'Another hugely popular wall accessory is the canopy. Canopies can be draped above the bed creating the'` illusion of an airy cocoon that can lull you to sleep.

Most of us think of furnishings, fittings and the works, but other than a coat of paint we don't give much thought to wall decor. As walls take up the maximum square footage within our homes, they merit greater attention from us.

History tells its story through the decorated walls of the cave man. We should treat the walls of our homes as a blank canvas on which we can display our vision of beauty, charm, peace, drama, fun, and formality.

Today walls are plastered, stained, painted and papered. There is no end to the imaginative ways available for transforming walls. Paint is the most common and inexpensive way for imparting a finish. Paint on its own is an opaque medium. Its purpose is to cover up the surface so that one can't see what lies behind.

Today you can choose from hundreds of colours and colour combinations. Faux finish techniques too have now come of age. Creating faux finishes involves more than a flat coat of colour. This technique involves breaking up a single colour into its various shades, or applying two or more colours, which would be visible but blended together. This broken colour will then give the surface of your wall both depth and dimension, which is not possible with a regular paint job. Faux finishes have been around in India for nearly 15 years now. It is still practised only by a few interior designers. Done on both furniture and walls, faux finishes combine a multitude of skills for creating a perfect illusion. Stencilling and embossing are two other techniques that are used to match the faux finish.

Panels of heavy woven cloth and finely tooled carpets make striking wall adornments. Graphic Kashmiri carpets made from high quality silk are life-long assets which, when framed on a wall, can become the focal point of your design scheme.

Another hugely popular wall accessory is the canopy. Canopies can be draped above the bed creating the illusion of an airy cocoon that can lull you to sleep.

Papering the walls is one alternative that is often paired with paint. Wallpaper is a popular choice because it is available in a variety of colours, patterns, and textures. The metal look is all the rage today, and you can easily bring your walls to life with metallic wallpapers. Whether you want to continue the gleam of stainless steel appliances onto your kitchen walls or dream of a golden glow in the dining room, these options are all available now, sold by the roll and ready to hang.

Art is an evergreen option when it comes to decorating walls. The choice of art pieces must be made in concert with the design theme of the rest of the house. Paintings or artwork must complement the total look of the room and not stand out as an aberration.