10 accent wall ideas that interior designers actually approve of

The phrase 'feature wall' has taken a battering over the years — unfairly, in our view. A poorly executed accent wall (a random red wall in an otherwise beige room; a printed canvas-look paper behind a sofa it has nothing to say to) deserves the criticism. But a thoughtfully chosen wallpapered surface is one of the most powerful single moves in interior design. Here are ten ways to do it properly.

1. The headboard wall

The wall behind a bed is the natural home for a bedroom's most expressive design moment. Choose a paper with strong vertical movement — a tall botanical, a tonal stripe, a dramatic mural — and run it from floor to ceiling. The bed frame becomes secondary; the wall is the headboard.

2. The fireplace chimney breast

In rooms with a chimney breast, the recessed planes on either side of the breast are crying out for wallpaper. Paper the breast itself and the two flanking alcoves in the same design, and you create a unified focal point that anchors the entire room. Leave the rest of the walls plain.

3. The under-stair nook

Every staircase has a triangular void beneath it. Paper the back wall of this space — even if it's only used for storage — and it transforms from dead space into a moment of delight. Bold, dark, maximalist choices work particularly well here because the scale of the area keeps them in check.

4. The powder room

A powder room or guest WC is the best room in the house to take a wallpaper risk. You're never in there long enough to tire of it, guests see it and remember it, and the small scale means a full-room commit doesn't require many rolls. Go as dramatic as you dare.

"The powder room is the only room in a house where every visitor forms an opinion. Make it worth forming."

5. The dining room end wall

In a rectangular dining room, the wall at the short end — usually behind the host's seat — is the natural focal point. Paper it with a design that rewards sustained attention over a dinner: a dense botanical, a scenic mural, an intricate geometric. At candle-lit suppers, it will look extraordinary.

6. The study or home office alcove

Built-in bookshelves flanking a desk create an alcove that's perfectly sized for wallpaper. Paper the back of the alcove, behind the desk, in a design that stimulates rather than soothes — something graphic, bold, or unusual. It will sharpen your focus every time you sit down.

7. The hallway

Hallways are transitional spaces that most people under-invest in. But the hallway is the first interior impression your house makes. A confident wallpapered hallway — perhaps a narrow stripe to emphasise the length, or a rich dark botanical — sets the tone for every room that follows.

8. Inside a wardrobe or armoire

Paper the interior back of a wardrobe, the inside of a sideboard, or the shelved interior of a built-in bookcase. It's a detail that catches people off-guard in the best possible way: a private luxury that makes everyday objects feel considered.

9. The kitchen splashback

An unconventional choice, but one that works beautifully in the right context. A vinyl-coated or glass-fronted wallpaper panel behind a hob or kitchen counter adds a warmth and character that ceramic tiles rarely achieve. Protect it with a panel of tempered glass if it's directly adjacent to cooking.

10. The ceiling

Saved the best for last. A wallpapered ceiling is the move that separates the committed interior enthusiast from the merely interested. In a room with strong natural light, the right paper on the ceiling creates a dappled, shifting quality that changes throughout the day. Botanical designs with light backgrounds work especially well — they read like a canopy overhead.

Whatever surface you choose, the principle is the same: pick one, commit to it, and let the rest of the room serve it. Restraint is the secret ingredient in every successful accent wall.