Decor by Devonleigh: Accent Walls
We know a few ways to spice up a bare wall with decor, but what about reimagining the wall itself? That’s right, one of our favourite ways to bring a wall to life is to create a stunning accent wall. This is a trend that’s been making waves over the past few years, and doesn’t show many signs of slowing down.
When deciding where to create a feature wall, it’s best to look at your room head on and ask yourself:
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When a guest enters this room, where should their eyes be drawn?
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Which wall has the least obstruction (windows, cutouts, etc.)?
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Are the ceilings low enough to complete a design on the entire wall?
As a general rule, we think it’s best to put your large furniture of the room (like the sofa or bed) against the accent wall. This will lessen the boldness of the wall and draw the eye to the focus of the room. Even in a smaller space like a powder room, we recommend placing your accent wall behind the vanity or sink area.
There are two main ways to create a feature wall: painted patterns or textures.
Painted accent walls offer endless versatility, and are easy to repaint if the tone of the room changes in a few years. For those of you with artistic inclination, stencils and and frog tape can create a bold patterned wall, like the two offices pictured below.
If you’re interested in a more subtle approach, you might want to experiment with two-toned accent walls that use the same colour in differing shades. Alternatively, matte and glossy variations of the same shade create an eye-catching pattern while still maintaining an understated feel.
If you aren’t so handy with stencils, don’t worry - there’s a paint option for you as well! We love the look of a singular bold colour for an accent wall. Carefully selected hues can enhance the perception of space in a room, or beautifully accent your decor pieces!
Paint isn’t the only way to achieve a feature wall, though. At Devonleigh, we love adding different textures to create visually interesting focal points. Accent walls are no exception to this, and in fact, many interior specialists have been incorporating different materials to create their feature walls.
Exposed brick, for example, is a fantastic way to incorporate a focal point on an empty space. The best part about this trend is that it doesn’t need to break the bank. There are so many options for faux brick, ranging from wallpapers to stick on foam.
Similar to brick is stacked stone. We particularly like the look of stacked stone in the washroom or living room accent.
Lastly - a rustic favourite of ours - reclaimed wood. A wooden feature wall will add immeasurable warmth to the space, but can also work well for more modern tastes. Like exposed brick, reclaimed wood has also been making appearances of the stick-on variety.
As you may have guessed, textured feature walls - whether stick on or raw material - are more permanent than painted accent walls. It’s important to evaluate the space and determine whether a wood or brick wall will stand the test of time.
Does your home have an accent wall? Share it with Devonleigh on Facebook!
