in a massive variety of colors, patterns, and finishes. The options are almost limitless when you are looking for tiled walls. They are also pretty easy to install, so you may be able to save on labor.
Tiles can be easily damaged, and repair may be an issue if the tiles you selected are limited or rare. Also, there is maintenance that comes with a tiled wall, as grout can become discolored and old.
Depending on the style and type of tiles you choose, tile walls can range from $8 to $18 per square foot. (Source: Homewyse)
See more ideas for your living room!
This living room features one section of drywall and one stone wall. The stone on the far wall creates a rustic and warm feel that is exemplified by the iron fireplace. This ties together well with the wooden floors and leather sofas.
Here is a room with drywall on the far side and a beautiful exposed brick along the back of the room. This room has an incredible amount of space, and the brick works with this space to give it a classic industrial look.
Here is a living room with a wonderful concrete wall accented with some wood panels. These walls make this minimalist, clean, and modern design really pop. The wood adds a bit of warmth to this space. See more of this home here. Designed by KUBE Architecture.
Here is a room with a mix of brick and wooden panels. Mixing both of these textures creates a dynamic and interesting appeal. The finished look of the wooden walls and the raw and unfinished work well together, providing different and interesting textures.
This living room has an accent wall that is wooden planks that have different colors and tones. These planks provide texture and an interesting dynamic to this mostly simple living room with a simple and elegant design. See more of this home here. Designed by Tsikkinis Architecture.
Here is a stunning wide open living room with simple walls, and a large wooden wall hanging above the space. This finished, and bright wooden wall brings some natural tones to this modern and sleek living space. See more of this home here. Designed by Altius Architecture.
Here is a lovely wallpaper used to tie the wall into the color palette of the design. Wallpaper can do a lot to bring life to the design or color palette of a living room. Learn more here.
Don’t feel like you need to be locked into a single type of wall because mixing walls can look great. This living room has both exposed brick and simple drywall. The unfinished, raw nature of the brick works well with the completed look of the drywall. See more of this home here. Designed by Four Brothers LLC
This living room has simple white walls, which provide a great stage for design elements such as the slab of marble that sits behind the couch.
Here is a room with wallpaper that adds some interesting texture to the walls. This texture is offset by the nice wooden backdrop that sits behind the television. This texture is a great way to make a simple white wall have a bit more visual interest. See more of this home here. Designed by Ben Amzaleg.
In this living room, there are multiple different kinds of walls working together. A simple blue wall, along with some exposed brick and a painted pattern, all bring different elements to this room, creating interesting visuals. See more of this home here. Designed by +Modern Design.
Here we see an amazing piece of art as a backdrop for a Western theme. Artwork and murals are a great way to be creative in your space and tie together any theme you may have in your room. Learn more here.
Around this fireplace, we can see some interesting dark-colored bricks that work as a contrast to the brighter colors found in the rest of the room. Above the brick is a natural-tone wood plank wall. These textures work well together as contrasting elements. See more of this home here. Designed by M2 Architectural Group.
Here is an amazing and interesting wallpaper that can illuminate any design it’s paired with. Learn more here.
Here is a living room with painted brick. Brick can be painted to match a color palette or to change the feel of a room. Because of the textures involved in the bricks, the paint won’t be even, so the color will still have a dynamic and interesting look.
Here is a living room with multiple wall types that all add different elements to this simple and minimalist living room. One thing you can do when you hang art is to have lighting highlight those artworks. This can draw the eye and make them stand out. See more of this home here. Designed by Architecton.
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