Tips for creating a feature wall in your home

If you want to give a room in your home a boost with colour but can’t afford (or simply don’t want) to paint all four walls, a feature wall is a fantastic, cost-effective way of achieving this goal.

Feature walls allow you to inject a bit of your personality into a room without sacrificing too much time, effort or money. A feature wall will help give a room some energy, creating a point of interest that is sure to get people talking.

Here are some tips on creating the ideal feature wall for your room:

• The first step is to choose which wall will be the feature. The best choice is usually the wall that your eye is naturally drawn to when you enter a room. Don’t choose a wall that has doors or windows, as this will take away from the overall effect and can make things difficult if you choose to use wallpaper instead of paint.
• Another option is to choose a wall that has plenty of natural light – a wall in a naturally dark area could end up looking depressing.
• Don’t be afraid to choose a wall that is behind a piece of furniture, such as your bed or a couch.
• Feature walls don’t always have to be painted – you can use decals, wallpaper or murals instead.
• If you choose to use any of these options instead of paint, be sure not to choose a wall near a fireplace or heater as the wallpaper or decals may be damaged by the heat over time.
• You can also take things one step further again by creating your feature wall using tiles, stone or reclaimed wood.
• Get clever by taking a photo of the room, uploading to your computer and playing around with colours in Photoshop to get some idea of how the room will look.
• Think about the effect of colours on mood before selecting your paint colour or wallpaper – blues are said to invoke calm and serenity, reds can make a room feel cosy and warming, greens can create a refreshing atmosphere and yellows can boost optimism and happiness.
• Don’t rely on sample swatches for a true indication of colour – always get a sample pot and test directly on the wall.