There’s something special about a well-done room. It has just enough personality and interest to hold your attention. A wall flag is a surprisingly effective way to introduce a bit of color, humor, a hobby, or an homage to a vintage era to a room.
Choose a Style That Reflects Your Interests
There’s a wealth of graphics available for flags. Choose designs that reference your favorite topics:
- humor and retro themes
- animals and the outdoors
- cars and motorcycling
- music or patriotism
- fantasy or abstract themes
Flags are most effective when used to draw attention to a feature or special item. If you’re decorating a garage where you work on projects and display your collections, consider larger sizes and graphics. If you use this room for social get-togethers, you can be bolder with colors and themes.
Make Sure the Room and the Flag Are a Good Match
If you’re looking for a quick way to update a room or space that is incomplete, a wall flag is ideal. A garage or workshop is ideal because the decor can be more nostalgic and casual, with graphics that reference hobbies and interests. In a home office or den, you’ll want more refined designs.
- A garage used to work on vehicles is an ideal fit for a flag with a racing theme, vintage road signs, or graphics in racing team colors. A garage you use for other projects could feature a flag that displays a mechanical theme or industrial-style graphics.
- You can balance the business of the home workshop with a flag that adds character and personality. Choose designs that reference your interests, like country music or outdoor pursuits. Or, opt for a flag that motivates you to finish projects.
- A garage bar is the perfect complement for a flag with some character. You can even match it up with vintage-inspired bar tools or signs to create a unique display.
- If the wall flag is in a home office, basement bar, or another space you use frequently, consider the colors of the paint and flooring, as well as those of other items in the room, such as tool chests in a garage. You don’t have to find colors that match perfectly, but it’s worth considering the overall effect. For inspiration, explore Cool Flag Designs by Ultimate Flags Inc to discover creative options that can complement your space. You can also incorporate colors from the flag into other decorative elements, such as a set of bar towels.
- If you have a room that needs to feel more interesting, or more casual, but you’re not sure what will liven it up, a flag that adds a bit of whimsy is a good solution. Choose a flag with a graphic that makes you smile.
- Choose a design with a retro theme and graphics that look weathered or aged to make a room feel comfortable and lived-in.
- For a home office or other room that you entertain in, choose a flag that holds some meaning to your family or friends, or that reflects the personality of the room. A graphic that references your favorite sports team, a nod to an era, a favorite pastime, or a running family joke are all better choices than generic graphics, as they will help visitors feel like they’re in your space, not a staged room.
Select the Best Size and Placement
Don’t assume a wall flag should be positioned in the middle of a blank wall, though you certainly can use it this way. Look for spots that might need a bit of interest, like an area above a workbench, a feature wall next to metal signs, or behind seating in a basement.
If you have a smaller wall space, look for flags with graphics that are around 24 inches wide. This gives the design enough breathing space so the graphic is clear and easy to read, and the flag will fit into an otherwise blank wall space without interfering with shelves, light switches, or other objects.
Decide on a Fabric
For display on a smooth wall, a lightweight polyester is easy to work with and will hang straight. If the flag will be on a wall with wood or brick and will be displayed with other elements like metal signs and objects, consider a heavier fabric for body.
Flags often have grommets for hanging from a nail or hook, or a sleeve that slips over a decorative rod. You also can use adhesive strips that remove cleanly (CNET spells this out at cnet.com/home) if you don’t want to make a hole in the wall. This works best with lighter-weight flags.
How Can You Get Rid of Creases?
A flag kept in tight storage develops hard creases, and a flag in high-traffic or dusty locations needs regular cleaning. Choose fabrics based on how visible the flag will be, how easy they are to remove, and how they might need to be treated to maintain their appearance over time. A flag in a sunny location may fade; one in a damp area may be harder to remove, and so on.
To remove creases from a flag stored tightly for an extended period, use a steamer on a gentle setting, and hold the fabric flat as you remove the wrinkles.
