Looking to spruce up your home or commercial space? Oftentimes, adding an accent wall is just what you need! Not only does an accent wall add a pop of detail to a room, it also creates a touch of personality that is unique to you and your interior design style.

What Is An Accent Wall?:

An accent wall’s main purpose is to stand out and create a focal point in the room. For example, your accent wall could have decorative wood paneling, wallpaper, a mural/design, or may be painted in a different color from the other walls in the space. Popular areas we love to design accent walls for are in entryways, hallways, office spaces, laundry rooms, bedrooms or nurseries, and great rooms/living rooms.

Choosing the Right Wall:

Selecting the right wall is the first step in creating an eye-catching accent wall. A poor wall choice can make the room feel busy or unbalanced, while an interior wall without a prominent architectural feature can help pull the space together. All rooms are different, so there's no one size fits all for accent walls.

Types of Accent Walls:

Wallpaper

The 1980’s are calling and they’re here to tell you that wallpaper is back in style! However, these days, wallpaper is much more durable, which is a necessity for the chaos of everyday life and enjoying your home with family and friends, or serving clients from your office space. If you ask our design team, we’d all tell you using wallpaper is always a great idea! We have so many beautiful patterns and styles to choose from, it’s hard to keep track of our favorites these days. Some of the most popular patterns of wallpaper are chinoiserie, geometric, grasscloth, and florals.

The most daunting part about wallpaper is installing it! The great thing about using our design firm to source your wallpaper is we have one of the best installers in the state to do the hard part for you. What does that process look like?

Together, we’ll find the best wallpaper option for your accent wall or space. At our design showroom and retail shop, we have hundreds of samples available to you and are happy to set up an appointment for you to visit with us. Here, we’ll be able to find the best style for your home or commercial space. A few of our favorite wallpaper vendors are Thibaut Design, Anna French, Kravet, Schumacher, Scalamandre, A Street Prints, and more!
After you choose your wallpaper, we will help you schedule our wallpaper installer to come and measure your space. Once he does this, we will be able to know just how much wallpaper to order.
Once we have those measurements, your wallpaper will be ordered and scheduled for installation.

We make installing wallpaper a breeze, and the end result will leave you wanting to wallpaper every room of your home or commercial space. The good thing is, we can help with that!

Bathroom wallpaper design by: Cossart Design

2. Decorative Wood Paneling

Decorative wood paneling is an easy way to add simple detail and texture to a plain wall. There are so many different patterns you can create with wood features! Think of adding chair railing/wainscot, beadboard, board and batten, shiplap, or using wood pieces to create your own unique pattern. This can be used in any space of your home.

Chair railing/wainscot: A chair railing, with added wainscot below, is oftentimes used in hallways and formal dining areas. Chair railing should be applied one-third of the way up the wall from the floor. Wainscoting is typically in a geometric pattern below the chair rail for an added design touch. When we are designing a space with this feature, we typically recommend it be painted the same color as the wall for a muted look, or we will match it to the trim color to make it stand out. It really depends on your goals and preference for the space. You can make your chair rail/wainscot accent wall even more of a statement by adding wallpaper or introducing a new paint color above this feature.
Beadboard and Board and Batten: While beadboard is a popular style of chair railing/wainscot, you can use it for an entire wall or ceiling. We tend to use beadboarding for spaces that are meant to be timeless and traditional. It is fun to use Beadboard in bathrooms or laundry rooms as a smaller, simple detail. Board and Batten is grid-like paneling used as a chair rail/wainscot design. However, it has become more popular to create this paneled look in entryways and on bedroom accent walls. Like any other wood detail, you can choose to paint these accents the same color as the entire wall or a contrasting color to make this detail stand out.
Shiplap: Shiplap is a style of wall siding and is customarily wider, wood planks. Traditionally, shiplap is painted white, but we always love adding a pop of color to any space! Whether you choose to paint your shiplap a contrasting color from the rest of your space, run it vertical or horizontal, there is a lot you can do to make this type of accent wall unique to your space! While this is a popular wall siding to use, we encourage our clients to use it when it makes sense! For example, if your style tends to be more modern or transitional, it may not be the first decorative wood accent wall we would recommend for your space. Shiplap was commonly used in older, historic homes and farmhouses, but at the end of the day if you love it, make it work! Our design team is happy to help create the rest of your interior design details in your space to coordinate with this accent choice.
Get Creative!: You can use wood to create your own custom patterns on accent walls. You can find inspiration for these patterns on Pinterest or Tik Tok! Save the styles you like and bring them with you to a design consultation with our team, and we can create the space of your dreams from start to finish.

