An accent wall is a decor feature that allows you to express yourself through patterns, colors and shapes.
At Outside The Box Designs we wanted to personalize the designer's office and make it more inviting for clients. We looked at different pattern ideas and thought lines and a hint of color would do the trick. Let us take you through some of the steps taken to get there.
An accent wall or feature wall is an interior wall that has a design that differs from the other walls in the room when it comes to color and material. It draws the attention to a part of the room that might otherwise be overlooked and gives it a decorative flair that it might be lacking. They're typically intended to break up the pattern created by the other walls, especially when they're painted a single flat tone.
Color choice
For our office project the company's brand was our inspiration. The colors used in the logo referred us to a palette found only in a Ralph Lauren fan deck, Sailor's Knot / RLWW224. Ralph Lauren ended the production of their paint line a long time ago. So we ended up doing a color match at Benjamin Moore to get a color. We went with Lacey Pearl 2108-70, an off-white that captures the delicate, silvery glisten of a pearl.
Shape and pattern
For the shape we opted for a geometric pattern. Long lines with a few herringbone for depth and a ladder in the center. For this kind of project you'll need a gallon of paint, wood, equipment like an air compressor, a sawdust and a few other items like medium sanding sponges, DAP acrylic latex caulk with silicone, multi-surface construction adhesive and paint brushes. We used a 5 gallon air compressor by Mastercraft, an air nailer by Milwaukee and finish nails 18 galvanized 1 and 1/2'' inch, a tablesaw by Rigid and 10'' coumpound mitre saw. You can rent them at a heavy machinery and tools store. Oh and also, make sure you change into clothes you don't mind ruining !
Taking wall measurements
We measured our wall and did a drawing on paper to get a 45 degree angle because that's the angle we wanted. We then got started on the table saw to cut a few pieces of wood to get the lenght we needed. The pieces we selected were according to specifications .125 inches wide. After cutting them down we sanded them by hand to prevent splinters while installing them.
Versatile materials
You may have noticed that feature walls often are made-up of pieces of wood and it actually is the most current style. There's also hand-made patterns, wallpaper, metal, etc., it depends of the style. If you're going for rustic, boho, modern or farmhouse you may want to stick with wood and repetitive patterns. However for a drastic and bold look you'll want multiple layers, odd shapes and colors and specific materials like marble or metal. Masonite or MDF wood is common for this type of project but in our case we took Russian plywood because we had some readily available. It's preferable to use a wood that bends easily. You don't need heavy duty strength, durable or wood that's free of irregularities. The pieces will align better with Masonite or MDF and once installed, you'll spend less time filling up gaps with caulking.
In a home do an accent wall in a space where you'll be able to see the pattern with no obstruction, like a living room, hallway, bedroom or entertainment room. In a commercial setting you'll see them at the entrance lobby of hotels or in common areas in offices.
When it comes to paint product, we went with Benjamin Moore. They have a few lines for interior projects, Ultra Spec 500 is for office use and commercial spaces so it dries quickly, is fade resistant and covers better than other products that are out there.
In a room you may add an accent wall with a textured look. Wallpaper can look like an accent wall and give you great results. There are countless ideas to choose from. The final result is really your mark. What you want to convey when people walk into the room. As for us, we wanted to structure the office space located in an industrial warehouse. A local that was built in1903 and has high ceilings with visible concrete slabs and pipes. So we kept it real with a neutral color palette and a popular design. We wanted people to enter a space that promotes creative thinking.
This office project is in progress. We'll update the pictures of the finished look on Instagram.
