Colour
How To Pick An Accent Wall In Your Home (+ A Designer’s Top Colour Picks!)
Photography by Alex Lukey
Colour
How To Pick An Accent Wall In Your Home (+ A Designer’s Top Colour Picks!)
Liven up your home with a standout feature wall.
When it comes to paint, it’s easy to get stuck in a loop of whites, greys, and beiges.
If you’re craving a little oomph on your walls—but you're nervous about venturing into full-blown colourful territory—an accent wall is a great place to start.
“Accent walls are a quick hit of interior design that can be completed in a matter of hours,” says Amanda Aerin, an interior designer in Toronto and spokesperson with Behr Paint.
We sat down with Aerin to get the scoop on how to set yourself up for accent wall success, plus her favourite shades right now.
What is an accent wall?
An accent wall is one wall in a room that has an interesting feature that differs from the surrounding space. It could be paint, wallpaper, stone, or tile—anything that looks different than the other walls!
How do you pick the right spot for an accent wall?
Photography by Alex Lukey
While there’s no strict guidelines for picking the right place for your accent wall, designers tend to gravitate towards a few common spots.
In a living room, the wall behind the TV is a popular choice. An accent wall helps create a focal point, which is especially helpful in rooms without a strong architectural feature, like a fireplace. “It gives a lot of pizzazz,” says Aerin.
The powder room is also a safe pick. “It’s an easy way to transition into an accent wall,” says Aerin.
To make the process extra easy, Aerin says that you’ll typically be able to instinctively tell where you should place the accent wall. “You probably already have something special in that zone,” says Aerin. Whether it’s that TV wall or by a breakfast nook in your kitchen, simply follow the flow of the space.
How to choose the best colour or pattern for an accent wall
Believe it or not, Aerin usually starts with a piece that’s already in the room in question.
“It can be overwhelming to go into a store and pick from a wall of paint,” she says. “It could be as simple as finding a tablecloth that you want to pull a colour from, or tying it into a piece of art that’s already hanging on your wall.”
Using existing hues makes it easy to direct your colour palette and play into your personal design style.
What are the best colours for an accent wall?
Photography by Tracy Ayton
Right now, paint trends are leaning bold and moody. While this is a departure from classic greys and whites, these dark hues can create a “cocooning feeling,” says Aerin.
Muted greens, chocolate browns, warm dark blues, and brownish-reds are at the top of her list these days.
Aerin also suggests being choosy about the sheen of paint you pick. “When you’re diving into the world of saturated accent colours, the sheen can be overpowering if it’s too shiny or draw attention to imperfections on the wall,” she says. “A great matte paint adds depth to the wall and makes it feel like a beautiful fabric.”
Using a good-quality paint, especially paint-and-primers-in-one, makes the painting process even quicker. Plus, they’re easier to cover up once you’re ready to switch up your wall again!
Toronto House Tour
Comments