Feature Wall Colours - 7 Pieces Of Advice
As you can probably tell, our business is based around feature walls - it's in our name! So, it makes sense for us to write a post about feature wall colours to help you make a decision. Not only is this a post with our advice, but we've enlisted a bunch of experts in the area to give you some advice too - we have plenty of it here!
We say brick is best
In this day and age, brick feature walls have become increasingly popular. If the wall also features a fireplace, it adds warmth to the room.
Some people have stripped their walls down to the bare brickwork in order to achieve this effect. Not only can this be time consuming and costly, you will only know what the bricks look like after you've essentially tore the existing wall down. If their in bad shape or you just don't like the colour, you've got a lot of work to recover it all.
With that in mind, we'll put our brick effect tiles in front of you. We have 9 different colours available ranging from natural and warm to cooler, more modern colours. In our opinion, the warmer colours work well in almost any setting. The colour makes them feel more authentic - think orange, beige and brown bricks that you see everyday around the UK.
Pictured above: a selection of our warm brick colours.
Now, we'll let you here from the industry experts. We reached out to quite a lot of people and had some brilliant responses opening our eyes to new ideas and thoughts about feature wall colours. Here we go:
7 Industry Experts Give You Their Opinions on Feature Wall Colours
Monique @ Sartorial Interiors says:
My clients here in Sydney still often ask for a feature wall. In the past this has predominantly meant a different paint colour, but is more often these days wallpaper or some other texture such as brick. And, of course, a different tile feature wall is still a strong trend for bathrooms.
If you want to change a wall using paint, then I recommend a deep navy, mid to dark warm grey or a pastel colour. People are often afraid of dark colours thinking they make the room look or feel small. This is codswallop! The deep hue adds drama and a fantastic backdrop to make other elements pop, such as bright coloured fabrics, metal finishes and plants etc.
If you're after a finish that adds texture - for example in a living room or dining area - then grass wallpapers in gorgeous colours look sophisticated. If you're after a more industrial or gritty finish or one that evokes a New York city loft, then you can't go past the appearance of brick. Whether this is a solid brick or a tiled version is neither here nor there in terms of visual outcomes; it's the natural warm tones, matt finish and imperfections that are key in offering visual interest. It's also a timeless option, afterall brick has been around for a millennia (what did the Romans ever do for us, right??!!).
Pictured above: Images sent in by Monique
Cat Cossettini @ sweetlivingnewcastle says:
Textural surfaces are a great option for a feature wall, like this panelling. Paint it a safe white or take a risk and choose a sophisticated black, like Dulux Domino. Just one wall in the prominent focal point of the room is enough. If you use it in the bedroom go for behind the bed, in the lounge room on the wall where the TV is located. The added bonus is that the TV won’t stand out so much. Add a large dramatic painting to one side and a large plant or floor lamp to the other, for interest and balance.
Architecture is the other way to use a feature wall. If the room is oddly shaped or has some unusual architecture - highlight it. This gives the room character and excites the imagination. Try to follow lines that elongate or widen the room. Try a colour like Dulux Odyssey.
Pictured above: Images sent in by Cat
Eriana & Lyndie @ Vanillaslate Designs say:
Forget about your fancy furniture or expensive plants, because as soon as you add a beautiful stone feature wall to the design, THAT will be your feature!
If you’re not a colour guru, stick to neutral colours, as this is a permanent feature. Make sure you choose wisely. Focus on other architectural features close to the feature wall that are also going to be part of the whole design for a long time. Are there timber features like decks, posts, archives, ceilings, floor tiles or even fixed light fittings? Do they have a grey, brown or yellow undertone? Stick with the same tone when you now choose your stone wall. Please don’t match your feature wall with your scatter cushions, as pineapples and copper won't be in style forever.
Make sure you take a few stone samples home, and live with them for a few days before making your final decision. Never make your decision in the showroom where you are surrounded by hundreds of samples, busy shoppers or clinging children. Rather get a sales expert or interior designer to meet you at your home to help you make this important decision, where you are surrounded with your own colour scheme, furniture and a bottle of wine.
