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10' accent wall in open floor plan, design decor advice needed

8 years ago

Evening all.. So we recently remodeled our split level home. We have an open concept living, dining, kitchen and 10’ ceilings. We have a large accent wall that we can’t figure out what to do with. If you look at the photo of the wall, to the left and right of the mantel are two small holes, those are now 6x12 in-wall (white) speakers. That said, what do you think we can do with the wall to decorate? (The other photo is showing the space standing in front of the mantel).


Some concerns – with shelving, our wall / fireplace is all flush, so shelving would stick out, does that matter? Color of shelving? Another thought was nice canvas photo collages?


Any advice or design recommendations are appreciated.




Comments (58)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I really don't know - but if you look at how they display with table lamp - would 2 of these add something? and still leave visual room for sconces at side walls [to look ok]?

    https://www.jossandmain.com/furniture/pdp/kathleen-mirrored-chest-wrlo1885.html?piid=22584910

  • 8 years ago

  • 8 years ago

    Shape of accent wall has slight curve... maybe table lamps could too.


    https://www.jossandmain.com/lighting/pdp/carol-table-lamp-brsd3301.html?piid=15330636#readmoremodal1

  • 8 years ago

    everdebz, that black 'pops' on that wall! A very nice touch.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    nice kjoy1 ! Could you change the wall color?

    Matt,,,,are you keeping the wall that color? I'm just wondering how that relates to the other walls. what if you did it in a darker gray-blue,,or charcoal and then did the black accents? I just see that particular color in more of a beach theme type decor. Or, switch out the light blue gray color on the other walls.

  • 8 years ago

    I love the color of that wall, but wish you mounted the TV to the left of the fireplace. Oh well. Take a look at allposters.com for great posters. You can buy them framed or unframed.


    I would have two knock-out porsters on either side of the fireplace.

    Here's info on art prints from London.

  • 8 years ago

    houssaon,,,that second pic is perfect! Matt, a little more construction??

  • 8 years ago

    That was good, by kjoy1... not me...

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    If you don't want to do a lot, then I'd still put in a marble tile surround on the fp up to the mantel and then either build in or find some low bookcases to flank each side. Get coordinating art of good scale...whatever is to your taste...to hang above (not obstructing the speakers) and then decorate as you wish...some taller vases or objects, fill in the bookcases with stuff and it'll be fine.

    It's all about scale when you're working with a large wall space.

  • 8 years ago

    Matt can you wife remember the paint color , off the can perhaps and what brand. I would love to use that color, thanks

  • 8 years ago

    @everdebz - we were hoping to avoid a dresser on that wall, but the one you sent looks really nice

    @kjoy1 - that looks great, the only thing is the "traditional" style around the fireplace, we're more contemporary, but that look is great, the black does pop and wasn't sure if we should go white or black with the decor.

    @Beth H - no changing the wall color, lol. so we went with a cooler them all round, the wall compliments and picks up some bluish tones in our countertops.


    @houssaon - leaning toward a poster/art/photo. I'm a part time photographer so may use some of my prints for art work. Not sure if of the kids or general.

    @Annie - so I hear and agree, but we really are not up to adding that at the moment. BUT what you drafted looks great.

    @Claire - See below screen shot of the top of the paint can for the code, was Valspar (i think my wife may have done a mix, I will ask).


    Can't thank everyone enough for all of the ideas and renderings. Looking back I do wish we would have built it out/in like many of you guys recommended. For now though, we are not up for any work, even if minor...


  • 8 years ago

    Tiling isn't a big deal. But until you unite the mantel and the fireplace in some way, it will look disjointed. Not sure what it would look like, but even if you painted it an accent color it might help with maybe some wood molding strips on the side...


    Mark D thanked Annie Deighnaugh
  • 8 years ago

    I agree with Annie that until you unite the fireplace and mantel...the space will always look a little unfinished. My advice would be to take a break and when you have regained resources and energy tackle the fireplace wall. You have done such a good job with your remodel that I think you will always regret not finishing this last 1%. Do you have a picture of the room with your furniture?

    Mark D thanked kjoy1
  • 8 years ago

    @kjoy1

    Yes, but it isn't "Houzz" worthy, after holidays, kids home, lol... i'll take a few shots.

  • 8 years ago

    Matt,,ok,,now that I see the entire area, it looks good. must have just been the photo. I'm just happy it's not gray! beautiful kitchen. very nice job you've done.

