Eye-Catching Bathroom Accent Wall Ideas You Can DIY
Creating an easy DIY bathroom accent wall is a great way to add a fun design element. And the best part - it doesn't have to break the bank.
Do you find yourself daydreaming about transforming your drab and mundane bathroom into a luxurious and stylish oasis? You're certainly not alone. And while a complete bathroom overhaul may not be feasible, one simple design element can instantly elevate the look and feel of your space: an accent wall.
In this article, we'll explore a variety of bathroom accent wall ideas and provide you with inspiration and tips to create a stunning and personalized bathroom.
When we were building, my main focus for my bathroom design was to get all of the hard surfaces just right. I love natural stone in master bathrooms and found beautiful marble for the countertops and floor. The marble allowed for my color scheme to be changed down the road.
We had a beautiful white bathroom when we moved in. And though I loved the white walls, I really wanted to make the center vanity area pop by adding some contrast to the space. A new accent wall is just what this space needed.
Bathroom Accent Wall FAQ
Can You have an Accent Wall in Your Bathroom?
Absolutely. An accent wall is a great option for any bathroom big or small. An accent wall is great for adding visual interest to a space. But, it can also make a small space feel larger or even provide a simple refresh without a full remodel.
Which Bathroom Wall Should I Accent?
The best question to ask yourself is where will be the perfect focal point? This may be behind a tub, over your vanity, on the back wall. But in general, an ideal accent wall will be the one that you see when you first enter a room, or the first one that grabs your attention.
How to Choose a Style for Bathroom Accent Wall?
There are many different styles for an accent wall. In fact, I have 5 bathroom feature walls in my home, not including other accent walls. I will include them below for ideas. Here are just a handful of accent wall options to consider:
- Ceramic tiles or mosaic tiles accent wall
- Wood accent wall or wood paneling
- Paint in different colors like a black accent wall
- Shiplap accent wall
- Bathroom wallpaper accent wall
Planning My Accent Wall in the Master Bathroom
I had previously added shadow box molding to the walls in my master bedroom. It was such a fun DIY project. I wanted to carry that same detail into my master bathroom on a feature wall, but in a bold color.
This is also a great project for a tight budget because there are no major renovations involved. To achieve this same look, you simply need small moldings and a can of paint in a dark color.
What is Shadow Box Molding?
Shadow box molding is when small decorative molding is used to create squares or rectangles on your wall. This creates a very elegant wainscoting look to a room. Shadow box molding can be many different shapes and sizes.
You will often see floor-to-ceiling shadow box molding with multiple squares and rectangles. This is a great option for both large and small areas.
The Design
We have 10' ceilings in our home. To make sure your eye goes all the way to the ceiling with the desired effect, I decided to stack my shadow block molding.
Since I want to accent my big cabinets I am going to make my vanity wall the accent wall. The rest of the room will still be white walls. This will add a custom look to our modern bathroom.
The first shadow box will go around my mirror and sconces. This will help frame my mirror in. The second shadow box will be more of a rectangle on top of the bottom shadow box to bring your eye all the way up. And because there are double sinks, I will apply this same design to both sides.
The Measurements
Included below is a picture of the measurements I used.
Keep in mind when planning your wall where things are placed. The smaller molding will hit the center of my sconces.
Ideally, I would prefer to go on either side of the sconce. But the wall measurements and mirror won't allow for that.
Supplies Needed for Accent Wall
- Pin nailer or brad nailer
- Miter saw
- Tape measure
- Caulk
- Frogtape
- Larger shadow box molding
- Smaller shadow box molding
- Level
- Wood filler
- Sand paper
- Urbane Bronze paint by Sherwin Williams
- Paint brush
- Paint roller
- Gold spray paint
- Drop cloth
Sketch on the Wall
Before putting up any molding, use a pencil to sketch everything out on the entire wall. This helps with spacing and making sure you put the molding in the right place.
For this step, I used the bigger molding on the outside and the smaller on the inside.
Cutting Shadow Box Molding
It's time to cut your molding. The corners on the molding need to be 45 degree angle cuts. I have found one of the easiest ways to cut the small molding is with miter shears. They give a much cleaner cut and I don't have to go back and forth to the garage saw.
