Getting the Accent Wall Right
Celebrate a Glorious Color or Material Without Overpowering Your Space
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
Do you have a favorite wallpaper you're dying to use but you fear it will overpower everything in the room? How about some gorgeous wood planks that cause fear of wood plank overload? Want a bit of stacked stone but don't know where to stack it? Or perhaps it's a geometric texture you desire? The answer is an accent wall. Adding a detail you've fallen in love with to one wall can give you just the right dose—you just need to choose the correct wall for it. Here are how some designers have used the accent wall just right.
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| This wallpaper would have overwhelmed the room had it been on every wall. Opting for the back windowless wall was the right choice. |
by Rachel Paul
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The scale of this fiery mural wall stands up to the two-story height of the room.
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| Something as inexpensive as plywood can add loads of color and texture to a space. It has completely transformed what could have been a plain white box here. |
A darker wall at the end of the dining room gives the illusion of greater depth.
by emily jagoda
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Technically just a piece of a wall, this wood plank accent adds a vertical element. There's also some fun play between this real wood and the faux bois rug.
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| Sometimes an accent wall serves as an extended headboard. Here it helps the half-wall relate to the wood ceiling. |
by Judith Balis
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Here's another way to make the wallpaper part of the bedscape. Coordinating linens makes the bed and wall one seamless part of the room.
This gray barn wood adds a bit of rustic chic to a crisp modern room.
by Jenny Carter
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Do not rule out small spaces for an accent wall. Since the vanity wall is the wall you look at most in the bathroom, why not amp it up a bit?
Side note: I do realize this particular bathroom is amped up to eleven; you do not need to take it this far, but it's a fun example!
Side note: I do realize this particular bathroom is amped up to eleven; you do not need to take it this far, but it's a fun example!
| This wood paneled wall adds warmth to the room, and does not allow the television to command too much attention. |
Sometimes creating an accent wall is as easy as painting one wall a different color.
| The fireplace wall is often a good choice for the accent wall (otherwise, the wall can wind up competing with the fireplace wall). Here stacked stone connects the dining area to the living area in an open floor plan. |
by David Favero
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This geometric pattern helps to further accentuate the fireplace wall. Without it, the scale of the fireplace does not seem significant enough to demand focal point attention.
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by Elliott Kaufman
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| Here the accent takes its cues from the fireplace. It's a little hard to tell from this angle, but note the way it rounds the corner and frames in the bookshelf space. |
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by BAAN design
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| This accent wall holds its own against the wide views outdoors. |
Ideabook updated on Dec. 20, 2010.
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