How to paint an accent wall in living room
How to Paint an Accent Wall in 6 Easy Steps
Painting accent walls might just be the hottest home trend since shiplap. Everyone has one: your local coffee shop, your friend’s chic new living room, even your favorite restaurant. Accent walls aren’t just a trendy statement, they’re a cost-effective way to spice up your home that has a high impact, and is easy enough to do on your own. It’s no wonder so many are learning how to paint an accent wall.
If you’ve been debating whether to hop on the accent wall train, break out your painting clothes and pick up some rollers. We’ve got step-by-step instructions to painting an accent wall that will bring new life to your home.
As stunning as accent walls are, you don’t need them in every room, and having multiple in a home can feel a bit overwhelming. Before diving in, ask yourself which room would most benefit from an accent wall. Rooms with a consolidated palette that have a splash of color, or an undertone in need of highlighting, are good candidates.
Once you’ve picked the room, decide on the right wall. While each home and even each room is different, the general rule of thumb among decorators is to use the wall that first grabs your attention when you enter the room. For ease’s sake, you should also consider what’s currently situated on this wall before deciding to paint it: a wall with your TV and a collection of frames hung on it will require more work than a wall that’s currently bare.
Painting an accent wall might be the only thing you’re planning to do in this room–if so, you’ve got an easy road ahead. But if you’re considering a full room redesign, pump the brakes before you proceed. If you’ll be changing the colors of your furniture or decor, you’ll want to choose the color of the accent wall after you have the new room palette in hand.
While it’s certainly not the most labor-intensive, deciding on the color for your accent wall might be the most difficult step.
The painting experts at Wagner recommend following the 60-30-10 rule when picking out a color: 60% of the room should be your dominant color, 30% should be a secondary color, and 10% should be an accent color. With that in mind, you’ll want to find a very minor color in your current color scheme–likely something bold or bright that will differ dramatically from the other colors in the room–and work with that.
Once you have a color in mind, head to your local paint store and explore the selection for some ideas. Once you’ve narrowed down to two or three colors, buy sample cans–usually $10 or less–and some small paint brushes. Back at home, paint a small section of the wall in question with each color, let dry, and examine a few days later. You’ll get a true sense of what the color looks like in the space, letting you know what to expect before you buy the paint in bulk.
While you’re painting your accent wall, plan on having the room out of commission for a few days.
You’ll need to remove everything from it, or at least give the furniture a five-foot berth from the accent wall so you have room to move around. Start by taking all decor off the wall in question, then move on to getting the furniture far away from any potential paint spills. If you need a hand with the heavy lifting, book a labor-only Dolly. We’ll connect you with trained Helpers who are ready to help move your furniture, whether it be across the house or all the way to your storage unit, all at an affordable price.
One last step of prep: the wall itself. Make sure the wall is smooth and free of holes before painting it. If you need to fill any smaller holes, a pocket-sized spackle pen can get the job done in just a few minutes and will save you plenty of headache in the long run.
No matter how precise you are, there’s undoubtedly going to be a few drops of paint spilled. So before you break out your brush, grab a roll (or two) of painters tape and tape down every edge of the wall: floor ceiling, and sides.
Get a sturdy canvas and place it on the floor (trust us, you’ll want more than just a sheet). And if there’s any furniture or items nearby that can’t be moved out of the room, cover them with a canvas or tarp as well, just in case of splatters.
Finally, get down to the actual painting. Start from the top and paint downward in long, even strokes. A roller will make easy work of the painting and keep the color even, though it’s good to have a few regular brushes on hand for touch-ups.
Once the painting is done, leave it to dry for one to two days, depending on how thick the coating is. After that time, take a look and see how you like it. Is it too light? Paint another coat. Too matte? Revisit the paint store and search for a polish.
With your accent wall painted and dried, you can finally put your room back together. Bring the furniture back in first, then return the decor.
With the new accent wall changing the color scheme of the room, you may find that some of the decor needs to be rearranged–another reason why the walls were spackled before painting. Restructure as you need, and remember the 60-30-10 rule as you add new decor to bring out the vibrant hues in your accent wall.
Now that you know how to tackle painting your accent wall, it’s time to get down to business and chip away at this list. If you need a hand with heavy lifting, get help from Dolly. Our Helpers are background checked and trained to help with heavy lifting, no matter how far your furniture needs to go.
Dolly
Dolly helps you move on your schedule and at an affordable price. Book now and see the difference: https://dolly.com.
The Essential Dos and Don'ts
Reviewed by
Deane Biermeier
Reviewed by Deane Biermeier
Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling.
