Just what is an accent wall? An accent wall is basically a single wall within a room that is styled differently in order to make it stand out. By contrasting the other walls within the room, these walls can bring a sense of excitement to the space.
Accent walls are a great way to transform walls that are otherwise sitting bare. They are a chance to play around with color and texture in a room without going overboard. Below are just a few different accent wall ideas to consider.
Bold paint
Painting one wall in a room a different color to the others is a great way to make that wall stand out. Choosing a neutral color for the other three walls (such as white, cream, beige or grey) allows you to choose any color you want for your accent wall without the risk of it clashing.
Relaxing colors like dark blue or deep purple could be great for a bedroom, while energizing colors like cherry red or yellow-gold could be great for a kitchen. Alternatively, you could try more daring colors like lime green or pink.
Wallpaper
Certain wallpaper patterns can make a room feel dated or garish if added to all four walls. It’s safer to contain wallpaper to a single wall within a room. This can provide a burst of fun texture without dominating the room with it.
There are so many different wallpaper patterns to explore from traditional floral designs to modern geometric designs. Try to keep wallpaper subtle in rooms where you want to relax such as the bedroom or bathroom. In areas such as the kitchen or living room, you have more freedom to experiment with wild designs.
Exposed brick
Another cool accent wall idea involves stripping back the plaster in order to expose the brickwork underneath. This can give a room a warm and rustic feel – it is most popular in living rooms and kitchens.
Exposing the brickwork can bring character to a room in a newer home. In older buildings, it can be a way of exposing the history of a building. In both cases, you need to be careful of weakening the structural integrity of the building. Hiring a professional is recommended in order to reduce damage to the brickwork. It’s worth sealing the brickwork in order to protect it from crumbling. A layer of sealant can also make the wall easier to clean.
Stone veneer
If stripping back the wall sounds too time-consuming or messy, you can still add a brick effect to a wall by instead applying stone veneer over the top. This may not be as authentic, but it does give you the freedom to explore different brick and stone effects rather than settling for whatever lies beneath the plaster.
Stone veneer can be quite expensive – especially if you’re choosing a premium stone like slate or granite. It is guaranteed to have a striking visual effect though. Some forms of stone veneer may be possible to install yourself fairly easily, while others may require you to hire a professional.
Patterned tiles
You can also spice up a wall by adding tiles to it. Such accent walls are popular in kitchens and bathrooms where they often have the practical benefit of helping protect the wall from moisture damage. That said, you can add tile to other rooms such as living rooms or hallways for a purely aesthetic effect.
You can install tiles yourself, although this can be fiddly and time-consuming work. The cost of tiles can depend very much on the quality of tiles that you use.
Wooden paneling
You can also create an accent wall by adding wood panels. Wood panels can provide insulation and improve the acoustics of a room, while providing an earthy touch. You can add wood panels to multiple walls in a room, however choosing a single accent wall is certain to look more sophisticated and modern.
This guide https://www.stikwood.com/blog/59-wood-accent-wall-ideas explores a few different wood accent wall ideas. You can install wood panels yourself or hire a professional to install them for you.
Wall mural
Turn a wall into a piece of art by adding a wall mural. Wall murals are a dramatic way to make a room stand out. They can take the form of landscape scenes, helping to add depth. Alternatively, they may just contain patterns or text.
You will need to hire an artist to create your wall mural. A wall mural may or may not add value depending on what it depicts and where it is.
Large artwork
A large painting or drawing could have the same effect as a mural. The difference is that you can take a painting with you if you move home.
When choosing artwork, try to match the energy to the room. Vibrant and energetic paintings are best reserved for spaces like dining rooms or living rooms. Within bedrooms, you’re better off sticking to calm and peaceful scenes.
Photo gallery
A single wall in a room could be dedicated to displaying photographs. This could serve as a photo gallery of various happy memories or people who are important to you.
You could hang lots of framed photos or arrange photos into a collage by sticking them directly to the wall. Alternatively you could opt for a single large photo. This post lists a few different ways to display photos https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/g41792861/photos-on-wall-ideas/.
Mirrors
You can all decorate walls with mirrors. Mirrors can help to make a space feel bigger and they can reflect light to make a room brighter.
When it comes to creating a mirror accent wall, you can either choose a single large mirror or you can add lots of small mirrors. Frameless mirrors can have a more minimal and subtle feel, while framed mirrors are better for when you want to make a statement. Think carefully about where to put mirrors – there are many places where you may not want to be constantly looking at your reflection.
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