Ask Jenna Sais Quois: Accent Walls

Question: Do people still do "accent walls" where one wall in a space is painted differently? I'm a little worried it's going to come out too... icky for lack of a better word. IF you think this is a good idea, what do you think of me trying to replicate something like the pattern on the green and white chair that you recently posted in your blog? I have dark brown and green in my living room and the white walls bum me out :(

Jolene

My Thoughts: Jolene, to accent or not to accent is definitely a question of personal taste. I love color, and patterns, and making your space fun! You are in your early twenties, so my vote is that you can definitely handle an accent wall! Now that doesn't mean that people don't royally screw them up either...I have pulled a few of what I think are good examples of accent walls for you to check out. They range from subtle and soft, to patterned, to bold and colorful. I just wanted you to see that accent walls are indeed alive and well in the decorating world.

{Photos from here, here, here and here}

Note: Patterned walls are a bit more tricky. If you are confident in your painting skills and you select muted enough colors (highly saturated lime greens can look a little too neon. I recommend using greens similar to the two photos shown above) then I say go for it! Personally, if I wanted a patterned accent wall, I would look into wallpapering.

Sherwin-Williams makes a product called Easy-Change Wallpaper, which sticks up and comes down without paste, glue, etc. It's perfect for renters, and they have a ton of patterns to choose from. Just go to this link, select green, and browse through tons of great patterns like the swatches I've pulled below.

DIY Tip: If you have your heart set on painting, and don't trust your hand to complete an epic mural, check out this DIY project for a modern, patterned accent wall using good old fashioned paint and tape. The finished product could look like this!

{Image from here}