Wall Behind Sofa Decorating Ideas 2021

You might not have realized it yet but the blank space over the sofa is a prime space to hang beautiful wall decors to further elevate the look and feel of the living space where the sofa is.

However, with the array of options one could choose from, it might be a struggle to hang the most fitting over the sofa wall décor.

In this post, we narrow down some of the most practical and noteworthy over the sofa wall decors for different home aesthetics and sofa style and material. If you are one that is currently looking for some decorative pieces to work on, read on.

Related: What Color Walls That Go Best with Brown Sofa?

In this article:

What can I put on the wall above my couch?
40 over the sofa wall decor ideas
- Mirror, mirror on the wall
- Grids and prints
- Asymmetrical grids
- Solitary, oversized paintings
- Standing shelves/cabinets
- Art collage
- A touch of minimalism
- Rustic decorative pieces
- Novel accent pieces
- Boho look
FAQs
- Should I put a mirror above my couch?
- How big should artwork be above a couch?
Conclusion

What can I put on the wall above my couch?

Before anything else, what decorative pieces are the most appropriate to put on the wall above your couch? Knowing this is the most essential information that you should be aware of before looking for specific pieces to buy. Hence, you should first check out the following:

Oversized mirrors or set of mirrors
Grid wall art or a large painting
Prints of different sizes
Floating shelves
Lighting fixtures
Window treatments
Mounted sculptures
Display maps

40 over the sofa wall decor ideas

From mirrors to a whole art gallery over the couch, here are some of the easiest to incorporate over the sofa wall decors that would really give your room a thematic and vibrant look.

So, without much ado, let us go over these 40 over the sofa wall décor ideas for you to take design inspiration from.

Mirror, mirror on the wall

One of the staple decorative accents in a living room especially over the sofa or couch would be mirrors.

Large mirrors in particular do not only give a sense of spaciousness but also add drama and elegance even to a small living room.

The prints, patterns, and colors of this living room are all unified by the natural light from this oversized mirror.

If you are working on a room that needs breathing space due to lack of windows, using window mirrors to reflect on those neutral walls would be a practical choice.

Strategically putting these panels of glass over the sofa is an unmatched and timeless wall décor.

The dramatic effect of these mirror tiles over this sofa is enhanced by the right choice of sconce lighting.

It is moody, structured and symmetrical making the room more ambient and very light. The grouping of the furniture, rug, accent pieces and the wall paint are all on point in this idea.

Grids and prints

This is not often stated but the function of lining up wall arts in grids is to bring edge and symmetry to a room.

The orderly look of grid prints often a minimalist take on living rooms and bedrooms as they give them a polished and cohesive look.

Hanging them in fours over the sofa gives balance and acts as a structured focal point like this one here.

Related: 20+ Creative 3D Wall Art Decor Ideas & Designs

Lining up memory phases of the family in symmetrical grids also give a room a lot of intimate touches and a very homey look.

If you have a preference for portraits and photography, you can easily incorporate your personal work in a grid of six like this one here. The tonal balance of this living room is also unparalleled.

And if you have more space over the sofa to cover, do not hesitate to put in more grids…say six or in this case, twelve.

Asymmetrical grids

This is a whole new level of prints and grids but if you want to go for a gallery style or to add dynamics to your room or to make a visual distraction to a cramped-up space, this is one of the best things to incorporate over the sofa wall.

For one, this asymmetrical grid took different sized wall arts and random spacing into an aesthetic surprise.

Speaking of an art gallery right there in your living room, this asymmetrical arrangement of art works complete with bookshelves standing over the sofa gives a whole new dimension to 'chaotic beauty.' We love the grouping of the prints and colors in this idea.

If it is a rustic view, you are going for this distressed wood frame where these moody, winter themed wall arts are mounted is very riveting to say the very least.

It gives a whole new flair of drama, ruggedness, and coziness fit for a log cabin living room or bedroom anytime.

And speaking of photography and scenic views, you can frame out photographic pieces in different shapes and still build a structured look amidst the asymmetry of the visual grouping.

Keeping it black and white imbibes a retro look that does not disappoint like this one here.

Solitary, oversized paintings

Aside from the ease of just hanging one wall art over the sofa, having one focal point gives the room its most coveted thematic look.

You can build around it for the other fixtures or make it the cherry on top to give away the design or theme that you are going for. This room is definitely a nautical/coastal, chic design living room fit for a suburban home.

Setting up a backsplash wall over the sofa is already decorative at best but adding a more laid back, solitary and oversized painting on this rich warm tone of wood backsplash wall are all the elements you need to create a serene, boho vibe for this living room.

Floral paintings are very timeless. You find them from the simplest living rooms to opulent, Victorian ones.

This one here sets the balance between still life and abstract and that character brings in a lot of colorful yet grounded vibe for the living room especially in emphasizing this navy-blue sofa.

For a modern, dainty look, this large artwork here is not just gorgeous but also saves you all the hustle and bustle of coordinating accent pieces together to give this living room a cohesive look.

This is especially strategic for fully neutral living rooms and sofa colors like this one here.

Modern art and floating shelves? You can count on this combo to be a rich decorative combination over the sofa making it the focal point of the living room.

The color details of the modern art and the coarse texture of the canvas give it a dimensional pull away from the geometric patterns of the throw pillows in this sofa.

Standing shelves/cabinets

The problem with large living rooms is that there is so much space to fill sometimes. In here, instead of going for the usual corner shelving or cabinets, this ornate, standing bookshelf is used as the backdrop of this calm and clean seating arrangement.

The space around the seating makes it light and airy but the surrounding fixtures including the bookshelf at the back keep it enclosed and intimate.

But if you want to take up all that space and put it into good use, a minimalist and polished symmetry for an entire shelving system gives this living room a rich, full look.

