Beyond the fourth wall: Feature walls as the ultimate design element

In the realm of interior design, feature walls have emerged as an extraordinary way to transform the look and feel of a space. These bold statements of creativity and design prowess have gained popularity for their ability to captivate attention, inject personality, and create focal points within a room. Whether you prefer subtle elegance or vibrant exuberance, Resene paints and wallpapers offer an array of possibilities to create feature walls and revitalise your interiors.

Let’s explore the concept of feature walls and delve into various ideas and techniques to help you create a stunning masterpiece in your home.

 

Classic floral

Take your room from dull to dazzling with this intricate design. The neutral shades in Resene Wallpaper Collection 38831-3 will suit most spaces and colour schemes.

The cream and black tones in Resene Wallpaper Collection 38831-3 offer a classic and versatile look that works well with a variety of interior styles and colour palettes. Although the colour scheme is minimal in this design, the intricate floral pattern adds the perfect amount of texture to this space to make it more interesting and attractive. Use the neutral colours within for inspiration on surrounding walls. Try Resene Double Rice Cake or Resene Villa White, or Resene Element or Resene Zeus for a darker look.

If you want to add pops of colour, try adding this to décor in the room so you don’t take away from the feature wall. Aim for small pops of blue with Resene Escape and Resene Awash, or bursts of green with Resene Caper and Resene Soft Apple. Remember if you are adding pops of colour to try to add to three elements in the room to help the colour feel like it belongs.

 

Opulent orchid

The lavish tones in Resene Wallpaper Collection AGA302 create a luxurious, relaxing and regal ambiance in this bedroom.

Purple and gold have always been great friends. These two rich colours add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any space, especially when they come in a gorgeous floral pattern like Resene Wallpaper Collection AGA302. Purple is often associated with royalty, power and luxury, and has a calming and mysterious effect, making it an excellent choice for creating a sense of tranquillity and opulence. Gold represents glamour and extravagance, adding a radiant and luminous touch that, when caught by the light, creates a sense of grandeur.

Pair this wallpaper with lush fabrics, swanky light fixtures and gold accents and metallic paint finishes like Resene Gold Dust or Resene Bullion. It will also look great with shades like Resene Portage, a violet shade of blue, Resene Half Pearl Lusta, a creamy white, or Resene Nero, a deep black that will give these rich shades an extra pop.

 

Blue oasis

Create a natural yet interesting ambiance in your space with Resene Wallpaper Collection ONB102506166.

The presence of plants and trees in this mural brings a sense of nature indoors, while the colour blue evokes feelings of calmness and tranquillity, making this space a serene and peaceful atmosphere. Murals allow you to express your personal taste and style. If you have a particular affinity for nature, choose a mural that reflects your connection to the outdoors and love for the environment.  

Try Resene Wallpaper Collection ONB102506166 with whites like Resene Black White and Resene Barely There, or gentle blues like Resene Oxygen and Resene Breathless. Because this mural is inspired by nature, it also looks fabulous with wooden décor – try finishing wood in Resene Colorwood Whitewash for a beachy look, or Resene Colorwood Natural for a classic look.

 

Elegant abstraction

Add pizazz to your home with a dramatic feature wall using Resene Wallpaper Collection E395823. The black and white tones allow for many colour pairings, whatever your mood!

This black and white room with a geometric patterned feature wall exudes a sense of elegance, modernity and visual appeal. It provides a serene and inspiring environment for work, creativity or relaxation, where the timeless combination of black and white takes centre stage. Resene Wallpaper Collection serves as a focal point in this room, and the bold and visually dynamic pattern adds texture and dimension to the monochromatic black and white colour scheme.

This style suits anyone who loves their neutrals but wants to add interest in ways other than colour.  This design also looks stunning with accented pops of red like Resene Shiraz or Resene Hot Chile, as well as bold dark greens like Resene Holly, Resene Kaitoke Green or Resene Deep Teal.

 

Humble Hamptons

This Hamptons-style living room features walls in Resene Black White. The cabinet is painted in Resene Merino, chair in Resene Blue Night, striped pot in Resene Black White and Resene Blue Night, medium-size vase in Resene Biscay with stripes in Resene Black White and tealight holder in Resene Halcyon. The books are painted in Resene Blue Night and Resene Halcyon and the small coral is in Resene Black White. The DIY coral artwork is in Resene Blue Night and Resene Merino. Ground the look by staining flooring in Resene Colorwood Dark Ebony. Cabinet from Mocka, coral from Bed, Bath & Beyond. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Wendy Fenwick.  

If you love the Hamptons look and feel, you know it wouldn’t be complete without the signature navy blue and white striped décor. While it’s tempting to go overboard and paint stripes straight onto the wall, try a more subtle Hamptons look by creating a bright battened feature wall in Resene Black White, then pair it with décor in Resene Blue Night or a blue striped throw and pillows. This will futureproof your space and give you the opportunity to redecorate your room on a whim.

If blue isn’t your thing, then don’t worry, white goes with everything! Try décor painted in shades like Resene Amulet, a light hued lucky green, Resene Tom Tom, a classic rosy mushroom, or Resene Sante Fe, a soft terracotta.  

 

The magic of paint

 

The lush green of this wall painted in Resene Rivergum is emphasised by layers of other primordial greens and energised by complementary walls in Resene Quarter Akaroa and the floor in Resene Akaroa. The hall table and vase are also painted in Resene Rivergum and the coffee table is Resene Black. Sofa from Danske Møbler, throw and green cushions from Freedom, natural linen cushion cover from H&M. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Bryce Carleton. 

Paint is a timeless and widely embraced choice for feature walls and Resene has thousands of colours, finishes and techniques that cater to any style or theme you’re after. If you’re not looking for bold patterns and motifs, then this might be a good option for you. In this room, the feature wall is painted in the vegetal Resene Rivergum, boldening the room with its fresh yet rusticated tones. It’s joined by the tender tones of Resene Laurel and the placid Resene Spanish Green along with a range of cushions and throws in sharp, sage and bushy greens. 

Tonal schemes are usually thought of as using a range of creams, taupe and other neutral colours but it’s easy to take the lessons and rules on creating a tonal scheme and apply them to other colours. Resene makes it even easier by grouping the colours on its Resene Multi-finish collection in related colours, so just pick up any card of green swatches – and there are plenty of them, stretching from card number R25 to R40 – and you can begin to compile a sensational tonal green scheme.

When creating a feature wall, it's important to consider the overall style of the room and what you’re trying to achieve. Then choose design features that complement it. Remember, the feature wall should enhance the room, not overwhelm it.

If you need some advice on paints or wallpapers head to your local Resene ColorShop, Ask a Resene Colour Expert online or book a Resene Colour Consultation today!

Published: 07 Jun 2023

Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].

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Resene Double Rice Cake

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Resene Villa White

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Resene Half Pearl Lusta

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Resene Black White

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Resene Barely There

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Resene Kaitoke Green

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Resene Quarter Akaroa

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Resene Spanish Green

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