How to Define Boundaries Using Accent Walls
Every room in your home has a primary purpose -- the living room is where you unwind, you cook in the kitchen, eat in the dining room, and so on. However, an individual room may have subsections that warrant more specific uses. For instance, you might appoint a corner of your living room to a reading area or designate one side of your bedroom as a miniature office. Whatever the case, designing these sub-areas differently than the rest of the room helps you better define your interiors. Perhaps the best way to approach this visual separation is by incorporating accent walls.
The Best Way to Paint Accent Walls
Be Bold with Color
An accent wall refers to an interior wall that looks different than the others, typically in a way that draws attention to itself. The most basic way to accent a room, then, is by painting a room two colors that strongly contrast one another. If your room is painted white, you can paint one wall virtually any other color and it will stand out. Don’t be afraid to consider bolder colors for your accent walls -- while a bright orange or deep purple might seem a bit extreme, keep the bigger picture in mind. Ask yourself how you want said subsection to look, accounting for decor, and think about how that will affect the room’s overall appearance. The degree to which you define these boundaries is largely a matter of how strong a contrast you create with your accent wall’s color.
Differentiate with Designs
Color isn’t the only consideration when creating an accent wall, though. If you want to spice up your space with more than just a separate solid-colored wall, you might instead accent your wall with unique designs or patterns. The simplest way to go about this would be to install wallpaper on the wall in question. If wallpaper isn’t your style, though, interior painting professionals can use stencils and techniques to paint eye-catching designs that set a wall apart and better define an interior room. You might think about painting the wall behind your bed with a symmetrical pattern, for instance (this is a growing trend).
Feature New Textures
Using paint isn’t the only way to establish a powerful accent wall. You can also define a portion of your room by installing certain features or changing the texture of a given wall. For instance, you might install artwork or shelving on a particular wall while leaving the others relatively bare to create visual separation. Or, you might install a facade (such as brick, wood paneling, tiling, etc.) over one wall for some textured definition. You can also use paint to mimic the appearance of certain textures/materials, such as marble, wood, and fabric. If this interests you, reach out to Raleigh painting pros who specialize in applying these faux finishes.
Which Wall Should You Accent?
When defining the boundaries of a room, location matters. That said, it’s not always easy to determine which wall should become the accent wall. Fortunately, your Raleigh house painters can help you make this call using contextual cues. In a bedroom, for instance, the wall behind the bed is typically ripe for an accent wall. If a living room has a fireplace and/or entertainment center, this focal point can be further enhanced by an accent wall. And if a kitchen features a dining area, it might be best to accent this area so it’s visually separate from the food prep portion of the room. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but indicators such as these can help you choose the best wall for an accent.
At Anderson Painting, we understand the importance and prominence of an accent wall, so we’ll take the time to create a design that perfectly matches your expectations. Our color selection services and years of experience allow us to help you pick the best colors and locations to match and improve your home’s decor. For more about us and everything we do, call us today at (919) 610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
