Feature walls offer a quick and easy way to implement a subtle upgrade that creates a powerful impact on any space. These walls can liven up any room without busting your budget. They also provide an opportunity for you to experiment with textures, patterns and colors without the need to commit an entire room to the project.
The feature wall became popular during the 1990s when home renovation shows started adding it to every house they made over week after week. However, this seems to have caused people to become sick of the idea, leading to its decline in the 2000s — that is, until feature walls regained favor from interior design experts in the past few years.
This time, feature walls are crafted with much more care than before, with modern wallpaper and paint used strategically. This article will help you design and create a feature wall that could enhance your interior design.
What Is a Feature Wall?
As the name implies, feature walls are room-dividing structures that are highlighted with a different design or color from the rest of the walls in a room. This is often made the focal point of a space, capturing the attention of anyone who enters.
Also dubbed as an “accent wall,” the feature wall can be composed of more than one side of a room and can be extended up to the ceiling. However, experts strongly recommend sticking to a single wall to keep the design focused and grounded. This is also a good idea if it’s your first time to use such an element in your interior design.
Feature walls serve as a canvas where you can experiment with shapes, colors, textures and patterns. It is great for people who want to try new wallpaper designs or paint colors but aren’t ready to change an entire room.
Although feature walls can offer as much impact as the design allows, it isn’t a prerequisite. In fact, you can use wallpapers with subtle patterns or textures (like Questex wallpaper) in your feature wall to add just the right amount of visual interest in a room.
For commercial spaces, its important to understand the best paint types.
5 Ways to Use Feature Walls in Interior Design
Whether they are simple or bold, feature walls can transform any space into something more visually appealing. Not sure how to do it? Below are five ways you can use feature walls in your interior design:
1. Add depth and coziness with dark colors
Although many feature wall ideas revolve around bold patterns and complex images, it doesn’t always have to. In fact, you can use plain dark hues to add coziness and depth to a room.
One good example is charcoal. When used in the feature wall, this dark shade can make a space feel a bit more homey because of its softness and warmth. When combined with white walls and ceilings, the dark hue becomes the perfect addition to interiors with sandy-hued rugs and other earthy accents.
Alternatively, a deep blue feature wall can create a calm and restful ambiance that is perfect for areas of relaxation. To make it shabby-chic, you can even add a pop of color with lemon yellow and jade green décor as well as pieces of furniture made with metallic or pale wood components.
2. Set a scene with wallpaper murals
One of the purposes of using feature walls in interior design is to highlight the focal point of the room. And what better way to do this than to create a wallpaper mural?
Using wallpaper printed with artistic patterns and nature scenes, you can add an interesting twist to an otherwise boring room. This is best for people who think block colors are too plain to add visual interest in a space. It is also great for rooms with specific uses, like a crafter’s workshop or a baby nursery.
3. Pack a punch with one color
If you’re someone who isn’t fond of too much fuss but doesn’t like shades of black in your home, then punchy colors are probably the best choice for your feature wall. Set off your décor with a vibrant green hue that breathes life into your living room. Toss in a bit of bold pink and blue cushions to get gorgeous interior design.
4. Define the separation of space
Aside from accentuating a space, feature walls also help separate two areas that serve different purposes without the need for extra walls or dividers. This makes it a great choice for homeowners or interior designers working on open-plan layouts or multipurpose spaces like a combined living and dining area.
When picking a wall to feature, you can place it just behind the most significant furniture in the area you wish to distinguish from the rest of the room. For example, you can choose to highlight the sleeping area and separate it from your home office using a cozy, textured wallpaper (such as Nucleus wallpaper) just behind the bed frame. You can also turn the dining area into a separate space from the living room by painting the wall adjacent to the dining table a different color.
5. Highlight the largest wall for maximum impact
When choosing a wall to feature, it is best to pick the biggest one in the room. This will give you more flexibility in the design and get maximum impact for the project.
For example, you can have a floral wallpaper on the center and border it with plain wallpapers on either side to enhance the room with the interesting visual juxtaposition.
Make the Feature Wall Your Canvas
Whether you’re a newbie in interior design or have been creating gorgeous spaces for ages, there will always be a time when you would have to experiment with new colors, textures and patterns. Feature walls are a great way to test your taste without busting the budget or overwhelming the space. Transform one wall as your canvas and use this article as a guide to help you do it right.
AUTHOR BIO
James Prathap is one of the Directors of NGC Nafees, top importers and exporters of wallpapers, floorings and fabrics in India. The business also offers high-quality panoramics, coordinated fabrics, and creative stickers for residential and commercial projects.