Add Impact to Your Interior with New-Look Feature Walls

Add pattern and depth to your interior scheme! Discover what’s trending in feature walls and how to incorporate one into your home.

For such a small-space feature, an accent wall packs a lot of punch. Whether you opt for tiles, timber or trusty wallpaper, a single feature wall can instantly change the mood of a room while adding colour and pattern to the space. And they’re not just limited to bedrooms – add a feature wall to your living area, entry or bathroom and see your interior come to life.

Here, our expert interior designers reveal what’s hot in feature walls for 2021, and how best to incorporate these on-trend looks into your home.

Terrific tiles

Looking to add pattern and depth to a simple bathroom scheme? Adding a striking, tiled feature wall is one of the easiest and most effective ways to go about it. 

A tiled feature wall is durable and easy to clean, and can be a smart way to keep your budget in check; you only need to splash out on a relatively small number of decorative tiles and can then save money by using simpler and more affordable tiles elsewhere in the room.

Style-wise, the options in decorative tiles are endless. Take your pick from bold geometrics, textured three-dimensional tiles, timber-look styles, fish scale shapes, mosaics, herringbone, chevron and luxurious marble-look tiles.

Tiled accent walls work in other rooms too. Why not add a focal point to your lounge by tiling the wall around your fireplace or giving a plain kitchen a lift with a stunning tiled feature wall? Whichever room you choose, you can create a cohesive look by picking up the colours in your feature tiles elsewhere in the room, whether it’s in your furniture, cabinetry or flooring.

Timeless timber

With the trend for ‘biophilia’ – or nature in design – reigning supreme in 2021, it’s little surprise to see that timber is one of the biggest feature wall trends for 2021. With its unique grain and natural feel, timber is perfect for adding warmth and a subtle sense of earthiness to a room.

A timber-look wallpaper in a sophisticated parquetry pattern, such as this one in Carlisle’s Affinity Astoria Grand, is ideal for a feature wall in a luxurious bedroom retreat. Its gently aged timber tones have a softening effect on the room and blend in beautifully with the brown-grey tones of the furnishings.

For a more casual look centred around timber, opt for a feature wall lined in tongue-and-groove timber panelling or timber battens – both work a treat in coastal, modern-country and Scandi schemes. 

Gorgeously geometric 

Make a bold statement in your lounge or family room with a feature wall in geometric-patterned wallpaper. Not only will it create a dramatic focal point in the room, but it can also create the effect of a large-scale artwork – particularly if you keep the surrounding walls neutrals, as we’ve done here in the lounge in our Affinity Astoria Grand display home.

There’s a vast range of geometric patterned papers to choose from, including bright and playful designs that will suit a family room, kid’s room or playroom, and muted, tonal patterns to complement elegant living spaces. The key to choosing the right geometric-patterned paper for a space is to consider the mood you want to create.

Wild & whimsical

Your bedroom is the one spot in the home that’s all about you, so where better to have a little fun and express your playful side? Animal-print wallpaper is having a moment in the design world right now (you can read more about it in our trend story here), and it makes for a bold style statement as a feature wall behind your bed. Reinforce your animal theme with animal prints and artwork on the surrounding walls.

Monochromatic zebra print wallpaper isn’t your only option; you’ll also find a delightful selection of mural wallpapers in soft, painterly colours that allow you to tap into the wild and whimsical trend. 

Another one of our favourite spots to use playful animal print patterns is the powder room; delight guests with an oversized tropical print or an underwater scene on a single wall. Or add some animal magic with a feature papered wall in your child’s room or nursery.

Panelled perfection

Warm, honeyed timber tones are calming and easy to live with, which makes them an appealing option for spaces that are all about relaxation. Consider tile panelling behind your bed in a blonde timber, and pair it with crisp white bedding and punches of gunmetal grey in your lighting and decor pieces for a look that’s both soothing and thoroughly contemporary. Learn more about tiled feature walls here.