Kitchen wall ideas: ways to design the empty space in your kitchen

Kitchens are primarily practical spaces: somewhere to prepare meals and do the laundry. So kitchen walls can be easily overlooked.

This is an opportunity missed, as wall space can be both practical and impact the aesthetics of the room. But what you choose to do with it requires a little inspiration, or you’ll literally be left staring at a blank wall. There’s so much you can do to increase the feeling of space and make use of empty wall space. Take a look at our kitchen wall ideas.

15 decorative kitchen wall ideas

1. Decorate with paintings 

Big. White. Blank. Walls. Minimalist kitchens are stylish, but if you leave the walls completely blank, it’ll look impersonal and unfinished. Decorating your kitchen walls with paintings is a great way to make it unique. You can choose large paintings for large walls to add drama and energy to the space, or small paintings to fit in smaller spots and accompany other artworks or kitchen objects. And if you have a large wall space, a gallery wall can provide a striking visual focus. 

As well as the size of the wall, also consider complimenting the surrounding decor. For example, if your kitchen has dark kitchen cabinets, think about choosing bold artwork with a pop of colour. Black and white photography can also look really stylish alongside dark cabinetry. If you’re a keen photographer, think about enlarging and framing one of your own shots. And graphic prints and abstract prints can look particularly striking in any modern kitchen — Etsy is a good place to start, and local art fairs will allow you to find something unique. 

2. Fill the space with a handy chalkboard

Consider painting a section of wall with chalkboard paint, turning a blank wall into a feature that is personal and ever-changing. You can use it to chalk up your weekly menu board, for reminders or shopping lists. If you have kids in the house, get them doodling and drawing (giving toddlers an ‘artistic outlet’ away from your painted walls!). Or play some classic chalkboard games like Pictionary or noughts and crosses. Even when the chalkboard has been wiped clean, it still adds some interest and depth to the room. 

3. Style with mirrors 

Mirrors tend to be used in every room and area in the house but the kitchen! This is a shame, because mirrors are great for reflecting light and making a room feel more spacious, bright and fresh. Just what you need in a kitchen. By adding a large mirror to your kitchen wall you can transform an otherwise dark or small space. Even in a large kitchen, a mirror will stand out as a beautiful feature.

Choose the mirror frame to match the kitchen decor — whether large, grand and ornate, or modern, metal and slimline. If your kitchen sink isn’t underneath a window, add a large mirror above it so that you don’t feel like you’re facing the wall when washing the dishes. You can also buy paned mirrors which reflect the look of window panes.

4. Get artistic photo frames 

Personal touches make a house a home! Adding photo frames to a wall is a great way of including something personal, while keeping it looking stylish. Family photos will instantly make the kitchen feel more warm and inviting: a breakfast nook or bar area can come alive with happy memories on the wall. 

There are many fun ways of displaying photo frames artistically, such as: restickable picture tiles, a photo shelf, multi-photo frames, a photo grid, or displaying photo frames in pairs or threes.

5. Watch the time with a large clock 

Having a kitchen clock on the wall is invaluable, so choose one that can also be a stylish feature. Oversized wall clocks are fabulous for large spaces; they can fill a blank kitchen wall. However, a large wall clock is one to avoid if you have a small kitchen as it’ll feel too enclosed. Because of their circular shape, clocks can also be slotted into a kitchen gallery to break up the square/rectangular frames.

6. Add some hanging greenery 

You might not think of a wall as a place to fix plants, but wall-mounted or hanging planters are a great way of getting some stylish greenery into your kitchen. Etsy has a large selection of wall and hanging planters in every style to match your decor: geometric, honeycomb, self-watering, industrial or basket — the choice is yours! 

You can also buy ‘living walls’ for various house plants which grow well on an indoor wall, such as succulents and ferns. Or what about a living wall full of herbs such as mint, thyme, chives and parsley, so that you can easily grab some when cooking?

