The Trendy Design Feature Battle On The Beach's Ty Pennington And Taniya Nayak Can't Agree On

The thing about interior design is that while there are general guidelines, there are no rules. There's no hard and fast way to do things, and there are few right and wrongs. The beauty of interior design is that taste is relative, and even professionals occasionally have disagreements about the best way to approach decorating a space. As is the case with Ty Pennington and Taniya Nayak, two mentors on the upcoming season of HGTV's "Battle On The Beach."

In an interview with Realtor.com, Pennington and Nayak discussed the style mistakes they often see in homes. Their responses sparked a disagreement on whether accent walls and bold décor is the right way to go. Of course, this type of disagreement makes for great competition, as fans see two unique spaces that differ from each other. Both mentors made arguments for and against bold design accents. Both had sound reasons, but it's ultimately up to viewers, homeowners, and the judges on "Battle On The Beach" to decide which style wins in the end.

Choosing a color scheme for a home can feel like a daunting task. For some, an accent wall is a great middle ground. It provides a pop of color without overwhelming the space with too many shades. However, Taniya Nayak, a mentor on HGTV's "Battle On The Beach," would rather forgo the style trend. "I'm not a fan of a bold accent wall, Nayak said in an interview with Realtor.com. "To each his own. I see that especially for flipping, where you want to make an appeal to the masses. So I'd suggest sticking with neutral colors."

As she mentioned, when it comes to flipping homes or trying to sell them, many feel that a neutral color scheme is often the better approach. The idea is that buyers are more likely to go for a home with a blank canvas that they can picture themselves in. Some may love a bold accent wall, and others may not be able to see past it, which has the potential to dwindle your amount of potential buyers down.

However, Ty Pennington, who also mentors teams on "Battle On The Beach," disagreed with Nayak about shying away from bold options. "When it comes to flipping, I think playing it safe is really dangerous in a competitive selling market," Pennington explained. ". . . But if everything is just safe and neutral and looks like, 'Oh, we just kept everything clean so that it felt normal,' I don't think it's going to be as popular or is going to feel as fun or warm and inviting. So I think it's important to bring in items that are really unique and fun that make it look homey and lived in."

Pennington explained that the bold choice doesn't always have to be an accent wall. It doesn't even have to be the choice of paint color. Artwork, antique finds, and similarly unique items can all add personality to a home. People who are looking for homes with more character will appreciate having more than a neutral box to decorate. In the end, being able to balance unique details and mass appeal is important when trying to attract buyers. When it comes to decorating your own home, your rules go.