HOW CAN A DARK ACCENT WALL MAKE A ROOM LOOK BIGGER?
So how can an accent wall help a room feel bigger? It's actually all down to how the eye perceives color and light. Dark colors recede from the viewer, so the accent wall visually enlarges the space and creates contrast which makes a room seem brighter.
HOW TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE ACCENT WALL
It's not as easy as it sounds though, and whether your dark accent wall will really work or not depends on first and foremost which wall you've painted. Using a contrasting color on an accent wall will draw the eye, whilst a lighter tone when paired with a deeper color will appear closer,' says Ruth Mottershead, creative director of Little Greene.
WHAT COLORS WORK FOR A DARK ACCENT WALL?
When brainstorming accent wall ideas, black and white is your obvious color combo that brings high levels of contrast. 'A black and white color combination never goes out of style,' says Julia, 'and instead of making a room appear smaller, it can offer a sophisticated, worldly look, especially when contrasted with white.'
WHAT ARE THE OTHER BENEFITS OF A DARK ACCENT WALL?
There are plenty of other merits to a dark accent wall as well as creating the illusion of depth and scale and a dramatic centerpiece. 'Bolder hues are also a fantastic tool for zoning an area to create an entirely different mood in one area of an open plan space,' adds Ruth Mottershead of Little Greene. If you are considering how to divide up an open plan space, dark paint can be your best friend to help you create visual borders. A kitchen space might nicely separate the area from the dining room, for example.
GO REFLECTIVE FOR BIGGER IMPACT
Another top trick is to get clever with reflection in the space. In this example by OAD Interiors, the designers have combined the dark accent wall technique with mirror to really ensure the dining room appears and feels larger.
WHAT WALL SHOULD BE THE ACCENT WALL?
When figuring out which wall should be the accent wall, it's all about where your eye gravitates to in the room. 'Sometimes, details of what is in the room already can help you decide what is the focal point,' says Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs. 'For example, if there are built-ins already in the space or do you want to make the fireplace wall your accent wall.' It could be the wall behind the headboard in your bedroom, or it could be the wall behind the sofa in a living room, or a pretty fireplace, figuring out what the most prominent wall is is your first step.