Creative Accent Wall
Painting Ideas
Looking for some unique accent wall painting ideas to take your focal wall to the next level?
We've got plenty: from unusual shapes to unexpected placement, keep reading for feature wall project inspiration that will satisfy every taste and work for any room in your home.
Painting accent walls has become an almost classic way to add some interest to a plain room, but the following wall painting ideas will restore the freshness of the concept and help you make a real statement with your focal wall.
So let's get your creative juices flowing!
Unexpected places
The backsplash is a perfect place for an accent color if you want to liven up your entire kitchen with minimum effort (a quart of paint and 2 hours of your time).
Just make sure you use a glossy paint finish or special washable paint - it's durable and easy to keep clean.
Open-face kitchen and bathroom cabinets and those with glass doors almost beg to be accentuated with a different, fun paint color!
But even if your cabinets have solid doors, an accent pop of color inside can be a nice little surprise (even if just for you) every time you open them up to get something.
Your dining room china cupboard with the back wall painted a bright color will make all your nice dishes really stand out and showcase your collection (no special lighting needed).
So don't be afraid to go bold with your color choice here because only a fraction of it will peek through the open spaces.
The back wall of a built-in or free-standing bookcase can also be painted in a contrasting, complementing color to highlight your books and accessories.
And you don't have to limit yourself to one accent color only - use 2 similar shades or even multiple colors for different effects.
Awkward structural elements such as pipe boxing and protruding wall parts can be made to look intentional and decorative - simply by painting them with an accent color.
Now these odd shapes will actually add something to your space, and look interesting and creative.
Don't forget about the fifth wall - your ceiling can be a focal point, too!
Since this accent color placement is so unexpected, you are guaranteed to WOW anyone who enters the room.
Plus, the right color up there can do a lot for pulling together the entire room color scheme.
Unusual shapes
Accent walls don't have to be painted corner to corner if you want a different look.
For example, you can paint just the middle section, only the top or bottom part of the wall, fill just 2/3 of it vertically, or paint it in half in any direction.
With color blocking, you can slice and dice the focal wall space into as many parts and shapes as you like.
This accent wall painting idea can be done in 2-3 or even more colors, in subtle tone-on-tone or very contrasting paint color combinations, and is best suited for contemporary and minimalist home decors.
Painted stripes, blocks, circles, triangles and other geometric shapes on a focal wall can really funk up the living space.
They can be evenly sized or irregular, done in one or multiple colors, spaced out or overlapping one another, and so on - the possibilities are limited only by your imagination and the effect you are going for.
With some blue painter's tape and creativity, you can imitate chair rail, picture frame molding and other decorative trim detail on your feature wall.
Simply tape off the desired pattern (it can be a single divider, box shapes or even a criss-cross lettice design) and paint over it with the top coat color.
The edges of your accent wall can also be painted to add an extra... well... edge to the effect.
They can be made to look scalloped, feathered out and blended into the main wall color, unevenly rugged or even finished off with stripes or stencils - such a small detail but you will be amazed at the difference!
Dimensional finishes
Instead of using regular paint and a solid color for painting your accent wall, try a decorative faux finish.
For example, venetian plaster will look like polished, light-reflecting stone, antique crackle will infuse some shabby chic flair, and rag painting will imitate the sensual texture of leather.
With stencils, you can really make the room come alive!
They are available in many different themes to let you create a unique mood and atmosphere.
The design can range from a few subtle touches in the corners to frame the wall, to a large-scale mural that will make a bold statement.
Decadent colors
Consider using a gold, silver or copper leaf finish on your feature wall - the result can be breath-taking (especially when different finishes are combined).
A cheaper, faster and easier way is to use metallic paint - it will look subtler but will still add a dazzle.
And finally, pearlized paint looks magical with its understated glow and iridescence when used in a light, tone-on-tone color combination.
But perhaps the boldest wall painting idea featured here on this page (definitely not for the faint of anything) is a black accent wall.
Most people are afraid of black color and think it'll look goth and depressing.
Too bad because when done right (with light color furniture and flooring in the room to balance it out), a
black accent wall can look not just stunning, but also fresh, positive and inviting.
Accent Wall Projects
From Our Readers:
And if you have your own accent wall painting project to share, click here and see your name in lights.
