Check Out These Accent Walls
See why Im totally crushing on an accent wall now?
They give a room a focal point for the eye to rest on. They tell you where to look in a room. They can create depth, or even give a space a purpose. Similar to how a rug defines a space, an accent wall defines the focus of the room.
Accent walls are also great for rental homes. You may not want to invest the time or money to paint an entire room. Adding a painted accent wall gives the room your own style for little effort and cost. Its easy to repaint just that one wall when it is time to move out.
Choosing The Right Wall
Four: Prep The Room For Painting
While youre painting your accent wall, plan on having the room out of commission for a few days. Youll need to remove everything from it, or at least give the furniture a five-foot berth from the accent wall so you have room to move around. Start by taking all decor off the wall in question, then move on to getting the furniture far away from any potential paint spills. If you need a hand with the heavy lifting, book a labor-only Dolly. Well connect you with trained Helpers who are ready to help move your furniture, whether it be across the house or all the way to your storage unit, all at an affordable price.
One last step of prep: the wall itself. Make sure the wall is smooth and free of holes before painting it. If you need to fill any smaller holes, a pocket-sized spackle pen can get the job done in just a few minutes and will save you plenty of headache in the long run.
Don’t Miss: Painting Of The Last Supper
How To Paint An Accent Wall In 10 Easy Steps
- Move furniture away from the wall and cover.
- Lay old sheets or drop cloths to protect flooring.
- Sand and seal any holes or imperfections.
- Wipe the wall clean.
- Tape around wall edges and trim.
- Open a window and/or turn on a fan for proper ventilation.
- Cut the edges of the wall with a paintbrush or paint edger.
- Use the roller to cover the wall from top to bottom.
- Repeat with a second coat.
- Remove tape before drying to keep corners clean and free of chips.
What About Wallpapered Feature Walls
.
We love those! The rules are a little more relaxed, since a wallpaper feature wall is different from its surroundings not due to contrast, but to pattern. But the basic rules still apply!
Accent wall installation for Haven Design & Construction. Paper Moon Painting. Photo by Matt Niemann.
Half wall in dining room, wallpaper installation by Paper Moon Painting, Alamo Heights, TX
Wallpaper accent wall in home office, installed for Haven Design & Construction. Photo by Matt Niemann.
Don’t Miss: Painting Colors For Interior Walls
Do Choose The Right Wall
Be purposeful when picking your accent wall. Rooms without an architectural feature can benefit from an accent wall, especially one with texture. A wall of windows can also be your accent wall, but be mindful that a dark accent color surrounding windows can create a bright light effect and overwhelm the room.
Here Are Some Tools I Suggest You Use
Once youve decided on the color scheme and the wall you want to accent, its time to pick the right tools for the job! of course, these depend on the medium youll use to make your feature wall.
You can get wall stickers like these, or you can use heat transfer vinyl or paint. The good thing with the stickers is that you dont need to step up onto a tall ladder if you want something above eye level.
Of course, sticking a giant sticker on your wall is easier than painting the whole thing. However, if you want a solid colored mural instead of just one giant design.
I personally suggest you use a paint sprayer for this job to be done. This tip is for newbies and for professionals also.
Home decor enthusiasts should go with Wagner sprayers which can be helpful for those people who are comfortable with small and handy sprayers.
If you want to make a good impression at least from the point of view of your offices visual appearance, theres nothing better than accent walls.
Of course, it helps if it comes with the right tools and what could be more fitting in this case than paint sprayers?
As they say, the devil lies in the details so if you want flawless results when decorating your office with an accent wall, getting one professionally done would be recommended.
Don’t Miss: Abstract Painting Ideas On Canvas
Don’t Forget About Wallpaper
Wallpaper is a gorgeous choice for accent walls. The latest temporary wallpapers can give you a designer look without a long-term commitment. Look for wallpaper with pretty designs and colors for a chic style. For renters, temporary wallpaper is a clever way to personalize your home.
Still not sure which color to choose? Take our short personality quiz and learn which color palette is right for you!
