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How to Decorate Above a Corner Sectional Sofa: 3 Simple Ways to Fill the Space

July 18, 2016 by Laura Kiernan 3 Comments

Sectional sofas are comfy ways to seat lots of people, but decorating the walls above them can be tricky. Learn how to decorate above a corner sectional with three lovely ideas

How to decorate above a corner sectional - what to put behind a corner sectional
Gray corner sectional sofa with text "How to Decorate Above a Corner Sectional"

Our home is a 1960’s Garrison colonial that started out with a traditional floor plan: a dining room in front and kitchen in back on one side of the center stairs, and a skinny front-to-back living room on the other side of the stairs.

The previous owners built a family room addition off the back that connects to the formal living room, but neither space suited our needs.

We wanted a cozy TV room with a sectional sofa to snuggle on, but it took a major home renovation and some creative thinking to get us there!

Creating a TV Room with a Corner Sectional Sofa

This post contains affiliate links, which connect you to products related to this post. If you click and purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information, please see my disclosures.

To create a TV room right off the kitchen we transformed the original too-small dining room into a cozy yet open space.

Now, we can keep an eye on the kids while we cook and they watch too many episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

The original dining room was too small for us and closed off from the rest of the home and the walls and floors weren’t in good shape, either.

But, the built-in china cabinet was a great spot for a corner sectional.

Dining Room with corner hutch before renovation

Related: Home Tour – Our Garrison Colonial Makeover

Here’s how that spot looked after we refinished floors, repaired and painted the ceiling and walls, added new recessed lighting and wall sconces, and purchased our corner sectional sofa.

Gray corner sectional

brass swing-arm wall sconces, sectional

Quite a difference, right?

Corner sectional with swing arm sconces - The No Pressure Life

brass swing-arm wall sconces, sectional

Related: 10 Affordable Swing-Arm Sconces Under $150 and Where to Use Them

The other major change we made was to remove the wall below. Now, our TV is on the wall where you see the previous owner’s piano, and the room opens up into our expanded kitchen.

Dining Room before renovation

You have no idea how much I adore this transformation. It was worth the wait and all the stress of being kitchen-less for a few months.

kitchen open to dining room - The No Pressure Life

pendants, bar stools, faucet (which isn’t docked in this photo)

Related: How to Plan Your Dream Kitchen (When You Don’t Know Where to Start)

Now that our sectional Here are a few more ideas for what to put behind a corner sectional that can inspire us.

3 Gorgeous Ways to Decorate Above a Corner Sectional

1. Create an eclectic gallery wall

This family room looks incredibly cozy and personal. The gallery wall holds a mix of family photos, mirrors, quotes, and decorative plaques that add great texture.

The art on both walls maintains the same neutral color scheme in browns and whites, which creates a very cohesive look.  A skinny table behind the sectional is perfect for lamps, books, and a place to put a drink.

Corner sectional with eclectic gallery wall. Photo by Deborah Llewellyn Photography via HGTV.

via HGTV, photo by Deborah Llewellyn Photography

This gallery wall at a Serena and Lily store is another example of how to decorate above a corner sectional. The colorful art goes all the way to the ceiling, which makes the corner appear even taller.

Our TV room’s ceilings aren’t even 8′ tall, so this look could be helpful for us.

Corner sectional with large gallery wall, via SF Girl by Bay, photo by Cindy Loughridge Photography.

via SF Girl by Bay, photo by Cindy Loughridge Photography

2. Install Corner Shelves

Floating shelves are a cool solution to add some dimension to the room. You can mount two floating shelves to fit in the corner above the sectional and fill them with frames and objects.

Corner sectional with shelves above it, via West Elm.

West Elm, via Pinterest

If your room has limited wall space, placing bookcases behind your sectional is a great way to add a ton of storage as well as interest.

Corner sectional with bookcases behind it, via BHG.com

via BHG.com

3. Hang something large-scale

Lastly, large-scale artwork takes the focus away from a bulky sectional. Although frankly, I’m a little obsessed with this sectional. Don’t you just want to pet it? Anyway, the clock and film reel are both unique and easily fill the wall.

Corner Sectional with large-scale art by The Inspired Room

The Inspired Room

If you prefer a more symmetrical look, a few extra-large frames create a big impact. Check out my post on using wrapping paper as art for a simple and inexpensive way to create large-scale artwork.

Corner sectional with large art, design by Sophie Paterson, photo by Ray Main

via Instagram, design by Sophie Paterson Interiors, photo by Ray Main

Decorating Behind Our Corner Sectional Sofa: Progress

Although decorating behind a sectional sofa can be tricky, by using sconces like the ones above in tip #3 and the gallery wall in #1, we’re making progress.

Decorating behind a corner sectional sofa - gray sectional with teal and blue decor

I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made so far, but I’m still looking for the right art to hang under the swing-arm sconces to expand the gallery wall “look”.

How to decorate behind a corner sectional sofa - ideas and tips

It’s definitely been challenging to decorate above a corner sectional, and now I have a lot of thinking to do! My first step will be to review the artwork and frames that I have in storage, then purchase or create something new if I need to.

Get the Look

Whether you’re shopping for a corner sectional, or need to decorate the one you already have, here are some great ideas – including the corner sectional and swing-arm sconces in our TV room.

Just click on an image to shop products similar to the ones shown in this post.

Read these next!

5 Budget-friendly decorating tips
10 Affordable Swing-Arm Sconces Under $150. These inexpensive wall lamps are pretty and great for small spaces! | The No Pressure Life.

Check out these other ideas!

  • 5 Budget-Friendly Decorating Tips That Will Transform Your Ugliest Room
  • 5 Simple Tips that Will Make Decorating Your Home So Much Easier
  • 8 Ways to Add Eclectic Farmhouse Style to Your Home
  • How to Organize Books When You Don’t Have Space for a Bookshelf
  • Where to Find Cheap Art for Your Gallery Wall

Filed Under: Decorate, Decorating Tips and Tricks Tagged With: our home

About Laura Kiernan

I'm Laura, a mom of two little humans and one furry rescue pup. As a full-time working mom, I understand how tough it is to keep your home looking nice and functioning well while juggling everything life throws at you. Check out my organization tips, decor ideas, and quick crafts that will help even the busiest mom feel more in control of her home.

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Affordable Swing-Arm Sconces and Where to Use Them »

Comments

  1. Laurie says

    August 20, 2019 at 12:46 PM

    I love the prints in the article addressing how to decorate a corner sectional sofa. Can you tell me where I can find them? Thanks! Laurie

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 20, 2019 at 1:21 PM

      Hi Laurie –
      The framed art in my family room is from HomeGoods, and the gallery-wrapped art is from Joss and Main. You can find similar art on Joss & Main here: https://fave.co/30ij8gM – the prices are excellent and they’re always having some kind of sale.
      🙂 Laura

      Reply

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