    I like the idea of that tiling in kjoys last pic.

  • 8 years ago
    You can do Ikea Billy bookcases to look like builtins.
  • PRO
    8 years ago

    IMO the 'accent wall' should be charcoal gray and not that aqua color. I have fixed the height of the mantle and the TV and speaker box.

  • 8 years ago

    What was the reasoning behind the aqua/minty colored wall? Generally, you should be working with your fabrics and textiles to generate a proper paint color.

  • 8 years ago
    That mint green is all wrong, IMO.
  • 8 years ago
    Reminds me of Tiffany jewelry box.
  • 8 years ago

    Beverly, I'm concerned that either (a) you were serious (and obviously didn't read through the other posts), or (b) you were making a joke that the OP hasn't been on the boards long enough to get. Honestly, I couldn't tell which.

  • 8 years ago
    ....
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Your photo [of After] shows more muted.... you love it, good!!!

  • 8 years ago

  • 8 years ago

    Claire,,,suggestion for you. if you click on the main photo first, then drag it off onto your desktop, you'll get the larger version of the pic. if you just drag it off before clicking on it, you get the small, puny version,,,,,like the one you just did.

  • 8 years ago

    i wouldn't tile cause it would interrupt paint color, and create 3....

  • 8 years ago

    Sorry Beth happy New Year to you I’m using my phone browser

  • 8 years ago

    Beth, pics 3 & 4 -- built out wall -- is the right idea.

    If BTU is that high, heat will not be kind to your tv. Might see what is involved in moving/adding wiring to put the tv elsewhere.

  • 8 years ago

    MattL, I love what you have done. I love the color you picked and can't wait to see how it all ends up. I think splits are amazing family homes when done right

  • 8 years ago

    Love the accent color. How about large plants of varying heights intermixed with your own art work scattered over the area, coordinating the colors of the pots to the art.



  • 8 years ago

    I get your constraints with the mantel and TV. So the first thing to do is find another speaker solution so you can lower the TV to the mantel, and to paint the speaker grilles and switch plates the same color as the walls.

    Now we have a space that isn't so chopped up and can consider what else to do.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Maybe leave one of the built in speakers white and incorporate it into a gallery arrangement.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago


    I understand your desire for a cooler color, however if you did paint it darker you would resolve a lot of your proportion problems. With your large windows, it would not make the room too dark. The mantle, TV and firebox would not stand out so starkly. Maybe you can pick up the turquoise color in another way, such as artwork, and darken the wall.

  • 8 years ago
    I would think you need definitely some greenery in there, pictures to make it a home feel some decorative vases on a shelf that you can swap out when you want.
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    If a pretty much medium paint color - all the more reason to have shapes of furniture/ art, etc. - be good looking!!!! [as has been wonderfully shown]. I favored the one or two with symmetrical, which seemed to emphasize the angled wall above.

  • PRO
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    CAWAPS,

    Delete your comment. I see no reason for me to be your whipping boy.

    Beverly, I'm concerned that either (a) you were serious (and obviously didn't

    read through the other posts), or (b) you were making a joke that the OP

    hasn't been on the boards long enough to get. Honestly, I couldn't tell

    which.

    Here is the benign comment I posted and I don't get what you might have interpreted as a joke. It's simply a statement of opinion and nothing more.

    IMO the 'accent wall' should be charcoal gray and not that aqua color.

    I have fixed the height of the mantle and the TV and speaker box.


  • 8 years ago

    Thanks for the compliments on my accent color, and no offense taken to those that don't like it. Reason for the color, wife liked it, I was happy with it, it complimented our counter tops. We did other walls gray and really wanted a color for that wall. To each is own. Not sure what being on the boards long enough would do, we were on here and pinterest looking, we did everything ourselves and are not interior decorators. The reasoning for no stone work from the begininng is we really wanted a clean modern type look. Aside from this wall and now seeing we should have build out/in, we are overall happy with the space and I think that what matters the most.

    Unfortunately, lowering the mantel is not possible based on the manufacturer specs for our Regency fireplace.

    While those Billy bookcases look great, we really can't do the book cases because that would require building out the fireplace since it sits flush against the accent wall.

    I think based on everyone's input, we'll ultimately do some building out down the road, but as advised, for now, we'll get a plant for one corner. Then either shallow shelving or art prints for each side of the TV.


