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20 Big-Impact Accent Wall Ideas for Apartment-Dwellers

by on Feb 16, 2017

Photo: Rain On A Tin Roof

There’s nothing worse then renter-white walls. That dingy, dirty white that’s not quite cream but not quite white either. But there’s an easy way to fix it – add an accent wall and nobody will notice the rest of the walls! Here are twenty renter-friendly accent wall ideas that won’t damage your walls (or they can be easily fixed when you move). Click through to read on.   

Zero Damage Accent Wall Ideas

These first few ideas will cause no damage to your apartment walls whatsoever!

 

Use paper polka dots to create an office space accent wall.
Photo:  Fellow Fellow

1. Washi Tape Polka Dots – Let’s start with a crazy easy one… simply place strips of tape on waxed paper and then cut circles out of them! Get the tutorial here. [Photo:  Fellow Fellow]

 

Removable wall decals - accent wall in a child's room or nursery
Photo:  Inspired By This

2. Decal Wall – Removable wall decals are another great way to add some personality to a wall. [Photo:  Inspired By This]

 

Temporary wallpaper is a good way to create a focal wall in your home
Photo: Wallflora

3. Removable Temporary Wallpaper – This gorgeous floral wallpaper can be easily removed once you leave your rental. Buy it  here. [Photo: Wallflora]

 

A room with black and white painted walls and wooden floors.
Photo:  Cuckoo 4 Design

4. Vinyl “Wallpaper” – This person cut crosses out of black vinyl to create a bold geometric accent wall. Learn more  here. [Photo:  Cuckoo 4 Design]

 

Use metallic tape to create a feature wall
Photo: Design Fixation

5. Metallic Tape Accent Wall – There’s a great product out there called metalized polyester film tape which can be stuck to the wall in any pattern your heart desires. Check out the tutorial here. [Photo: Design Fixation]

 

Geometric removable wall tiles in a bedroom
Photo: What Is Blik

6. Removable Wall Tiles – These fun geometric wall tiles are removable, so you can bring them with you to your next apartment. Check ’em out  here. [Photo: What Is Blik]

 

Fabric can be a great way to cover a wall in a space
Photo: Apartment Therapy

7. Fabric Wall Covering – Believe it or not, you can attach fabric to the wall using starch. Learn how here. [Photo: Apartment Therapy]

 

Re-Paintable Accent Wall Ideas

These accent walls will need to be painted over before you move out… so worth it though!

 

A textured ombre mural can have a huge impact in a space
Photo: Daily Dream Decor

8. Textured Mural – Give sponge painting a modern edge by creating a textured ombrĂ© accent wall. See it here. [Photo: Daily Dream Decor]

 

Paint architectural details to make them stand out, like in this model living room
Photo:  Domino

9. Painted Architectural Details – This person could have painted the whole wall black, but instead chose to be a bit more creative. Check it out  here. [Photo:  Domino] 

 

Stripes and patterns make this wall pop
Photo: Dream A Little Bigger

10. Layered Stripe Accent Wall Ideas – This eye-catching wall is made simply with paint and tape… so all you’ll have to do is paint over it once you move! Get the tutorial  here. [Photo: Dream A Little Bigger]

 

A painted stencil on a bedroom wall above the headboard
Photo: Kristen F. Davis Designs

11. Stenciled Wall – This beautiful wall looks like wallpaper, but it’s actually made with two different finishes of the same paint color (high gloss and matte). Read more  here. [Photo: Kristen F. Davis Designs]

 

Confetti gives the appearance of energy and movement on this hallway wall
Photo: Rain On A Tin Roof

12. Confetti Wall – This bold accent wall is made by taping off confetti shaped pieces and then painting within those areas. Check out the directions here. [Photo: Rain On A Tin Roof]  

 

A simple black marker can totally transform a wall, using a modern geometric pattern
Photo: Vintage Revivals

13. Sharpie Wall – Yep, this fun look was done with Sharpie markers. Head on over  here to read more about the process. [Photo: Vintage Revivals]

 

Easily Fixable Ways to Create an Accent Wall

These walls will require a bit of repair before moving out, but nothing more than patching some holes.

 

Arrange plywood in cutout shapes to make an accent wall stand out
Photo: Reality Daydream

14. Plywood Geometric Wall – If you’re into woodworking, this could be a fun one for you. Simply pry the wood off when you move and fill the nail holes with spackle. Get the tutorial here. [Photo: Reality Daydream]

  

This wall uses pinned ribbons to make it a focal point in the room
Photo: BHG

15. Ribbon Wall – This one can be done by stretching ribbon in diamond shapes and securing with thumbtacks. [Photo: BHG]

 

Herringbone accent wall in a nursery
Photo:  The Caldwell Project

16. Herringbone Accent Wall – Again, this one takes a bit more effort… but it looks so beautiful! Check out the how-to here. [Photo:  The Caldwell Project]

 

Here, the home owner used corrugated metal to promote a wall behind a sofa in a living to featured status
Photo: K & Co. Antiques

17. Corrugated Metal Accent Wall – This corrugated metal is normally used for roofs, but it looks great behind the sofa here. [Photo: K & Co. Antiques]

 

Glasscloth stripes elevate this surface
Photo: Via Homedit

18. Grasscloth Striped Accent wall – Cover beams in grasscloth and nail them to the wall… so pretty! [Photo: Via Homedit]

  

Frame wallpaper to make it look like large scale wall art on a feature wall
Photo: Inspired By This

19. Framed Wallpaper – Frame up large pieces of wallpaper (or fabric, wrapping paper, etc.) and hang them on the wall. [Photo: Inspired By This]

 

Faux brick is an interesting way to add an industrial feel to a room
Photo: Design Asylum

20. Faux Brick Wall – This one takes a bit more effort, but it it looks so great once it’s finished! Check out the tutorial here. [Photo: Design Asylum]

 

20 Accent Wall Ideas for Apartment-Dwellers (Big Impact, Easy to Undo)
Share this image on Pinterest! [Photo: Apartment Therapy]

 

 

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