8 Stunning Accent Wall Ideas From Joanna Gaines That Will Transform Your Home

Joanna Gaines knows a thing or two about accent walls.These DIY-friendly features can really transform a room because they add depth and personality. They serve to break up monotony of plain walls or highlight bigger features, like fireplaces, nooks, or built-in shelves. Accent walls can also help to define areas in open-concept spaces, like breakfast areas or study spaces. This enhances the overall structure and flow of your home.

Yet if not done well, accent walls can be a little boring — which Gaines knows all too well. "To me, if you're going to do an accent wall, go all out and let it have some dimension," she said in a design workshop, as reported by Country Living. Gaines is famous for her love of shiplap but has also been known to dabble in bold wallpapers, different wooden textures, and even stone. With that in mind, these are the best stunning accent wall ideas from Joanna Gaines that will transform your home.

Accent walls can make rooms seem more cohesive, but they can also distinguish a specific space from the surrounding area. This is something that Joanna Gaines does expertly, from bedroom alcoves to designated dining areas. "A tiled accent wall and a place to gather set this breakfast nook apart," Gaines wrote on Instagram, showing off the finished look. The bold colors of the tile are attention-grabbing and make the breakfast area seem more independent from the rest of the kitchen. And since the tiles go all the way up to the ceiling, your vision is drawn to the vertical line. This classic trick draws the eye upward, making the entire niche seem larger.

Recreating a tiled accent wall like this at home is a relatively easy task. It doesn't require any demolition, as you can typically tile right over a sheetrock wall. Even if you are newer to DIY, wall tiling is something that many can master. Gaines' team used a method called dry stack for this look. This means that there aren't any gaps between the tiles, making grout or mortar obsolete. You can even use something like MusselBound's White Plastic Tile Membrane, a double-sided adhesive sheet that allows you to easily install tile on the wall.

Accent walls don't have to be just a paint color. Instead, texture can create a more dynamic space, just like Joanna Gaines does in this cozy bedroom. "We loved the rock so much on the outside that we thought, 'let's do it inside,'" she told audiences during the "Mediterranean Money Pit" episode of "Fixer Upper: Welcome Home." The home had a great rock accent to most of its exterior walls and the team proved that there is no such thing as "outside-only" materials if your vision is big enough. In fact, the motif shows up multiple times throughout the project, such as in the living room as the mantel.

If you feel worried about stone feeling too rough for indoor use, there are a few tricks to make it seem a touch softer. The first is to remember that you can hang things on it. Typically, you need to use things like Booda Brand Brick Hook Clips or screws instead of nails for ease of installation. Place them between the stones, not directly in the stones, to avoid cracking. Gaines added two scones for softer light, but you can also use tapestries or artwork for a similar effect. Next, just like Gaines, use plenty of greenery to add color and more of the natural vibes. Some of the best indoor plants include English Ivy, Croton, and even an Umbrella Plant, depending on the room.

Bold wallpaper is coming back into style, but graphic patterns aren't the only way to make a statement as an accent wall. In the "Mediterranean Money Pit" episode of "Fixer Upper: Welcome Home," Gaines commissioned an artist to paint a mural that they used as wallpaper to bring life into the dining room. "The look that I am thinking of is definitely not loud; it doesn't have a ton of color," she said in the episode. "And that's what I'm really needing, 'cause it's off the kitchen and I want it to tie into it, but not steal the show."

For a similar look in your own home, you might consider painting your own mural, if you're artistically inclined. The tips on painting your own wall mural are quite similar to painting it a solid color. That is, be sure to clean and prime the space first, as well as begin with a plan. Many artists choose to outline their work in pencil before getting started. For those who might not be as keen on taking on the project, it's also possible to commission an outside artist, just like Gaines did in the episode. To find a painter that's a good fit for you, try looking on Instagram and TikTok for artists posting their work in your community. If you don't have luck, consider using an art consultancy firm, although this might be more expensive.

While Gaines might be a huge fan of shiplap to create texture and visual interest in a space, it's not the only wood option out there. Depending on the mood you're trying to curate in your space, she also recommends cedar. "The couple wanted a cozy cabin feel, so we incorporated an accent wall made from fresh-cut cedar. This brought a warm, homey vibe and added an element of interest to the space," Gaines wrote of a project on her blog, Magnolia.

