Featuring “A Featured Wall”

Just as a good painting needs a focal point so does a feature wall.

The most impactful thing you can do to enhance the decor of a room is create a feature wall.  A strong feature wall, once called an accent wall, can help balance a room and focus on a space.  The rest of the room can remain simple.

The feature wall provides the foundation for the room’s feel along with the decorative colours and textures you choose. If you are limited by budget or space and can only do one thing to improve that room, create a feature wall!  It will simplify the rest of your decorating and stretch your budget.  An attractive feature wall will have even more impact if it is the first thing you see when you walk into the room.  A fireplace can become part of a great feature wall, but not by itself.

You can create a feature wall using an accent colour, textures, captivating artwork and furniture placement.  Your artwork can provide the basis of your colour palate. You can then repeat the colors that you love in the artwork throughout your accessories.

When using art to enhance your furniture, consider furniture size and pair art with the correct sized furniture pieces.  In general, art hanging over a piece of furniture should not extend beyond the outside edges of the furniture.  Keep the art about two-thirds to three-quarters the length of the furniture.  The bottom of the frame should sit only four to eight inches above a tabletop.

When you are creating groupings of art pieces, keep in mind that the eye is always looking for a horizon or straight line.  You may wish to layout your arrangement on the floor and snap a picture of it before committing to your plan. It will save you a lot of nail holes.   You could create paper templates and stick them to the wall to see how you like the arrangement.

Another ‘trick of the trade’ used by professional decorators is to keep the outside edges of a grouping as straight as possible, not offset as if you are going upstairs, unless you actually are moving up steps.  In that case climbing art works.

Your feature wall can be created in many new and different ways.  You can paint, hang eye-catching artwork, decorate with bold graphics or texturize with natural materials. These key elements provide wonderful ways for you to define the essence of you and reflect it through your feature wall.

Feature walls offer you a chance for your personality to shine through and show what you love; after all it’s your home. Have fun with it.

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