6 Ways to Create a Modern Feature Wall With Color in the Hudson Valley

No matter the style or mood you’re tying to set, there’s a color out there for your home.

Adobe Stock | Photo by New Africa

No matter the style or mood you’re tying to set, there’s a color and aesthetic out there that will help your Hudson Valley home pop.

By Kate Burt, Houzz

The feature wall found favor in the 1990s, when a slew of home renovation TV shows started adding this decorative device to made-over homes week in and week out. Perhaps as a result of this overkill, the idea eventually fell out of favor — until recently. But this time, it’s all about using paint and texture strategically. See what a modern feature wall could do for one of your rooms.

Charcoal statement wall
Adobe Stock / DigitalGenetics

Cozy up. Charcoal may be a dark shade, but it’s also soft and warm. This makes it perfect for adding depth and coziness to a bedroom. In fact, the atmosphere-changing effect of adding this simple color, something you can potentially do in a day, can be delightfully dramatic.

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Whereas an all-dark bedroom would be almost cavern-like (which can also be cozy), this otherwise bright space retains something of a crisp feel, even with the addition of wood floors, a soft rug, and green accents. It’s worth noting that the well-made bed linen is also key to the crisp look.

Gray feature wall
Adobe Stock / ykvision

Max out the monochrome. Isn’t it interesting how much difference a few shades can make? This sleep space effectively takes exactly the same idea — a dark(ish) feature wall behind the bed in an otherwise light room with wood and wicker accents — and yet here the atmosphere is even crisper (although with natural baskets, rumpled bedcovers and wood floors, it’s incredibly inviting). A restricted color palette and the soft gray hue chosen for the accent wall do the trick — one often used in Scandinavian style to great effect.

Pink wall
Adobe Stock / Photographee.eu

Add a hint of pink. Pale neutrals — natural accents, wood furniture, and soft artwork — already work well to add texture and depth to this inviting room. But that gently glowing wall behind the table is quite unexpected and really lifts the whole feel of the room, giving it a shot of brightness.

The lesson? Color doesn’t have to be bold to be transformative.

Bright pink
Adobe Stock / UnitedPhotoStudio

Add a wallop of pink. The impact of this brighter pink wall is on a different scale. Painted in a warmer pink that’s till approachable, it defines the look of the room rather than subtly complementing it. If you’re up for a noticeable revamp, painting one wall boldly can often be all it takes.

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Be prepared to swap in accessories to echo your new color — it won’t necessarily involve shopping, either. Here, neutral accessories and natural accents work as well as the burnished gold hardware.

Extend your garden. A room that gets a lot of sunshine can take a strong wall color — especially on just one wall — without losing any of its airy, outdoorsy feel. A dark gray-green works well to enhance the garden connection without overdoing it.

Tie it to the rest of the room. In a powder room, a cobalt blue wall can add interest to what could otherwise be a plain, unremarkable space.

Blue and white can make for a chilly combination, which is why, in nautically themed designs, wood, rattan, or rope are often used to offset that risk. For an added pop, a Moroccan-style tiled backsplash can serve the same purpose, while also connecting the blue wall to the rest of the room. It’s a good reminder to think beyond the obvious link when choosing accessories that tie the palette together.

Related: 12 Great Tips for Planning Your Next Big Celebration or Wedding

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