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Patterned accent walls


25 Best Accent Wall Design Ideas

1

Curtains and Paint

Maude McEvoy

In Eliza Carter Harris's New York home, the designer painted one wall bright green and layered it with curtains to soften up the space and accentuate the high ceilings. Not to mention, it makes the perfect backdrop for a table that hosts flowers, books, and other treasured objects.

2

Upholstered Wall

Nathan Schroder

Upholstering a wall can add softness and help soundproof a room. For the bedroom of a Dallas home, designer Denise McGaha covered one wall in a Lee Jofa fabric for a relaxing touch.

3

Simple and Nature-Inspired

SEAN DAGEN PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

A wallpaper inspired by sediment from DropItModern adds elegance to this office designed by Rydhima Brar of Rterior Studio. The black and cream option establishes the room's bold, modern atmosphere.

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4

Thin Wood Paneling

STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

Thin custom wood paneling made of black walnut in this breakfast nook designed by Studio Shamshiri softens the white walls and concrete flooring that surrounds it. Custom blue cushions add a pop of color.

5

Rock-Climbing Wall

Suzanna Scott

If you're working on a kid's room, why not make the accent wall something they can play on, too? By building a rock-climbing wall, like this one in a home designed by Regan Baker, you'll add interest to the room and a fun source of exercise and amusement.

6

White Painted Brick

Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTO

Exposed brick can act as neutral accent wall, and painting them white can help achieve that coveted balance between contemporary and lived-in. Here, designer Shawn Henderson brought this 19th-century home back to its former glory by "stripping the apartment down to a more humble interior," says Henderson. He whitewashed existing pine floors and then added a faux brick wall to make it feel older.

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7

Matching Pattern

FRANCESCO LAGNESE

Make furniture seamlessly blend into your accent wall by matching the wallpaper pattern to it, as designer Nick Olsen did in this

bedroom with a graphic navy wallpaper and matching upholstered headboard.

8

Orange Beadboard

Read McKendree

To brighten up a dark corner, panel a wall (or two!) in beadboard and paint them orange. In the mudroom of a Nantucket cottage, designer Kevin Isbell used Buttered Yam by Benjamin Moore.

9

Cozy Stone

ANNIE SCHLECHTER

For a cozy cottage feel, cover a wall with stone. In this primary bedroom, designer Cathy Chapman used various gray stones to give the room an earthy yet modern feel.

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10

Accent Ceiling

Johnny Valiant

If you'd prefer to have a consistent neutral color on your walls, look to the ceiling for an opportunity to introduce an unexpected pop of color or pattern. A baby blue painted ceiling brightens up this Houston terrace designed by Celerie Kemble and Lindsey Herod, proving the concept works outside, too.

11

Black Box

Heidi Caillier Design

Interior designer Heidi Cailler gave this media room the black box theater effect without totally overwhelming the space by designating the deep marine paint on the TV wall.

12

Just a Splash

Tamsin Johnson

Natural stone is easily one of the most expensive surface materials money can buy. To cut costs but still spotlight a beautiful stone, just stick with one accent wall. In this kitchen designed by Tamsin Johnson, all eyes are on the smokey purple swirls of the wall ahead.

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13

Hidden Door

Arent & Pyke

"'Moments’ rather than looks best encapsulate a home’s positive impact, and the ultimate moment experienced in Magnolia House is the slow and elegant descent down its new sculptural staircase, the metaphorical spine of both the home and the project," say designers Arent & Pyke. The jib door here is continuous with the baby blue painted paneling so as to not interrupt visual flow while also providing extra storage.

14

Bright and Bold

2LG Studios

A bright hue is the easiest way to make a statement in a small space. Paint one wall an energizing color, then add contrast with decor, like these blush pink chairs in a dining room designed by 2G Studio.

15

All Over Stripes

Mark Roskamas

This Manhattan guest room, designed by Amanda Darnell, uses a dynamic Kelly Wearstler wallpaper for Lee Jofa to unify its colorful artwork.

