Wall colors work in conjunction with a room's décor and furnishings to create a specific atmosphere.
The décor on a wall serves both to accent and to define a room's purpose, along with a wall's basic structure. Different wall textures create different moods and feelings, as do colors. There are many options available to the homeowner or entry-level DIY enthusiast looking for ideas for wall colors.
Two-Toned and Multi-Toned Walls
A plain, unadorned wall can take on an entirely new personality with the application of a second color. Two or more tones, painted to intersect either halfway up the wall's vertical height or as thick horizontal, vertical and angled lines along the wall's length can guide the viewer's eye and create the illusion of shape and space. This technique is especially useful in children's rooms, where the primary colors of red, yellow and blue can be used to provide an early sense of simple aesthetics.
Accent Walls
In a room with an accent wall, all but one of the walls are painted white or a lighter, neutral color and the remaining wall is painted another color. This remaining wall is distinguished from the others with a color that contrasts subtly with the other walls. Deep earth tones such as burgundy and some browns can accent gloss-white walls, while bright or pastel colors may accent matte white or beige walls equally well. Accent walls may also complement floors or wood trim, with darker colors set against lighter-colored woods, or with earthy variations on primary colors set against natural stains and finishes.
Wainscot and Wood Trim
One somewhat popular method of creating two-toned walls is adding wainscot to a lower segment of the wall. Wainscot is made of wood panels or segments that rise up from the floor and split the visible surface of the wall into a smooth, upper segment and a patterned, lower segment. Wainscot can be left unfinished, whitewashed or treated with a light stain to contrast darker colors on the bare wall above, treated with a dark stain in contrast to white or light-colored walls, or painted any color in order to accent the color of the wall above it.
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