50 Creative Accent Wall Ideas to Step Up Your Space
When working on home decor and design, many people choose to have one major component in a room and then build from that. Whether it is an ornate table in the dining room or a gallery wall in the living room, it is the heart of your space. Accent walls are a fantastic design choice as they can either be that element or provide the backdrop to help that special feature shine. Here are 50 stunning accent wall ideas for any home.
1. Cozy Charcoal Accent Wall. Gray is a popular color not only because it brings a sense of sophistication to your room, but it is also neutral enough to pair with so many other color choices. This charcoal accent wall provides a calm backdrop to this cozy bedroom, while the subtle geometric designs in the paneling create texture and visual interest.
via @birdsong.design
2. Farmhouse Panels. Thin vertical panels are a great way to add rustic charm to your bedroom. You can DIY this lovely accent wall in a weekend with thin strips of trim and a fresh coat of paint. Even if you choose to keep your new wood paneling white, it will create that farmhouse style.
3. Bold in Black. If you love the idea of a bold living space but find too many colors or patterns overwhelming, a dark, dramatic accent wall might be just the thing. This beautiful black wall draws the eye while highlighting the room’s soft feeling and otherwise neutral colors.
4. Old World Blue. Many people find that adding an accent wall to their nursery is a great way to highlight their chosen style, whether through paint or something more dramatic. We love this bold paneling and French blue color. It gives the room a royal vibe without being over the top.
via @nikandliv.diy
5. Big Boho Vibes. Neutral colors and wood accents are a great way to achieve a boho feel in any room, and this idea for a small bedroom knocks it out of the park. The herringbone wood paneling on the accent wall makes a big statement while still maintaining an earthy feel.
6. Reclaimed Lumber Wall. This wood accent wall is the perfect backdrop to a rough and tumble little boy’s room. We also love that this accent wall can be built with reclaimed boards and scraps of lumber that would otherwise go to waste.
7. Matching Colors. Your accent wall is only as good as the design of the rest of your room. So when choosing a paint color for your accent wall, be sure to choose something you love enough to incorporate in other places throughout the space. Here, the homeowner has used this lovely navy not only on the wall but for dining chairs and some of the room’s glass pieces.
8. Wall Art Accents. Creating an accent wall doesn’t have to be a labor-intensive project and doesn’t even need to be a different color than the rest of your room. It just needs to draw your attention. Here, you can see the accent space is created by using wall art and making a small gallery.
via @haneens_haven
9. Gallery Nook. Your accent wall can also be an accent nook or corner. For example, this homeowner has taken the often unused space at the foot of the stairs and turned it into a gallery wall using artwork and a little desk.
via @creekwoodhill
10. Be Aware of Lighting. Your light sources are an essential factor to consider when choosing where to add an accent wall. Ideally, you want to pick a wall that will be highlighted by your installed lighting or the natural light flowing through your windows. In this home office, the large window is a natural focal point, which makes the wall around it the best place to add an accent.
11. Add Texture with Paint. In addition to your paint color, adding texture is a great way to make a wall a unique focal point. You can do this in many ways, but one of the easiest is choosing a painting technique that will create the feel of texture on a flat wall. Here, the earthy tones and paint style give this accent wall the appearance of suede or another soft fabric.
via @ roxanall_
12. Partial Wall Accent. Using wall paneling on the wall behind your bed is a great accent idea. We especially enjoy how this homeowner has stopped the paneling only a short way above the headboard, making the sleeping space more defined and keeping focus centered on the bed and nightstands.
13. Wallpaper Accent Wall. Wallpaper’s popularity is on the rise, not only because it is budget friendly but also because it makes it easy to add a bold look to any room in your house. This speckled paper draws your eye immediately and helps set the tone for the rest of this nursery.
via @chelseakhome
14. Wall Stamps. At first glance, this floral accent wall appears to be wallpaper, but upon closer inspection, you will find the whole wall is actually created with wall stamps. These large rubber stamps are so easy to use and allow you to create an accent wall with minimal effort.
15. Use Color to Create Moods. Adding a dark wall is a great way to make a room feel more serious which is why it is a popular choice for home offices or libraries. In this office, the dark wall grounds the airy feel of the neutral furniture and helps the space feel more modern.
via @simplymadehome
16. Horizontal Stripes. Our eyes naturally follow lines, which is why painting stripes on an accent wall can make the room seem larger. These dove gray horizontal stripes add a bit of fun to this kid’s room and draw the eye down the room towards the window and play area. This is a great accent wall idea for smaller spaces.
