How do I paint an accent wall in an open space?

How can I paint an accent wall without continuing into other rooms? This has been driving me crazy. For example, I would like to do the wall only behind the television but where the wall meets the ceiling going across into the office nook I have no clear idea how to break that up with a paint line. In the second picture I would like to paint the wall behind the mirror without continuing that small portion that meets the ceiling going into that small alcove. I think it would look really strange but if any of you talented folks on here have done it and could send me pictures and ideas I would really really appreciate it! Excuse the mess...spring cleaning.

  11 answers
  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 17, 2020

    Don’t ignore the architecture! Look for defining elements of the room, such as a fireplace or arched doorway. These large elements draw focus, so it makes sense to highlight and emphasize that area. You don’t want the focus to be torn between two places in the room and create disorder.

    The wall shouldn’t be the same color as your comforter or sofa. It should give prominence to the main piece of architecture or furniture (much like throw pillows and/or blankets). Aim for complementary colors that have a little bit of contrast to them.

    Use your area where the walls meet as your guide as to where to paint. Just like with your ceiling. I can see from the pictures that you don't paint your ceiling the same color as your walls. Use that basic idea for your accent wall too.

  • Elonsdale54 Elonsdale54 on Feb 17, 2020

    Hi I would paint the whole wall and continue ti the end opposite tv and mirror. You can always send another pic of the other side of the wall. You cannot just stop midstream because it would look broken up. Hope this helps. Paint above the open entry


  • Gk Gk on Feb 17, 2020

    You could leave the paint color on the walls as is and then tape off a rectangular box from floor to ceiling or from floor to as high as you might want it and paint it an accent color. You can decide the width by your furniture or if you can see both of these spaces they should be the same size. It kind of like one large stripe vertically or a defined boxed area. I am attaching a picture which is really shiplap on the wall but you can see how the gray color defines the space behind the tv so you could do that with paint on the wall. I included two other pictures that I hope helps get my idea across! I hope you understand what I mean. If you are going to do a different color accent wall I think that you would have to include the small area above the doorways or it will not look right.

  • Morgan McBride Morgan McBride on Feb 17, 2020

    I would paint the small bit over the doorway the color of the ceiling.

  • Kmdreamer Kmdreamer on Feb 17, 2020

    So you would end the paint line we’re the wall starts the opening on the corner .then the opening and the other room are the new color.if you end on the corner you won’t even see we’re the new color starts.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Feb 17, 2020

    I would start at the door opening (left) and paint to the corner.

  • Sharon Sharon on Feb 17, 2020

    As a professional painter, I like GK's idea of the box of accent color. But you can also just run a piece of painters tape up the area over the 2 openings and leave them...... that light paint will just blend in to the entry way/room behind it and be visually invisible.

  • Laura Cooper Laura Cooper on Feb 18, 2020

    Honestly, I agree with Mogie. Your paint should highlight the architecture and provide a background for your furnishings. I see your predicament, but I used to host show homes many years ago and the paint color changes always followed the architecture. These were professionally designed and painted homes.

  • Em Em on Feb 18, 2020

    YOUR idea of what looks good is all that matters. I can see painting all of the way across but if you tape it off and just paint to the top of the wall and not paint the portion to the left will draw you eye to the area by the tv only. I do not agree that you have to follow the architecture to get a look that sets one wall apart from another.

    • See 1 previous
    • Em Em on Feb 20, 2020

      Paint to the edge of the doorway and look at it for a week. If you don't like the look (which I do believe will look fine) then you can always paint the rest of the way over later.

  • Janice Janice on Feb 19, 2020

    I think you will have a "choppy" look if you mask and paint only certain areas. I would paint from the right corner where the door is and all the way across to the other wall. But it is your house, so you'll decide what "feels" best to make yourself comfortable. Why not print your pictures you provided here out on paper and do some playing around with colored paper to get a vision of what people are suggesting.

  • Lifestyles Homes Lifestyles Homes on Feb 22, 2020

    The rule of thumb is always stop on an inside-corner.

    Outside corners have no place to naturally stop.

    There’s a lot of great suggestions here.

    we look forward to your “after” pics