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16

Just the Trim

Nicole Franzen

When you don't want to paint an entire wall, just paint the trims, moldings, or casings for a splash of color that breaks up the space. Here, GRT Architects opted for a soft lavender shade to soften the more saturated tones and to make the fluted interior glass pop even more.

17

Floral Punch

Heidi Caillier

If you don't have a massive mudroom, don't worry: Heidi Caillier designed a small makeshift mudroom in a little nook by the back entrance and elevated it with custom millwork, fresh throw pillows, and a charming wallpaper backdrop.

18

Floor-to-Ceiling Mirror Wall

In this hallway designed by Tamsin Johnson, a glam mirrored accent wall makes the space feel bigger while also doubling as a place to outfit check before running out the door.

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19

Unexpected Backsplash

MARGARET AUSTIN

A unique firing process makes zellige tiles super resilient and therefore popular in kitchens and bathrooms. But elsewhere they can be functional as well: Designer Eva Holbrook put them around this hearth to protect the wall from heat and to make a style statement on the partial wall.

20

Statement Mural

Studio DB

When your formal dining room is also your everyday dining area, invest in pieces that deliver both form and function. In this Studio DB-designed space, the built-in velvet banquette is cozy and comfortable, but it also looks dressy and unusual lighting and beautiful wallpaper are easy ways to add character without taking up surface space. It doesn't get more regal than a de Gournay wallpaper but it's pricey, so you don't need to cover all the walls with it.

Hadley Mendelsohn

Senior Editor

Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she's not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.  

Kelly Allen

Associate Editor

Kelly Allen is the current Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she covers design, pop culture, and travel for digital and the print magazine. She’s been with the team for nearly three years, attending industry events and covering a range of topics. When she’s not watching every new TV show and movie, she’s browsing vintage home stores, admiring hotel interiors, and wandering around New York City. She previously worked for Delish and Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.

15 Stunning Accent Wall Ideas You Can Do

Accent walls are back in a big way, and they are better than ever. By blending color, texture, and tone, you can create an epic space that becomes the centerpiece of any room. Here are 15 of the best accent wall ideas for your home.

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Holly Vegter/Shutterstock

Create With Paint

Sure, you could just slap one bold color on an accent wall and call it a day—but why would you when there's so much more you can do with paint? Stripes, circles, chevrons or herringbone are all on-point style choices. All you need to create an amazing accent wall is paint, painter's tape, a pencil and a level. Plus: 12 Painting Tools Every Homeowner Should Have

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Breadmaker/Shutterstock

Work With What You've Got

Before deciding what should be your accent wall, look at the architectural elements of your home. If you've got a fireplace, you already have an accent wall. All you need to do is dress it up. Color, paneling, stonework or built-in bookcases are all great ways to draw attention to an existing focal point.

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OndroM/Shutterstock

Feature Wall Ideas for Living Room: Display Your Snaps

Say hello to all those photos you've been storing on your hard drive or phone. A photo collage wall is a perfect way to share and relive your cherished memories while creating an enviable accent wall. To keep your collage from looking dated, choose two or three colors of frames that complement each other and mix texture and size. Lay your frames out on the floor and arrange until you're happy, then replicate the arrangement on the wall. Plus: How to Hang Anything Straight and Level

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Build a Showcase Wall!

This built-in entertainment center mixes architectural simplicity with a pop of color to make it stand out. To create this showstopper of a bookcase in your home, check out the complete DIY how-to instructions check out the complete DIY how-to instructions here. Have you ever heard of ombre wallpaper? Learn why you should consider it for your interior walls.

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Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Patchwork

Yup, you read that right. Fabric can make a fresh and funky accent wall for a reasonable price. Simply pick a selection of coordinating fabrics and wrap them around sturdy cardboard or very thin wood or plastic squares. Affix the squares to the wall in a pleasing pattern with double-sided mounting tape.