Pictured above: Image sent in by Eriana & Lyndie
Anthony Rayworth @ National Design Academy says:
The use of colour for feature walls is more dependant on an approach than a decision. By this I mean that the factors influencing the choice of colour or materials are determined by such questions as: 1) “Is the project inward looking (the creation of a distinct environment irrespective of its context) or, as illustrated above, outward looking, taking its design cues from the visible outside world” 2) “Is the feature wall to be natural, with its own colour palette such as stone, seagrass or wood, or is it to be an applied finish such as wallpaper, lacquer or paint 3) “What is the purpose of a feature wall” Should it anchor a room, bring focus to its history or correct architectural proportions which may not be ideal. When these fundamental questions have been addressed it is then possible to move into finer detail such as scale of texture or pattern. The degree of reflectivity is very important – do you want light to be reflected back into a room or do you want something a little more ‘monumental’ that absorbs light and creates drama, especially when used in conjunction with well considered and installed lighting. For me personally, the wall in the above image is probably as close to perfect as a feature wall can get; it is monumental but allows light and air to travel around it whilst housing the ‘heart’ of the room – the fireplace. It provides a screen from the main living area for reading or just thinking whilst looking at the view, yet it allows all activities to remain connected; it is not a barrier. The colour is perfect for the location, preventing the generous use of wood from becoming too overbearing and providing a natural tint to the stucco of the wall. A semi-free-standing feature wall adds a degree of focus and a sense of grandeur to a room When the colour and material relates just as strongly to the exterior context that focus and grandeur is multiplied.
Big, natural feature walls get my vote every time.
Pictured above: Image sent in by Anthony Rayworth
Dan Robinson @ IPSL says:
At IPSL we’ve had more and more customers request our products for use in building feature walls. One of the most popular designs for this purpose has proven to be our Polished Clear Concrete tile panels.
It’s interesting to see how the idea of concrete as a desirable feature wall has come full circle. It’s been in use since Roman times, but the material gained a reputation for ugly buildings in the late 20th century. However, more recently, concrete effect walls and wall panels have become popular, particularly in the domestic market – in people’s own homes, bathrooms, kitchens, etc.
Our Dumawall tiles aren’t made with real concrete – they’re actually 100% waterproof PVC – and they don’t have that plain, outdoor, fabricated look. It’s more of a striking, swirling, grey stone-like pattern, but with more consistency than natural stonework. They slot together easily, allowing you to make wall surfaces totally waterproof and easy to clean and wipe down.
Though initially designed for wet areas, the Polished Clear Concrete has become a popular choice for feature walls in any room of the house. You can easily create a modern stone look on any wall without the weight or cost of the real thing.
Pictured above: Image sent in by Dan Robinson
Yelena @ housepaintingtutorials.com says:
One of the best looks for a feature wall is a repeat of an existing color in the room. In other words, the color of the accent wall should match the color of something else already present in your decor. For example, it can be decorative pillows, furniture upholstery, bedding, wall art, area rug, or any other element you can visually "connect" to the wall via the same color (in the photo example, notice how the burgundy and cream colors of the brick wall are echoed in the rest of the decor for a unified effect). The result will be a room that looks beautifully coordinated and pulled together, as if done by a professional decorator.
Pictured above: Image sent in by Yelena
Emily Morgan @ Earthborn Paints says:
Not everyone wants to ‘go bold’ for their entire room décor, so a feature wall is a great way of adding a splash of colour or textural interest to an otherwise neutral scheme. Feature wall colours can be tonal – such as a deeper charcoal grey like ‘Trilby’ – with the rest of the walls painted in a softer, warm grey like ‘Cat’s Cradle’. Or what about introducing a brighter pop of colour? Here, sunshine-yellow ‘Daisy Chain’ brightens up a kitchen space. Use crisp whites on the other walls and add a little greenery for a fresh, welcoming feel.
Pictured above: Image sent in by Emily Morgan
Perhaps you have a brick or stone feature wall in place already – on your chimney breast for example. Choosing a complementary colour scheme for the rest of the room requires a little thought. If your feature wall is red-toned brick, for example, a contrasting earthy green like ‘Secret Room’ can work surprisingly well and create a feeling of warmth. Or if you have a cool grey stone feature wall, paint the rest of the space in a grey-toned lilac such as ‘Inglenook,’ which will enhance the varying shades within the stone. We’d always suggest painting out a sample of your chosen colour in the actual room, either on the wall itself or on a large swatch of card. This will give you an idea of how the colour changes with the light, and what it looks like next to your dramatic feature wall.
We'll keep this post updated with more professional opinions
We've had a really good response from industry experts covering the feature wall colours topic so we'll keep updating this post every time we receive another response. With that in mind, why not bookmark this page for future reference or even share it amongst friends (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to inspire others?
