DIY tips

It’s easy to assume that to really change the look of a room with a wall, you’d have to build a new one or knock an existing one down.
PA Photo/Thinkstockphotos.PA Photo/Thinkstockphotos.
PA Photo/Thinkstockphotos.

But actually, creating a ‘feature wall’ using what you already have is a simple but effective way to give a room a focal point and, if you get it right, a great new look.

You can create such a feature wall in most rooms - those with chimney breasts, alcoves and walls behind beds, dining tables and sofas usually work well. But not all rooms will have a suitable wall, perhaps they are too small or unusually shaped, so it is something to decide on a room-by-room basis.

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Adding colour and/or pattern to one wall is the most obvious way to create a feature. When choosing a paint colour, try out some tester pots first to see how the colours work with the other walls.

Painted stripes look fabulous on a feature wall, but they are fiddly to do well. Wallpaper is another great way to create a feature wall - if you want stripes the easy way, buy a striped design.

Perhaps you like the idea of adding texture to a room but not more colour? This is easy to do with wallpaper - use a paintable textured wallpaper for your feature wall, and paint it the same colour as the other walls. This textured wallpaper is also an effective way to conceal less than perfect plaster.

Murals are similar to wallpaper, but usually depict a scene (a beach, cityscape, mountains, fields) or a large-scale design, such as typography or a map. Unlike wallpaper, which can be hung on as many or as few walls as you like, a mural is usually designed to be used on just one, feature wall.