9 Painted Mural Ideas to Add Color to Any Space

You can have the dramatic effect of wallpaper—but without the cost or hassle—through painted wall murals, and you don’t have to be a painting. While expensive and fussy, wallpaper is a chore to hang, and a mural can usually be finished in hours. It’s a quick, inexpensive way to refresh your space without making an expensive commitment.
Even you can have a stunning accent wall if you’re not exactly the creative type. Geometric shapes and colorful geometric lines are where it’s at now—no need to be Picasso. If it doesn’t turn out as you hope, you can paint over it and start again. This trend has maximum freedom and least risk.
Before You Begin
A fresh base coat makes your mural glow, and most projects require only a few quarts of paint—not nearly as costly as wallpaper. Avoid super-small sample cans, as they typically lack significant ingredients for color and longevity of coverage.
Murals are attention-seekers, so choose a surface that can tolerate the attention: a fireplace wall, near a sofa, bed, or an entry wall. They also define awkward corners or transform enormous spaces of drywall into visual attractions.
To spark your imagination, here are nine great painted mural ideas—all you need is paint, a wall, and imagination.
Floral Accent Mural
You don’t need to paint the entire wall for impact. Paint large flowers at the back of a sofa, bed, or any special piece of furniture. Use a projector to put your design (or obtain a projector from your local library) onto the wall, lightly pencil in, then move the furniture and paint. Erase pencil when dry. Use neutrals or bold colors for different effects.
Painted Line Mural
A dramatic wall created with broad, sweeping lines
Draw loose lines on the wall with pencil, overlapping sensibly around doors and windows.
Paint the lines with a 4-inch roller in a contrasting color, with contrasting wrap-around edges.
Edge-touch later if needed with a small brush.
Minimalist Stripe Mural
Perfect for a small seating space:
Draw long horizontal bands of equal spacing and width with a level (our example uses 3″ wide bands, 7″ apart).
Tape, base coat to prevent bleeding, and paint alternating bands after drying
Take away some tape lines between colors and continue painting until finished.
Fruit‑Themed Mural
Give retro kitsch to a kitchen or breakfast nook with humongous oranges:
Project or oversized printed stencil orange outlines (~17″ wide).
Paint the same shapes or the same pattern repeated edge to edge like wallpaper.
Cut oranges in corners, floor, or ceiling for an endless pattern.
Kids’ Wall Mural
Create high-scaled whimsy without frames:
Mask off an area and use a wash of latex paint dissolved in glaze with a soft rag.
Once dry, paint Xs and Os, a quote, or letters using a 1″ brush.
To create a drippy effect, swoop over letters in some areas using a loaded brush.
Geometric Shape Mural
Create a blank wall focal point:
Print and cut out a hexagon template.
Draw 20–30 overlapping shapes across the wall.
Section using painter’s tape and paint shapes in selected color palette.
Paint in one color at a time to avoid drying issues midway through the project.
Abstract Color Splotch Mural
Add playful energy with big, strong swatches of color:
Randomly draw large splotches that swirl into corners and overlaps with pencil.
Floor and hinge protection, then fill shapes with satin or semigloss paint.
Apply multiple coats if needed, and remove pencil with white artist eraser.
Optional: add freehand graphic black stripes with a flat brush.
Layered Mural with Birds
Add layered depth in the background behind a bench or console:
Sketch a wide arch of your preferred height across the wall.
Fill with an accent color and let dry.
Cast a bird pattern over the arch and outline with paint marker lines.
Paint within some bird shapes in contrasting colors, and then let dry before installing furniture.
A whole-wall mural that is friendly even for novices:
Draw simple mountain contours by hand all over the wall.
Paint from top to bottom, using each range section in a separate muted color.
Allow each layer to dry before working on the next.
Apply drop cloths, gloves, and masking to cover areas around them.
Muted colors keep your mountains chic while allowing bright decor in the room to take center stage.