Decor Ideas — Simply Home

Use Mirrors Thoughtfully

Walls Medium All Rooms

Mirrors are often recommended for small spaces with the suggestion that they always make a room feel larger. The reality depends on placement — a mirror reflecting a cluttered corner doubles the clutter, not the space.

Why this may help

A mirror placed opposite or beside a window reflects light and creates a sense of depth. The same mirror reflecting a dark hallway or a cluttered shelf adds nothing. Position determines whether a mirror helps.

How to try it

Stand where the mirror will hang and look at what will be reflected. If the reflection shows a window, a tidy surface, or an attractive view of the room, the placement is likely to work.

What to consider

Large mirrors are heavier than they appear. Use appropriate wall fixings for the weight and the wall type. When in doubt, seek advice on installation.

Try this first

Stand where the mirror will hang and look at what will be reflected. If the reflection shows a window, a tidy surface, or an attractive view of the room, the placement is likely to work.

Common mistake

Placing a mirror facing the front door from inside a small hallway. Many people find this uncomfortable.

Easier alternative

A small mirror on a wall above a shelf or console is less commitment than a large floor mirror.

Rental-friendly

Leaning a large mirror against a wall avoids wall fixings entirely — check it is stable and cannot tip.

Create a Balanced Gallery Wall

Walls Low Living Room

A gallery wall that grew piece by piece, with frames added whenever something new arrived, often ends up looking scattered rather than intentional.

Why this may help

A planned gallery wall — with pieces arranged in relation to each other, in complementary frames, and with consistent spacing — looks deliberate. The difference between scattered and styled is usually planning.

How to try it

Lay all frames on the floor and arrange them before making any holes. Start from the centre and work outward. Keep spacing consistent — 5–8 cm between frames is a useful guide.

What to consider

Matching or closely related frames (black, natural wood, white) produce a more cohesive result than a complete mixture. Use paper templates before drilling to avoid excessive wall damage.

Try this first

Lay all frames on the floor and arrange them before making any holes. Start from the centre and work outward. Keep spacing consistent — 5–8 cm between frames is a useful guide.

Common mistake

Using frames of very different widths and depths — the resulting three-dimensional variation on the wall reads as untidy.

Easier alternative

Start with three frames in a horizontal row. This is the simplest version and easiest to adjust.

Rental-friendly

Gallery walls involve multiple holes — use adhesive picture-hanging strips rated for the frame weight, and test a single strip before committing to the full arrangement.

Decorate Above a Bed Safely

Walls Low Bedroom

The wall above a bed is one of the most visible surfaces in a bedroom and often left blank. Adding something to it changes the feel of the room significantly — but what is placed there matters for safety as well as aesthetics.

Why this may help

A bed head wall that has something on it — a framed print, a group of lighter frames, a textile hanging — feels finished. The piece also gives the eye somewhere to land when looking at the bed from across the room.

How to try it

Choose pieces that are lightweight and securely fixed. Favour framed prints or textile hangings over heavy shelves or ceramic pieces. Use appropriate wall fixings for the wall type and the weight of the item.

What to consider

Heavy shelves or weighty objects directly above a sleeping area carry a risk if fixings fail. Keep heavier installations for walls where they are not directly above where people sleep.

Try this first

Choose pieces that are lightweight and securely fixed. Favour framed prints or textile hangings over heavy shelves or ceramic pieces. Use appropriate wall fixings for the wall type and the weight of the item.

Common mistake

Placing a heavy shelf or multiple framed ceramic pieces directly above the head of the bed.

Easier alternative

A single framed print or a simple textile hanging requires minimal hardware and is the safest option above a sleeping area.

Rental-friendly

Use adhesive strips rated for the frame weight for rental situations. Test one before installing the full arrangement.

Decorate Rental Walls Without Permanent Changes

Walls Low All Rooms

Renting does not have to mean bare walls. Several approaches allow artwork and decoration without permanent fixings.

Why this may help

Removable picture strips, leaning art, and temporary hooks allow renters to create a considered space without damaging walls or risking deposit deductions.

How to try it

Use adhesive picture-hanging strips for lightweight frames — check the weight limit for each strip product and do not exceed it. For heavy items, lean them against a wall rather than hanging. Large pieces can lean on a shelf, a mantle, or against a skirting board.

What to consider

Adhesive strips work differently on different wall surfaces. Test one strip on an inconspicuous area before installing anything visible. Follow removal instructions carefully.

Try this first

Use adhesive picture-hanging strips for lightweight frames — check the weight limit for each strip product and do not exceed it. For heavy items, lean them against a wall rather than hanging. Large pieces can lean on a shelf, a mantle, or against a skirting board.

Common mistake

Using adhesive strips on heavy frames beyond their rated weight limit, which causes them to fall.

Easier alternative

Leaning a single large piece against a wall requires no hardware at all and can look deliberately styled.

Rental-friendly

All options on this list are specifically rental-friendly — confirm any hook or strip product's suitability for the wall type.