You can easily bring more personality and style to your home with the best feature wall ideas to hand. Whether it's a clever splash of paint to add an accent to your living room, or if you want to wallpaper a wall in your bedroom, this is a creative home decor project that is about as customizable as it gets.
Go big, or not, add color, in unexpected ways... However you want to do it, creating the feature wall of dreams is easily done (and doesn't have to be the most expensive of wall decor ideas either) when you're giving your space a total makeover.
Wall decor expert Chelsea Clark, Head of Brand at Lust Home notes how 'Decorating is no longer about following rules, you really can make any wall a feature! But if you’re looking for a good place to start, go for a wall with existing features, such as a fireplace or wall panelling. Make architectural elements in the room pop by creating your feature wall around them. Make the most of your space and go for a feature wall that you can decorate from floor to ceiling.'
1. DIY a feature wall with paint
Wall painting ideas are all the rage to add a touch of your own personality using a little creativity or even just a piece of tape... Go freestyle and paint trim with paint from Annie Sloan .
2. Add a pink mural
Like to feel pretty in pink? Agi @agi_at_59 brought a little piece of paradise to a small bedroom space with this pink wall mural. Created using Surface View and complemented by use of similar hues and equally as flamboyant furnishings around the room. It's a look to copy. Clark also recommends to 'Be playful with your feature wall and turn color up to the max.'
- DIY: How to wallpaper walls for a pro finish.
3. Let it feature in an unexpected place
This is the perfect example of how a feature wall can define even the most unexpected areas in your home. This gorgeous Minnesota home lacks an entry way, just the stairwell, so the talented design team at Interior Impressions used a bold wallpaper to help the walkway stand out from the rest of the home.
4. Get an industrial feel with exposed brick
A wall of exposed bricks has long been a seen as a holy grail of interiors, something that we are all desperate to have as a feature wall in our homes. For some lucky home owners stripping away old plaster will instantly reveal an expanse of beautiful brick, for others it’s more a fake until you will make it situation, with the help of wallpaper or brick slips.
If you've revealed your bricks but are disappointed with the finish, you can draw attention to the wall by keeping the brick texture, but hide the mismatched or ugly colours with a freshly painted finish.
5. Make it all about the shelving
We all know that shelving ideas can make best use of a blank space. Dress a wall with a dotty wallpaper for a subtle design and be strategic with your choice of shelving deco for a feature.
- See more: Living room ideas.
6. Fake a slatted feature wall
A slatted wall makes a cool and contemporary feature in any home but, the real deal can often come at a cost so faking it with paper is one of the coolest wallpaper ideas going to create a space that has depth.
7. Exposed brick effect wallpaper
Real exposed brick isn't a realistic option for everyone – particularly if you're renting or live in a new build – which is where stylish brick effect wallpaper or mural comes in. It's half the hassle, but achieves the same industrial feel that so many homeowners are after.
Find a similar exposed brick wall mural at Wallsauce.
- See more: Bedroom ideas for more inspiration.
8. A dramatic still life mural
Wall murals are definitely the new (more affordable) alternative to artwork. Why spend a fortune on an oversized piece of art when you could choose a print that covers an entire wall?
We love the dark and moody vibes of the floral mural in this living room, you can find really similar prints at Surface View.
- Check out our pick of the best mural ideas for more inspiration.
9. Color block over paneling
Color blocking has been a major trend in feature wall ideas this year and adds a load more interest than just a wall of one block color. We can’t get enough of this fresh white and blue combination – perfect for a fresh finish in a light-starved living space.
- There's plenty more inspiration over in our colour block ideas feature, too.
10. Wall stickers aren't just for kids' rooms
Wall stickers may not seem like the most grown up solution for a feature wall idea, but we promise there are some really gorgeous designs out there. Plus if you are an interior design commitment-phobe or renting your place, they are a pretty easy to remove. Use one to make more of a focal wall – such as behind your sofa or at the head of your bed.
11. Create a living wall
We all love house plants, so why limit yourself to just a single Monstera? Try adding plenty of plants to your shelves to create the look of a living wall or get yourself some hanging pots .
- See, indoor gardening is easy.
12. Design a gallery wall with photos and artwork
Got an ever expanding collection of much-loved art, family photos or favorite postcards? Try grouping them together to bring one of the best gallery walls ideas to life.
If symmetry is your thing, measure them carefully before hanging to get even spacing. If you like a more laid back approach, just work out your arrangement on the floor first prior to picking up your hammer.
