Accent walls, often referred to as “feature walls,” offer a fun way to infuse creativity into your home design. Traditionally, an accent wall is the perfect spot to experiment with a bold color that might be overwhelming if used on all walls. While some might say this once-trendy living room feature is now outdated, in 2025, accent walls are experiencing a revival. Instead of focusing on simple designs that rely on color alone, we’ll see walls that captivate with texture, shadow, line, and sheen. This year’s accent walls will be earthy, bold, and artistically inspired, using materials often favored by artisans, such as paint strokes, limewash, grasscloth, wood, geometric shapes, and three-dimensional designs.
Though their style may shift with trends, creating an accent wall remains a timeless way to enhance your home’s interior design. Whether you’re considering a daring splash of paint, renter-friendly wallpaper, or a full texture makeover, this year offers a wealth of creative wall concepts to explore. Here’s a detailed look at some accent wall ideas that are bound to capture your interest in 2025.
Shapely designs
Fresh and energizing, geometric designs are set to be a significant accent wall trend in 2025. Whether through geometric wallpaper, stick-on vinyl cutouts, or painted designs, designers and homeowners can draw inspiration from architectural forms like arches, triangles, squares, and more. Some accent walls might even feature colorful, overlapping shapes reminiscent of stained glass or mosaics. Sketch the design on paper first, then map it with a stencil or painter’s tape. A projector can also be used to scale and trace the shapes!
Color blocking
Why choose just one accent wall color? If you’re torn between hues, try incorporating all your favorite shades through color blocking. This trendy accent wall concept is easy to achieve with some carefully placed painter’s tape. Fill in blocks of color on the wall, changing paint colors where the shapes overlap. To avoid a tacky, clashing look, select colors in complementary shades or within similar family tones. Don’t overlook the corners! Allowing a block of color to wrap from one wall to the next can unify the entire room.
Riches of the earth
Solid accent walls are timeless, though the colors may evolve. If you appreciate this classic look, embrace this year’s aesthetics with rich, earthy tones. Consider dark plum, soft terracotta, deep seaweed, or charcoal black. These earthy shades—especially neutral ones like deep taupe or dark brown—are the calming paint trend replacing the bolder accent walls of previous years.
Unexpected textures
Shake up your standard accent wall in 2025 with thick textured wallpaper. Textured wallpapers, especially those made from natural materials like silk or grasscloth, will be all the rage this year. While an entire grasscloth room might feel overwhelming, this material is ideal for enhancing one accent wall in a bedroom, bathroom, or any space where you want to evoke a relaxed, eco-friendly atmosphere.
Baked earth appeal
For earth-inspired accent walls with a modern edge, materials like concrete, Venetian plaster, putty, limewash, and microcement are trendy choices for 2025. While a whole room of limewash, plaster, or concrete might feel too cold and dusty, an accent wall is a creative way to use limewash paint to transform your home, adding just enough ruggedness. Try a concrete-like wallpaper to instantly achieve an industrial look without major renovations.
Abstract and artistic wallpapers
Unlike the fussy floral prints of the past, patterned wallpapers in 2025 will resemble abstract art. For a trendy accent wall, seek out wallpapers with casual details like wide brushstrokes, stenciled patterns, or complementary and monochrome color palettes. These artistic designs will look especially striking in a dining nook or recessed wall area where they can be “framed” by their surroundings.
Warm and classy wood
Wood slats and panels have been popular for some time, and they remain so in 2025. For a modern yet timeless touch, consider using wood to cover your entire accent wall or even just a portion of it. In general, wood slats and panels are shifting away from dark, rustic finishes toward more polished and natural-looking options in 2025. Consider combining the wood trend with others by arranging slats diagonally or in a herringbone or geometric pattern.
Dimensional moments
Another trending concept for 2025 is the three-dimensional accent wall. Depending on the complexity, these walls can resemble sculptural art pieces. Using materials like wood, tile, or acrylic, these tactile accent walls are a fantastic way to play with depth and shadow, especially as lighting changes throughout the day. You can even use felt tiles for extra sound-dampening! A three-dimensional accent wall can make a bold statement in living areas or enhance creativity in your home office.