Yet even then, with this mounting style, you can still have leg room to walk behind the sofa and move around the living room's perimeter.

Speaking of a shelving system, this white shelf runner with an assortment of colorful books gives this white sofa a timeless, chic, suburban style that you would not forget for a long time. Calming and minimalist, it throws in a lot of classy style and a lot of personality.

For a full, rustic look, this living room made use of reclaimed wood for its floating shelves.

Adorned with pictures of home and family, this is a very personal take on the sofa wall décor which gives this room an overall intimate and customized look.

If you are more into clean lines and symmetries, this simple, reclaimed wood, floating shelf runner in a pool of sultry neutrals is very classy and gives this room a very polished and organic look. Let us just let this idea speak for itself.

Art collage

We have mentioned thematic looks for over the sofa wall decors but the grouping is essential to make it work.

What better way is there to evoke a theme than grouping associated elements in an art collage over the sofa wall right?

Even without the beach house sign, you would easily know that this one is all about the seaside thanks to this crafty, down to earth art collage.

Here is a more elaborate way to collage some coastal look for your beach house living room. It is not ornate but it sure is more thematic than the previous look.

For a vintage, antiquated look for your living room, this Tennessee homeowner pays homage to family by collaging throwback photos of his grandparents' university days. This personalized take on this over the sofa wall décor makes this very small living room more intimate.

A touch of minimalism

For a well-angled living room, sometimes less is more. For instance, the plains and prints of this sofa and throw pillows are already a scene on their own so adding just a decorative, all-season wreath over the sofa wall is enough to give this living room a clean and polished façade.

Yes, we understand. This should be lined under the mirrors category but this industrial style mirror focal point with simple black trims is enough to give a clean elegance to this contemporary chic living room in the suburbia.

This simple arrangement of repurposed wicker baskets in this bright neutral wall does not only give the room a textured balance but also makes it very unique especially if you are not particularly going for a rustic look.

If you have a preference for eclectic, modern styles, hand painting ceramic or porcelain plates with geometric, ornate, or ethnic patterns can be spruced up over the sofa wall décor that brings a lot of bold lines and dynamics to a living room like this one here.

Panel arts are also some of the most minimalist takes on over the sofa wall decors. The abstracted continuity of these art pieces is so simplistic but the colors have the capacity to fill the space behind the sofa.

A bold, tonal contrast also offers a lot of minimalism to a living room and is always a good touch for the sofa wall décor.

Black and white is superb but throwing in a black and red play gives a whole range of emotive effects from romantic to intimidating, to warm and bold. This one speaks for itself in an opulent fashion.

Rustic decorative pieces

The warmth and coziness of a well-arranged rustic style living room give a simple yet rich and homey aesthetics.

Let us start with this faux animal mount. Veering away from the wood and stuffed animals, this stainless-steel rustic piece gives this living room a lot of contemporary looks.

Putting in unexpected accent pieces over the sofa wall is something outlandish but gives the room an organic, homey feel.

For one, this St. Edward's cottage style vacation house mounted a chalkboard over the sofa and used its thickness to work as a countertop where family pictures are lined.

And if you want just one element hanging over your couch, an oversized wall décor like this distressed clock display here is something to take inspiration from. The worn out appearance of this vintage wall clock screams rustic too.

Novel accent pieces

If a more updated chalkboard is what we are going for, this café style montage board is a fine touch to use over the sofa wall décor and a backsplash wall at the same time.

Another quaint yet simple over the sofa wall décor that never goes out of style would be bold letterings. You can choose not to adorn them with backlighting because they are already ambient on their own. This very simple look here is all you need to feel cozy in your living room space.

It is one thing to install racks and shelves over the sofa and use it for wall decors but mounting a bicycle rack and using your old, favorite bike aesthetically on that over the sofa rock is very industrial yet very personal at the same time too. And the cerulean blue color? It is so cool, bold and very masculine.

And since there is no limit to what over the sofa wall décor constitutes, why not go all out and put in a large wall mural behind the couch just like this one here. Textured and colorful, this one here truly gives this living room a compelling look.

Boho look

Or what about using a supposed window treatment into a repurposed wall décor? For one, this macrame valance is used in this bold beige and white living room contrast. As minimal as it may seem, this single wall décor piece gives this room a whole lot of boho look.

Aztec prints are also something to hang as over the sofa wall décor to recreate a modern boho look. If you want some textured patterns behind your sofa and some color popping ornaments at the same time, this is a great contrast to consider.

Repurposing old tapestries over the sofa wall décor does not only embrace the boho style but also give the living room a standout gradient look. This oversized tapestry here gives this small, vintage style sofa a lot of playful accents and a lot of vintage looks.

Chevron panel arts are not just for rustic tones but also for perfect for a simple boho look.

Keeping an ample gap in between this minimalist chevron art gives this living room an angled and intriguing appeal thanks to its clean tones and the light accent pieces that complement the sofa like these wicker details on the corners and in the ceiling.

FAQs

Should I put a mirror above my couch?

If you want to allow more bright light in the room or to give it a sense of spaciousness and an elegant touch, yes, by all means a mirror above the couch is essential. With the vast number of mirror designs and trims out there, you would never run out of good choices whatever the couch style is.

How big should artwork be above a couch?

When it comes to wall art above a couch, the magic number is 60-inches from the center to the floor for it to get an eye-level view. As for the height above the couch, it should be 4-6-inches and the dimension should be 2/3 the width of the furniture.

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Conclusion

Over the sofa wall décors are uncomplicated but they require skillful work and an eye for art and balance so that they could complement the room well. The good news is that you can choose from different decors to bring out the right sizzle the sofa needs.

In time, you would be able to mix and match the right over the sofa wall decors for a more upscale look but for now you have these notable ideas to draw inspiration from.