If you’re like most people, the majority of your waking hours are spent in an office setting. Whether you work outside of the home or in, since you spend so much time in an office, you want the space to be as welcoming, appealing, and inspiring as possible. But if you’re staring at blank walls for hours on end, you probably dread stepping foot in your office.

There’s an easy way to turn your humdrum, drab, and lackluster office into a stimulating space that will make you a little bit more excited about going to work: wall art. Wall art serves as a focal point for your office, adds instant color, creates visual interest, and just makes the space appear finished. You’ll find those long work days are a lot easier to get through when your office walls are tastefully decorated.

Need some office wall art inspiration? We’ve put together a list of some pretty cool office wall art ideas that are bound to make the space a lot more exciting. Take a look through our suggestions to see which options will work best for your office.

Best Wall Art for Office Settings

Here’s a look at some pretty cool office wall art ideas that are sure to make your work day a lot more enjoyable.

Canvas Wall Art

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to dress up your office walls is with canvas prints. You can purchase pre-printed canvases and hang them up on your office walls, or if you want to really interject your own personality into the space, have some of your photos transferred to canvas. There are plenty of companies that offer both; just do a quick search for “canvas wall art for office” and you’ll find tons of options to choose from.

When you’re looking for companies that print canvas wall art, make sure you choose one that meets your needs. You want to ensure that the prices are affordable, but you also want to work with a company that offers the products you’re looking for and won’t take forever to get your art to you. Take a look at the different styles, collections, colors, shapes, and prints that prospective canvas art suppliers offer. Also, it’s a good idea to find out about the process a company uses to create canvas prints; after all, you want to make sure you’ll get high-quality, long lasting products.

Here you can find '11 reasons why you should buy canvas art'

Framed Fabric

It may be unconventional, but hanging framed pieces of fabric on your office walls will certainly make a statement. Bold colors, intricate patterns, simple designs; there are so many different types of beautiful fabrics out there that would make stunning wall displays. Hit up a local fabric store or check out online retailers and you’re bound to find something that will suit your interests. Frame a single large length of fabric to create a bold focal point, or arrange a collection of smaller pieces in a simplistic or interesting display on your walls.

Select frames that work with the fabric you choose. For example, if you’re using bold colored, highly detailed materials, put them in simple frames, and if the fabric is relatively plain fabric, display it in a decorative frame.

Tapestries

Forego the frames and hang fabric directly on the walls. A tapestry will add instant color and interest to an office wall; plus, it will bring some warmth into the space. Tapestries come in an assortment of styles, colors, patterns, fabrics, and sizes. Some options include contemporary, hand woven, jacquard, patchwork, Bohemian, and tie-dye are just some of the different styles you can choose from.

To avoid the “college dorm” look, hang your tapestries on a curtain rod. Alternatively, you could hang the tapestry directly on the wall and “frame” it with wall trim. There are dozens of wall trim styles that would work great as a frame; crown, chair rail, and base cap, for example. Just make sure to measure the fabric before purchasing the trim and have it cut so that it can fit together to form a frame around the fabric. Once the tapestry is on the wall, use nails to secure the wall trim “frame” around it.

Mirrors

Mirrors are a great way to decorate a wall, particularly if the space is small. Mirrors reflect light, create the illusion of depth and space, and open up the space. All of these factors combined will make your office look bigger than it actually is, hence why they’re the perfect solution for a setting that has minimal square footage.

Mirrors are available in an assortment of sizes and shapes; they can even feature frames and other decorative elements. For a clean, modern look, choose a single, oversized, contemporary-style mirror. If you want to create a rustic look, consider a piece – or a collection of pieces – that are framed with wood or that feature wrought iron elements. Those are just a few different suggestions that you could consider. Whichever style and however many mirrors you choose, consider the placement before hanging. For example, you don’t want to place a mirror on a wall where it will reflect something unappealing. Also, choose a spot that will allow the mirror to reflect the maximum amount of light. A wall across from a window is the ideal location to place a mirror display.

Shelves

Shelves make stylish, yet purposeful office wall art. Not only can they dress up a drab wall, but they can also create useful storage space or serve as a way to display interesting décor. Just like the other ideas that we’ve suggested so far, there are an assortment of wall shelves to choose from. Small, medium, large; metal, wood, glass; floating, fixed, boxed; contemporary, modern, traditional, rustic… The options are virtually limitless.

When selecting shelves for your office walls, it’s important to consider the style, but it’s just as important to consider what you will be displaying on them. For instance, if you’re going to use them for book storage, you’ll want to opt for sturdier shelves that offer more space, but If you’re using them to display decorative items – plants, framed photos, candles, and things you’ve picked up on your travels, for example – you may be able to opt for something smaller or delicate.

A Living Wall

Bring some life into your office with plants! Hang vertical planters or terrariums on your walls and your drab, lifeless walls will automatically look more interesting and visually appealing. Again, there are various options to that you can select from to create a living wall. To create a really dramatic look, cover an entire wall, or for an understated look, hang a few strategically placed smaller wall planters.

Various types of living flora can be planted in wall planters; however, you do want to consider the setup of the space. If there’s limited natural light, you’ll want to choose plants that do well in shaded areas, such as ferns, begonias, ivy, moss, or even mint (which will bring in a nice fresh scent, too). If your office gets a lot of natural light, a collection of succulents in different colors, shapes, and sizes would make for an attractive display. When selecting your plants, it’s a good idea to find out how tall they’ll grow, too; if you have limited space, you don’t want to choose something that will grow to an immense size.

A Chalkboard

Hang on old-school green chalkboard on your office wall, just like the ones they used in classrooms back in the day. It will lend a really cool and unexpected vintage vibe to your work space. Leave the board blank, use it to write messages, use colored chalk to create unique works of art that you can change on a regular basis. To add even more interest, frame the chalkboard with a wood or metal frame. Don’t forget to include some chalk, too! Place a collection of chalk on a ledge along the bottom of the board, or set it in a decorative bucket attached directly to the wall.

Vintage Pieces

Head to a thrift shop or an antique store and see what kind of vintage pieces you can find to create a unique wall display. You can score some pretty cool items at these shops; street signs, ladders, storefront signs, street lights, sconces maps, mirrors, advertisements, and even plates are just some of the items you may be able to find. Keep an open mind while you’re shopping. Often, unexpected items make for the coolest wall art.

Summing It Up

When it comes to decorating your office walls, the options are virtually limitless. When you’re trying to decide what to choose, think about your personal style, the look and feel you want to achieve, and the overall layout of the space. You should also consider whether or not you want the wall art to be simply cosmetic or if you want it to be functional to help guide you in selecting the right decorative pieces for your space.