All these rooms have one, slightly unusual, thing in common. Can you figure out what it is?

What unites this all-white living room from Sight Unseen …

This moody black space from Desire to Inspire …

This lovely pink room by 2 Lovely Gays …

This living room in a Barcelona home from Dwell …

And this simple black and white space from Bo-Laget , via My Scandinavian Home ?

?????

Did you guess it? The one thing that all these rooms have in common isn’t something they have: it’s something they don’t have. Every single one of them has no art on the walls at all . While we’ve always advocated art as something that brings liveliness and personality to a room, it’s possible to pull off a space without any art at all. And, as the examples above show, it can actually be a really nice look, provided you have the chops to pull it off. Here are a few pointers.

Add plants and books

This room from Sight Unseen has no art on the walls, but still, it’s anything but boring, thanks to a rather large houseplant and a rather prominent bookshelf. An absence of art means there’s room to add plenty of other interesting elements without overwhelming the space.

Focus on the furniture

In this dark space from Desire to Inspire , interesting furniture selections take center stage. The black walls complement the dark leather sofas, and the lack of art (with the exception of that one leaning piece) helps to emphasize the room’s horizontal element, and the long, low lines of the furniture.

Paint the walls an interesting color

No art on the walls means this space by 2 Lovely Gays is all about the soft pink, beautifully detailed walls—and that gorgeous floor.

Let your space’s natural beauty shine

In this Barcelona apartment from Dwell , blank walls balance a room whose bottom third is full of interesting elements—and draw the eye up toward a stunning ornate ceiling.

Add texture and contrast

The play of the black and white furniture and the texture of the leather pouf and rug add plenty of interest to this space from Bo-Laget (via My Scandinavian Home ), even with blank walls.

Use a rug to tie the room together

This room from My Scandinavian Home gets an honorable mention, for eschewing art save for the piece leaning against the wall on the floor in the far corner. The effect is similar to the spaces above, with a great expanse of free wall above lending a spacious, lofty look. Closer to the ground, elements like the patterned rug and plants ensure that there’s still plenty to look at.

Find these rooms lovely, but still love art? See more here:

Art in an Instant: 12 Quick Ideas Using Floating Glass Frames

5 Ways to Decorate Around the TV from Real Homes

Everyone’s Painting Their Own Abstract Art, And You Should Too

10 Bookmark-Worthy Etsy Stores for Vintage Art Lovers