Feature walls have been around for years but show no signs of going away. There’s a good reason for that. The feature wall can still play a part in modern design. While those single colour accent walls have fallen by the wayside, accents and features as part of a larger design still work well.
Feature walls can work for eclectic designs, mixing the old and the new, Scandi and Japani styles, retro and nostalgia and many other current interior styles. This is why the feature wall won’t go away and we think our homes are much better for them!
Feature wall ideas that still work in 2020
We have collected a few actionable feature wall ideas that still look good today.
Global elements
One current trend that has been around a little while is global elements. This takes patterns from around the world and includes tartans, Asian and Indian patterns, soft fabrics, rich colour tones and a mix of colours, looks and textures.
Feature walls can integrate into this look with ease, either through paint or texture. A woven textile wall hanging, bold earthy paint, patterned rug or throw on the wall or something else entirely is definitely still in season.
Metal feature walls
The industrial look may be fading but metal still has a place as a feature wall. Aged metal sheets make an immediate impact and can stand on its own or form part of a more coherent design scheme. Well chosen copper or brass sheets can be cut to size and fixed to the wall in minutes, like these metal wall panels from Halman Thompson.
You can soften the metal with accessories, soft furnishings or plants. Or you could leave it to stand proud. There are lots of designs where an impactful element such as metal could work which is why they are still popular today.
Mirrored walls
No, not the single sheet mirror walls of the 90s. An eclectic mix of wall mirrors combining different shapes, sizes and eras to build an entire wall full of multiple mirrors. These work exceptionally well in hallways and bathrooms and can add colour, depth and character for very little effort.
Make sure to place them out of reach of little hands, place them carefully and you’re good to go. If you were looking for an excuse to spend hours at car boot sales, now you have one!
Exposed stone or brick
If you’re fortunate enough to live in a house where exposed brick would add character, it is definitely a feature wall worth going for. Exposed stone works amazingly well in older properties while exposed brick is more accessible for more of us.
You can buy brick or stone facings if you want to fake it, leave brick uncovered if you have it or plaster creatively around stone features to make them stand out. All make an excellent design statement.
Make sure it’s genuine stone or brick though. Those brick wallpapers and murals just won’t do!
Statement wallpaper
We know we are treading a fine design line here but bear with us. A statement wallpaper wall can still make a design statement. When used correctly. This approach works well for retro rooms, rooms with floral schemes or where pattern has been used elsewhere in the design.
Choose your wall carefully and choose your wallpaper carefully. One wrong move and you’re back to those bad old days of feature wallpapers. Consider using the ombre effect for a little extra impact.