Accent Walls For Bedrooms

Accent Walls

We are in the process of doing a Master Bedroom Makeover in our home. One of the makeover items that we’ve decided to incorporate is an accent wall. According to This Old House adding an accent wall with a vivid hue where the others are more neutral can add a dramatic, contemporary look.

Accent walls are an inexpensive, easy DIY project that can dramatically enhance the visual aesthetics of a room. Accent walls have become very popular in bedrooms and family rooms, especially larger rooms that feel too open and spacious.

Our Master Bedroom Accent Wall

For our master bedroom makeover we’ve chosen an accent color from the new bedding. Currently our bedroom is painted a very soft yellow (neutral) color. The room is rather large and “boring”. The color we’ve chosen is “Sporty Blue” by Sherwin Williams. We think it goes very well with the “Butter Up” by Sherwin Williams that’s already in our bedroom.

We are planning on painting the wall directly behind the headboard for the accent wall. Today most accent walls are usually the “focal point” and often the wall opposite the main entrance to a room. It’s also a good idea to choose an accent wall that does not have windows or doors.

Painting An Accent Wall

Painting an accent wall is an easy DIY project. Once you’ve selected the wall that you’re going to paint I recommend you clean it thoroughly. I like the to wipe down the wall with a clean damp cloth to remove dust and grime. Then be sure to put down plastic or canvas drop cloths to protect your flooring.

I recommend you cut in the walls, ceiling and base board first with a good quality sash brush. I’m not a big fan of using painters tape (masking tape) because it takes far too long to install and never seems to work very well. I prefer to take my time and use nice slow steady strokes and let the brush do the work. Cutting in without tape takes some practice, however, once you learn to pull the brush along until the bristles find the “line” you’ll be amazed at how quick you can paint a room.

Finally apply two coats of the paint to the wall with a good quality roller. DO NOT skimp on the rollers! If you buy decent rollers you’ll get a nice finish and you won’t be picking off fuzz afterward. Be sure you apply two coats of paint, this is especially true with darker accent colors. Don’t believe ANY can of paint that says it covers in one coat.

Be sure to check out our upcoming posts on the Master Bedroom Make Over for the final product. I’ll be submitting this project to the Before & After Habitat Contest over at One Project Closer.

Photo Credit: Mike Vogt