Attaching the Pieces
To attach the small moldings I used my pin nailer. I like a pin nailer because the pin nail holes are much smaller. I also find the wood doesn't split like it does with a brad nailer.
However, if you only have a brad nailer, turn the pressure down and go into a thicker area.
Caulking for Paint
After the molding is installed, you will want to caulk all of the seams. Do not skip this step. Caulking is what takes a good molding job to a GREAT one.
This simple technique is an easy way to fill in all of the cracks and makes the small details look good when painted. I used caulk in the pin nail holes too since they are really small.
Paint Prep
To prep for paint, first use frog tape to tape off around the outside edge to avoid paint bleeding. Unfortunately, my husband will tell you I am not the cleanest painter. I also add a drop cloth over my sink and countertop to catch any splattering or drips.
Painting
I then painted the bathroom accent wall in a solid color, Urbane Bronze by Sherwin Williams. Painting with a brush and roller is perfect because it is such a small space. You may not think it matters, but a good brush and roller make a huge difference.
I love Zibra paint brushes. They give a much smoother finish and minimize the brush strokes. You can get them at Home Depot and on Amazon. For a roller, a nap of 3/16 or ¼ inch is ideal for smooth surfaces. The nap of a roller will be listed on the plastic covering.
Adding Gold Accents
My mirror and sconces were black when we first installed them. But they didn't quite pop and providing the contrasting color I wanted against the new dark paint. This is easy to fix with a little spray paint.
I used Champagne gold spray paint to give them a new clean look and I love the striking contrast in the different paint colors.
Master Bathroom Wall Accent on a Budget
Look at what a dramatic effect adding molding and paint made to my master bathroom. The center cabinet pops off the wall and really brings out the veins in the marble for a stylish look. Floating white oak cabinets are a good design choice to help warm up the space and add visual interest.
Master Bathroom Decor
I have a post with all the hard surfaces in my master bathroom here. That includes cabinet color, hardware sources, lighting, marble and anything else I could think of.
I keep my decor to a minimum in a bathroom because I hate working about decor when I am trying to get ready.
- Ruggable Rug
- Waffle Towels - my new obsession
- Vase with greenery
Additional DIY Bathroom Accent Wall Ideas
There are so many fun ways to add visual depth to your bathroom. Here are my DIY bathroom accent wall ideas.
My oldest daughter's bathroom has a few accents. This seems to be a new trend in recent years.
Peel and Stick Wallpaper
I went big and bold with this vinyl wallpaper. A small bathroom is a great place to have fun and incorporate a few bright colors.
Tile Accent Wall
Because I went so bold with the wallpaper I kept the ceramic accent wall tile white. It doesn't compete with the wallpaper, but it does add a nice texture to her modern bathroom.
Beveled Subway Tile
My other daughter's room also has 2 accents.
Ceramic tile is a popular choice. I used beveled subway tile for a very modern look. Again, I kept the tile white to match with the wall while adding a texture. I also hung a white round mirror for a nice visual effect.
Black Wainscoting
A partial wall accent is a great option too. To have a floor to ceiling black accent wall in this space would be really heavy. Taking the board and batten part of the way up is a great solution.
View full bathroom details here.
Board and Batten Accent Wall
Doing an accent wall around the toilet is a great option too. I went roughly ⅔ of the way up the wall. I picked a fun green to match my daughter's bathroom wallpaper. (tutorial here)
Powder Room Accent Wall
A small bathroom accent wall that is floor-to-ceiling height adds a big impact. For our half bath I found this beautiful black and white mural. I added the floral wallpaper accent wall to the back wall.
Shower and Tub Accent Wall
I had my marble extend up to the window behind my soaking tub to create a spa-like bathroom.
White Shiplap
If you love farmhouse style, this white shiplap is for you. This was our master bathroom in our last home. (Tutorial on how I did this)
Adding a bathroom accent wall is a great choice if you need a focal point with visual interest or you want to give your bathroom a refresh for low cost. Don't hesitate to create a custom bathroom look that fits your personal taste. With a variety of unique options, there are plenty of ideas to choose from to design the luxury bathroom of your dreams.
Happy DIYing!
Brooke
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