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Funky flowers, wood paneling, a dramatic color palette—weaving all of these into your bedroom design might overwhelm. But honing in on bold design choices for bedroom accent wall ideas? Now we’re talking. Working with statement-making home design in small doses means you can have all the fun without any of the fretting when it comes time to give your space a makeover. From minimalist options to the most over-the-top showstoppers, we’ve rounded up 23 bedroom accent wall ideas—featuring expert advice from home design pros—to give you plenty of inspo, including wallpaper, striking art, bold botanicals, a moose mural, and more.
“When it comes to choosing a bedroom accent wall, it’s all about drawing the eye,” says Lucas Goldbach of Chicago’s En Masse Architecture and Design. While picking behind the bed often makes the most sense (after all, the bed’s usually the room’s largest piece of furniture), any wall is fair game. “Some people opt to highlight the wall across from the bed, so they can enjoy the view!” says Jill Steinberg of the custom wallpaper brand Fine & Dandy Co.
“No competing accent walls! Stick to one wall,” advises Molly Torres Portnof of Brooklyn–based DATE Interiors. One can only imagine the visual chaos of three different accent walls in one bedroom (shiplap, wallpaper, and a black accent wall…yikes!). As for other rules, Taniya Nayak of Taniya Nayak Design in Boston says to remember that bedrooms are ultimately designed for sleeping. “I try to keep an accent wall in the bedroom on the more soothing side and not too bright or busy,” she says.
As for how to do an accent wall in 2023, Linda Hayslett of LH.Designs in Los Angeles notes that “wallpaper has come back with a vengeance.” However, she also points out that wallpaper’s popularity has driven up prices—which makes an accent wall both an aesthetic and economical design choice. “Having a nice accent wall with wallpaper gives that extra shine in the room without breaking the bank,” she says. Other top trends include wood paneling, oversized art, photo murals, and floor-to-ceiling drapery.
Interior designer Mary Patton of Mary Patton Design in Houston wanted to punch up this bedroom with bold flowers. Because it’s a rental, she went with removable wallpaper from Wall Blush. “I love how the blush, mustard, and dark green tones make the wood furniture feel richer and the white bedding pop,” she says.
If big blooms don’t fit your vibe, work in more subtle botanicals instead, especially if you’re going for a tranquil feel. “Keep in mind what you want the accent wall to convey and if you want it to be a showstopper, or if you’re looking for it to enhance something else,” notes Linda Hayslett.
Stealing attention from the wall behind the bed can be tricky, but not if you have an eye-catching giraffe print. This wallpaper (Gentle Giraffe in Olive Gray) was created by interior designer Amber Guyton of Blessed Little Bungalow in Atlanta for Mitchell Black.
A reading nook in a kids room—like this one designed by Curated Nest Interiors in Greenwich, Connecticut—makes for an inviting feature wall. Even if you don’t have a recessed nook, placing a small couch or beanbag chair in front of a wallpapered corner will help carve out a cozy space.
Like an indoor treehouse, this nook is lined with wood trim. Melinda Trembly of Rincon Road Design Studio, based in Carpinteria, California, created the attic room with a statement-making wall for clients who wanted a whimsical, multifunctional space for their grandkids.
Wood wall paneling behind an upholstered headboard—as seen here in a design by Sabra Ballon of BallonStudio in San Francisco—creates the look of a luxuriously large bed frame. The bedside tables and reading lamps are all built in for a clean and cohesive design.
“Bedroom accent walls serve a unique purpose, drawing attention to the bed, nightstands, and lamps—those essential elements that make a tranquil, beautifully designed retreat,” says Amy Kartheiser of Amy Kartheiser Design in Chicago. “I believe accent walls can elevate the other design elements and enhance the overall ambiance of the space.” Here, a white headboard and lampshades pop against a wall with a blue print.
