Accent walls have been the focus of much debate in the design community. Some feel strongly that accent walls do more harm than good. Others, including designers at Cathers Home, believe that when used properly, they are a powerful tool to create unique and dynamic spaces. To shed light on this topic, here are some of our best practices for accent walls.
1. Have a reason.
Too often accent walls beg the question, “why didn’t you finish painting the room?” When used properly accent walls can serve to highlight the main piece of furniture in the room such as a bed (seen above) or a desk. Accent walls can also be used to highlight unique architectural elements, seen above, drawing the eye to the uniqueness of the space and in the case of the bunk beds seen below adding depth to a smaller space. When making the choice of adding an accent wall, always ask yourself why.
2. Color matters.
Once you have a reason for an accent wall you have to pick a color, second to the location this is the most important piece of a successful accent wall. Different colors create different effects on the eye; warm colors seem to come towards the viewer while cooler colors, as seen in the patterned grey wall of the bunk bedroom above, tend to draw away. Keeping this in mind when choosing a color for you accent wall will help you make the best choices for the feel and flow of your space.
3. Don’t be shy.
Once you’ve committed to an accent wall, do your best to complete the design in regards to the whole room. Whether it’s a patterned on the accent wall or a unique series of accessories to fit with the room, do what needs to be done to make the whole space right. In the office space seen below Cathers Home added a unique patterned accent wall that is highlighting the desk while matching with the orange lamp, creating a work space that is at once boldly unique and subtly cohesive.
