An accent wall adds interest to any room, but it can also be a little intimidating to try to create if you’ve never created one before. To help you get started, here are four accent wall ideas that you can use as creative inspiration. From stunning wallpaper in the living room to brightly-colored paint in a child’s room, read on to learn how to master the accent wall and give your space that extra charm you’ve been craving.
Use Natural Architectural Features
If you have a large architectural feature in a room like a fireplace, that’s the place where you should create your focal wall. Here’s why. The shear size of a large architectural feature like a fireplace already catches the eye. Anything you add to this area in a room will also get attention. In light of that, dressing the accent wall up with a gallery of photos and other accents will be easier due to those items being visually associated with the large architectural feature.
Choose a Solid Wall
Unless you have a gigantic picture window or other architectural feature that can naturally be the room’s focal point, you want to choose a wall that’s solid rather than broken up with a sloped ceiling or some other obstruction like a window. Accent walls are meant to be the focal point of a room. Once that’s broken up in some way, it won’t quite have the visual power that a solid, dedicated wall will.
Add Textures or Patterns
Textures can be a great way to liven up your accent wall. Don’t go overboard though, as there’s a fine line between an interesting focal wall and one that’s overwhelming. If you do decide to go with a wallpaper or textured paint, make sure it matches your overall design theme.
For example, if you’re interested in creating a natural look that would work well in a yoga room, you might consider paperweave wallcoverings as a possible decorative element in the room. This type of decorative element fits the theme and would work well on one of the walls in your yoga room without overwhelming it.
Use Contrasting Colors
The simplest way to make an accent wall pop is with contrasting colors. Another play on this theme is the use of complementary hues that look gorgeous together, like red and green. (There are lots of possibilities for what combinations look good together.) When painting your accent wall, pick one color as your dominant hue and go with a lighter or darker version of that color for contrast—or go bold with two wildly different colors. Contrasts make an accent wall stand out.
Final Thoughts
Whether you opt for wallpaper, a large piece of striking art, or an entire wall painted a vivid blue, an accent wall is your chance to really make a design statement. It plays a vital role helping to define your space and to convey your sense of style and hominess without going overboard. If you’ve been unsure how to take your space to the next level, an accent wall could be a great choice.