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united photo studio/Shutterstock

Add Warmth With Wood

From sleek to rustic, wood is a perfect accent wall material because it instantly warms up any space. Be sure to paint the remaining walls in your room a color that carries the same undertone as the wood for a unified look. Plus: How to Choose Paint Colors

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ariadna de raadt/Shutterstock

Display Your Heirlooms

If you've been wondering what to do with Grandma's old china that just sits in a box, this is it. Platters, silver and china dishes of all shapes, sizes and colors can create a unique accent wall. Dining rooms and kitchens are natural places for this look, but it can work in any area of your home. Plus: Use Aluminum Mesh for Fast Drywall Repairs

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Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Master Bedroom Accent Wall: Wallpaper

Another classic that's making a big comeback is wallpaper. Surprised? With the advent of easy to apply, and even easier to remove wallpaper, you can create an accent wall without the long-term commitment. The key here is to keep it to one wall only, to avoid feeling closed in. Plus: How to Repair Damaged Wallpaper

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Family Handyman

Stunning Stone

For the intermediate do-it-yourself handyperson, this stunning stone accent wall is a perfect project. The look of exterior stone veneer in an indoor space complements industrial, cottage or rustic decor and the beauty speaks for itself.

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Marko Poplasen/Shutterstock

A Window to the World

For wannabe world travelers or nature lovers, an accent-wall mural is a high-impact choice. They are easy to install and a guaranteed home-run for adventure-loving kids' rooms.

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united photo studio/Shutterstock

Natural Brick

Exposed brick has long been a coveted accent wall material in old buildings and lofts. The great news is, brick veneer has come a long way and is available in almost any style from modern to antique for a fraction of the price of the real thing. Looking for ideas to revamp your plain brick house or fireplace? Consider German smear, a mortar wash technique that transforms the look of plain brick. Plus: How to Edge a Path With Brick

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Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Modern Accent Wall: Stick-On Style

Quotes, trees, and cityscapes dominate this easy and inexpensive decor choice. With literally thousands of options to choose from, as well as custom options, you're sure to find something that speaks to your style.

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alexilena/Shutterstock

Modern Accent Wall: Go Big Art

A substantial piece of art can speak for itself as an accent wall. Look for large canvases with depth and colors to match your furniture and decor. Be sure to hang your artwork straight and level for the best result!

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Krista Abel/Shutterstock

Tile Time

Once relegated to work spaces and bathrooms, tile can accent almost any wall due to the plethora of styles and sizes now available. In a kitchen, you can create an incredible focal point by adding a distinct backsplash along one wall that stretches all the way to the ceiling. Plus: How to Tile a Backsplash

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Paneled Panache

With a few strips of MDF and very little money, you can create an elegant and restful accent wall for your bedroom. This treatment adds a luxurious element to your space and is the perfect backdrop to your headboard. For the low-down on how to create this look in your home, click here. Plus: What's MDF?

Originally Published: February 10, 2021

color and pattern - Inspiration

Highlight one wall with a color or an interesting ornament and the interior will become bright and impressive.

Facelessness is a dangerous enemy in interior design. However, in the fight against it, it is important not to go to the other extreme and not make the interior overloaded and colorful. The balance will help to keep the accent in the design: the accent can be a large piece of decor, bright spots in textiles, or just a wall highlighted in color, pattern, material or texture.

We have already written about the creation of an accent wooden wall in the interior. A much cheaper and easier way is to highlight the wall with a color or ornament.

General principles

The emphasis is on one wall, in very rare cases on two. You can select the entire wall as a whole, or you can only select part of it, especially if it is a niche or ledge.

It is good to make interior partitions or internal surfaces of arches as accents in order to emphasize zones in space.

In a studio apartment, this technique can be used for zoning as follows: a small section of the wall is allocated between two functional areas of the room. This seems to show that there could be a wall here. Or a part of the wall where a certain zone is located is painted.

