If you love the home you live in, but feel you want a fresh update without going through a renovation, a new wall colour could be just what you need. But adding a new coat of paint to every wall in the house, may be more work than you bargained for, so why not update the home one wall at a time, quickly add a fresh new feel in your home... yes, I am suggesting a feature wall.
Whilst many people think feature walls have had their day, it's easy to see that adding a feature wall is one of the easiest ways to update the personality of your property. And before you say it's not for you, there are still some very good reasons for introducing feature walls to your Interior Design and Decoration, and it isn't only achieved with paint. Here is my thinking:
LUXURY STYLING
If your taste in furniture and décor is far from streamlined and minimalistic, you may just enjoy the power of a dark wall to help your baroque and golden frames really stand out. Especially in rooms with plenty of natural light, the darker the paint chosen, the stronger the effect, as contrast is always an effective way to excite the eyes! Whilst dark moody blues, forest greens and charcoals are a great go-to in creating this dark feature, why not add some pattern and possibly texture at the same time with wallpaper.
Tip: bold wallpapers are the perfect choice to achieve a high-end contemporary and luxury result.
image courtesy of Kerrie Brown Design
ODDLY SHAPED ROOMS
As you may already know, using the power of light or dark colours can cleverly alter the way we perceive volumes, I use this trick all the time in interiors, and many of us do this daily with the clothes we wear, using colour to emphasise one part of the body over the other. Well, just like light coloured walls help to 'open' a space, dark colours tend to bring the walls closer. So, in a very long room, the end wall could be painted in a dark hue to visually alter the room, making it appear much wider than it actually is.
Tip: those that are not fans of loud feature walls can still subtly play this trick by using the room's walls colour, but double its strength for the feature wall (same colour but darker).
QUICKEST RENOVATION
Yes, definitely quick. Both paint and wall paper when being applied to only one wall are perfect options for those who want to change the mood of a room without going for a full renovation. Almost as fast as changing the covers of the cushions for the new season, a feature wall will support your new scheme or interior style, changing the space by giving it the necessary darker background to contrast against, allowing those table lamps, artwork and fabric to standout in all the right ways.
Tip: the darker the wall the more dramatic the change will be, and look to the other finishes in the room for your colour choice.
TURN UP THE VOLUME
When your home doesn't seem to have enough appeal, adding a feature wall may help add interest and possibly increase its value at the same time. Whilst darker walls, especially when seen directly opposite from the entry door will make the furniture placed against it really stand to attention, colour can add both contrast and personality, particularly effective for bedrooms, to represent the age and personality of the person who sleeps there.
Tip: preferring one feature colour throughout your home, will keep the styling unified. This allows the property to feel relaxed and very pleasant to walk through.
James' Practical Tips. :
Feature Walls are most effective if starting and ending at the inside meeting or two walls (angle),
Feature Walls should ideally not end at a pointing end of a wall (corner), but wrap around it until the next angle - see picture below,
Feature Walls offer the strongest effect when on the opposite wall from the entry door,
Feature Walls are great tools for widening or deepening the impression of a room, visibly altering its shape,
The choice of a dark colour works wonders when using light coloured furniture or metal finishes against it.
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has three decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to properties through effective design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.