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33 Feature Wall Ideas for a Stunning Focal Point

feature wall ideas

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

The best feature wall ideas can upgrade any room in the house without a total makeover. You can create a feature wall by highlighting original architectural elements in an older home, such as stone, brick, or intricate millwork. Or you can add character to a new build or rental apartment with paint, wallpaper, textured wall finishes, or large-scale art, to name a few options.

Feature walls work in any space in your home including the bedroom, bathroom, living room, kids room, or home office.

Check out these 35 feature wall ideas for turning blank walls into feature walls that will make your home and your life more alive and exciting.

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    Style a Wallpapered Entry Wall

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Caroline Andreoni Interior Design / Photo by Sophie Lloyd

    One way to define the entryway in a semi-open space is by adding a feature wall that gives it pride of place while adding a decorative element. In this French apartment from Paris-based Caroline Andréoni Interior Design, a shoe bench with built-in storage is anchored by a wallpaper feature wall that adds color and pattern.

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    Try Board and Batten

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    Design by Living with Lolo / Photo by Life Created

    A pastel pink board and batten feature wall adds softness to this primary bedroom from Living with Lolo that is decorated in shades of pink, white, and blue.

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    Design a Patterned Bathroom Accent

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    Design by Caroline Brackett Studio of Design / Ariana Clare Photography

    If the bathtub is the centerpiece of your bathroom, why not add a feature wall behind it to make sure everyone knows it. In this spacious bathroom from Caroline Brackett Studio of Design, printed wallpaper in shades of blue, green, and cream highlights the shape of the room and makes the bathtub a destination.

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  • 04 of 33

    Preserve Original Features

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    Design by Forge and Bow Dwellings / Christa Tippmann Photography

    If your home has original architectural features like brick or stone, giving them some love and preserving a piece of your home's history will create a natural feature wall with a sense of place. In this galley-style kitchen from Forge and Bow Dwellings, the brick lends character to the kitchen fitted with modern cabinets and shiny backsplash tiles.

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  • 05 of 33

    Add Wallpaper in the Bedroom

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    Design by Living with Lolo / Photo by Life Created

    Not to be outdone by the striking blue coffered ceilings, this primary bedroom from Living with Lolo includes a bold wall of blue-and-white patterned wallpaper that adds a bit of attitude to a room furnished with neutrals and perfectly symmetrical nightstands and bedside lamps.

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    Create a Mirrored Feature Wall

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    Brexton Cole Interiors

    Brexton Cole Interiors added layers of decor to create a fireplace feature wall that blends in with the soft and subtle tones of this serene living room. The far wall has a traditional fireplace with a creamy painted surround and stacked art of varying heights leaning on the mantel.

    Wallpaper in a leafy pattern that echoes the sage green velvet sofas flanks each side, and a pair of mirrors reflects views and light.

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    Use Bright Wallpaper in the Nursery

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    Design by Curated Nest Interiors / Photo by Erin Coren

    There's nothing like some bright wallpaper to cheer up a space. In this light-flooded nursery from Curated Nest Interiors, an abstract large-scale floral wallpaper feature wall in bright pink and red adds warmth and vibrancy behind the crib.

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  • 08 of 33

    Put Up Tropical Wallpaper in the Basement

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    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wilding Photography

    Louis Duncan-He Designs hung colorful, tropical-themed wallpaper to create a long striking feature wall in this glamorous basement bar and lounge space.

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    Define the Sleeping Area With Board and Battan

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Urbanology Designs / Matti Gresham Photography

    In place of a headboard, this spacious primary bedroom from Urbanology Designs includes a modern matte black painted board and batten-style feature wall that runs two-thirds of the way up and the full width of the wall behind the bed. A small framed piece of art mounted above the bed straddles both finishes to bring the look together.

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    Hang an Organic Mirror and Abstract Wallpaper

    accent wall ideas

    Alvin Wayne Interiors

    The wall at the end of a hallway is an often neglected space. This hallway wall from interior designer Alvin Wayne becomes a focal point thanks to a black-and-white abstract marble patterned wallpaper feature wall layered with an organic shaped mirror that reflects light and views.

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    Create a 3D Effect With Wall Panels

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    Michelle Boudreau Design

    In this Palm Springs bedroom from Michelle Boudreau Design, the feature wall behind the bed is covered in paintable wall panels with a 3D effect. You can find paintable wall panels in a multitude of patterns and many are made from sustainable materials such as bamboo fibers, a bonus.

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    Make It Multifunctional

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    Laura Brophy Interiors

    This feature wall from Laura Brophy Interiors does double duty as wine storage and decor. Carved into unused wall space at the foot of the staircase, it's lit from within to highlight the owners' wine collection.

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    Rough It Up

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    Alvin Wayne Interiors

    In this New York City living room from interior designer Alvin Wayne, a rough and textural concrete-effect gray feature wall gives the eye something other than the TV to focus on when it's not in use and adds contrast against carved wood console.

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    Carve It Out

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    Design by Caroline Andreoni Interior Design / Photo by Sophie Lloyd

    Caroline Andréoni Interior Design installed a sophisticated feature wall in this Parisian bedroom that adds texture and dimension and maximizes the tall ceiling height.

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    Construct Built-In Shelving

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    Design by Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis / Photo by Heidi Harris

    Interior designer Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis anchored the design of this midcentury modern-inspired living room with a striking medium-toned wood feature wall that includes hidden storage and open shelving to display objects, art, and books.