7. Design a plate wall 

OK, hear us out; we aren’t talking about the kitsch plates that grandparents hang on their wall, the twee china plates around the fireplace of a country cottage, or the dusty plates on the wall of a time-worn restaurant. The design on the plates is key here: stylish, arty, modern, clashing or matching, ceramic or even funky woven bowls. They’ll add dimension and texture to the wall and it’s fun to get creative. Look out for particularly striking plates that look too good to be hidden in a cupboard. 

8. Neons

Neon signs are super-cool in a contemporary kitchen. Whether you’re buying a neon sign that has caught your eye or you get one bespoke-made, they’ll instantly transform your kitchen wall. Modern kitchens are often in neutral colours and a neon sign will add a pop of colour. The sign can be positioned in any way, but hanging above a fun, social area, like a kitchen bar, works brilliantly and instantly lifts the mood. Think carefully about what you want the sign to say: a line from your favourite song perhaps, or something short and punchy. 

9. Pick an artistic splashback   

If you want to leave your walls minimalist, then you can focus on an artistic glass splashback for your focal point instead. Functional and stylish, splashbacks protect your kitchen walls from splashes of water or food, and there are many designs available on the market to choose from. Splashbacks depicting abstract art that give the impression of movement and energy are particularly eye-catching. 

10. Try a chopping board display 

First it was plates, now chopping boards. And no, we aren’t talking about your well-used plastic chopping boards from IKEA, they can stay in the drawer. For a rustic kitchen look, mount different wooden chopping boards on the wall. Heavier boards will need screws fitted into wall plugs, while lighter boards could hang on hooks. Choose different colour woods and different textures and thicknesses for a visual and tactile mix.

11. Save cupboard storage by hanging pots and pans

There are many ways to save space in a smaller kitchen, and one of the classic tips is to save cupboard space by hanging pots and pans from the ceiling. But you can also buy pot and pan hangers which fit to a wall. They often include a shelf above the rail of hooks where you can add a trailing plant, artwork or some recipe books. Ideally, the pans you display are attractive — so pick the best-looking ones you have. Stylish copper pans are always a favourite for hanging on display.

12. Invest in floating shelves

Any empty wall is a potential location for a shelf. Floating shelves are an elegant way to decorate a kitchen wall while also giving it a sense of purpose. When decorating the shelves:

• Place plants with differing textures on the shelves 
• Streamline the look by keeping the colour palette simple 
• Make sure your eye is drawn across the shelf by using a variation of heights when placing objects along the length of the shelf
• Group items in clusters of three

13. Lighten the room with statement lights

Striking wall light fittings will prevent your kitchen from becoming dull or clinical. A quick shopping search on the internet and you’ll see how much fun you can have. How about a talking point like stunning natural palm leaf or industrial piping wall lights. Or consider different materials to compliment your kitchen decor: copper, brass, nordic, rope or porcelain wall lights. 

14. Embrace the open brick look

An exposed brick wall is a statement in its own right! If you’re lucky enough to have some exposed brickwork, embrace it. Alternatively, brickwork wallpaper can work well. Or perhaps brick slips. Brick slips are slices of brick that can be added to a bare wall to make it look and feel like it is exposed brickwork. Exposed brickwork looks particularly cool with a neon sign.

15. Install some open shelves

Open shelves work in any kitchen, but especially a galley kitchen, which can be short on space. Be careful not to overload the shelves and cut the clutter so that the open shelves look stylish. Put some colourful patterned wallpaper at the back of each shelf or paint them in a bold colour if you want them to become a feature. If you’re looking for a way to design your galley kitchen, take a look at our handy blog post.  

If you don’t know what to do with an empty wall space in your kitchen, we hope we’ve inspired you to utilise the wall! Go and take another look at your blank walls and consider what you could do. There’s a reason why savvy house sellers pay professionals to ‘stage’ their property before it goes on the market. A few well-placed pieces of impressive artwork on blank walls can add thousands to the value of your kitchen.