Inject colour into your home with a feature wall
Redecorating an entire room can be time-consuming, so if all you want is a quick way of changing the mood of a room without redoing the entire colour scheme, designate yourself a feature wall and start painting! A feature wall is simply one wall picked out as an accent by painting it in a different manner to the rest of the room.

If you have a predominantly neutral colour scheme, a feature wall is the perfect opportunity to add a splash of colour without overpowering the rest of the room scheme that you have worked hard to achieve. While feature walls are most commonly used as a highlight in a neutral schemed room, they can also be used to define space in open plan areas rather than having expanses of the same colour for the entire area.

There are no hard and fast rules to selecting the right wall for your feature - after all, you are the one who has to live with it. An easy way to select the wall is to stand in the middle of the room and choose a dominant wall, preferably one with interesting angles, curves, a fireplace or lighting. It is generally best to avoid walls with windows and doors, as these will distract attention from the feature you are creating.

Feature walls can be created by simply overcoating the feature area with an accent colour in a low sheen or flat finish. You can select a favourite colour or use existing furnishings as inspiration and select a feature colour from room curtains, furniture, artworks or floor rugs.

If you are looking for something a little more unique, be a bit more adventurous and experiment with a sparkling Resene Metallic finish, a light Mediterranean style finish such as Resene Sandtex, or a completely personalised Resene Paint Effects finish.

A feature wall will have a dramatic effect on the whole room - a Metallic feature can add sizzle, a Resene Lusty (deep red) feature wall depth and warmth, and a Resene Sandtex feature wall can add a natural textured earthy touch.

Remember, a dark colour will make the feature wall advance and appear closer, while a lighter shade will make the wall recede and appear further away. If you want to make a long room appear squarer, paint the far wall in a dark colour to draw the wall into the room.

You can 'see' your feature wall before you start painting with Resene EzyPaint virtual painting software. Download Resene EzyPaint free, scan in a photo of the room where you are planning to create your feature wall, path the area you wish to paint and virtually paint your new feature wall using your choice of over 2000 Resene colours. Resene EzyPaint is the ideal way to see the effect different colours will have on the entire room scheme, helping you to narrow down your colour choices.

As colours are influenced by other room colours and lighting, it is always best to trial your chosen colour using a Resene testpot on the actual area you are planning to paint. View the painted area at different times of day to ensure that you like the colour as it changes from day to night.

It only takes a few litres to create a feature wall, which means it can be easily changed to suit your mood, the season or a change in decorating plans. Don't be afraid to allocate one wall as a permanent feature wall and change it regularly as your tastes and colour trends develop. Feature walls are designed for you to experiment with colours, so make the most of the blank canvas - after all you can always repaint if you don't like the first colour you choose!