How To Determine If You Should Paint Your Accent Wall First Or Second

Accent walls are still going strong, and it's not hard to see why. You can create an accent wall in any room of your home to highlight architectural details, add a pop of color, or create an instant focal point. They are a great way to use a favorite bold color or daring pattern in a small dose — especially if your home's other inhabitants are color-shy — and can even make a space seem bigger. Accent walls can be created using wallpaper, texture, paneling, and artwork, but the easiest (and cheapest) way to accent a wall is with a can of paint.

Choosing the best color palette for a room with an accent wall can turn into a chicken-or-egg situation. Do you choose the accent color first, followed by the more neutral colors for the other three walls? Or do you choose the room colors first, pulling a color out of the design to be your accent color? And once your palette is decided, should you paint the accent wall first or last? The answers depend on several factors, such as if your space is closed off or open-plan, and where your design inspiration is coming from. 

In most cases, it is best to choose the accent wall color last. If you are creating a cohesive color palette for an open-plan space, your accent wall should tie everything together, which is easier if you already have the room decorated (even if only in your mind). It's also easier to change out one wall than to re-paint three, so the accent wall color you choose should try to match the other wall colors, and not vice-versa. That being said, if you have a favorite painting, pillow, lamp, rug, or other item you want to match to your accent wall, you'll need to choose that color first. Matching an exact paint color to a decorative item can be tricky, and it's a whole lot easier if you don't have to worry about matching other colors, as well. 

Once you've picked your color combinations, it's time to get those colors on the wall. Typically, it is better to paint the accent wall last. Accent walls tend to be darker, and it will be easier to paint over color bleed from the lighter walls. It will also help to see the accent wall color next to the finished walls, to know if you made the right choice.