Picking The Right Accent Wall Color

The Perfect Color For An Accent Wall (Or Ceiling)

An accent wall is one wall that is a different color from the rest of the room. Many people who are wanting to get away from white or neutral tones can experiment with choosing one wall to make the statement. Generally speaking the accent wall is a bolder deeper color than the rest of the room.

The best wall to be the accent wall is the one that is the focal point of the room. This is also usually the first wall you notice when you walk in the room because your eye naturally goes there. Look at the wall that has the biggest feature such as a fireplace. In a bedroom that may be the wall that the bed is on. In a living room, it would be the wall that has the tv and is where the couch is facing.

To give the illusion that a wall is closer, pick a warm tone such as red, orange or yellow. Your eye thinks the wall is closer than it really is. Green, blue and purple known as cool shades make the wall feel farther away. You can make an accent wall in a textured or printed wallpaper. Grasscloth wallpaper or wallpaper with a bold print can look too much if done in an entire room so only papering one wall can add the drama without overwhelming the space. Paint the other walls with a shade the complements.

When choosing color, most accent walls are two shades darker than the rest of the room. This can tone down the boldness of the color. Use a color fan to choose two colors in the same palette. When you match colors in your décor it will feel less intimidating. Of course, when you first paint it, it may feel too strong. Once you add furniture back in and break up the color with artwork and pictures, the color will take a bit of a step back.

Make sure to pick something that you like. Better yet, pick a color that you love so that when you walk into the room it makes you happy. If you are still undecided, pick a color for the other walls that you like, then pick a darker color from the same family. The other trick is to pick different colors with the same undertone so they match. For example, you can have light gray walls with a blue undertone with a darker blue wall. The contrast will be more striking but they will look like they go together.

Another thing to consider would be to paint two walls a darker color and two walls a lighter color. Or you can add drama to the ceiling by painting it a very different color. Of course, take into account everything discussed. Either of these two choices are bold. We consider paint like a haircut. You can always choose a different style at a later date. Paint is easy to change.