Get Creative with Your Walls
The walls—and even the ceilings—of your home are a blank canvas for creativity and an opportunity to infuse your space with unique character. If you’re ready to think outside the box, here’s some inspiration to help you go beyond the predictable accent wall.
Try Unexpected Paint Placement
Paint and wallpaper are always available to bring in color and pattern—whether you’re going all in or highlighting just one wall. But what if you take it a step further and get truly bold with your application?
In the 2021 Home & Garden Colorado Designer Showhouse, our interior design plan used paint as more than a simple accent. The room featured wood slats on the right side, so we applied a contrasting paint color on the left half of the room to emphasize an asymmetrical design.
We took the asymmetry a step further by applying the paint at an angle, then hanging the artwork off-center to complete the effect. It’s an easy way to create a dynamic, intentional look.
Combine Multiple Accent Walls
We revisited creative paint placement in the Denver Life 2024 Designer Showhouse, this time with painted stripes on two accent walls.
Design Tip: When combining paint colors, pull them from the same page of a fan deck. This ensures the colors share the same undertones and work beautifully together. In this room, we chose colors three shades apart on the same page for a cohesive yet lively look.
Transform Awkward Niches
Showhouses aren’t the only places where we get creative with wall treatments. In this Broomfield home, we turned an awkward plant ledge into a stunning focal point.
Located opposite the front door, this ledge is the first thing you see when entering the home. Plant ledges and niches were popular in the early 2000s, but they’re notoriously difficult to style well. Our solution? Cover the wall above the ledge with a bold paint color and overlay it with a custom fretwork wood design. Now, the vibrant focal wall makes an impression from inside—and out.
Don’t Forget the Ceiling
Your ceiling is your room’s fifth wall—why not treat it like one? Add a pop of paint, wallpaper, or other treatments overhead to bring drama and interest to your space.
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In our Stilt House Airbnb design, we created a playful moment in an otherwise plain hallway by painting the ceiling, wall, and door at the end of the hall in one dramatic color. This simple approach added depth and an unexpected, surprise for guests.
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Ready to Get Creative?
From off-center paint applications to bold ceilings and statement niches, the possibilities for adding personality to your walls (and ceilings!) are endless. Have fun with it—and remember, sometimes the most striking spaces come from breaking the “rules.”
Want more Inspiration for your walls? Read the following articles.