17. Vertical Stripes. In the same way painting stripes along a wall makes it appear longer, adding verticle stripes to your accent wall will make the space feel taller. If you don’t want to spend the time taping off and painting lines on your wall, you can do what these homeowners did and use wallpaper instead.
via @asprintstudio
18. Kitchen Feature. Adding a feature wall to your kitchen can seem tricky because so much wall space is filled with cabinets and windows. However, these interior designers found an excellent solution by tiling a small area behind the coffee bar. Tile is a durable choice, and with so many options, you can make your tile accent wall as bold or sedate as you like.
19. Accent Door. If your bedroom door is on a wall adjoining your chosen accent wall, painting it to match is a fantastic way to tie your room together. Here, the homeowner has taken it a step further by selecting a door style and accent paneling that look similar to heighten the effect even more, and we love it. An excellent way to style a full-of-character basement bedroom.
via @designdunnwi
20. Faux Brick. Brick walls are a significant design element for many styles, such as rustic or industrial, but adding a brick accent wall to your space isn’t always realistic. However, stencils and wallpaper are much more budget-friendly and time-friendly ways to achieve the same look.
21. Tying Space Together. Creating an accent wall is an excellent way to create cohesion among your living spaces in an open floor plan. These wall panels bring a sense of flow between the dining and living areas in this small apartment, but you could do the same with paint or other materials.
via @theinteriorfox
22. Different Take on Panels. While most paneling you’ll find on accent walls is striped or squares, we adore this different take. By using diamonds instead of the more traditional shapes, and the trendy mauve paint, the designer, has created an amazing accent wall that is both stylish and unique.
via @simplespacesby
23. Geometric Shapes. This beautiful feature wall looks impressive and is sure to draw attention, and best of all, it is easy to DIY. All you need is some painter’s tape, a few shades of the same color paint, and a couple of hours. Tape off your geometric shapes and fill each section with a different shade. You can also use totally different colors if you want a bolder look.
via @casalinda.home
24. Work with Your Windows. Don’t be discouraged by windows set in the wall you’d like to turn into an accent. Windows can actually be beneficial. Not only do they provide great natural light to highlight your wall, but as you can see here, the blinds and curtains you chose can further accentuate your design.
via @margaret.wright
25. Temporary Wallpaper. Temporary wallpaper is a great option when creating a bold accent wall in your kids’ playroom or bedroom. This new wallpaper acts like contact paper and is easy to peel and cover your entire wall. It is also easily removed, allowing you to update the space as your child ages.
via @fitforhisglory
26. Use Existing Architecture. If you are lucky enough to live in a home that has interesting architectural features such as a brick wall or bay window, this is where you should shift the room’s focus. These elements provide a natural accent wall, and you can never go wrong by highlighting them.
via @homeonthegrove
27. Wall Mural Scene. While wall murals used to be reserved for the artistic or ultra wealthy’s homes, thanks to the resurgence of wallpaper and modern printing technology, they are now available to us all. With hundreds of options, one is just waiting for you to use it and turn your accent wall into an oversized painting.
via @wunderwallmural
28. Feature Fireplace Mantel. These homeowners have cleverly used a dark bold color to highlight their beautiful fireplace. Natural stone sometimes gets lost against neutral color palettes, but not here. In this living room, the fireplace pops off the black accent wall and becomes the room’s focal point. The black and white mantel shelf decor ties the contrasting walls together.
29. Tile Accents. The teal tile provides such a great accent for the shower and tub combo area. However, this designer has gone further by adding some of the deep green tiles on the wall behind the sink. Don’t hesitate to purchase just a little extra tile to support the accent color by placing it behind the sink or built-in bathroom shelves.
30. Be Bold If You Want To. Bathrooms are one of the areas in a home where vibrant color and bold designs are most commonly found. So, if you want something more than plain white walls but aren’t ready to commit to a large space like your living room, start with a bathroom. We love this fun walk in shower tile idea using not only pink tile but also a funky herringbone pattern.
31. Wood Paneling As Focal Point. Different accent wall ideas include a variety of options. One of them is a combination of materials. Interior designers recommend making three walls as neutral as possible for greater contrast. For example, they can be simply painted in a light shade. Against this background, the accent wall stands out even more.
32. Accent Paintings In Living Space. Do-it-yourself repair has certain features. Wallpaper requires special skills. Mural painting demands artistic talent. There is also an option of fragmentary painting among the ideas for accent walls. However, it requires accuracy. Choose paints and stamps to create patterns on the wall. Choose wickerwork according to your taste and interior.
33. Use Different Texture. Take a look at the usual interior design items from a new perspective. Pots with plants can be turned into a special space of greenery. Place them not horizontally on the perimeter but concentrate your plants vertically, creating a solid wall.
This technique can be used on top of an ordinary wall, or you can simply create such a partition with plants.
via @charlottedebo
34. Partition As One Wall. Do not worry if you have a small apartment but want to use a non-standard interior design solution. We offer you to separate the living room and the bedroom with a partition. If you choose a fairly massive version that reaches the ceiling, it will visually resemble a wall. Also, paint the partition in a trendy color, making it an accent wall of your home.
