By Poppy Benner

Published: Wednesday, 16 February 2022 at 12:00 am

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If you’re looking for feature wall ideas, look no further – we’ve got 10 ways to make a style statement in your home, from paint effects and panelling to murals and brick slips. But first, let’s take a look at what feature walls are, and how best to use them.

What is the point of a feature wall?

A feature wall is a great way to liven up any room, whether you choose to paint it in a punchy colour, or use pattern or texture to inject extra interest. With feature walls you can really experiment and let your creativity run wild, without the stress of having to redecorate the whole room. It’s a cost-effective upgrade when your room starts looking tired and works particularly well in larger rooms or those than benefit from zoned spaces.

Are feature walls outdated?

Far from the outdated concept of using a bold paint colour or wallpaper on the chimney breast just for the sake of it, feature walls now take many forms and can really add impact to a room. Be sure to choose the room’s existing focal point when making your feature wall – randomly picking a wall to highlight will no doubt end up making your room look old-fashioned.

What is the difference between an accent wall and a feature wall?

A feature wall might be termed an accent wall if it is used specifically to accentuate the space, for example, defining a zoned area in an open-plan living space. Essentially, feature walls and accent walls are the same thing – a way to draw attention and create interest in your room.

What does a feature wall do to a room?

A feature wall draws your eye to a certain spot and, when done well, will complement the other parts of the room rather than detracting from them. If you have a collection of paintings or pottery in your home, but perhaps they’re not making an impact in the way you’d like, try painting a rich colour on the wall behind them to help them stand out.

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10 feature wall ideas

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Plaster-effect feature wall

Annie Sloan

Create texture with a terracotta plaster-effect feature wall. Apply a base layer of Scandinavian Pink Chalk Paint to the entire wall. Once dry, add sections of diluted Paloma over the top, painting the mix on in small sections. While still wet, use crumpled-up newspaper to create texture. Allow to dry and give a final wash of Paloma all over, for a powdery plaster effect.

You might also like:

• Annie Sloan’s colourful Victorian house
• Everything you need to know about Annie Sloan paint

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Panelled feature wall

Brayer Design

Add detail with a panelled feature wall. This wall helps to define the dining area while tying in with the detail on the kitchen cupboards and doors, unifying the space. It has been painted in the same colour as the other woodwork for a harmonious effect. The panels act like frames for the artworks, creating a gallery wall effect, but would look just as good on their own.

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Tiled feature wall

Add wow factor with a tiled feature wall. Combining plain white tiles and a tile mural featuring  a flamingo from Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’, this bathroom certainly makes an impact. Tiles can be combined in any number of ways to make a dramatic focal point in your bathroom – over the bath is a great place to do this. This tile mural from Surface View looks great with this bath painted in Dix Blue by Farrow & Ball.

You might also like:

• 10 ways to add character with tiles
• Stylish and practical bathroom ideas

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Painted feature wall

Inject colour with a dramatic painted feature wall. This ‘Rhubarb Striped Living Room’ is painted floor to picture rail in a luscious shade of red, with a border painted around the door frame and along the skirting board for extra interest. Painting the woodwork in the same shade as the walls gives the colour more intensity.

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Wallpaper feature wall

Use wallpaper to make your feature wall sing with both pattern and colour. With your chosen wallpaper as inspiration, pick one or two colours from the design and use these on other walls in the room, and in furnishings and accessories, for a cohesive look. Bold patterns and colours work well in larger spaces, while smaller prints are better suited to smaller rooms.

You might also like:

• Best wallpaper ideas and designs

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Built-in shelving feature wall

Build a storage solution into your feature wall. Built in wall-to-wall shelving and cupboards are not only great for displaying books, trinkets and artwork, and hiding away other bits and pieces; they can also be used to create a focal point for a large room, especially when painted in a lovely colour like this sage green hue, Lick Green 02.

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Use your headboard as a feature wall

 

Create a feature wall behind the bed with a painted headboard. Be inspired by the colours of your bedding, soft furnishings and other accessories in the room, pulling the palette together and adding your own artistic flair to paint a unique design.

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Create a gallery feature wall

 

Create a gallery wall from artwork, mirrors, baskets….. even a collection of vintage signs, baskets, plates, hangings­­­­ or clocks. Collected treasures not only create a focal point for a wall, they add a personal touch in the way that paint or wallpaper might not be able to.

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Exposed brick feature wall

Celebrate your home’s period features with an exposed brick feature wall. Taking your wall back to its original material is a great way to add contrast, colour and texture, all at the same time, and is guaranteed to add character to any room. Exposed brick (or brick slip) feature walls look great in lots of different homes and can create different effects, from modern-industrial to ­rustic and cosy.

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Decal feature wall

Create a quick feature wall with decals. They give the look of a hand-painted design without the cost and time involved, plus they can be easily repositioned or removed if you want a change. As each motif is individual, you can either spread them out or space them closer together, depending on the size of your wall and the effect you are after.

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