Best Blue Neutral: Farrow & Ball Pale Powder 204
The Spruce
Farrow & Ball Pale Powder is another stunning neutral with a hint of color. Technically aqua, Pale Powder looks nearly white in large, bright spaces and more blue/green in smaller ones. The green undertones keep this color from feeling too gray or cold. Try it in a bedroom or even on a ceiling.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Paint Off Metal
Best Black: Magnolia Fine Black
The Spruce
If you think black can’t be neutral, think again. Because it pairs well with nearly any color palette, black is actually an extremely versatile paint color. We love Magnolia’s Fine Black because it’s creamy and full-bodied without feeling stark. If you’re too shy to paint an entire room black, consider an accent wall in a bedroom or a kitchen.
Three: Find The Perfect Color
While its certainly not the most labor-intensive, deciding on the color for your accent wall might be the most difficult step. The painting experts at Wagner recommend following the 60-30-10 rule when picking out a color: 60% of the room should be your dominant color, 30% should be a secondary color, and 10% should be an accent color. With that in mind, youll want to find a very minor color in your current color schemelikely something bold or bright that will differ dramatically from the other colors in the roomand work with that.
Once you have a color in mind, head to your local paint store and explore the selection for some ideas. Once youve narrowed down to two or three colors, buy sample cansusually $10 or lessand some small paint brushes. Back at home, paint a small section of the wall in question with each color, let dry, and examine a few days later. Youll get a true sense of what the color looks like in the space, letting you know what to expect before you buy the paint in bulk.
You May Like: How To Remove Acrylic Paint
Do Pick The Right Wall
When it comes to accent walls, only one wall gets to be the accent wall. If you were to pick more than one, then it wouldnt have the same effect and you may as well paint the entire room. Because only one wall gets to be the accent wall, you must choose wisely. Your eye will naturally be drawn to certain walls over others depending on the lighting and furniture arrangement of the room. Look at each wall and picture it the accent wall color, decide which would look best as the accent wall, and maybe sleep on that decision. Intuitively youll know which wall to pick and you can always get others opinions if you get stuck.
Five: Tape And Protect In Case Of Accidents
No matter how precise you are, theres undoubtedly going to be a few drops of paint spilled. So before you break out your brush, grab a roll of painters tape and tape down every edge of the wall: floor ceiling, and sides. Get a sturdy canvas and place it on the floor . And if theres any furniture or items nearby that cant be moved out of the room, cover them with a canvas or tarp as well, just in case of splatters.
Read Also: Price Of Maaco Paint Job
The Backs Of Bookshelves
.
Technically, this wouldnt be an accent wall at all, but the back wall of built-in bookshelves forms a nice large rectangle of space that could look nice with a contrasting color.
.
Design by Jessica Turf, photo by David A. Land. Via Instagram
We often apply wallpaper to the backs of bookshelves, for a rich effect:
Wallpapered accent bookshelves by Paper Moon Painting for Haven Design & Construction, photo by Matthew Niemann Photography
.
What about scenarios where an accent wall is NOT a good idea?
.
Gather Your Supplies And Choose Your Color
After the wall was prepped and ready to go, I gathered my painting materials and began painting. I am a big fan of Behr Marquee Interior Paint and use it on most of my paint projects. It gives great coverage and Ive always had good experiences with it.
I decided to paint an accent wall with the color Intergalactic so that it would contrast well with the adjoining walls. It looked gray on the paint card, but it has a slight blue tint to it. I loved the way it turned out. I also opted to go darker for the accent wall because I think bedroom accent walls look better with a darker tone.
Also Check: The Prince Of Peace Painting
Best Paint Colors For Accent Walls
Some of the most popular colors for accent walls are:
- Hale Navy a dark navy paint color
- Tricorn Black a rich luxe black paint color
- Evergreen Fog a lush earthy green paint color
- Urbane Bronze a rich brown paint color
- Dovetail a deeper greige paint color
- Redend Point a soft, midtone pink
- Raspberry Blush a deep raspberry pink
Figure Out The Design
Its important to match the wall with a similar design to the room. So if youre planning on an entire makeover itll take some more thinking as youll want the furniture to blend in with the accent wall.
But, if youre matching the wall to the current furniture itll be a lot easier as you just choose what you think looks best.
Read Also: Painting Brick House Before And After
Should You Repaint Moulding First Or The Wall First
Paint the Trim First, Then the Ceilings and Walls Pros usually follow a certain order when painting a room. They paint the trim first, then the ceiling, then the walls. Thats because its easier to tape off the trim than to tape off the walls. And you certainly dont want to tape them both off!
