How to Create an Accent Wall

An accent wall should be the focal point of your room.

One of the most striking ways to redecorate a room is to create an accent wall. An accent wall draws the eye to it, and often gives the room added personality. Concentrating on one wall will also allow you to test the waters of decorative styles. Adding a treatment to just one wall might make you feel bold enough to choose unconventional colors and patterns that you'd be less comfortable seeing across an entire room. Use your accent wall to give your room focus and inspire the rest of your decor.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• Paintbrush

Choosing the Wall

1. Find the focal point of the room. Choose the wall that has a large window, fireplace or a large piece of furniture. If none of the walls features a focal point, select the wall that catches your eye. Create your own focal point by adding a painting or other decorations to one wall.

2. Correct disproportionate walls by making the shortest wall the accent wall. This will make the walls appear more even, and make the short wall seem like it's closer to you.

3. Choose a wall that isn't competing with other walls to be the focus of the room. There should be only one focal point in the room.

Color and Texture

1. Choose an eye-catching color to make the wall stand out. Bright and dark colors make a bold statement. Painting the wall the same color as the other walls, only a couple of shades darker will create a complementary color scheme.

2. Choose a color that complements your furniture, but isn't so similar that it blends into the rest of the room. If you're refurnishing, coordinate your fabrics and decorations to flatter the accent wall.

3. Add texture to a wall by creating a faux paint finish. Use a technique such as Venetian plaster, sponging or stenciling to give an accent wall definition.

Choosing Your Surrounding Color

1. Paint the walls surrounding a dark accent wall a color that isn't too light. Medium colored walls will balance a dark wall better than light walls.

2. Choose either a light or medium color for walls surrounding a bright accent wall.

3. Paint the ceiling the same color as or slightly lighter than the surrounding walls. Be aware that a dark ceiling will make the room feel enclosed, while a light ceiling will make the room feel more open.

Tips & Warnings

• Frame the accent wall by painting any molding or trim surrounding in white or brown.

References

• House Painting Tutorials: Tips for Painting Accent Walls
• True Value: Paint an Accent Wall