I Thought Accent Walls Were “So Over” Until I Saw This

While accent walls — and indoor murals especially — can feel very 2010s-coded, this design trend isn’t entirely over. Bold geometric murals have given way to more subtle style moments, like limewash, verdure wallpaper, or even “wall drapery.” Some of us are definitely still holding space for the traditional accent wall, though. 

When asked about her current favorite “controversial” design trend, Apartment Therapy’s own editor-in-chief, Charli Penn, said: “Accent walls. Yes, still.” Penn points out that “one intentional moment can completely change the mood of a space.” She goes on to make her point crystal clear: “Especially in small or awkward rooms, an accent wall isn’t dated — it’s decisive.” 

And she’s not the only one who feels this way. I recently stumbled across a post on Instagram that, while simple, totally transformed my opinion on the wall mural meets accent wall. It’s the perfect combination of subtle and statement-making. I’m talking about the monochromatic accent wall mural, where a contrast in sheen leads to a quiet but striking visual moment in a room.

When creating custom murals, artist Becka Matthews Hickerson is shaking things up by using the same paint colors in different finishes to create a subdued accent wall mural. “Obsessed with how this matte [and] semigloss combo turned out,” she shared in an Instagram post. 

The post highlights Hickerson’s stunning monochrome leafy mural — the pattern for which is available for download if you want to DIY your own version — using Sherwin-Williams’ Jasper (SW 6126) green in matte and semigloss finishes. “It added so much depth and interest to the room without overpowering it,” the artist says.  

The result is an elevated spin on these wall treatments, which, if I’m being honest, looks like a plain solid accent wall from certain angles. That’s the beauty of this idea, though; when the light hits it just right, a surprising pattern is revealed. Using the same paint color in two different finishes creates a finished product that feels more sophisticated than the average indoor mural. Earlier in the decade, wall murals were bold and colorful, creating an impressive display of self-expression (and a prime photo backdrop for all of those Zoom calls we sat through during the pandemic). 

There’s nothing wrong with that look, but as home decor trends shift toward a richer, more eclectic, and more sophisticated aesthetic, it’s only natural for accent walls to evolve, too. New iterations like this monochrome moment, wall drapery (as pictured above,) trompe-l’œil moldings, and bold wallpaper patterns are keeping the accent wall alive by helping move us beyond the classic millennial photo-op aesthetic. Who knows where that will lead us next? But if it’s anything like this refined example, I’m in.