My Green Living Room Accent Wall
We have a small apartment and when we moved in there was no color on the walls. Because we will have to pay to have each wall that we paint to be painted …
Red Hot Focal Wall in My Beige Living Room
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Painting Idea for a Breakfast Nook: Red Statement Wall
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Painting Idea for a Feature Wall: Crimson Red Color
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Faux Suede Painted Accent Wall
This is my living room wall... we wanted something that seemed warm and cozy for the wall with all of the cold electronic gadgets. The faux suede paint …
Caribbean Style Orange Accent Wall in a Long Corridor
The Caribbean style accent wall featured here is typical to many Caribbean homes - accent walls are popular here where I live. This accent wall is located …
Unique Wall Painting Idea: Multi-Colored Squares
Here's our unique wall painting idea: a "Squared" feature wall, which can be seen as soon as you walk through our front door. Since it was a wall every …
My Blue Accent Wall Painting Idea for a Bedroom
I wanted to add a little bit of color to the otherwise beige bedroom I have. I felt that painting the whole room blue would be too overwhelming, so I targeted …
Bright Yellow Focal Wall in My Apartment
For this project, I wanted a very bright and open room filled with rich sunny colors. The ceiling of the living room was very high, so I wanted a color …
Rich Violet Colour Feature Wall in My Bedroom
We wanted to makeover the second bedroom of our house to make it smart for when we have guests to stay the night. We decided to use a feature wall design, …
Painting Idea: Two-Color Diagonal Statement Wall
Here’s a new slant on wall color for a room that could use a new personality: pick your favorite two colors from some of your furniture, fabrics or accent …
Accent Walls in Open Kitchen and Dining Room
A saturated color was used on several planes in this room:
The perimeter and all trim, ceiling and cabinetry were "painted out" in Benjamin Moore Linen …
Funky Accent Wall in My Living Room
I always wanted red furniture, so when the time came for new furniture, my husband gave in and we bought new red furniture for the living room. Then I …
Accent Wall Painting Idea: Geometrical Shapes - Circles
I live alone in my tiny apartment, and I've always liked bright colours - just to add that little excitement to my mundane life living alone!
I choose …
Brick Red Feature Wall in Our Living Room
My wife and I chose to paint the far wall of our living room a red brick color. We wanted to give the room a little more flair while keeping the other …
We Painted a Brown Statement Wall in Our Living Room
This is the accent wall that is in the living room of our house. We decided to go with an accent wall because we felt that it would be something different …
Purple Focal Wall in my Bedroom
After finally getting around to clean and move things around in the bedroom, I figured that it’s best that I do some painting as well. I’ve always seen …
Accent Wall in an Open Floor Dining Area
Our home is a Cape Cod style. The dining room and living room both are one large room, broken up by merely flooring (carpeting and laminate.) The layout …
Accent Wall in a Girl's Bedroom
Choosing the color for this wall was extremely easy. Since it is a bedroom, my first step was to find the bedding that I fell in love with. It turned out …
Red Accent Wall For a Small Dining Space
I wanted to make the space seem a little cozier so I chose a bright yet deep shade of red. It also helped to define the dining area given the walk-through …
Green Accent Wall in My Hallway
I have been trying for months to figure out what color we wanted to paint in our hallway. After cleaning out our storage closet in the basement, I realized …
A Foyer Niche Turned Into an Accent Wall
I painted the majority of my place an off white/light beige color I just adore, because it looks very clean. With that in mind I painted all the wood and …
Black Metallic Accent Wall in the Foyer
When we moved into our house, our foyer wall just blended in with everything. As it's right under the stairs, we decided it would be a unique place to …
Blue Accent Wall in My Living Room
The walls were white, the cabinets in the adjoining kitchen were white, and the entire area looked so boring. I love bright colors and I just couldn't …
Brown Accent Wall In a Small Apartment
My apartment, which I've lived in for two years, was starting to annoy me with its white walls. Since I'm allowed to paint, I decided I would choose one …
Accent Wall With Geometric Shapes
Well I started off by letting my son pick his favorite 2 colors, and I selected the third color.
I had intentions on purchasing the circle wall decals …
Different Color Feature Walls
When my husband and I moved into our first home together it was a mess. The colors were bright and well over the top. As a result I decided to get creative …
Peanut Butter Accent Wall
We first purchased our new condo about two years ago, and in the main family room there was an existing accent wall (painted bright yellow) that lead out …
Decorative Sponging on My Accent Wall
My living room already has a focal point - the fireplace with some interesting architectural structure surrounding it, but I wanted to offset those elements …
Accent Wall in a Kids' Room
We recently livened up the small room (approximately 10 x 12 feet) that our kids share by painting one of the walls a warm blue color. We pulled this …
Unexpected Effect of Adding an Accent Wall
Molly (our painting customer) felt that her living room looked boxy, bland and boring. She wanted to add some drama to it by creating a focal wall in a …
Bold Red Feature Wall in My Dining Room
My husband and I purchased our first home in May of 2007. When we moved into our new home, the walls were stark white. I appreciated the cleanliness of …
Blue Accent Walls
I live in an apartment building where the exterior has a common design and color, and so I thought of changing my interior style to make it unique and …
Unusual Accent Wall in My Room
The picture is of my room - where I work, and spend my whole day. I was thinking of adding an accent wall to shake things up, but wasn't sure what exactly …
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See Also:
Painting Rooms to Manipulate the Space
Decorative Interior Painting Tips for Foyer Walls
Wall Painting Techniques for Old or Damaged Walls
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