He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Fact checked by
Emily Estep
Fact checked by Emily Estep
Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
The Spruce / Michelle Becker
Accent walls are alive and well in the decorating industry. These easy and stylish color accents will always be popular because of their flexibility. You have unlimited paint options for your accent wall, as well as other surfaces and materials. Even the location of your accent wall is purely personal. Your home is unique, so your accent wall should be just as special.
Accent walls can be used in any room if you know the essential dos and don'ts.
What Is an Accent Wall?
An accent wall is an interior or exterior wall that can have a different color, shade, design or material from the other walls around it.
Click Play to Learn the Dos and Don'ts of Accent Walls
Do Think Beyond Solid Colors
Maite Granda
Think outside of the box when you are considering your new accent wall. You are not limited to simple wall paint covering the wall. Think about other ways to use paint color. Your accent wall may be perfect for stripes or for a specialty paint finish. Metallic wall finishes are powerful style statements for an accent wall.
Don't Forget About Texture
There is more to accent walls than just paint. Have you considered stone or tile for your accent wall? Extensive shelving can also work as an accent wall in a room that lacks an architectural feature and storage. Your accent wall can also include a gallery of photos or artwork, or even a fabric-draped wall.
A recent trend is the addition of a wall-mounted electric fireplace on an accent wall. The secret to accent walls is that they are the most flexible decorating secret weapon you can have. (The only rule for accent walls is that they accent a wall—that's it.)
Do Go for an Accent Wall in a Neutral Room
You should still consider an accent wall even if you're keeping your room neutral. Accent walls can work just as well in a neutral color, as a bright one. The initial idea of an accent wall conjures up visions of bright red or blue, but in a neutral color scheme, a dark brown wall is just as dramatic.
Don't Shy Away from Bold Colors
HouseofHarvee / Instagram
As long as you have the right accents around the room to coordinate with your new color, you can choose whatever color makes you happy.
Do Consider the Other Wall Colors
Take into account the color on your other walls. Most accent walls look best when they adjoin walls in a light to medium shade.
Accent walls in an all-white room are stunning but tricky. The contrast of a bright accent wall against white walls can look very modern and even stark. Balance your strong accent wall color with neutral wall colors on the other walls. Your neutral walls can be gray, or greige, or beige — whatever works best with your accent color.
If you do choose to accent a wall in a white room, soften the contrast with mid-tone accent colors to bridge the difference.
Don't Just Think About Walls
Think about other ways to use an accent wall. Have you considered the ceiling? A chic decorating trend is to add color to the ceiling. This ceiling color can be your accent wall. Accent ceilings can be created with soft colors or even vivid colors. White crown molding helps separate the wall color from the ceiling and creates a stylish look.
Do Choose the Right Wall
Home By Polly
Be purposeful when picking your accent wall. Rooms without an architectural feature can benefit from an accent wall, especially one with texture.
A wall of windows can also be your accent wall, but be mindful that a dark accent color surrounding windows can create a bright light effect and overwhelm the room.
Don't Forget About Wallpaper
Common wallpaper is a gorgeous choice for accent walls. The latest temporary wallpapers can give you a designer look without a long-term commitment. Look for wallpaper with pretty designs and colors for a chic style. For renters, temporary wallpaper is a clever way to personalize your home.
26 Affordable Accent Wall Ideas That Look Expensive
How to Decorate an Accent Wall in a Living Room: 8 Fresh Ideas and 17 Bright Examples
1 Ornamented Wallpaper
This is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to decorate an accent wall. All you need is to choose a canvas with an interesting pattern that will contrast favorably with the rest of the walls.
Photo: OBI
The decision on how to place the wallpaper is up to you: you can paste it over the entire wall or just a part, as in the examples below.
Photo: Instagram oboi_housedecor
Photo: Instagram scandi_ali
2 Wall mural
A variation on the theme of the previous technique is to use photo wallpaper. They will add not only brightness to the room, but also perspectives, which is only a plus if it cannot boast of large footage.
Photo: Instagram potapova_marina_designinterior
3 Paint
A great solution for those who want to add color, but not overload the space with it, is to paint one of the walls with a more saturated shade. It can be darker than the color of the rest of the walls or completely different from it - the main thing is that the differences are noticeable.
Photo: Instagram hamirealtor
Photo: Instagram myatmosfera_ru
Photo: Instagram samsonwongdesign
Photo: Instagram transitionaldesignla
You can add different details to a colored wall - from paintings to moldings.
4 Drawing
A more difficult option is to draw a drawing on the wall. But it can also be simplified as much as possible if you choose fashionable geometry. Divide the wall into several geometric shapes and paint each with a different shade - it will turn out interesting and relevant.
Photo: Instagram furustore
5 Texture
You can also play with the difference in textures - decorate one wall with decorative bricks or panels, and it will immediately attract attention.
