So you’ve decided to rejuvenate a room or two in your home but you don’t want to remove all the furnishings to paint the entire space. An accent wall that breathes new life into your space may be just the perfect idea and will save you time, money, and the hassle of rearranging everything in order to paint.
Join us as we explore what an accent wall looks like, where many homeowners use this design strategy, and what things to consider as you make your accent wall choices.
What Is an Accent Wall & Where Should I Use It?
An accent wall is an interior or exterior wall that can have a different color, shade, design, or material from the other walls around it.
Most designers follow the 60-30-10 Percent Color Rule when choosing colors and designs for a space. The rule is aptly named as it states that 60% of the room should be a dominant color, 30% should be the secondary color or texture and the last 10% should be an accent.
The 10% of the room that is an accent color can truly make a room pop and draw the eye to the surface whether it is an architectural feature, a piece of artwork, a window, or the direction of a bed/couch.
Many homeowners use an accent wall as a focal point for spaces that have the following components:
- Built-in bookcase
- Wainscoting
- Fireplace
- Architectural nook
- Other distinctive features such as archways/cathedral ceilings
Things To Consider For Accent Walls
There are several things to consider as you make your design choices for an accent wall in your home. Here are a few that may help your color choices.
Consider Neighboring Wall Colors
One of the first rules in deciding on an accent color is to take a step back and look at the colors that are near your wall. Are they neutral shades that will coordinate well with your color choices or are they bold colors that may narrow your choices?
Be sure to test samples near adjacent walls to be sure they coordinate well and have enough of a contrasting color.
Consider Patterns and Textures
Accent walls are not just merely a differing color but can be a pattern that brings visual interest to a space or a texture such as a fan, orange peel, or Venetian to name a few styles. The pattern can be just enough to notice that something is different on the surface and will make the space have more depth and interest.
Consider Which Wall
In many spaces the choice of which wall to use as an accent piece is obvious. For example, in a living room, a good choice would be the fireplace wall, or in the kitchen the breakfast nook. Unfortunately, in some spaces, the obvious choice is not readily available. Bedrooms are one such room that can be difficult to choose which wall works best as an accent wall.
Many designers choose the wall behind the bed as an accent wall while others choose the largest wall as the accent surface. There are no right and wrong spaces; just go with what works best for your home and have fun!
If you are looking for help with painting projects in your home, talk to our team about a free quote and get started making your dream rooms come true.
