July 16, 2009

Accent Walls

I am asked on a regular basis whether or not to paint an accent wall in a room.  My response every time is with the question, what are you accenting?  Accent walls became popular in the 80’s when paint colors were bold and people where thinking and decorating “out of the box”.  The time and interior design styles have changed and so I am back to my question, what are you accenting?

The fearful and color challenged often lead towards just painting one wall in a room.  Their tendency is to “try” the color out and think that one wall will take care of all the color for the room.  What happens to the space is that the paint color challenges your eye and the room becomes choppy and disrupts the natural flow.  For example if you wanted to paint a red color on one wall in a white dining room, your eye would be drawn to the red wall immediately upon entering the room.  Ask yourself what are you accenting?  

There are cases in which I do use an accent wall paint color. In the above image the blue accent wall works well with the hanging drum lights, the sectional and the window covering. All of the elements, not just the wall, become the focal point of the room and the paint colors, chartreuse and aqua, are of similar tones to the chocolate brown sectional and hardwood floors.  The white hanging lights and area rug make all the elements pop.  Depending on the size and flow of the room, I sometimes use an accent color to highlight architectural features of the room such as a bay window seat or eating nook. Or if artwork is the focal point in a room, a painted accent wall can enhance the entire art piece.  I love working with accent paint color on ceilings especially in powder rooms and dining rooms.  It completes the entire look and can bring an unexpected bit of drama or whimsy to any space. 

Remember to ask yourself what to you want to bring attention to when you are considering your paint colors.  Listen to your intuition; it will guide you in creating your own Authentic Home. Be Relaxed. Be Daring.  Be Yourself.

You can contact me at info@authentic-home.com with your interior design questions.  I look forward to hearing from you.