2TEST: Unique Walls!

Do you want to make a dramatic difference in one of your rooms without redecorating the entire thing? Dress up your walls! Simple identify your focal wall and wallpaper it or paint it a fun or dramatic color! Yes, I said wallpaper. :) There are so many beautiful and unique wall coverings available now that you can't dismiss it as your grandmothers design idea anymore!

When deciding which wall is your focal wall, identify the area in which you want the eye to go to. If you have a fireplace, built-in bookcase or architectural element in the room, this is the most natural focal point. If your room has no distinguishing features, identify the largest furniture pieces. In the bedroom, the wall behind your bed should be your focal wall, the kitchen may be the wall behind the eating nook etc.
Once you have identified your focal wall, its time to choose your wall covering or color! Don't be afraid to go a bit beyond your comfort level. Often times we do a project and don't quite go as bold as we would like and it just doesn't turn out as spectacular as we were hoping. That is because we fail to push ourselves to go all the way with the design. If you are using paint and don't like the color, simply paint over it! Paint is easily changed and if you are doing a focal wall, it is typically a smaller area to change.
When choosing your color, don't over saturate your room with one color. If you have blonde wood in your bedroom, stay away from yellow. The color on the wall should pop against the furniture or wood. Of course there are exceptions to this rule. If you are doing a monochromatic design, keep it subtle. If your bedding is Blue, don't do blue on the walls. You may have a secondary accent color in your bedding or accessories that you can highlight by painting the wall a similar color.

Take your time. Always test the color on your wall before buying an entire gallon. Lighting, current wall colors and number of coats will effect the overall outcome of the paint. Look at your test area at different times of the day. This will give you an idea of how the color will change due to lighting. If you want to go nuetral, choose something a little more saturated than you may not typically go with. A dark mocha, rich chocolate or silky cappuccino color rather than your everyday beige will be much more appealing!

Now for some inspiration! Take a look at these FABULOUS wall treatments and colors!