25 Trendy Accent Wall Ideas To Bring Your Home To Life

In many cases when we purchase a house, especially a new or a remodeled one, we get a fresh canvas. A home where we can add our own spunk. And one of the best ways to do so is to create a statement wall. From installing shiplap to painting a mural, we've got a collection of accent wall ideas to bring your home to life.

Normally, walls come pretty standard with drywall and paint. One of the ways people generate a spark of life is to fashion an accent wall. Also known as feature walls, it is a wall in the room that looks different from the others. You can create one of these in your home in just about every room in many different designs and styles. While you can do just about anything to make this feature wall, you should try to choose a wall that the eye is naturally drawn to and it's easiest to use a wall that is blank and doesn't have windows, doors, or other architectural elements. Even then, if designed correctly, you can seamlessly integrate those features into an accent wall. In most cases, you'll be DIYing this home feature, but that doesn't mean you can't contact a professional to help you. With the right look, you can easily bring your home to life or produce a splash of personality.

Create a living wall

A very trendy and eco-friendly accent wall idea is to build a living wall. A living wall is where you take a wall in your home and fill it with plants like flowers, succulents, and other houseplants. Not every plant will do; therefore, it's important to pick the best plants to use to create a stunning living wall indoors. Once you choose your green additions, you must follow their care and maintenance requirements.

Make geometric shapes

Take your wall to new levels by mastering the geometric wall paint trend. Since you can utilize many different shapes, it is best to strategically plan out your design, whether you use wallpaper, stencils, paint, or boards. Geometric styles can fashion a visually-enticing space as well as embody a sleek and modern feel. What's great is that making this feature wall can be an affordable DIY that you can finish in a weekend. Installation differs depending on the method you use, but it's best to always prepare your wall and coordinate your colors.

Pick a cool design

Nothing speaks more to your personality than a cool print or design that you choose. There are loads of different and unique designs you can choose from, and at some places, you can even make your own design. Numerous materials exist, including tile, wallpaper, and paint. No matter what, applying a fun style produces flair that speaks to who you are. Just be careful to not make the space overwhelming, especially if you get a busy print.

Add it to your staircase

Update your staircase by using it as your accent wall. Since these spaces are typically winding, it can be an interesting spot to generate some personality to your house. What's great is that you can do essentially anything to make it a highlight wall — add photos, bold colors, or even wallpaper. You can even incorporate different elements from other parts of your home to draw it all together.

Create a fireplace statement piece

Turn your fireplace into an accent wall. Accomplish this look in many different ways, including installing tile to help your mantel pop out or using a fun print wallpaper to spice up the zone. Set shelving units on either side of a fireplace to generate a storage space to display books, photos, and dećor items. If you want to construct one, go to a blank wall and build a faux fireplace. You can also take your brick fireplace and white-wash it to give it a new yet stunning look.

Build a bookcase wall

Don't stick to old-fashioned styles when you can produce a functional living room design trend that's replacing outdated accent walls with bookcases. These shelving units are a perfect focal point in a room because you can easily display items such as family photos, books, décor, collections, trophies, or other valuable objects. Practical for an office space, home library, or even a kid's room. Go with the built-in way or install your bookcases along the wall. No matter how you construct it, you can easily store items, especially when you include organizers and baskets.

Install shiplap

Installing shiplap boards is an excellent way to add character to your space, but also can create a rustic feel. As a favorite DIY project for many homeowners, this type of board can be applied vertically or horizontally. And while it can provide an appeal to a room, it also can help it appear larger. Don't feel like you can't get even more creative when it comes to your highlight wall design? Mixing shiplap and a solid paint is the perfect formula for creating a sweet and simple accent wall.

Try out a rainbow wall

Bring some life to your home by making a rainbow accent wall. Bursts of colors refresh our minds and amplify our energy, helping us feel happy. Painting a rainbow wall can instantly change the feel of a room. Popular rooms you may find a rainbow feature wall is a kid's room, living room, or playroom, but remember that it can go just about anywhere. Since it has many colors, you can easily find décor pieces that will complement it as well, seamlessly letting you integrate it into your home.

Use board and batten

Build a charming accent wall by installing a board and batten design. Constructed with wide boards and thin wooden strips (aka the batten), you can apply it vertically or horizontally to make any design you desire. You also can paint and stain it any color to match your home's overall aesthetic while still creating a unique focal point. There's also the option of pairing this with other materials like wallpaper, stone, paint, and brick.

Make a mirror wall

Give the space some spunk by creating a mirror accent wall. Achieve this highlighted wall by installing one large mirror or even DIYing a stunning mirror accent wall with a few finds from Dollar Tree. While a great space to check yourself before heading out, you need to remember to properly clean and maintain this wall. You'll also want to check for cracks, dents, and any other damages occasionally.

