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Bold and Beautiful: Wallpaper Accent Wall

When someone says “accent wall,” does your mind instantly gravitate towards paint? If so, you’re not alone, because most people would say the same. And understandably so – paint is a great low-commitment way to transform a room. However, there’s another great way to create a high-impact accent wall. We’re all about choices here at team Chameleon, and we’re looking at you, wallpaper. We’ve been singing wallpaper’s praises for years, so you know we love incorporating it in our clients’ model homes (they love it, too!). The right wallpaper has the design superpower of creating a bold focal point and setting the tone for the rest of the room’s design. It acts as a foundational base for other layers like color, texture, wall decor, and even greenery.

Wallpaper as an accent is about captivation and drawing the eye into a room in an unexpected way. It can add an upscale feel to model homes and unify a room’s theme. A wallpaper accent works especially well in kids’ spaces, acting as a narrative design element that tells a story, like the adorable woodland and insect-themed rooms our team created below. When incorporating an accent wall into a space, we’re always intentional and strategic about which wall gets the full wallpaper treatment, and which elements work best alongside it. It’s a delicate balancing act, and our clients and their home buyers love the results.

Easy Spring Style — Pretty Pastels

Spring is here, and it brings with it a desire for fresh and clean interiors. We’re saying hello to pretty pastels, a collection of subtle colors that can create a calming, sophisticated, or whimsical look depending on the application. And while pastels for spring aren’t exactly groundbreaking, hear us out. Once reserved for nurseries or kids’ rooms, these cheerful hues have made their way into every room in the home. And their appeal, uplifting feel, and versatility make them a great choice any time of year. A softer palette is a lovely way to invigorate a model home — we like pairing pastels with florals for something playful, or with wood and metallic accents for a modern touch. Millennial pink in particular has had a moment, with soft green, powder blue, and pale peach cropping up in living rooms, bedrooms, and even home offices. Pastels also play well with each other, allowing us to create unique and custom looks for our clients, though we prefer sticking to a maximum of three for a clean look (and to prevent a room from resembling an Easter basket). From cool and crisp or warm and cozy, there’s a pastel shade to suit almost any preference, the pale blue sky’s the limit.

Bask in Black

People are saying black is back, but in our view, it never went away! The chic sophistication of black accents never goes out of style. Some shy away from adding black to the home because they mistakenly think it makes a room appear dark and less spacious. In fact, a bit of black can add dimension to a room and create focal points that camouflage a small space. Pretty cool if we say so ourselves.

We love black’s visual impact and are thrilled to see its resurgence in the home. It’s always great to use black to accentuate a room’s features, but if you’re obsessed with this shade as much as we are, you may want to use it as a main focal point in a room’s design. Be brave and use black from floor to ceiling on an accent wall or opt for an eye-catching contrast with black-and-white striped paint. Go architectural with black interior window panels to frame and separate spaces while maintaining sightlines. In a room layered with whites and neutrals, a pop of black is an edgy counterpoint that helps ground and balance the space’s ethereal quality. Like a metallic accent, a little black goes a long way — even a small pop of black hardware or trim will bring out the colors that surround it. It’s a fail-safe way to add depth and intrigue, no matter your palette or style preference!

Calm Seas Ahead — Aleutian Allure

Like Pantone’s Very Peri, the color of the year chosen by HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams is a departure from all the lovely shades of light green selected by most color experts and paint manufacturers for 2022. And we love it! Aleutian blue, reminiscent of the sparkling sea surrounding the archipelago that bears its name, is equally calming while symbolizing a spirit of refreshed optimism. Blue signifies trust and creativity in color psychology, and this balance of dependability and imagination is what’s transformed it into a neutral in home interiors. Aleutian’s washed indigo hue with red undertones calls up feelings of serenity. A bit of added grey keeps the shade muted and soothing, making it a wonderful choice for creating a tranquil oasis at home. We especially appreciate its versatility, and we’ve used similar shades in many of our clients’ projects. Bathe a wall or ceiling in Aleutian to jump into this color head first, or play up a space with cool-toned accents like rugs, bedding or artwork. Like a true neutral, Aleutian works well with almost any color, though when paired with whites and warm wood textures it’s worthy of a chef’s kiss.