Accent Walls

What is an accent wall? An accent wall is one wall in the room that is different from all the other walls in that same room. The accent wall can be a different color from the other walls, or it can be made of a different material or texture. Accent walls are used to embrace a certain item in the room or break up the look of the pattern in the room.

How to Choose Which Wall to Accent

This type of wall will make a statement. As you enter the room, your eye will instantly drift toward this particular wall. Deciding on which wall will be your accent wall is a fairly easy process. An accent wall is best if it is a plain wall. This means no doors or windows on the wall, just a plain wall. Ask yourself: Do I have a certain piece of furniture that I want to build the accent wall around or is there a wall in the room that has a different texture? When you enter the room, notice which wall catches your eye first. This more than likely will make for a good accent wall.

When painting your accent wall, you want to make sure that the wall you are choosing is not too plain and exposed. If you have an extremely bare wall, adding too much strong color will take away from the rest of the room. On the opposite end of the spectrum, though, having a wall cluttered with several pieces of artwork or pictures will take away from the statement that your accent wall is trying to make. It will get lost behind all the items on that wall. If you already have a piece of furniture or an architectural focal point, use it. It will help bring out the paint on the accent wall instead of working against the natural flow of things.

Something else to keep in mind when choosing an accent wall is how the lighting will affect the look of it. Natural light will come in from the windows and can enhance the look of the right accent wall. The same goes for artificial light. Making sure that the light is directed toward the wall will help bring out the personality of this particular wall.

Color Makes the Mood

The color you choose for your accent wall will also help give the illusion you want. If you want a room that is skinny to appear wider or a room that has a shorter length to appear longer, it is important that you choose paints that are considered cool colors. These cool hues are purples, greens and blues. Using warm colors such as yellow, orange or red will also change the appearance of the room. They will draw your eye to the accent wall and can give the illusion of the size of the room being more balanced than it really is.

When painting your accent wall, it is also good to know that making this wall darker than the other walls provides a more classic look. Most accent walls look better being the darkest wall in the room. Painting this wall a lighter color than the other walls will work, but requires more skill and proves to be much harder than making the accent wall darker.

The easiest way to choose your accent wall color is to take into consideration the color scheme that is already in the room. This could be the color of the carpeting, the color of the curtains, and the print on any fabric in the room. You want your accent wall to stand out, but do not want the color of the paint you choose to look like it does not belong with any other item in the room.

The paint on your accent wall needs to both coordinate and offer a contrast in the room. An accent wall is just that, an accent. Because you want it to make a statement in the room, you do not want it to blend in.

A Small Project Can Yield Big Results

There are several reasons that accent walls can be used in any room of your home. This is a great way to change the look and feel of any room in your home without committing to a huge painting project. Accenting can also be a good idea for those who want a new look but don’t have a very big budget.

This is your home and your vision. Have fun creating an accent wall. Don’t be afraid to experiment and take chances. If you need help deciding how to choose the right color and texture for your accent wall, come into The Painting Company where our qualified staff can help you create the atmosphere you are looking to achieve.