The best paint for a feature wall is a deep, saturated colour in a flat matt finish, on a wall that is already the natural focus of the room. A chimney breast, the wall behind a bed or sofa, or the end wall you see as you walk in will all take a strong colour well. Matt gives the richest depth of colour and hides the small imperfections a single dark wall would otherwise show.
A feature wall is the simplest way to bring a strong colour into a room without committing every surface to it. Done well, it gives the space a focal point and a sense of depth. Done badly, it can look like a decorating job left half finished. The difference is almost always in the choice of wall and the choice of colour.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: Hague Blue (30)
Choose the right wall
The wall should already have a reason to be the focus. Good candidates:
- The chimney breast, with the alcoves either side painted to match or left in the main wall colour.
- The wall behind the bed, where a deep colour acts as an oversized headboard and is not in your eyeline when you wake.
- The wall behind the sofa or dining table, which frames furniture and pictures.
- The end wall of a long room or corridor, which draws the eye and makes the space feel better proportioned.
Avoid walls broken up by doors, windows and radiators. A strong colour on a fragmented wall looks bitty rather than deliberate.
Colours that make an impact
Deep colours earn their place on a feature wall because they create a sense of depth that pale colours cannot. A few that work particularly well:
- Farrow & Ball Hague Blue (30). A deep, inky blue that Farrow & Ball suggest as a darker accent to the pale blue Borrowed Light (235).
- Farrow & Ball Brinjal (222). A rich, deep purple inspired by the skin of an aubergine, which Farrow & Ball suggest as a sophisticated feature wall alongside pale grey Skimming Stone (241).
- Little Greene Jewel Beetle (303). A deep, iridescent green with a rich, jewel-like character, dramatic behind a bed or a dining table.
- Paint & Paper Library Deep Water Green (599). A bold blue-green that the brand describe as a statement shade, designed to lead a scheme rather than sit quietly in the background.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colour Used: Jewel Beetle (303)
Or go tonal
A feature wall does not have to be a contrast. A deeper shade of the colour on the other walls gives a quieter, more sophisticated result, adding depth without changing the mood of the room. Farrow & Ball pair Skimming Stone (241) with its darker accent Elephant's Breath (229), and Paint & Paper Library recommend pairing Stone I (201) with the deeper Stone V (205) to highlight architectural features. Either works well on a chimney breast in an otherwise pale room.
Choose a finish that shows the colour at its best
- Flat matt for depth. Farrow & Ball Estate Emulsion, Little Greene Absolute Matt Emulsion and Paint & Paper Library Pure Flat Emulsion give the richest colour and the softest look. Dark colours show sheen and surface flaws more, so a flat finish is the most forgiving.
- A wipeable matt for busy walls. Behind a dining table or in a hallway, Farrow & Ball Modern Emulsion, Little Greene Intelligent Matt Emulsion or Paint & Paper Library Architects' Matt will stand up to knocks and cleaning.
- The right primer. Deep colours need the right base to reach full depth. Farrow & Ball recommend their Dark Tones primer and undercoat beneath Hague Blue, available in our Farrow & Ball primers, and Little Greene's Intelligent ASP tinted towards your colour does the same job for their deep shades.
Prepare the wall well: fill and sand any cracks, because a dark, single wall draws the eye straight to them. Two full coats is the minimum.
Photo Credit: Paint & Paper Library; Colours Used: Deep Water Green (599), Clean White (101)
When one wall is not enough
Sometimes a single wall looks too much like an afterthought, particularly in a small room. Two alternatives are worth considering. The first is to take the colour onto the ceiling or the woodwork on the same side of the room, so it feels architectural rather than applied. The second is to paint the whole room, walls, woodwork and ceiling, in the colour, as we explain in why colour drenching works, and when it does not. Or consider wallpaper on the feature wall instead of paint, which brings pattern as well as colour.
Questions we are often asked
Are feature walls out of date?
The bright, single contrasting wall of the early 2000s has had its day, but a deep or tonal colour on the right wall remains one of the best ways to give a room a focus.
Should the feature wall be darker or lighter?
Usually darker. Deep colours appear to recede, which adds depth; a lighter feature wall rarely has enough presence.
How much paint will I need?
For an average wall, a 2.5 litre tin usually covers two coats, but check the coverage on the tin against your wall's area. Order a sample pot first and try it on the wall itself.