How to paint a room with an accent wall?
Go and paint the colour which is going to cover the 6070 % of the walls. I am sure it would be a lighter colour, so paint that the first. Next, if you have decided the accent colour, match it once again prior to painting and if satisfied, cover your accent wall with that colour.
Take Your Accent Wall To The Next Level
To add more artistic flare to your space, consider incorporating an accent wall design or even multiple colors. Below are the most popular methods for unique accent walls:
- Whether itâs a mandala, a floral design or an abstract pattern, stencils help to achieve a custom look with minimal effort.
- Increasingly popular, ombré walls gradually blend shades of color from light to dark, creating a dreamy look perfect for bedrooms.
- With a little bit of painterâs tape, you can create a contemporary, geometric pattern to wow your guests.
- Using a sea sponge, dab a secondary color against the wall repeatedly to create a textured look.
Don’t Miss: Green Paint Colors For Living Room
Calculate Amount Of Paint
To determine how much paint you need, multiply the total width of the wall you’re painting by ceiling height to find the square footage to be covered. Subtract 15 square feet for windows and 21 for doors. A gallon of paint generally covers about 350 to 400 square feet , so divide your total square footage by 350 or 400 to determine the number of gallons needed. Depending on the size of the accent wall, one gallon of paint may be all you need, but you’ll need a few coats when using deep, dark colors.
Best Striped: Roommates Awning Stripe Peel And Stick Wallpaper
-
Easy to apply and remove
-
Classic and versatile
When it comes to decorating with patterns, there may be nothing more classic than vertical stripes. Inspired by the awnings seen outside mid-century shops, the RoomMates Awning wallpaper earned a 4.5 for design. Though the thick stripes were fairly easy to line up, our tester noted the white portion showed a few marks from the smoothing tool.
This temporary wallpaper scored 5s in all other categories, including application, removal, reapplication, and overall value. We had no issues with bubbling, and the paper did a great job concealing minor bumps and imperfections in the wall. Plus, this is one of the more reasonably priced options we tried.
Material: Paper | Roll Size: 198 x 20.5 inches | Coverage Per Roll: 28.2 square feet | Colors: Beige, black
The Spruce / Dara Burreson
Read Also: Interior Paint Cost Per Square Foot
Trendy Paint Patterns To Make Your Walls Less Boring
As you probably know, painting an accent wall is an easy way to add a fun, decorative element to any room. According to Diversified Painting, these focal points are meant to draw attention to one area of the space. Additionally, they could be used to make one shade in your color scheme really stand out. And, a huge benefit of a painted accent wall is that it can easily be changed with minimal effort. Indeed, if you ever get sick of the color, you can just paint over it.
However, maybe you think a solid-colored accent wall is a bit overdone. While it provides a classic appearance, why not spice up your wall’s design? Are you game? If so, here are 20 of the most popular and trendy paint patterns right now, which you could easily add to any wall to give it an extra unique appearance. Give it a shot!
Painting Advice: How To Paint An Accent Wall
Color sets the stage in any room. One way to bring more color into your home is to use an accent wall. It’s easy to create an accent wall in your home with some painting advice. If you are wondering how to paint an accent wall yourself instead of hiring house painters, you’ll find out here.
How To Paint An Accent Wall
Painting Advice
1. Picking A Wall
An accent wall is a wall painted a different color from the rest of the room and will naturally garner attention. Choosing the right wall will highlight an already prominent feature of the room.It’s best to select a wall in an open area that has lots of light, either natural or artificial. The wall that your eye is pulled towards or that has interesting architectural features is especially good.
How To Paint An Accent Wall
Painting Advice
2. Choosing the Color
A single accent wall can help tie everything in the house together, if you choose the color carefully.Many people like to go with bold colors when making an accent wall. However, almost any contrasting color will do, so look at your favorite colors to highlight a wall.If you have minor hints of one color in the room, like red, adding in that color as an accent wall is ideal. The entire room will look organized and part of an overall design scheme.
How To Paint An Accent Wall
Painting Advice
3. Choosing a Paint Sheen
How To Paint An Accent Wall
Painting Advice
4. Painting the Wall
Also Check: How To Remove Spray Paint From Wood