The house, featured in Season 3, Episode 8 of "Fixer Upper" used cedarwood panels across the entirety of the wall, anchoring the master bedroom. In a sleeping space, the wall behind the bed is typically the best place to bring in accents, as it is the focal point. However, you need to tie it into the rest of the room, too — this way the cedar doesn't feel misplaced. "[We] added new windows, light fixtures, drywall, a coat of fresh paint to the walls, and natural cedar, clear-sealed window trim and baseboards," she continued. By incorporating cedar as trim, the accent wall material feels more cohesive. It's also a great way to add texture to the bedroom. If you have already wooden molding and just want it to look more like cedar, you can use something like Old Master's Wiping Stain to do the trick without swapping anything out.

Sometimes, an accent wall finish can cover a portion of the wall and still accomplish the same goal. "I wanted to add a masculine color in here while not overpowering the room, so we installed this navy wallpaper to the lower half of the walls and painted the upper half white," Gaines explained on her blog, Magnolia. "Wallpaper can bring a lot of character into an otherwise basic room, and because this grid pattern is subtle, it makes for a good foundation to layer in colors and additional patterns." Some might consider all-over wallpaper to be a bit intense visually. So Gaines used the clever design trick to not overdo it and cut the surface in half for the perfect medium.

The success of creating this look at home depends on your DIY history. When dealing with graphic paper, Gaines explains, "If you're new to installing wallpaper, a pattern like this may be challenging to keep the grid straight. Hire a professional or opt for a more organic pattern." Either way, she recommends pairing the wallpaper with a calmer paint color on the other half of the wall to keep things from getting too overwhelming visually. For this specific project, she used One Horne White from her Magnolia collection.

Wood is another strong contender for those wanting to use texture as a way to set a wall apart, as opposed to just color. Gaines uses the material in a home, featured in Season 3, Episode 16 of "Fixer Upper." While the look pays homage to shiplap, it's just different enough that it won't date a space like the farmhouse look might. "For a little something unique in this space, we put a modern spin on our beloved shiplap for a feature wall in the kitchen," Gaines wrote on her blog, Magnolia. "We used white oak panels which were made to look like "lath" and are about a third the width of our classic shiplap. This made for a fun accent wall that matched Kaley's eclectic style."

To incorporate a similar accent wall into your own space, consider the overall vibe you want the aesthetic to have. For example, by using different types of wood finish, you can completely alter how the boards interact with the rest of the room. In this instance, Gaines finishes the panels with a matte-looking sealant, offering a natural, cabin-like appearance. However, you could mix up the wood stains among the boards for a more rustic feel, or even use a solid hue like Envy by All-In-One Paint for a sleeker, more modern look.

You might only associate exposed brick walls with urban lofts or other gritty spaces, but Gaines proves on "Fixer Upper" that how you style this type of accent wall is what really creates its aesthetic. "One of my favorite projects in the home was the master bedroom. The room originally felt dark and unimpressive, so I hoped to transform it into a place the couple enjoyed," Gaines wrote on her blog, Magnolia about the home featured in Season 2, Episode 9 of the show. "We installed new windows and a brick accent wall along with eclectic light fixtures from Shades of Light."

In its original red state, exposed brick typically leans industrial, but it doesn't have to — at least not with a fresh coat of paint. Because of the light blue hue Gaines chose, the look is soft, airy, and almost coastal. However, there is a right way to paint brick to make sure you don't cause any damage. You'll want to thoroughly clean the surface before completely coating it with a primer. Next, be sure to choose a specialized formula, like this Self-Priming Brick Paint from Kilz, so it sticks better and is less likely to bubble up or crack.

In the stunning home on "Fixer Upper" Season 5, Episode 19, three of the four walls in the kitchen sport subway tile in its typical configuration, but on the fourth, Gaines decided to make a bold statement. "This tile has a longer shape than classic subway tile, but it still gives the same clean finish as the original," she wrote on her blog, Magnolia about the look. "To add interest, we installed it in a herringbone pattern behind the vent hood and then framed it on both sides with a traditional pattern." While tile in the kitchen is nothing out of the ordinary, Gaines explains that the two contrasting layouts right next to each other "adds subtle interest to the overall design."

This is an easy enough technique to recreate at home, however, Gaines has a few more tips to really make this accent wall pop. In another post, the Magnolia team explains that you can also use the tile grout color to make a bold impact. For grout, complementary colors (like white on white) create a seamless look, while contrasting colors, like dark grout with light tiles — as in this kitchen — add a distinct edge.