I meet many personality types in my line of work, and I have clients from all different backgrounds with different tastes and goals for their interior and exterior design needs. Some people want to jump headfirst into adding rich and exciting colors to their homes. Conversely, I have clients who prefer to play it a little more conventionally and conservatively, opting for time-tested arrangements that won’t rock the boat too much, but there is a reason they are calling me. I often wonder if they may be more open to adding color to their homes than they realize.
You know me, I’m always looking for ways to inspire people and show them how to use colors in ways they didn’t expect to. It’s my job to find a happy medium for both personality types and use well-balanced but inspired colors to bring new life and energy to their home! A tool in my arsenal to accomplish this is the highly controversial, low-risk, and ever-popular accent wall!
Simply put, an accent wall is an exterior or interior wall that’s colored differently than the surrounding area to create stark juxtaposition and contrast in colors. Accent walls just don’t happen by accident; they’re careful design considerations that color specialists put lots of thought into. Accent walls are most typically used to add depth, dimension, and a focal point to a space; they’re highly effective at this.
So, why would a residential homeowner or a commercial property owner choose to add an accent wall to their home or place of business? I will discuss the key benefits of accent walls and elaborate on why they can be such an effective design element for any space.
Accent walls work beautifully to draw attention, catch the eye, and retain focus. If space is sleek and understated, you can create an area that draws focus and creates some inspired dynamic imagery to behold. For example, a hallway with neutrals throughout can be uninspired, but if you wanted to create an inviting seating area within the hall, a warm orange-red could be implemented as the accent wall, with some wooden shelving to create an inviting ambiance for people to sit in, relax and read.
Just as a fireplace, painting, or window can create a focal point to draw the eye in, so can a beautiful accent wall when the color and contrast level are just right!
As I had touched upon earlier, accent walls are a great stepping stone into the world of color inspiration for those who like to play it more conservative with their design choices. Accent walls are low-risk design endeavors, and the commitment doesn’t need to be long-term. You could try a beautiful mossy green accent wall in your studio apartment for some time, and if you decide that you want something more cheerful, you can swap it for a robin’s egg blue or sunny yellow in an afternoon. I have seen people change accent wall colors seasonally!
You can update your accent wall to match your furniture purchases. Did you buy a navy blue armchair? Well, why not coordinate that color choice with the same color on the wall or even a complementary color? For those who fear they’ll regret their color choice, an accent wall is a minimal commitment that can be updated without lots of time and effort required.
A trick designers often use (I confess I have used this approach myself) is to define the purpose of a space by simply adding an accent wall. Imagine you have a neutral-colored room, but the rich teal wall has a desk in front of it, giving the impression that the office is on that side of the room. The person who uses that desk is in front of their favorite color in the world, and it feels great to sit there. That wall (and desk in front of it) has become their designated workspace. The accent wall defines the space visually; it’s one of the best uses of accent walls in any size home.
If you live in a newer, contemporary space, accent walls work beautifully to bring life and energy to neutral areas. Modern design relies heavily upon minimalism, neutral color pallets, and open-concept spaces. While this type of design can be clean, serene, and peaceful, it can also be a little cold and lacking in character. An accent wall can do wondrous things for contemporary spaces by adding just enough energy, flair, and pop to leave a lasting impression that helps set the residence apart from the rest.
Picture walking into brand new modular construction, an apartment in the heart of a major metropolitan city. There are clean lines, pristine silver hardware, grey marble countertops, and white walls lining the residence. The kitchen appliances are black, and the floors are also a matte black natural stone tile. While undoubtedly sophisticated and clean, the space feels a little cold to some people; it’s unavoidable. But, an accent wall added to just one wall in the home will add a much-needed human element and pop of color into the space. It’s like adding a smile into the room. The accent wall can even be textured with reclaimed wood shelving or even small art pieces (I’ll be sure to talk about that in another blog post). Suddenly, the space feels less cold and austere and more like a home people would want to live in, or it could even feel like it’s a fun place to live in!
So, how do you feel about accent walls? Do you have one in your home or business? Have they added that extra spark of color you were looking for? Please share your thoughts and experiences with accent walls; I always love to hear from you!
