Designer Tips For Finding & Creating The Best Accent Wall
Creating a feature wall is a wonderful way to add interest & introduce a different dynamic to a space.
Creating an accent wall can be more than just changing paint colour, there's many materials & modern wall coverings to get super inspired with.
But first you need to make sure you're choosing the appropriate wall that will be best suited to this treatment.
So how do you choose an accent wall? It should be the focal point of a room, which isn't always the 1st wall you see. An accent wall can be chosen to draw attention to a certain space & create a feel or dynamic in a room.
The colour, shade & even texture of a feature wall will affect how a space is perceived.
Dark or light walls will alter how a room appears to the eye.
To learn more about this aspect of accent walls, I'd recommend reading: Should A Feature Wall Be Light Or Dark?
The Feature Wall Should Be The Main Focus
When choosing a wall to accent, to really work well it needs to be the centre of attention.
Creating a feature wall in a busy or cluttered room is just going to make the space even more hectic.
But if you're determined, you’ll need to declutter & think about minimizing the furniture.
Having really tall bookshelves or cabinets for instance, are only going to compete for attention with the accented wall.
But if you really need that storage for books & other ornaments, you can always make the entire wall into bookshelves to become the feature.
Highlight A Focal Point In The Room
The feature wall should highlight a focal point already within the room.
For instance, the wall where the fireplace is located or the wall behind the bedhead.
Feature walls in living rooms usually work best on the wall where the television is situated.
The eye should be drawn toward the feature, so having an accented wall opposite to the telly, like where the sofa sits, means you’re always facing away from it & can look out of balance.
If there’s no TV & you have a stylish or funky couch or other furniture piece, then it can make sense to have these sitting against the feature wall.
Also try to avoid walls that have doors, windows or even air-conditioning units mounted on them.
These are just distractions rather than focal points & lessen the impact of the accented wall.
Although, having a nice big artwork hung on a feature wall can work really well, especially when the colours help to accentuate the décor.
With extra large prints created by independent artists, Canvas Cultures are worth checking out.
Defining The Space
In open plan areas, accented walls are perfect for defining separate spaces.
In homes that have combined living & dining areas, a feature wall will help to highlight & separate these areas.
Accent walls are also really effective in apartments & smaller living spaces.
By highlighting a particular area of a room you can create a reading nook or an office space for example.
Can You Have A Feature Wall In A Small Room?
Often with small rooms, a feature wall is just going to create a sense of the space closing in.
Narrow rooms, like hallways for example, are just going to seem even narrower.
But sometimes an accented wall can be used to your advantage.
You can accent the end or far wall for instance, especially in a lighter shade, as it will help to make the room appear larger.
You don’t have to incorporate an entire wall either.
As mentioned, just accent a section of the wall.
In entrance ways, the opposite wall to which the door opens against is usually the better choice.
Get Creative
Accent walls can be subtle, applying a different shade of paint may be enough for a smaller room or just to create another aspect in your décor.
But there’s many more materials & ideas for feature walls than just paint.
Wallpaper is still on trend & especially with all the modern styles available, it’s not going away in a hurry.
Related Article:
Modern wall coverings also come in faux wood, brick & other designs.
These modern styles no longer look tacky, they can actually be very realistic looking & are made from quality materials.
But you can also use real wood & other panels made from a variety of materials.
So don’t be shy when it comes to creating your feature wall .. go crazy!
Final Thoughts
Whatever the size of the space you’re working with, a feature or accent wall can be created to great effect.
Depending on the style or materials you use, a feature wall can also be created for most budgets.
They’re a fabulous way to inject design & colour into a room without having to go down a full blown redecorating route.
An accent wall could be created on a spare weekend & you’ll enjoy it for years to come.
I hope this article has helped you to decide which wall you’re going to choose for your feature wall.
If you feel someone else may find value in it, please feel free to share.