  • 8 years ago
    I think you could do some inexpensive fake built ins with ikea book shelves! I’m a newbie to Houzz but here is an attempt to express my vision
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Beverly, here are some quotes that led to my comment on your post.

    OP to "@everdebz - we were hoping to avoid a dresser on that wall, but the one you sent looks really nice"

    OP: "So the Mantel had to be at that height, that was the lowest we can go based on the fireplace specs, it's a high BTU and if we did wood mantel it would have to have gone even higher. We can't remove it because of the TV and that not be recessed (too much heat). In a perfect world we would have the TV lower, but it just wasn't possible."

    OP: "@Beth H - no changing the wall color, lol. so we went with a cooler them all round, the wall compliments and picks up some bluish tones in our countertops."

    So when you suggested he lower the mantel, paint the wall gray, and get a pair of dressers to flank the fireplace...

    It's obvious from your comment that you were sincere. I beg your pardon for being sincerely confused.

  • 8 years ago

    A better balanced gallery wall. I feel pretty strongly that you need to be more cognizant of the wall as a total composition rather than just sticking stuff there to fill up space.


  • 8 years ago

    Matt,,perhaps you could weigh in here on what you don't want. A lot of people are spending time doing mock ups and such.

    Do you want anything done w/the fireplace? Do you want any type of bookcases or shelving? Any plants? Anything moved around?


  • 8 years ago

    Nice job with your remodel--bet you are glad to be to this point. Reading all posts- I was thinking I would keep it simple and use wall as gallery--and then I read Grovers post and illustration..nice! I think that is your best option. I would use white/ blacks/ and a few with subtle color that connects to your wall color choice.

    Position couch facing FP and place interesting layer behind couch with a console and lamps.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    @Beth H et al.. yes, and I'm really thrilled with all of the recommendations, everyone has style and it's great to see varying opinions.

    So I don't want to think anyone has wasted their time, I think down the road in the near future, we will go with something built out pretty much like you were suggesting early on. As we just finished the remodel within the last year, we are not up for building anything out or even tiling the wall at this point. We don't need new furniture at the moment (kids will ruin it anyway).

    For now, we were looking for something minor / superficial, if that's the correct verbiage. While we know now, that it may not look "perfect", it's where we're at now.

    That said, we don't want to do anything (now) with the fireplace, what we are open to is: some type of shelving (which would have to be shallow in depth, I think), definitely plants (faux preferably), artwork or like I mentioned (which may have gotten lost), is maybe B&W canvas print collage (I'm a part-time photographer and we have zero photos of our kids displayed). We are also open to putting a small corner piece to the left side, but it would have to be very small footprint as we only have about 12" from the wall to the lightswitch near the slider, but after hearing/seeing some of the plant options, I think we prefer that.

    Another note, we (I) have a floor subwoofer to the right hand side, you can see my wife's aerogarden sitting on top of it until we find a home for it :)

    Hopefully, that helps, again, I really do appreciate everyone weighing in and taking a lot of time for the mock ups.

    -Matt

  • 8 years ago

    B&W canvas photos of your kids would look great! I love, love, love your kitchen...actually the whole room. Good job! I'm jealous.


  • 8 years ago

    Layout like Grover showed in mock-up


  • 8 years ago

    Hi Matt, sorry first time user, I had a question on another topic which you commented on in the past, a fabuwood 42 inch cabinet and the xoi3315 exhaust. Its my understanding that the max fan depth suggested for this cabinet is 13 3/4 inch depth. The xoi max depth appears to be 15 inches. How did you get it to fit. Thanks. Victor

  • 8 years ago
    In my other post I have photos how it was installed.
  • 8 years ago

    Thanks. I did see your most helpful photos and is the reason why I want to get this xoi exhaust.


    It appears you just cutout the bottom portion of the upper chamber of the fabuwood cabinet and inserted the xci unit into it. It also looks like you may have added "spacer/filler boards around the 15 inch perimeter of the xoi unit. If this is true, was it to lower the xoi unit a bit so that the 15 inch flange portion of the xoi unit would be lowered into the larger space of the lower portion (arched portion)of the fabuwood cabinet. THX so much, I can not get fabuwood or xoi to confirm that the xoi unit will fit in this cabinet and the installer is requiring me to do so before ordering the cabinets:(

  • 8 years ago
    Do you have an email address I can get you more photos and info. It’s not lower than the hood all they did was just make the cut out based on the xio
  • 8 years ago

    sure esquirenj@aol.com most appreciative

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