A beautiful day, you bask in your haven of peace for a well-deserved relaxation break. Everything is there to have a good time. The only downside: this unattractive wall that irremediably catches your eye. It is stained, aging, deteriorated, too imposing, does not integrate harmoniously with its environment, or no longer up to date; the reasons can be many and, in any case, this wall displeases you and spoils the potential of your interior or exterior. How to hide it or embellish it? A few tips to reproduce to transform and sublimate this unsightly wall so that your cocoon regains all its splendor and charm, even a certain cachet!
Beautify a wall: some prerequisites all the same!
Before considering an embellishment worthy of an interior designer or a landscaper, it is worth making sure of certain elements.
The property
Who owns this famous wall? If it’s yours, then you can let your creative spirit do the talking. On the other hand, if you are a tenant, or if this unsightly wall belongs to your neighbor, the possibilities of dressing it are much more limited. If your relationship with your neighbor or landlord is very cordial, it may be worth discussing it to consider joint work, financial participation, or simply an agreement.
The state of damage of the wall
Measuring the degree of alteration of the wall is essential. On an exterior wall, it might just be a simple paint peeling off with the weather, in which case the embellishment can let your decorating desires run wild. On the other hand, the options are fatally reduced if the wall is in such a state of degradation that it threatens to collapse. It may therefore be necessary to have it assessed by an expert, and in some cases, the finding will be final: only demolition will be possible.
Urban planning rules
Depending on the work planned, it is important to consult the Local Urbanism Plan (PLU) of your municipality to find out the restrictions in this area. Certain works, in particular visible from the public highway, may require sending the municipal or inter-municipal planning service a prior request for work. Note that in the event of non-compliance with the PLU, the town planning services may ask you to restore your development to its original state. Better to take precautions.
Low budget
The force of the war ! And yes, like any project, setting your budget is essential before starting any work, especially if it is carried out by a company or if you take up the challenge of Do itYourself. But rest assured, small budget does not mean impossible work, quite the contrary!
Magnify a space: how to decorate this unsightly wall?
It spoils the scene, it’s time to act! Several techniques are available to you to restore all its charm to this degraded wall.
1 – A good cleaning
If the degraded wall is in good condition, simply stained, where the paint is crumbling or where moss has developed, a good cleaning can give it a boost. It can be done by you at the karcher for example, or by a professional who can use biodegradable detergents and strippers. Also, it can be sanded, fill any cracks with a coating, or apply a treatment in case of mold for example. Whatever the planned layout, cleaning the wall remains an essential step for a beautiful rendering and beautiful finishes.
2 – Vegetal
It is obviously the ornament par excellence. What could be better than a few ornamental plants to hide a degraded wall? Vigilance is however required when choosing plants. Do not hesitate to get advice from a gardener who will provide you with all the necessary expertise, in particular according to the orientation of the wall, its exposure to the sun, and the necessary maintenance.
- outdoor climbing plants: With shades of green, yellow, red, orange, they can be of various colors, of all shapes and kinds, evergreen or not, or bloom in spring or summer. For the most appreciated, we will mention Honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, Passionflower, climbing Hydrangeas, Star Jasmine, Bougainvillea or of course Ivy. Beware of the latter which requires regular maintenance at the risk of being invasive and create new damage.
- The green wall : Also called “vertical garden” or “living wall”, it is THE design trend par excellence. Often, it will have a more poetic and artistic aim; sometimes we will try to make it a real work of art. To achieve this, it is not uncommon for it to be semi-artificial. For the outdoor one, it also has an ecological purpose, often serving as a refuge or pantry for birds.
- The outer hedges : They are less trendy because they require regular maintenance, but they remain an effective means of concealing a vis-à-vis, and also an unsightly wall.
3 – Wall facing
It pleases both indoors and outdoors. The wall facing can be made of bricks, wood, natural or reconstituted stones. Very fashionable, it adds a cozy and designer touch to the surrounding space. Its downside: its cost. It is a more expensive and meticulous installation to achieve. A point of vigilance is to be brought to the state of degradation of the wall. The wall cladding is very heavy, it should be fixed on a sturdy and healthy wall.
4 – Trellis
It is a frame with wooden braces that can bring real aesthetic added value to the chosen ornament. You can intertwine climbing plants, or hang pots of flowers, succulents or herbs.
5 – Painting of surfaces
It’s probably the easiest and fastest way to give your wall a new look. However, for a perfect final finish, consider sanding, coating, then re-sanding imperfections. Indoors, trendy techniques can make it possible to conceal defects, in particular by delimiting three or four different colors with triangles. Outside, if you want to repaint the wood covering, remember that you will need to provide a coat of paint every year so as not to let it flake off.
6 – Wood or PVC coating
- The wood coating : Its raw and natural aspect makes it very trendy and what is more, rather simple to achieve. If you opt for this type of coating, pay attention to the species chosen and the quality of the wood. Outdoors, exotic wood is not recommended for this type of decoration. Make sure it is treated to withstand the vagaries of the weather, or opt for American Red Cedar or Chestnut, which are resinous woods that are naturally weather-resistant and require no maintenance. Indoors, the wood paneling is fixed using screws or special wood glue.
- Composite or PVC cladding : As with wood cladding, this technique, which is just as modern and stylish, is also very resistant to bad weather.
7 – Wallpaper
It seems that everything will one day come back into fashion. In any case, this is the case with wallpaper. If it had been relayed to the rank of outdated skins a few years ago, it is now very fashionable to give an identity to an interior room with many patterns from the most sober to the most flashy. all tastes, mainly on a single section of wall in a room. A tip: Prefer it in glass cloth or expanded vinyl on a damaged wall to less reveal the defects. Finally, to facilitate installation, consider opting for seamless wallpaper.
8 – Wall plaster
Several types of decorative coatings exist such as stucco which is an imitation of marble, lime coating which is an interior and exterior material, or even tadelakt which is a permeable coating that can be applied to everything. interior surface type. Floating the plaster irregularly can conceal any persistent imperfections.
9 – Ornaments
No obligation to embark on major laborious and/or costly work. Sometimes, a few well-chosen ornaments can have their effect. A few shelves, a bookcase, frames, mirrors, hats, lighted sconces, paintings or canvases, or trinket niches, everything is allowed. Diversify ornaments while maintaining cohesion to create a warm space.
Obviously, all these proposals can be combined for the most creative minds. Dare a patio wall painted in forest green, partly decorated with a wooden trellis decorated with planters. Place a pretty palm tree in a corner and you’re done. The wall becomes a real design element and brings character to a previously dull and soulless space!
So, before lazing around in front of your marvel, roll up your sleeves and be inventive!
On your marks, get set, decorate!