There’s no mistaking the accent wall in this bedroom, designed by Amber Guyton of Blessed Little Bungalow. With a neon sign mounted on top of wooden slats, it literally glows. The neon installation is also complemented by the room’s main light fixture.
Window treatments play triple duty: They control light, provide privacy, and work as an accent, as seen here with curtains that cover the entire wall. Another idea is to coordinate your window treatment with wallpaper. Erica Bail, creative director at Graber, a custom window treatment brand, says “Choose a cheerful patterned wallpaper and match your window’s top treatment to one of the less dominant wallpaper colors. Coordinate your shades with your trim color, so all the focus is on the wallpaper and top treatment.”
A stone accent wall beside a sliding glass door creates cohesion between indoor and outdoor areas. “The concept of accent walls goes beyond just color or material; it’s about architectural significance,” says Lucas Goldbach. “Think of them as a way to shape the space.”
The right piece of art, whether it’s a painting, sculpture, or full gallery wall, makes a statement. In this room by Chicago’s Studio Sven, oversized textile art is especially striking against brick.
A plaid or gingham print in a neutral color scheme works as an accent without being overwhelming. The team at Curated Nest Interiors was even able to add a buffalo and bold green changing table to this gray-and-white wall without it looking chaotic.
A valance and printed drapery—even without the window—frame a daybed and create an accent wall rich in intriguing texture and patterns. While this room, designed by Curated Nest Interiors, has an actual window as well, the faux window wall design would do wonders for a windowless room.
“We quite like the bespoke millwork accent wall in this bedroom from a London project by creatives Theo Vass and Eliza Hopewell,” says Joe McGuier of the Brooklyn-based architecture and design firm JAM. The millwork complements the fireplace, which is key for a good accent wall, according to McGuier. He explains that the accent wall “should harmonize with and enhance architectural elements rather than working against them.”
“An unexpected choice for an accent wall is the ceiling,” says Jill Steinberg. “Wallpapers—like our Mon Dieu! murals that were created for ceilings specifically, or the Vapour-Dawn mural—can transform the fifth wall into a hand-painted fresco, painterly sky, or cosmic scene that draws the eye upward and makes the room feel grand.”
Adding a geometric pattern or single shape is a budget-friendly way to DIY an accent wall. The neutral paint color of the circle in this room, designed by Date Interiors, matches the rest of the boho home decor.
A bold color sets the tone, while geometric molding adds even more visual interest and dimension, as seen in the bedroom above designed by Living with Lolo in Scottsdale, Arizona.
“A good wallpapered accent wall never gets old,” says Clara Jung of Banner Day Interiors in Berkeley, California. And a large-scale foliage print is especially fresh, adding the appeal of plant life without watering duties.
“I love playing with textures,” says Taniya Nayak. “In my main bedroom, I used tambour wood panels in a light oak color from The Wood Veneer Hub to add a lot of texture while keeping it calm and relaxing. You could also try a textured wall covering.”
A wallpaper with a metallic sheen works well with the other sumptuous materials in a bedroom, like bronze wall sconces, a velvet headboard, or silk sheets. Melanie Coddington of Coddington Design in Oakland, California, says, “I like how a solid headboard contrasts with the pattern. I rarely wallpaper all four walls in a room, except for powder rooms—they get the full treatment!”
“I personally like to have lots of fun in kids’ rooms, such as [going with] retro stripes or hand-painted polka dots,” says Raili Clasen of Raili CA Design in Newport Beach, California, and author of Surf Style at Home (Gibbs Smith, April 2024). Stripes look especially nostalgic on wood paneling and provide a pop of color, as seen in the room design above.
A showstopping headboard can act as an accent wall in itself. That’s the case in the Summer Hope Suite at the design-focused Calilo hotel in Ios, Greece. Cutouts dot the headboard, which is backlit, creating illuminated art.
“Photo murals add so much to an accent wall and make for a mini-vacation for those who get to sleep there,” says Raili Clasen. Here, a simple bedroom is transformed into an alpine escape.
By Alia How Are You
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