Photo: Instagram dostiehomes
Photo: Instagram produmano
6 Pictures, posters, stickers
Traditional wall decor options come to the rescue for those who do not want to change the finishes. Large canvases, a gallery of family photos or a bright sticker - with the right approach, they accentuate the look on the wall of your choice.
Photo: Instagram alina_markianovich
Photo: Instagram projectsgallery.ru
Tip - look for wall stickers on AliExpress. There are a lot of them on this marketplace.
Photo: AliExpress
7 Shelving unit
Furniture, such as a shelving unit decorated with stylish accessories, can also become an accent on the wall. In the example below, it is complemented by wooden panels and a TV.
Photo: Instagram sakurainteriorsmoscow
8 Fireplace
The fireplace is the heart of the living room. If you want the wall on which it is located to become an accent, you can additionally highlight it with decor, decoration or color.
Photo: Instagram pureoriginalusacan
Photo: Instagram valeriegossbullock
And if you can’t install a real hearth in your apartment, build a fake fireplace - it will cope with a decorative role no worse than a real one.
Prepared by
Yulia Sedova
Accent wall in the interior: useful decorating tips
House in Tangier, project by designer Cassandra Karinsky. In tourist booklets, Moroccan Tangier is called the "white city". It is in this color that the locals have been painting the walls of their houses for centuries. Without disturbing the harmony, the designer diluted it with dark blue — one of the walls in the living room is painted in this color. A blue sofa is matched to her tone.
- Photo of
- Gaelle le Boulicaut
Ideal for small spaces
Wall painted in a contrasting color, perfect for small spaces. This technique will allow you to beat a cramped room, especially if you use a deep saturated shade. Painting one of the walls in a small room a rich dark color (or black) will create visual depth in the interior, making the space appear larger.
A room dedicated to Madeleine Castaing at the Saint James Hotel in Paris, designed in turquoise tones. A contrasting navy blue hue adds depth to the space.
- Photo
- Antoine Baralhe
Lots of styles
You have several options for this fashion trend. In addition to paint and wallpaper, there are ways to play not only with color, but also with texture. For example, using panels that mimic brickwork or wood. You can drape the wall with a cloth or lay it out with tiles or mosaics. For a children's room, an interesting option would be a wall painted with slate paint. A child can boldly paint and paint such a wall with colored crayons, without fear of incurring the wrath of their parents.
Trianon decorative panel, design by Carlo dal Bianco, Bisazza.
- Photo
- Bisazza
A way to divide space
Patrick and Laurence Chavanne's apartment in Lyon.
Its interior is built on panoramic wallpaper, including the interior of the owner's eldest daughter's room. Now it is decorated with wallpapers with the image of New York. What will be on this wall in a couple of years is unknown. The interior of the room changes as often as the tastes of the maturing hostess.
- Photo
- Anne-Catherine Scoffoni
Contrasting one or more walls in a room is a great way to divide up space. For example, an open living room can be easily divided into zones (living room, dining room, study, etc.) if you use different wallpapers or paint colors for wall decor. At your request, one space will turn into two, or even more.
Apartment in Madrid. Designed by Gonzalo Pardo and Ana Torres.
- Photo
- ImagenSubliminal.com
The main accent of the interior
When planning your interior, keep in mind that the accent wall is the very first thing that everyone will see when they enter the room. This is the focal point that will stand out and distract attention from everything else. To make the interior look more harmonious and balanced, it should have two or more accents. Therefore, to “support” the accent wall, it is better to choose pieces of furniture or accessories that match in color.
Kitchen, Kitchens Titarev. Bar stools, IKEA. Apartment in Krasnodar, project by Ksenia Lysenko.
- Photo
- Mikhail Chekalov. Style: Sofia Kalbazova
The accent wall is tiled with Zigzag, Popham Design. Cassandra Karinsky's project to Tangeree.
- Photo
- Gaelle Le Boulicaut - Photographer
The right choice of color
The wrong color of an accent wall can ruin a space.
To avoid this, give up random shades, even if the color itself is bright and you really like it. A red wall in a pastel interior is too much! The color palette of your home should be unified and clearly planned. Therefore, choose a color for a contrasting wall based on the overall range of the interior, including furniture, finishing materials and textiles.
Designed by Julia Sheipunas.
Change the accents
A bedroom in a Parisian apartment designed by decorator Pierre Jovanovich. One of the walls is sheathed with cork panels from top to bottom. This technique made it possible to hide the door leading to the dressing room.
- Photo
- Catherine Scotto
It is not necessary to build an interior around an accent wall. Art objects will give originality to the interior. Instead of papering or painting one wall, choose art pieces that match the style and mood of your home decor.