35. Painted Wall. There are not many options for making an accent wall in a small bedroom. The most common solution is to paint it in a contrasting color. How about upgrading this option? Paint the ceiling in the same color as well. Or leave everything as it is, but add some texture – bricks or blocks, for instance.
via @cmtextiles
36. Geometric Shapes And Horizontal Stripes. For those who do the renovation by themselves, there are budget ideas for accent walls. If you did not calculate the number of tiles or laminate and bought too much, feel free to use it for a unique interior design. Lay out the same pattern on the wall as on the floor. Choose furniture and decor in the same color so that the style of the room is not too sloppy.
via @nizsousa
37. Space Feel Bigger With Painted Ceiling. Make an accent in the interior design yourself with the help of a paint roller. All you need to do is to choose a different paint color and visually make part of the walls and ceiling a single zone.
via @decor.aban
38. Accent Wall Idea With Vertical Stripes. Unlike other rooms in the house, an accent wall is often made in the living room. For those who do not stick to minimalism, we recommend temporary wallpaper. Choose the one with vertical lines or an eye-catching pattern. If you do not like it, you can easily remove it.
via @wallsnobs
39. Hexagon Tiles For Accent Wall. Tiles can be used in the dining room so that the chairs do not damage the surface of the wall. If your dining room and kitchen are not separated by a door, you can combine them together. A life hack for those who love bright interiors: make a mosaic of different tiles.
via @commomydecor
40. Marble Accent Wall. The accent space in the bathroom can be made of stone or marble. These materials are waterproof, unlike most wallpapers on the market. In addition, a marble wall always looks luxurious and stylish.
via @mccarthyhomes
41. Stay Loyal To Your Favorite Colors. The best and the easiest thing about your accent wall decor is that you can often pick a color, and that’s it. Leave all the ornaments and small details to your furniture and fabrics, and let your walls be walls. Correctly chosen colors will be a highlight. For example, you can see what a beautiful classic contrast was achieved with these blue accent walls between white ones. What a cozy coastal bedroom this is!
42. Try To Use Paneling. Combining your favorite color with paneling can be a good idea. It will add dimension and brightness to your house.
43. Try To Make It Eclectic. This accent wall idea is different from other wall ideas. While the whole space in this living room is primarily white, the feature wall was painted black. Even the fireplace is black here. Placing open shelving on the wall for storing different objects will make it possible to get a lot more colorful accents.
44. Wallpaper With Friends Vibes. Monica from Friends TV show was fascinated with concentric circles. Looking at this beautiful attic room picture, you can see that wallpaper accent wall ideas can be very diverse. For example, while creating your feature wall, you can find a temporary wallpaper with a concentric pattern that may turn into a stunning ensemble with the specific attic ceiling.
45. Let’s Continue With Bathrooms. Although this room is always wet, it can still be a beautiful representation of your personality and artistic vision. The accent wall here is covered with little hexagonal tile, while the remaining ones are covered simply with a qualified white paint. This double vanity with the twin mirrors and blue tiles turned it into one of the most exciting accent wall ideas.
via @tilebar
46. Full Of Wood Accent Wall Idea. Decorating can be challenging. Look at this beautiful bedroom design where the accent wall is further enhanced with bedroom wall decor, turning the elements into a gorgeous and catchy bedroom design.
via @audriniliving
47. You Can Even Add Some Gold. Have a look at this splendid minimalistic accent wall. Gray paneling surrounded by the white wall and door makes it a beautiful ensemble with a minimalistic abstract painting that perfectly fits this small hallway. Small space is not a problem!
48. Black & White Motives. Accent walls were not reserved for living rooms, indeed. And here we have another beautiful example of it. This hallway wouldn’t be that catchy without this black&white accent wall. It is one of the most accessible ideas and has minimalist mural vibes. Such a pattern also can be a perfect choice for a children’s room.
And don’t worry about problems with getting such wallpaper on the market. It is so easy that you can create it by yourself!
49. Be Inventive In Forms. The accent wall in this bedroom space wouldn’t be that unusual and catchy if the paneling differed. These sharp horizontal stripes makes this bedroom astonishing.
50. Accent Wall for Kitchens Required. Welcome to the last idea in our accent wall ideas list. Look through the door at this beautiful country kitchen, which would not be that cozy and catchy without that accent wall full of earthy-toned brick with dark artwork in the center and the floor of reclaimed wood.
via @cococozy
This list could have been so much longer, but these 50 accent wall ideas might have given you some understanding of the spaces, styles and finishes you can work with. There are unlimited options out there, online and in your imagination, to take a plain wall and turn it into a feature. Decorating your home should be fun, so don’t overwhelm yourself. Start with one wall in one room and work from there as your accent wall confidence grows.