Beautiful wallpaper accent wall via House to Home

Creating an accent wall–that is, using color to treat one wall differently from the others in a room–is like adding an exclamation point at the end of a sentence. It adds excitement and importance to a space. In many rooms, you don’t have a sense of architecture or style. Creating an accent wall is a simple way to provide vibrancy and a sense of place.

Accent Wall Basics

• The accent wall is usually the first wall that you see when entering a room.
• It can help to anchor or define a separate area within a larger space. For example, within a large, open-plan house, an accent wall can define a smaller area as being a reading area.
• The accent wall highlights a large focal point on or near that wall like a TV, entertainment center, bed, fireplace or bookcase. Accent walls are rarely found floating around on their own.
• In most cases, an accent wall is a bold color against neutral walls, however another version of the accent wall is a vibrant shade against other walls of the same shade. For example, a rich orange against other, very pale orange walls.
• Don’t forget that wallpaper and tile can also make an accent wall, not just paint.

Picking a wall

Use the key principle in applying makeup, which is to accentuate the best feature. In other words, pick a wall with a focal point. Some natural examples are a fireplace wall, an unusually shaped wall, walls holding dramatic artwork, or the wall behind a bed’s headboard. This is where your eye goes first. An accent color only makes a focal point more dramatic.

As a general rule, cool colors like green and blue are good for places where you want to relax. Warm colors like red and yellow are better for areas where lively activities take place. When selecting a color, it helps to look at what you already have in the room. A color that already exists in artwork or upholstery fabric can make a great choice for an accent wall. But don’t pick the dominant color. If you choose red and you have a red sofa and a red rug, you aren’t accenting a wall, you are carrying on the same color scheme. It’s better to choose another color that complements your surroundings.

Here are some fabulous accents wall design examples.

Do you want to revamp your dining room? Here a great example to create texture and warmth in a space.

     Transitional style HERMOSA DINING ROOM by Hornebeck Design Partners

                    

                           

                  

              Bedroom Design by Civility Design Interior & Architecture

How would you coordinate 2 rooms? This accent wall makes a wonderful transition between the dining room and living room below. The purple shade is carried out in the next room art work.

Do you prefer vinyl or wallpaper? This is a great way to instill nature and discovery in this pretty nursery!

Wondering how to revamp your office conference room? Here’s a great accent wall application at the NY Corcoran head office.

Who would think that wood panelling would make a great accent? Storage and entertainment centers are hidden behind this long, elegant, wood paneled wall.

                                    Design by S. Russell Groves

Do you have bookshelves or a niche to paint? Accent colors can look fabulous inside them!

How can an accent wall be functional too? In this small home office, the accent wall is covered in a black board providing space for work and fun!

Which accent wall is your favorite? Do you think that you are likely to use any of these ideas for your home in the near future? If so please let me know about it by leaving a comment!