Feeling a little lost with your home décor? We’ve all been there: you look around the room and feel like it needs a pick-me-up, but the thought of a full-scale renovation makes your head spin!
Enter the accent wall. In our opinion, this is the ultimate interior design shortcut. It adds character along with visual depth to any space, using just a splash of color or a touch of texture.
For artsy homes, adding delicate prints or patterns can boost the effect even more. Here’s how to get started.
Choosing the best wall to highlight
Before you grab a paintbrush, you need to find your focal point.
Your best choice is the wall that your eyes naturally gravitate toward as soon as you—and your visitors—walk into the room. In a bedroom, it’s usually the wall behind the headboard, so there’s plenty of space for personal choices here.
In a living room, the focal point is most often behind the couch or framing the fireplace. Finding the right spot will help to keep create balance in the room and avoid chaos.
Using color to transform the mood
Color is more than just appearance. It sets the overall tone! The shade you choose could be powerful enough to dictate how the room feels:
- Deep: Navy, charcoal or forest green to add drama and intimacy.
- Bright: Soft pastels or cool mints to make a cramped room feel more spacious and uplifting.
- Bold: A pop of terracotta or golden yellow injects a cheerful personality.
The right hue changes the look of the four walls, but that’s not all. It carries the potential to completely shift the energy of your daily life within your home.
Enhancing texture with wallpaper and materials
If one shade of paint feels a bit too plain for your taste, texture will be your best friend. Contemporary design has no space for basic drywalls anyway! For a modern touch, you could add depth with these options:
- Natural elements: Reclaimed wood or stone veneers add an earthy, organic feel.
- Premium fabric: You could apply luxury wallpapers with metallic finishes or bold geometric patterns.
- Statement murals: A floor-to-ceiling landscape or abstract mural can turn a plain wall into a literal piece of art.
Styling the space to complement the accent wall
Finally, once your feature wall is ready to go, you just need to pair it with everything surrounding it.
It’s time to coordinate your décor and create harmony.
If you have a deep blue accent wall, for example, you could maybe pull that color into your throw pillows or a piece of rug detail.
Use smartly placed lighting, like a sconce or a picture light, to draw the eye towards your handiwork.
Remember that the overall goal is to let your new accent wall shine without letting it overwhelm the rest of your home’s aesthetic. This is your palette, but only a part of it.