13. Enhance space with a mirror wall
It’s the oldest interior design trick in the book: a strategically placed mirror can make a room feel bigger. But rather than just hanging one large mirror, combine lots of mirrors in different shapes, sizes and styles to add extra interest.
- Find tips on recreating this look with our mirror ideas.
14. Simple statements
Possibly even easier than just painting one wall, wallpapering is the simplest of feature wall ideas you might have realized by now. If you are working with a small space or a narrow wall in a hallway, go for a large-scale, bold print, but keep the background light and bright.
15. DIY an ombré wall
It would seem that the ombre effect is a trend that’s not going anywhere. It started on the catwalk, spread to our hair styles, and now the dip dye style has seeped into our homes. The best thing about an ombre wall? It’s actually super simple to DIY.
16. Floating shelves and frames
Putting up a few floating shelves is possibly the easiest and most inexpensive of feature wall ideas. Copy this look and layer up your photos and knick knacks just as you would with a gallery wall. Keep it interesting by changing it up every once in a while, we like to do it with the seasons.
17. Add a rustic feel with a 'wood' feature wall
Herringbone and parquet patterns are everywhere at the moment, well, we say everywhere, mostly just on floors, but we love it on the walls too! It adds such a lovely rustic feel to this bedroom, and works so well to warm up the blue of the painted walls. If you love this feature wall idea, check out Wayfair they have a really similar design.
18. Use temporary wallpaper in a bathroom to create an instant feature wall
Oh how gorgeous and glam is this bathroom feature wall? This crane print is giving us Gucci vibes (yes, Gucci make wallpaper, and yes, it's gorgeous, and yes, it's extortionate), the lovely green colors and the Oriental style print makes for a dreamy combo.
19. Paint a cute pattern in a kid's room
A kid's bedroom is a space you can get really fun and creative in, so they are the perfect space for a feature wall. We love this really easy DIY idea, all you need to do is create the rainbow shade with masking tape and then paint in between the gaps.
- For more kid's bedroom ideas check out our gallery.
20. Add a feature wall to your garden!
Yes, you can add a feature wall to your garden! Look at this gorgeous idea from @the_colour_file. This amazing transformation was done with just paint and masking tape and has instantly added a lovely feature wall to plain old brick.
21. Make use of what you already have
Sometimes we have a feature wall already, but maybe we can’t see that it’s right in front of us, especially if you are in the middle of a renovation. Take this brick wall for example - there are wallpapers that have an image repeated for a classic brick wall, and if you want to create an industrial feel in your space then instead of plastering it over keep it exposed instead. By painting the other walls you create a feature by leaving it alone and often, simple is best.
- For more exposed brick wall ideas check out our full feature.
22. Frame your headboard for impact
Creating shapes with different colors is eye-catching and can be as subtle or bold as you'd like. To create a circular shape like this, you need to put a pin or nail in the middle with some string attached to it measured to the width you want to go - and a pencil tied to the other end. Then you ‘draw’ a circle leaving the pencil mark on the wall. Paint your circle in your chosen color and you then paint the rest of the wall in another or leave it white like this bedroom. 'Another great feature spot is behind your bed - your accent wall can even double as a bedhead.' Says Clark.
23. Blue and big
This really is the ultimate feature wall isn’t it? Stunning big blousy floral mural panels that create a dark and dramatic feel whilst adding a burst of color simultaneously. This is a bold look so to make it work you need balance, keep the walls plain but in a color picked out from the mural and accessorize with a beautiful texture like velvet. Add in a pale rug for a spot of contrast to prevent it from all looking too moody if you want to lift the scheme a little. 'Make your feature wall unforgettable with a unique, bold patterned wallpaper.' Adds Clark.
24. Striking stripes
Gone are the days of believing we need to paper every single wall in the room, in actual fact, less is always more and you can create an eye-catching feature by only papering one wall, or one side of a room. This kitchen shows you how to make it work successfully and stripes also give the illusion of height so a double win if you pick this design! The black painted surround is a strong look that helps to create the overall statement wall and the white Aga, woodwork and chairs add balance.
- For more kitchen ideas head over to our feature.
25. Create a feature wall that's unique to you
Okay, so this is a pre-designed wall that possibly involves painted MDF in different shapes, however, it shows how to create a spectacular backdrop in this dining room. And one you could create yourself with two or three paint colors and a bit of freehand painting because as we say above, shapes are IN so be brave and have a go – this wall shows you how they can be irregular and still look marvelous.
- Check out our dining room ideas gallery for more stylish looks.
Put it in the spotlight.