Incorporate wood paneling

Wood paneling is an outdated design trend that's actually perfect for your accent wall. With its warm and inviting tones and hues, it helps bring nature inside. This type of feature wall can also create a comfortable atmosphere with its sound-absorbing capabilities, giving you more peace and quiet. If you have a small space like a bathroom or office, wood paneling can help make your room appear larger.

Include texture

Incorporating texture to your accent wall is a nice way to give the space depth and dimension. From comb to limewash textures, there are various types of wall textures that will add personality to your home. To produce this depth, you can utilize many different materials such as paint, stones, panels, and fabric. Textured walls can also last longer and protect the wall from scratches or small marks. These walls will also let you have more sway over the light and overall space in the room.

Mix multiple features

Who says you can't mix multiple elements or features to construct your accent wall? For this style idea, you'll need to choose features that work with your daily life, whether that is a fun design with board and batten, or a bold color with shiplap. You also can use it for functional purposes like turning a wall with a hanging rack into a bold statement piece by installing a patterned wallpaper.

Create a map wall

Are you an adventurous person? Keep track of all of your explorations by making your accent wall into a map. Depending on where you like to travel, you can find geographic wallpaper for just about anywhere. A great idea is to include a vacation photo for every place you visit on an interactive large wall art frame or canvas.

Design a gallery wall

Create the perfect gallery wall by making it your accent wall. You want your gallery wall to be the focal point of the room anyway; therefore, it works out perfectly as a feature wall. To bring the space to life, add photos, painting, mirrors, clocks, tapestry, and other décor items that complement one another. If you have a smaller wall, use the vertical blank space to create a statement piece. Just remember that the various elements can easily collect dust, so make sure to give it a good clean every now and again.

Paint a mural

If you have artistic abilities, painting your own wall mural is a unique way to style your accent wall. To figure out what your mural will entail, start by considering the theme or purpose of the room. Some of the best places to include a mural accent wall are living rooms, entertainment rooms, nurseries, kid bedrooms, and playrooms. 

Consider a brick or stone wall

Installing brick or stone is the rustic accent wall trend you should try at home that will also help incorporate more natural elements into your space. Both options come in numerous shades, designs, and shapes. This type of highlighted wall will also bring loads of texture to your room, introducing depth, dimension, and visual interest.

Add metallic accents

An unexpected accent wall idea that you may start to see everywhere involves adding metallic tones. These shimmery hues incorporate elegance, depth, and dimension to your space, giving your home life. Metallic coverings can come in paint or wallpaper as well as different textures. Paints generally can go on many different surfaces including walls and trim, giving you the freedom to affix these eye-popping accents anywhere on the wall. When placed near a light source, metallic walls can also assist in brightening the room, making the space feel larger.

Go with a bold color

One of the easiest ways you can bring life to your home is with just a pop of color. Make the room instantly stand out by having a bold shade as the feature wall. Bold hues like black, bubblegum pink, yellow, and rich purple are some of the best accent wall colors. Once you have your hue picked out, you can add matching accents throughout the room to tie the space together.

Hang curtains

The interior design trend that people are replacing their accent walls with are curtain walls. Keep it simple by adhering a curtain on a wall with a window or door, or you can choose a blank wall. Using transparent or sheer curtains can provide an airy feeling in a room. You also can do this on a wall where you planned on placing a bed to infuse some elegance against a headboard. With fabric curtains, you'll need to remember to keep up with cleaning and maintenance to reduce stains and dust.

Install fun wallpaper

Wallpaper is a fun, stylish way to incorporate some personality into your home. This is also a great opportunity to go for a bold design, as it won't make the space feel too busy. Once you choose the right wallpaper for your accent wall, you can pair this idea with many of the others on this list.

Apply chalkboard paint

Live in a house with rambunctious little ones? Skip the constant piles of scrap papers by applying chalkboard paint as an accent wall. Relatively simple to paint on, it is a clever way to keep your kiddos occupied. This type of paint always works well in kitchen areas where you can make it a convenient spot to write out grocery lists, weekly calendars, or chore charts.

Add elegance with a velvet wall

Create a sophisticated and luxurious feel in your space by having a velvet fabric accent wall. You can achieve this feature wall with velvet paneling. Velvet also supplies texture and even some shine in your space. Caring for this type of accent wall is imperative, especially so it doesn't get damaged or stained.

Make it functional

Your feature wall can both look good, and have a purpose in your daily life. You can build a functional accent wall in every room of the house in numerous ways. Construct a family activity wall in the kitchen, filling it with calendars, weekly menus, a place to hold mail, and anything else you need to make your life more organized and structured. You can also install a pegboard to hold and hang things.

Include floral prints

Cute, whimsical accent walls can be achieved by floral prints. This is a great way to create a vibrant focal point in your space. There are a variety of floral designs, whether you are a rose or tulip person. While decades ago, this floral print was used to cover all your walls, strategically choosing to place these prints on an accent wall will give your space a bright, welcoming vibe.

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