3. Painted Design/Mural:

Whether you are creating an accent wall in your home or commercial space, a painted design or mural can bring your entire room to life! If you love the idea of incorporating a mural, but don’t love the idea of having it be painted, there are some wallpaper options you can use that are just as beautiful. Regardless of how you apply a mural or design to your accent wall, using a mural concept in your space will tell a beautiful narrative of your room. This type of accent wall will be a conversational piece for family, friends, or clients to enjoy!

We loved this mural design at the Southeastern Showhouse!

4. Contrasting Paint Color:

Wanting to keep your accent wall design simple? That’s easy. Create an accent wall by painting it a contrasting paint color. An accent color creates a natural focal point in your living space. Feature walls can work with all different color schemes whether it's a pop of bold color or a simple neutral color palette. Accent walls let you work in colors that may not be right for the whole room, but you still love.

Need help deciding? We offer paint consultations as a part of our design process. Our design team would be happy to come to your home or office and assist with choosing your color palette.

We love the contrasting paint colors by My Domaine

What to add to your new accent walls:

Once you have completed your new accent wall, it’s time to take the interior design process to the next level! Accessorize your wall with artwork, lighting, family portraits or photos, shelving, and other decorative wall pieces. Shop with us online or in person at our retail space in Historic Downtown Perry, Ga to find the perfect options for your space.

Artwork: Whether you prefer a tranquil landscape, or a bold abstract piece of artwork, our design team can source the perfect piece for you. Artwork is an integral part of the interior design process. This detail can fill an empty wall with personality and life, or enhance an accent wall to create a stunning, showstopping look.
Lighting: Incorporating unique lighting options for any space is always a great idea! To create the ultimate accent wall, you may want to introduce a wall sconce that enhances your personal interior design style. If you don’t want hardwired lighting, another great option would be to add an accent table and lamps in front of your accent wall to give your space a finished look.
Gallery Wall/Family Photos: Add a personal touch to your home or commercial space with a gallery wall! You can create a gallery wall with family photos and portraits, awards, a collection of eclectic artwork, or other wall accessories. Our design team is happy to create and install your gallery wall for you!
Shelving: Showcase some of your favorite and personal items on your accent wall with the use of floating shelves or standing bookcases! Accessorizing your shelves to have functional and aesthetic appeal can sometimes be hard, and our team is here to help. Whether you are looking for new pieces to add to your collection, or you are wanting to mix up your tried-and-true favorites, we are happy to take care of accessorizing your accent wall or entire home for you.
Decorative Wall Pieces: Dressing up your accent wall with a decorative wall piece is a simple, easy way to add character to your walls. Wall clocks, decorative metal wall sculptures, and other creative options could be the perfect addition to your room.

This lake house accent wall by Cossart Design is finished with a collage of fish and a handcrafted BOAT!

While there are several ways to create the perfect accent wall for your space, what matters most is that it compliments your overall interior design goals for your home or office. Whether you are wanting to get creative or keep it simple, our team of interior designers is here to help you make the best design decisions for your space while making the entire process enjoyable. Ready to get started on your next interior design project? Book your interior Design Consultation now.

Custom Accent Wall Tips & Tricks