Design Tips for Accent Walls

How to Choose an Accent Wall

One of the easiest ways to accentuate your home interior is using the simple concept of accent walls. Accent walls contrast with primary walls and boost aesthetic appeal through dark and light color combinations. But while accent walls are definitely worth experimenting, they have to be incorporated in a way that compliments the interior look, layout and furniture. With so many different options, Five Star Painting is here to help with a few accent wall ideas and tips for you to get started.

You’ll hear many homeowners complaining that their accent walls have become a disaster. This is likely to happen if you’re into the DIY trend, are painting all the wrong places and have done little to no research on color combinations and mixing. Before you pick the right color combinations, it is advisable to consider the right places first. Let this guide help you in implementing beautiful accent walls that can improve the design and overall look of your home!

Accent Wall Gone Wrong

You’ll hear many homeowners complaining that their accent walls have become a disaster. This is can happen if you have done little to no research on color combinations and accent walls. Before you pick the color combinations, it is advisable to consider which wall to paint first.

Let this guide help you in implementing beautiful accent walls that can improve the design and overall look of your home!

Accent Wall Ideas

How to Choose a Wall

Despite what most people may lead you to believe, the first wall you see in a room isn’t always the ideal wall to accentuate. In fact, there are many factors involved when choosing an accent wall, for instance:

• Solid Walls – Generally and logically speaking, accent walls are solid and don’t have any windows or doors. However, there can be exceptions where your window has a fantastic view and beautiful frame, and when you have doors that blend in seamlessly with your home décor.
• Natural Focal Point – You can always create natural focal points in rooms where there are none. Look around the room and see what offers the most aesthetic appeal. For example, if you have a live plant, sculpture, art, floor vase or framed photos; you can choose the background wall as an accent wall. This makes your items standout and enhances their appeal.
• Short, Far Walls – In rectangular rooms, consider making the farthest short wall the accent wall. This will draw attention and make your walls appear closer. On the other hand, using long walls as accent walls will only emphasize length of the room.
• No Warhol Approach – If your accent wall is going to face competition from other walls, then there’s no point in having one. This is because if there are adjacent walls that have a focal point, then adding another accent wall will only create an imbalance.

Now that you know how to choose an accent wall, let’s get started with the color guide.

Accent Wall Color Ideas

The only way an accent wall works is if the color complements other colors in the room. Using a color wheel takes all the guesswork out of it and will help you narrow down your choices.

In a relatively featureless room with an open floor plan, consider painting the accent wall in vivid tones while keeping the other walls in neutral tones. This helps you create a contemporary and dramatic surrounding.

Try these vivid accent wall paint colors from our partners at Sherwin-Williams:

• Cheery: SW 6584
• La Luna Amarilla: SW 9016
• Espalier: SW 6734
• Aquarium: SW 6767
• Wisteria: SW 6822

If you want to create a light, urban look, try chic and soft colors like beige or celadon green on the other three walls, and paint the accent wall three to four shades darker than the main color. Remember that the color you choose on your accent wall will have an overall impact on the room.

Try these softer and more neutral accent wall paint colors that still make a statement from our partners at Sherwin-Williams:

• Steely Gray: SW 7664
• Incredible White: SW 7028
• Refuge: SW 6228
• Artichoke: SW 6179
• Anchors Aweigh: SW 9179

Décor

The decorations and style in your home should be considered when choosing color combinations. If you have a nautical décor, consider painting your accent wall in light shades of sky blue while keeping all the other walls off-white or plain white. This color palette will create a breezy look reminiscent of the ocean. With this look, you can even consider extending your accent wall to the ceiling.

Lighting

Lastly, lighting in the room is another factor when choosing accent wall colors. If you have chosen an accent wall facing the window, then choose colors that can blend in seamlessly with natural light.

For instance, if you choose dark navy blue, then it may not offer the same pleasing look as light navy blue. Keeping natural light and lighting fixtures in perspective can help you choose brilliant and uplifting colors for your room’s needs.

Trends in Accent Walls

One of the recent trends in accent walls is keeping it light while implementing darker tones in the surrounding walls. This helps in emphasizing the particular features of the accent wall like a painting, live plants, or a sculpture. In living rooms, many homeowners are now using the fireplace wall as the accent wall.

If you have white paint in your living room, try painting the fireplace wall black, and put some artwork on top to create a dramatic look.

Professional Help When You Need It

When it comes to accent walls, let your creativity be your guide, and follow our tips to create a voguish masterpiece. But, if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the choices, schedule a free estimate with Five Star Painting or give us a call today at (888) 261-3633.