We’ve all been there. You go over to a friends house for dinner or drop your kids off at a playdate and you walk into the most inviting home. You’re not only impressed with their aesthetic but it just feels like they have nailed down the perfect balance between hanging meaningful things on their wall and not overloading them with an accent wall at every turn. Only to go home later and see your bland walls that have been empty since you moved in.. in 2015. Now, I am not encouraging you to bring back sponge painting accent walls at all. (seriously DO NOT). But I am going to help you find the perfect balance and (do able) amount of accents to make your house feel not only designer-esque but also complete! Because lets be real, why settle for plain walls when it has the potential to be something so much prettier. 

The first step of updating those empty walls is figuring out which wall(s) to tackle. When picking an accent wall, you want to make sure it is a wall that is easily seen. Often it is the largest room in the space or the main wall. If you have a smaller space, you can do multiple walls to make your statement heard.  

Second is nail down the vibe. Are you looking to spice up a master bedroom? Some moody wood accents would look beautiful! Or a bathroom? Why not try some roman clay. When figuring out which style accent wall there are many options. However, we believe the top options of all time that will never go out of style are wood, roman clay, wallpaper, and oversized prints. 

If you’re looking for a timeless change that will NEVER go out of style? Then wood accents is what you are looking for. Board and batten, tongue and groove, wainscoting, funky geometric shapes, simple planking, the opportunities are endless. You can do so much with wood. Either painting or staining. 

Roman clay. What a beautiful way to blend texture and color. For whatever the feel is that you are going for, whether light and airy or moody and dark, you will find the perfect shade of roman clay. You can find all of our designer favorites over at Portola Paints.

Another accent wall that you can not turn away from is wallpaper. I know, I know, it had a bad rep for the past couple decades. But its not the old outdated patterned wallpaper that is a nightmare to remove from your grandmother’s house. Wallpaper can bring in a soft texture or a bold design. You can bring in neutral and subtle, bold or colors, patterns, etc. And if you don’t have any walls to make focal points you can even put it on your ceiling. Bet you would have never thought to put it there! If you are still not buying it, check out some of our favorites from some of our recent jobs. 

Are you looking for a fun accent wall for your family room? Maybe it’s the hall leading to your kids bedrooms or their playroom. Another classic look that is easily achieved is oversized prints. Don’t go buying those mismatched frames from Home Goods this weekend. We recommend a more uniformed and classy look. And to elevate the design more, choose either those professional Christmas photos you just had done in the beautiful golden hour light or take some photos that aren’t from the same day, but over many days (or years) and remove the color. Black and white prints offer a clean and uniform look to otherwise mismatched photos. 

And don’t forget if you use these tips to tag us on Instagram!! We’d love to see your beautiful walls come to life!