Now that we’re several months into this WFH thing, you might as well step up your Zoom wall game with design ideas that are more exciting than your average blank wall. Keep reading for cool Zoom wall background ideas sure to be the envy of your colleagues!
25 Cool Zoom Backgrounds
Hang up hats Need an inexpensive way to decorate your wall? So long as you have hats—wide-brimmed hats, cowboy hats, baseball caps, hats of any kind—just put up a few nails and hang up some hats! Design a basket wall One easy way to add texture, dimension, and personalization to your Zoom background is to hang up different baskets. All the different textures, depths, and sizes will add a layer of dimension to any background. Plus, it just looks really cool. Style a shelf or piece of furniture behind you A good rule of thumb to remember when Zooming is to have something behind you. Whether it’s a floating shelf, bookshelf, or a piece of furniture, something behind you creates dimension. After all, you’re not a flat, two-dimensional cartoon character. Sit in front of a shelf or a dresser, then style it however you want. You can decorate it home decor items like a vase of flowers, a stack of books, plants, baskets, or bowls. So long as you’re introducing different shapes and heights to what is behind you, you won’t end up looking like a character on Doug. Paint a pattern with a sponge For a pretty big payoff, painting a pattern with the long side of a sponge has a pretty small impact on your wallet. All you have to do is dip a sponge in paint and make a pattern. You’ll probably want to map out your lines vertically and horizontally with painter’s tape, so that your pattern turns out even (and straight). Create dimension with a bookshelf Bookshelves (and the books themselves for that matter) extend out from the wall, creating dimension in your background. The worst offense you can make on a Zoom call is positioning yourself against floating, flat space. Sitting in front of a bookshelf can help create depth. Plus, it might also moonlight as a conversation starter. Someone on your morning Zoom call might just be interested in your book recommendations! Add character with board and batten Sure, it’s still a white wall but there’s something about board and batten—for any home decor newbies, that’s a wall treatment in which wood is nailed into the wall, then painted—that adds dimension and character. The nailed-on wood gives the wall an extra inch or two, so you’re no longer Zooming in front of a flat wall. Board and batten treatments create depth and despite looking fancy AF, they’re actually really easy. All you need are a few two-by-fours and a nail gun. Trust us—it may not be as simple as masking tape, but this is a wall treatment you can easily do, too. Or for a more traditional board and batten look (with a pop of color, most importantly!), you could model your office space (or wherever you choose to Zoom) after this green board and batten by @carharthomestead. Want even more board and batten options? If you’re not into sacrificing your entire wall, just go halfsies. As in, add the treatment to the bottom half of the wall and then paint it as you see fit! Paint a circle or semi-circle on the wall Not into the idea of a wall treatment? Paint is a super easy (and very temporary!) way to liven up any plain old wall. You could simply choose to the paint the entire wall (or if you’re rather artisty, paint a mural), or you could hop onto one of the latest home decor trends all over Instagram. That’s painting either a circle or a semi-circle on your wall! To paint a full circle or half-moon circle on a statement wall, you’ll need the paint of your choice, a pencil, string, and a nail. (You might also want to use whatever color paint the wall is surrounding the circle, so that you can touch up any imperfections.) Start by adding a nail to the middle of the wall where the statement circle will be. Add the string over the nail, then tie a pencil to the opposite end. Rotate the pencil around the nail, as far as it reaches so that you’re creating a circular (or half-circular shape) all the way around the nail. Paint the outer rim of the design (basically, covering up the pencil mark) then you can use a roller to cover the inside of the design with paint. Use white paint or the same color paint as the rest of the wall to do any touch-ups on the actual shape. Paint a mural Speaking of paint, if you have more artistic skills than a half-moon circle on a wall can show, whip out that paint brush and try painting a full-blown mural. From a statement circle with stripes to a floral look or a mountain scene, your painted mural will almost always be the talk of the Zoom call. Go virtual When all else fails, go virtual. Listen, home decorating is not for everyone. If you’re Type B and would prefer to take the easy route when it comes to making sure your Zoom background looks work-appropriate, you can always download a virtual background on Zoom. There’s no tape or basket styling involved. Just a quick and easy download. Modsy’s virtual Zoom backgrounds are especially fun because they’re modeled after classic TV bedrooms—but with modern design spins. You can choose from Carrie Bradshaw’s bedroom from Sex and the City or Blanche Devereaux’s iconic palm leaf bedroom from The Golden Girls or even a modern take on the apartments from Seinfeld. Other pop culture interior options include rooms based on Friends, Gilmore Girls, Frasier, and Will and Grace. How it works To download a Zoom background from Modsy, first visit the blog post featuring all the pop culture Zoom backgrounds, then save your favorite one to your desktop. Make sure that your Zoom account administrator has enabled Virtual Backgrounds; then when on a call, click the arrow next to “start/stop video.” Select the option to “choose a virtual background,” then click the + button to add the image from your desktop. Voilà! Your background is now instantly work-appropriate (and totally chic!). Next up, how to focus at home while battling coronanxiety.