How to choose a wall to highlight? Usually this is a wall that is immediately visible when entering the room, or just one that you want to focus on. For example, highlighting a wall of family photos encourages guests to look at them.

Choose your own zone for accent in different rooms. In the bedroom, most often there is a wall behind the bed, in the living room - behind the TV or behind the sofa, in the kitchen - an area with a dining table.

Accent color

Make a wall stand out by painting it in one color or using wallpaper. An accent is not necessarily a contrasting color spot. If you want to maintain a calm atmosphere in the design of the room, but at the same time make it more interesting, you can choose a color close to the dominant one. For example, in a blue room, a light green wall will attract attention, but look calm.

The choice of color is very important for the perception of the room. Aggressive warm tones, such as red, orange, warm shades of brown, bring the wall closer to the observer, while deep and cold blues, greens, grays move it away. Consider this when decorating an elongated room: only short walls can be painted in "hot" shades.

Patterned accent

A wall covered with ornamental or patterned wallpaper or painted with stripes or zigzags will make a room more versatile. The pattern will make the space voluminous, affect its geometry and mood.

Strips are a universal tool for managing perception. Horizontal stripes on the wall make it wider, but bring the ceiling closer, vertical ones do the opposite. A contrasting striped wall will bring dynamics and energy to the room.

Control the atmosphere in your room with a choice of patterns: floral patterns make the room more feminine and soft, checks make the room brutal, and ornaments that create a visual illusion are modern and bold.

Accent pattern is perfect for monochrome interiors. You can leave the same colors, but highlight the wall with an ornament.

Wall mural will help to make the space deeper and more unusual: a forest path or a city street going into the distance will create the feeling that there is no closed space at all.

photos: hosebeautiful.com, nashhomer.com, houzz.com, heart-2-home.com

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    46 photos, ideas for living room, bedroom and kitchen

    Why is it stylish and fashionable?

    Today, many people create apartment designs using this technique, but what is the reason for such popularity?

    1. The emphasis on one wall in the interior visually corrects the room and levels out its shortcomings - it will make a narrow room wider, a long one - shorter.
    2. Creating an accent wall energizes the apartment, enlivens it. Finishing looks more textured.
    3. The use of different colors and textures zones multifunctional spaces.
    4. The distinctive plane is a decorative element in itself and helps to save on additional accessories.

    What materials are they made from?

    Basic materials for accent wall design:

    • Wallpaper. In order not to overload the interior, where there are already drawings on the surfaces, use plain canvases. They can also be glued to plain "neighbors" only by choosing a contrasting color. Wallpaper with a large or small pattern perfectly complements plain ones.
    • Dye. The principles of compatibility are repeated with wallpaper - cover the surface with one color, create a print or draw graffiti. Another option is slate paint, on which you can draw with chalk.
    • Wallpaper. From a huge range of plots, you will definitely find what suits your bedroom, living room or kitchen. Abstraction, 3D effect and panoramas look the most interesting.
    • Tile. As with paint and wallpaper, use a contrasting solid or patterned one. Its use is justified in the bathroom, toilet, kitchen.
    • Panels. Plastic, gypsum, glass, fabric, foam - the choice of materials from which they are made is huge. Whatever you choose, this is one of the easiest ways to get a quality result.
    • Stone. This includes both natural material and its imitation or porcelain stoneware. Most often used in wet areas, corridor.

    The photo shows the use of red brick in the decoration

    • Brick. The most popular options are red or white, but a brick wall can be painted in absolutely any color.
    • Concrete. An unusual texture for a loft can be obtained from decorative cement.
    • Tree. Recently, a laminate or parquet laid vertically has been popular, but slats or panels will also create an accent.
    • Plants. Phytowalls are becoming increasingly popular as an easy way to get an unusual and useful decoration.
    • Decorative plaster. Add texture to the wall, and cover with any paint on top.

    The last option does not apply to decoration, but it must be said about it: furniture. If you place an unusual cabinet or shelving, it will also help to design an accent wall.

