Creating the perfect feature wall: 5 terrific tips to follow
Colorful and mind-boggling eco-conscious mosaic, Harry Styles’ Watermelon Sugar video, the smell of coffee in the morning, Junji Ito’s upcoming release, summer petrichor (google ppl), my new red converse, this magnificent blog and all of the people and effort behind it… Done. Once upon a time, my boss told me that it is very important to start every article with a positive note, otherwise readers will just move on to something lighter and fluffier. So there you go. I started with a positive note. Actually, several of them. Now here’s how I wanted to start…
So far 2020 has been one tough (*insert most frequently used cuss-word) to most of us. We’re still staying indoors, scared to go out into the “real world” because someone might sneeze in our general direction. In such an atmosphere, it is only normal that we want to make some changes in our homes. Needless to say, most of us are on a budget due to the whole economic situation, so some huge renovations might be impossible at the moment. However, you don’t have to buy new furniture or redesign your whole home interior to get a new vibe (millennial lingo — checked)) out of it. Creating a feature wall will be enough to freshen up your space and make it look brand new and eye-catching.
A feature wall is also known as the accent wall and it provides some awesome opportunities to experiment with shapes, textures, patterns, colors, and ideas in general. Depending on your sensibility and what you are trying to achieve with your space, your feature wall can be either subtle or high impact. We will mention some general rules you should try and follow when choosing and designing the feature wall regardless of the type of effect you are going for.
1. Choosing your wall
First of all, as much as you would like to make a feature wall you should really consider refraining from it if your living room is really small. An accent wall will only make your room look smaller and crowded. If you want to do something bold with your walls, like going for a flashy color or pattern, you will be better off painting all walls, rather than just choosing one. Furthermore, when creating a feature wall, you should use the one the sofa or your couch is in front of. Also, depending on the style of your living room, you can use the wall where your mantel sits or where the TV is placed. You should avoid using the wall with the window on it, because it may end up looking unfinished.
2. Mixed materials
Now in all seriousness, if you are creating a feature wall opting for a mosaic is truly a no-brainer. You can’t go wrong with a piece of mosaic art there. Whether you decide to put a subtle artwork in the middle of your wall and make a minimalistic statement, or you go all out and cover your whole wall with a gorgeous piece of mosaic art, you will be doing the right thing. Mosaic is an accent in its own right and nothing speaks to change and evolution more than an attention-grabbing intricate artwork on your wall.
3. When on a tight budget — work with what you’ve got
Hmmmm, tight budget advice… let me just throw some out there and if we’re lucky, you will be inspired to create a great accent wall on your own.
- Stripes. Navy-blue and white ones for example.
- Bunch of different frames with your favorite movie-poster photographs.
- Get some sturdy cardboard, cut it into equal squares, and wrap it into different fabrics. Affix it to your wall and ta-daaa — you’ve got yourself a patchwork wall.
4. Stop being a drama queen
Meaning, don’t be dramatic with your wall. The feature wall shouldn’t be gloomy and dark or overly bright to have a proper impact. Trust me. I’m that girl who painted her living room wall lime-green and red and had to live with it for 7 months. I know what I’m talking about. As a general rule, just opt for a slightly darker shade for that one wall to create a clear focus. That would be enough.
5. Don’t lose the grand scheme of things
Don’t forget the rest of the room. You want your wall to stand out, but you also want to make it part of the room, not an anecdote of its own. One of the ways you can do that is to take two or three colors from your feature-wall design that you can insert elsewhere in the room. The other way to do that is to down-play the other walls by painting them in fairly neutral tones. That way your feature wall will be accentuated, but you will avoid the danger of making it look like “too much”.
All in all, you are creating your feature wall for you. Accentuate it so that it makes you feel good about yourself and your every-day life. Make it enjoyable for yourself and don’t forget to enjoy yourself while making it. Have fun!
