Accent wall

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I am debating on having one great navy accent all or adding navy (instead of cream) to the walls with windows. The opposite wall to the navy will remain cream. Don't want to have to repaint a navy wall if I don't like it but I'm so visual its just hard not to see it unless it's in front of me. (Photo attached is front of the house with bay window.)

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HERE Design and Architecture

8 years ago

FWIW, my experience has been that making a window wall dark makes the room feel dark because of the amount of contrast it creates. Your eye does not have a chance to adjust.

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Comments (40)

megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
I posted on another board and someone suggested painting back window all (photo attached) but leaving bay window alone so it doesn't feel so rectangular.
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decoenthusiaste
8 years ago
I avoid painting accent colors on walls that have doors or windows. I do make an exception for fireplace walls if the fireplace is the only thing on the wall.
Tems
8 years ago
I would paint the navy wall cream too. This space doesnt seem like it benefits from accent walls
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
My couch and area rug is white. I don't really want to go with an all cream colored room.
Carolina
8 years ago
Does this help?
megrk thanked Carolina
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
I'm sure there's apps out there for this huh lol thank you. Sending this pic to my BF now
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
What do you think carolins? The room seems dark but there is actually a ton of light. Today is a very grey day. Eventually we are adding in white interior plantation shutters to the windows.
Geneviève
8 years ago
From what I see I like it a lot ,once you will have your furniture in the room you will too . Paint only one wall navy .
Contemporary Living Room · More Info
Carolina
8 years ago
Curious to see what you're going to do. To paint or not to paint, that's the question of today :-)
Carolina
8 years ago
Oh sorry, hadn't seen your question before I posted my previous comment. What would I do? Hmm... I would paint the window wall navy too. But I do like dark accent walls, so I'm sort of biased. And I think that the dark wall colour frames the window nicely. So yeah... even though it will make the room feel darker.
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
I'll definitely post an after photo when the room is finished and I can finally put all my furniture back. Thanks again for the photo.
zzmom40
8 years ago
Love your navy fireplace wall! Keep going with your original idea you are doing great..I agree NOT to paint window wall. I really love the clean contemporary feel the room already has just by painting the one wall bold navy blue.
zzmom40
8 years ago
If you add plantation shutters it will give it a very traditional look...is that what you are shooting for?
I would bring in some gorgeous stationary drapes with silhouette blinds for privacy.
Carol Singletary
8 years ago
And, having had shutters before, even when flipped open, they really cut the light. Go for it if that is what you want/need.
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
The stationary drapes would be amazing for the back window wall. Unfortunately I hate the bay window we have so I am thinking shutters for that in the front.
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
But I want it to flow so it's either drapes or shutters. The bay window is making it real hard
Ann
8 years ago
I like just the one dark accent fireplace wall and not the window wall.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
8 years ago
Do navy drapery on the window wall instead.
megrk thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
zzmom40
8 years ago
These are two examples of how to hang drapes on a bay window....thought it might help.
megrk thanked zzmom40
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I am actually really loving the drapes idea and not painting that wall navy now. Thank you BeverlyFLADeziner.
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
And so funny because I was on pinterest looking for ideas for drapes for the bay window and that first image popped up and I had to send it to my boyfriend because this is something we should consider zzmom40
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
8 years ago
Good luck.
PRO
JudyG Designs
8 years ago
White sofas? I would paint the entire room navy. Love.

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megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Yes my sofa is white. It's a large white leather L shaped sofa. Going to put it on the back corner there.
Carolina
8 years ago
You're not painting that wall navy? Shame. I think it will be really good. I prefer white curtains on a navy wall. But there we are, it's your room ;-) I do like JudyG's suggestion of going really brave and painting the entire room navy. I love that! And people who've asked for opinions here and actually took the step to paint the whole room are very happy that they did.

Bay window suggestions:

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megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
Carolins - the problem with my bay window is that it doesn't go to the ceiling like in those photos. It's a bit different. It's a bit lower. I'd have to put the rod outside of it.

I am definitely still debating on the entire room being navy. The second person I have to convince is my boyfriend (it's really his home but he's letting me choose the colors and furniture). He feels it may be too overwhelming. I told him in the beginning let's paint the entire room navy. I feel once we get the baseboards in and furniture moved in he will see if should paint the entire room navy.
Geneviève
8 years ago
If you decide to go all navy then your furniture should be very light in colour.

add a lot of lights and mirrors too.

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megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
My sofa is white and my area rug is light in color too. :)
Carolina
8 years ago
Could you hang Roman shades in the bay? And there are ceiling tracks for curtains.
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
There are ceiling tracks. However the window itself is crooked. My boyfriend actually went in and sanded the walls flat because the texture was so bad.
Ashley Palmer
8 years ago
I really like it as is.... I think the space looks great with the one accent wall... Or you can paint out the navy wall cream to match the rest and do navy drapes. But im biased because I painted my largest wall in a semi open floor plan navy (sw indigo batik to be exact). My adjoining walls are mindful gray by sw. :)
PRO
Tres McKinney Design
8 years ago
One accent wall only as you have it.
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
What would you all think of a stencil design on the navy wall as well? Gold metallic paint over the navy. I bought the stencil but I am having second thoughts.
PRO
HERE Design and Architecture
8 years ago
I think it would depend on what else was happening in the room. It sounds very active. The fireplace surround is beautiful but more subtle, and gold patterning around it might make it harder to appreciate. As it is, the dark color around it highlights the stone nicely.
Ashley Palmer
8 years ago
What did you decide?
Rebecca Hicks
8 years ago
I have been an interior designer for 38 years. Just about all of my friends are in the design industry. No one does accent walls. Very old-----dated idea. Sorry. Paint it cream like the rest of the walls. Put your navy blue in your fabrics and accessories.
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
I ended up painting the back wall navy and surprisingly looks great. I left the wall in the front cream and the wall for the TV cream. I'm getting curtains for the back wall which will be white against the navy wall.

The room isn't done yet (we are doing everything ourselves, sanding/texturizing the wall flat and installing baseboards). But when it's finished I'll show you the photos.

one bad part is our couch is large and does block an entrance to the kitchen. We may end up putting a door there to block it off
megrk
Original Author
8 years ago
And no gold stencil on the wall. I am going to put that in my small office instead
Ashley Palmer
8 years ago
Thanks for the update. Can't wait to see it.