Wall of Fame: Things You Need to Know about Creating an Eye-Catching Feature Wall

Whether you're redesigning your living room, bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen, it's time to consider using a feature wall.

A feature wall is perfect for adding bright colors to a small space without overwhelming it. It's great for creating a focal point to draw the eye to the moment someone walks into a room. Plus, it's perfect for showcasing your favorite photos or artwork while tying together the decor of your entire space.

But creating an accent wall can be tricky. Add too many colors, patterns, and accent pieces, and you'll get a messy wall that's less than pleasant to look at. Add too little, and it won't draw the eye; it will simply get lost in the rest of your decor.

Keep reading to learn what you need to know to create a stunning, eye-catching feature wall in any room in your home.

Consider Your Decor Style First

When it comes to choosing paint colors, make sure your color choice matches your decor style.

Wallpaper adds an extra level of difficulty to this task. Not only you must choose the right color, but you also need to pick the right style and patterns to match the rest of your decor.

For instance, if you know that your decor will be farmhouse chic, polka dot wallpaper or wallpaper resembling wooden slats can be perfect for an accent wall.

You can also shop for wallpaper by designer to pick one that matches your style. For those looking to decorate in that popular farmhouse style, Magnolia Home's line is perfect for achieving a chic country look in any room.

Balance Bold Patterns with Simple Decor

Nothing draws the eye to a statement wall like a bold wallpaper choice.

But if you fall in love with a bold, eye-catching style, you'll want to balance it out with simple decor.

Don't overload a bright, patterned wallpaper with too many picture frames or colorful artwork. Rather than creating a statement, your wall will look cluttered.

Instead, opt for simple, monochromatic paintings, black or other solid colored picture frames, and modern photography or black and white pictures.

If you plan to place furnishings against the wall, simple pieces in solid colors or simple patterns will help keep your space balanced and polished rather than cluttered.

Use Texture to Draw Attention to a Space

If a bold pattern or bright color isn't quite your style, you have another option for drawing attention to a space while still keeping it simple and fresh.

Textured wallpaper, or paper with a pattern that gives the allusion of texture, is a great alternative.

You can keep your pattern choice simple while still creating a bold statement.

Textured - rather than boldly patterned wallpaper - is also a great choice if you know that your other decor is going to stand out as well. Textured paper is a perfect backdrop for a bold painting, colorful picture frames, bright, quirky furniture, and other decor choices.

Let the Wallpaper Stand on Its Own

When it comes to designing a statement wall, many homeowners go overboard. They feel as though the wall needs to be covered in decoration or filled with a mix of pieces on top of a loud wallpaper in order to stand out.

Or they choose so many conflicting styles and pieces that the wall becomes too busy for any one element to really stand out.

The easiest way to ensure you end up with an attractive statement wall that isn't too busy is to let your wallpaper stand on its own.

Avoid overcrowding your wall by adding piece after piece to it. Instead, trust your feature wallpaper choice and let it speak for itself to draw attention to your statement wall.

Everything Doesn't Need to Match

Another mistake homeowners make when designing an accent wall is to obsess over matching every little detail.

A bit of contrast is a lot better for drawing the eye and pulling your statement wall together.

Once you've chosen your wallpaper, select contrasting colors for your accent pieces. For instance, if your wallpaper features a pattern in navy and white, accent it with pops of color like pink, red, or yellow.

If you don't want your accent wall to turn into a rainbow, highlight it by using multiple shades of the same color to balance it. For instance, you can accent a navy wallpaper with pieces in lighter shades of blue.

Not only can you highlight your statement wall by mixing colors, but you can also make an even bolder statement by mixing patterns.

Accent your chosen wallpaper pattern with other patterns in similar colors and shades on nearby blinds or furniture. For example, a polka dot patterned wallpaper can be accented with chevron patterned shades.

By sticking to a single color scheme for all of your patterns, you'll keep your space looking polished while still making a bold statement with your feature wall.

Make Sure You Know What You're Doing

If you're going to draw guests' eyes to a feature wall, make sure you do it right.

The last thing you want to do is draw attention to poorly hung wallpaper.

If you choose to create a statement wall, make sure you learn how to hang wallpaper properly. Once it's up, carefully line up and hang any accent frames or pictures to ensure nothing is crooked or out of place.

Creating an Eye-Catching Feature Wall

Creating an eye-catching feature wall is a great way to finish your space and give your room a beautiful focal point.

Now that you know a few tips for creating a feature wall, check out this article to learn how to use that feature wall to tie together the decor of your room.