    Which color should I choose?

    There are three color schemes - lighter contrasting, darker contrasting and matching the rest of the surfaces, but with an ornament.

    • Lighter means that if all other spaces are dark, the accent will be white, beige, gray and any other neutral color.
    • Darker - on the contrary, dark and bright colors will be a spot on a light background.
    • Tone - green accent wall in a green space, white with pink flowers in pink.

    The color palette also affects the perception of space:

    • warm or dark shades bring objects closer;
    • cold or light - move away.

    Pictured highlighting the area behind the bed

    Choose a contrasting shade using the color wheel. He will also suggest harmonious combinations. There are 3 schemes for combining two colors:

    1. Opposite each other. These are the most active pairs: yellow + purple, orange + blue, red + green.
    2. Side. Minimal extravagant couples - yellow + green, blue + purple, red + orange.
    3. Bottom. The closer to the center, the lighter the shades. That is, combine the same color, but with different degrees of brightness.

    What texture or pattern would suit?

    Concluding the theme of color, it should be noted: the accent wall in the interior can be the same tone as the rest, but it should be highlighted by the texture. The most advantageous option in this case is a combination of opposites. Smooth with embossed, plain with patterned, warm with cold. For example, paint with brick, plain wallpaper with drawings, stone or paint with wood.

    The photo shows a stone effect

    When choosing finishing materials with a print, you should be aware of various visual effects:

    • horizontal stripes expand the space, use them on the short sides in narrow rectangular rooms;
    • vertical lines raise the ceiling, suitable for low rooms;
    • small floral pattern increases the space, large - reduces. Any flowers soften the surrounding interior;
    • wallpapers with small spots and dots even out the walls and hide their defects;
    • geometric prints set the rhythm, depending on the color and size also affect the perception of the room. Add brutality.

    Which wall to accent?

    The accent wall in the interior should be visible at the entrance to the room, therefore it is best if it is located opposite the door.

    The living room uses the space behind the sofa or TV. The same applies to the bedroom - behind the head of the bed, or opposite it. At the entrance, two accent walls are often made, highlighting the area with the door and adjacent to it.

    The photo shows a decoration made of plaster blocks

    The choice also depends on the geometric shape. In narrow, elongated rooms, do not focus on the long sides. On the contrary, a short black accent wall with or without a window contributes to the visual alignment of the space.

    Partial decoration of the accent wall is used for zoning - with the help of a narrow strip, a dining or work table, a TV, a shower cabin are distinguished.

    Pictured is a panel of wooden hexagons

    Ideas in the interior of rooms

    Materials and techniques depend on the purpose of the premises in the apartment.

    Accent wall in the living room

    We have already mentioned that most often allocate space behind the sofa or TV.

    The photo shows a black and white fresco behind the sofa

    Do not choose too bright, flashy designs and shades for plasma, otherwise it will be uncomfortable to watch TV shows. Behind the seats, on the contrary, you can experiment with the design, because you will not see this area while you are in the hall.

    Bedroom accent wall

    Decorate the entire area behind the bed in a small room or line the width of the headboard in a large one. In the second case, soft or wooden panels look original, as well as other headboard options for the ceiling.

    The photo shows an example of an accent wall in a bright bedroom

    If the surface is textured, lighting from below or above will achieve an interesting effect and emphasize texture.

    Photo of an accent wall in the kitchen

    The most practical solution is a full width and height kitchen backsplash. It is mainly made of tiles, but panels, stone, brick are also suitable.

    In the photo there is an apron in the entire width of the wall in the kitchen

    The second possible zone is the dining area. A different finish around the table zones the room.

    Children's room interior with accent wall

    There are practically no rules in decorating a nursery or a teenager's room. Use decor for learning (geographic maps for a schoolboy, pictures with letters and numbers for a kid), entertainment (black and white coloring or slate surface) or decoration (3D wallpapers, photo wallpapers with heroes of your favorite fairy tales and cartoons).

    Learn more