How to Choose an Accent Wall when Painting

Choose an accent wall when painting to make a focal point.

Punch up an ordinary room by creating a focal point with interior paint. When you use color to draw the eye where you want it, you add dimension and interest to any room. Choose an accent wall when painting and give it a bold hue. Make your accent wall one that naturally attracts the eye, or take a different approach and pull the eye to your accent wall by using color and interior decor.

Instructions

1. Stand at the entrance to the room, and look at the room objectively to determine where the eye naturally goes. If the room has an existing focal point, such as a picture window or a fireplace, enhance this focal point by making the corresponding wall an accent wall.

2. Create a focal point if the room does not already have one. Select a solid wall and punch it up with a bold color. Place a dynamic sculpture or a large painting on the wall to set this wall apart further as an accent wall.

3. Minimize other walls to make sure they do not compete with an accent wall. Make the color of the primary walls three shades lighter than the accent wall and keep the decor against these walls (pictures or paintings, for example) minimal in comparison to the accent wall.

Tips & Warnings

• The accent wall does not need to be the first wall visible upon entrance to a room. Consider the other features of the room before you automatically select the most obvious wall.

References

• House Painting Tutorials: Tips For Painting Accent Walls
• CNN: Choose the Right Colors for Your Rooms