Skip The Accent Wall & Try An Erin Napier-Inspired Alternative To Elevate Your Home Instead

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Accent walls are great for creating an instant focal point in a room. They are typically made using paint, wallpaper, paneling, or texture. However, most accent walls aren't very renter-friendly, and some of the looks (i.e. one brightly colored wall) are becoming tired. 

Accent walls are similar to feature walls, because each draws the eye to one large feature in the room. Erin Napier, who hosts HGTV's popular show "Home Town" alongside her husband Ben, has a trick for replacing outdated accent walls, with one large, eye-catching feature. In an episode of the show titled "Making the Nest" (Episode 8 of Season 9), Napier uses one large piece of art as the focal point in a client's living room. The small living room didn't have a ton of wall space that needed filling, and the vertically-placed artwork did the trick, especially when balanced on either side by windows.

In the episode, Napier admits that large-scale art can be prohibitively expensive. However, she created her huge artwork from a board found covering a hole in the hardwood floor, noting that at Ole Miss, her alma mater, they were encouraged to make art of what's available. The board was destined for the dumpster, but Napier intervened. The large size of the board and interesting patterns left by dried glue made it a perfect base for a whimsical modern art piece.

Choosing the perfect artwork for your home can be a daunting task, especially on a tight budget. Creating your own large-scale art is a great solution because you can make it the perfect size, orientation, and color scheme for your space. It can also cost a whole lot less. This Kate and Laurel 18x40-inch blank canvas is sold in vertical or horizontal orientations and comes pre-framed in your choice of frame color for $70. Another option is to personalize outdated thrift store art with a little paint and a lot of creativity.

However, you may not be as artistically inclined as Erin Napier, instead preferring to purchase a piece. Retailers such as World Market, Wayfair, Home Goods, At Home, and Amazon all offer oversized artwork for less than $200. This vgrozirh framed modern art canvas is relatively inexpensive and comes in three affordable sizes. 

Frames sometimes cost more than the art itself, but fortunately, large-scale art doesn't need a frame. It also may not need to be hung. Napier's artwork was so large it almost touched the ceiling, so she simply leaned it against the wall, which is also a good idea if your art is heavy: You don't want it to fall and break, taking your drywall with it. If you are hanging a heavy piece, hang on studs and use Ansoon zinc drywall anchors for anything over 20 pounds. 

It's no surprise that Erin Napier, who graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, uses art as a feature wall go-to. But even if you share her passion for art, the oversized look may not be right for your space. 

The rule of thumb is usually to keep large-scale pieces in large rooms, and smaller pieces in smaller rooms. However, if you are using one large piece of art as a focal point, you don't want much wall space left over. A smaller room will give you the best bang for your buck out of a single art piece. The best places for oversized art are at the end of a hallway, in a niche/nook, or hanging horizontally over a sofa or bed. It can also act as the focal point in a room that lacks a fireplace. If your room has a ton of wall space or architectural details to contend with, one large piece of art could either underwhelm or overwhelm the space.

If you love the idea of art-as-accent-wall, but can't find the right place for an oversized piece (or are having trouble finding a piece to begin with), a gallery wall may be a better solution. Napier uses art in different ways in all of her clients' homes; it's simply a matter of finding the right look to balance the space.