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    Go Wall to Wall

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    Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Reid Rolls

    Leanne Ford Interiors created a custom-tiered full-wall fireplace feature covered in a concrete skim coat in this neutral-toned living room that adds a memorable flourish.

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    Wallpaper Underneath the Staircase

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    Design by Desiree Burns Interiors

    A feature wall doesn't have to be the main wall behind a bed or the largest wall in the living or dining room. In this spacious living room from Desiree Burns Interiors, the blank wall beneath the staircase is brought to life with an energizing patterned wallpaper that anchors a curvy console table and striking gold lamp.

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    Highlight Whimsical Art

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    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Genevieve Renee Photography

    Louis Duncan-He Designs added whimsical wall art in arched frames in a palette of blues to create an eye-catching fireplace feature wall in this modern living room.

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  • 19 of 33

    Turn Your Books Around

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Urbanology Designs / Photo by Matti Gresham Photography

    Adding vertical and horizontal stacks of books like this adult loft bed space from Urbanology Designs that is visible from the living and dining areas below is a perfectly legitimate way to hold onto your book collection while quieting visual chaos.

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    Send a Message

    feature wall ideas

    Curated Nest Interiors

    Curated Nest Interiors created a colorful kids room feature wall by hanging fun illustrated bookshelf-themed wallpaper that looks cute and celebrates the joy of reading.

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    Go Grayscale

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    Design by Louis Duncan-He Designs / Photo by Eymeric Wilding Photography

    Louis Duncan-He Designs created a tonal feature wall with grayscale watercolor landscape wallpaper and an upholstered velvet headboard that is nearly as wide as the wall itself. Simple white sheets and two shades of green velvet throw pillows add a hint of color that complements the soothing neutral scheme.

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    Add a Map Mural

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Tyler Karu Design and Interiors / Photo by Justin Levesque

    In this Maine condo bedroom, Tyler Karu Design and Interiors took advantage of the extra-tall ceilings to hang a custom 14-foot mural of an 18th-century map of the Maine coast that makes a place-appropriate feature of the wall behind the bed.

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    Make The Feature Wall Opposite of the Bed

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Caroline Andréoni Interior Design / Photo by Sophie Lloyd

    While many designers choose to make a feature wall behind the bed, Caroline Andréoni Interior Design took an opposite approach in this spacious Parisian en suite bedroom by plastering the wall opposite the bed in black-and-white palm print wallpaper. The wallpaper can be enjoyed from the bed, and the black tones of the wallpaper help to camouflage the flat-screen TV, always a bonus.

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    Frame a Window

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Curated Nest Interiors / Photo by Erin Coren

    Warm medium-toned gray paint highlights the central window in this primary bedroom from Curated Nest Interiors, grounding the pale neutral space and making the room with its high-pitched ceilings and acres of white paint feel cozier and more down to earth.

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    Create a Wall Within a Wall

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    Design by Urbanology Designs / Matti Gresham Photography

    Urbanology Designs created a mini feature wall in the blank space between the windows of this primary bedroom using floor-to-ceiling wood slats that add texture and warmth and create contrast with the modern upholstered headboard and furnishings.

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    Hang Framed Wallpaper Panels

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wilding Photography

    Louis Duncan-He Designs hung panels of traditional blue wallpaper covered with branches, leaves, flowers, and birds that are framed with wood wall detailing that helps the wall to blend in with the rest of the room.

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    Keep It Light and Bright in Color

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    Design by Living with Lolo / Photo by Life Created

    Living with Lolo hung black and white wallpaper with a hand-drawn pattern that looks like a blown up page from an artist's sketch book to create a feature wall in this light and airy primary bedroom.

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    Highlight Your Collection

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    Design by Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wilding Photography

    Louis Duncan-He Designs created a double feature wall on either side of the fireplace with black and white paint and open shelving to create a showcase for the clients' vinyl collection, making the central fireplace just one part of the equation rather than the main event.

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    Infuse Contrast With an Accent Wall

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    Design by Living with Lolo / Photo by Life Created

    A deep, dark forest green painted accent wall adds contrast to this pale neutral-toned bedroom from Living with Lolo.

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    Build a Fireplace Wall

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Maestri Studio / Photo by Nathan Schroder

    The monumental fireplace wall in this living room from Maestri Studio is a midcentury throwback with modern appeal.

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    Add a Mural

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Caroline Andréoni Interior Design / Photo by Sophie Lloyd

    An airy large-scale pink wall mural in this Parisian kid's room from Caroline Andréoni Interior Design adds a poetic touch that is framed by traditional painted moldings and millwork.

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    Use Pattern Wallpaper on Slanted Walls

    feature wall ideas

    Design by Austin Gray Design Group / Photo by Lara Kimmerer

    Austin Gray Design Group made a feature of the slanted wall in this top-floor space by adding patterned wallpaper on the angled surface and saturated blue wall paint on the ceilings and window surrounds.

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    Try Faux Greenery

    feature wall ideas

    A Beautiful Mess

    This DIY faux living feature wall from A Beautiful Mess brings the outdoors in, adding feel-good energy to a home office space with no maintenance required.

FAQ
  • Are feature walls still in style?

    Yes, a feature wall is truly a timeless design element. Feature walls add extra interest and personality to any space.

  • Which wall should be the feature wall?

    As a rule of thumb, the feature wall should coincide with the area where your eye is first drawn to within a room.

  • How can I make a feature wall on a budget?

    There are various ways to make a feature wall on a budget. For starters, simply painting the wall in question is one awesome way to create a feature wall while being cost-effective. Other options include using wallpaper and wall tiles.