20 Best Kitchen Accent Wall Ideas
Creating the best kitchen accent wall involves two rules: Make a statement and design with intention. With these two rules in mind, you can create a beautiful, eye-catching accent wall showcasing your creativity and style.
Here are 20 of the most creative and unique kitchen accent wall ideas that will appeal to every design aesthetic.
Display with style with open shelving
Install open shelving to showcase your favorite cookbooks, kitchenware, decorative jars, plants, or vintage kitchen tools. Consider using natural wood tones, industrial pipes, and wood planks for added visual interest. Open shelving is also a great idea if you are short on kitchen space.
Quick tip: Keep the décor dynamic, seasonal, and up-to-date.
Hang pots and pans
Practical and visually appealing, hanging your pots and pans on wall mounted rails and hooks can add a homey touch to your kitchen. Make sure the pots and pans are uniform in color and match your existing kitchen décor.
You can also hang other functional items in an artistic display, such as aprons and utensils. This will save you some drawer space and add a rustic appeal to your kitchen.
Quick tip: Make sure your pots and pans are always clean and sparkling to make the most of this design idea.
Display your wine with a wall-mounted wine rack
Perfect for wine enthusiasts, mounting a wine rack on the wall creates a stylish wine display. Depending on how much you genuinely love your wine, you can take up the entire wall or only a portion of it. No matter how much you display on your accent wall, your wine collection will be the first thing visitors will mention when they enter your home.
Quick tip: Install LED lighting to highlight your collection and add ambiance.
Create a gallery wall
Artistically display what you love the most – your kid's artwork, family photos, travel memories, favorite quotes, and artwork. Add open shelving for more display room and mirrors to make the space feel larger. Include frames of different sizes for a truly artistic and eclectic feel.
Quick tip: Use removable adhesive hooks to easily rearrange and update your gallery wall without damaging the paint.
Pick a beautiful wallpaper
Easy to install and change, a wallpaper accent wall creates endless design possibilities. With the graphic prints, colors, and patterns available, wallpaper is an easy and cost-effective way to highlight your personality and style on an accent wall.
Quick tip: Choose peel-and-stick wallpaper for a hassle-free application and easy removal when you want a change.
Use textured paint
Go beyond typical paint with textured paint for a 3D effect on your kitchen accent wall. Textured paint includes additives like sand and other materials to create a 3D effect on the wall. It mimics the appearance of stone, stucco, or fabric.
Some unique types of textured paint are orange peel, which resembles the surface of an orange peel with its bumpy finish, and brushed pearl, which has a soft, textured finish for a touch of luxury.
Quick tip: Test a small patch before committing to the entire wall to ensure you like the texture and finish.
Paint an artistic mural
Artistic murals can transform a kitchen accent wall into a captivating focal point that reflects personal style and creativity. Here are some ideas for murals in your kitchen:
- Nature and landscapes, like scenic and floral designs
- Abstract art, like geometric patterns and colorful swirls and waves
- Culinary-themed, like recipe art and food illustrations
- Cultural murals, like vintage ads and historical scenes
Quick tip: Use a projector to outline your mural design on the wall for precise and easy painting.
Enhance your space with stone and brick
Incorporating stone or brick adds a touch of rustic charm, texture, and warmth to the kitchen. They can enhance classic, country, modern, and industrial designs. Stone and brick also add texture and depth while providing various colors and washes that can be paired to match the rest of your kitchen.
To save on costs, you can install a stone veneer, which is easier to install and mimics the look and feel of natural stone.
Quick tip: Seal stone or brick walls to protect against kitchen grease and stains.
DIY with board and batten
Board and batten is a type of wall treatment that uses wide boards (the boards) and narrow strips of wood (the battens) to create a decorative, textured surface. This design element is often associated with rustic and farmhouse styles.
Installing board and batten is a fun DIY project. It can be applied to either the entire wall or the lower half of the wall. The battens can also be painted any color to match your existing kitchen scheme.
Quick tip: Paint the boards and battens before installation for a cleaner, more polished finish.
Go green with a plant wall
Bring out your inner green thumb with a lively plant wall. This can be an herb garden with wall-mounted pots for fresh herbs or decorative hanging plants like ferns and succulents. A living wall is also an option that mimics the effect of a beautiful, living painting. A plant wall adds the soothing effect of nature with a fresh and breezy outdoor feel.
Quick tip: Use self-watering pots to minimize maintenance and ensure your plants thrive.
Incorporate shiplap
Shiplap is a wooden board traditionally used for the exterior siding of barns, sheds, and historic homes. It is trendy in interior design, especially for accent walls. Its simple rusticity works well with farmhouse, rustic, and beachy kitchen designs. Shiplap can be left natural or painted/stained in any color.
Quick tip: Install shiplap horizontally to make your kitchen appear wider, or vertically to add height.
A fun and fresh chalk wall
A chalk wall is a fun way to let the kids participate in your kitchen design. By painting an entire wall or a section of a wall with chalkboard paint, you create a versatile surface that can be used for various practical and decorative purposes.
Use it as a message center, menu planner, grocery list, way to communicate with the family, and backdrop for the kids to let their artistic expression shine. You can even decorate it according to the theme of a party or celebration.
Quick tip: Use magnetic chalkboard paint to create a dual-purpose wall for notes and magnetic items.
Consider 3D textured panels
3D panels come in various designs, patterns, and materials, adding depth, dimension, and texture to the space. Made from MDF, metal, wood, and PVC, among other materials, 3D panels come in various finishes and patterns. You can customize the panels to create abstract designs, patterns, or shapes in any way you wish.
Quick tip: Combine different textures and finishes to create a unique and customized look.
Reflect the best with mirrors
Incorporating mirrors into a kitchen accent wall design can dramatically enhance the space by reflecting light and adding depth. The mirrors will create an illusion of space while adding a sophisticated and elegant touch to the kitchen.
Create an arrangement of framed mirrors of different sizes and shapes for a gallery-like effect or incorporate antique mirrors for a touch of history. You can also use mirrored tiles for a mosaic-like effect with added sparkle.
Quick tip: Position mirrors to reflect natural light and brighten darker areas of the kitchen.
Share your design flair with mosaic tile
Mosaic tile is a collection of tiny tiles, often made of glass, ceramic, stone, or metal, arranged to create intricate patterns or images. Each type of material is suitable for different design styles. For example, metal mosaic tiles are ideal for sleek and industrial designs, while stone tiles are perfect for rustic or farmhouse styles.
You can cover an entire wall with mosaic tiles, create accent strips, frame an area of the wall, or create a custom piece of art with the tiles.
Quick tip: Use a neutral grout color to let the mosaic tiles stand out and shine.
Consider geometric tile
Geometric tiles lend kitchen accent walls a stylish, modern, and dynamic aesthetic. Hexagon, triangle, diamond, square, chevron, and penny tiles are popular geometric tile choices. Create patterns, color block, or trim around the accent wall for a stylish way to show off this popular tile. With various shapes, patterns, and materials available, you can customize the look to fit your style and enhance the overall design of your kitchen.
Quick tip: Use geometric tiles to create a bold focal point behind the stove or sink.
Use funky patterns
Adding funky patterns to a kitchen accent wall can infuse the space with personality, energy, and a unique charm. Funky patterns are bold, unconventional, and often playful, perfect for creating a lively and inviting atmosphere in your kitchen.
Some patterns you can use are abstract art, stripes, polka dots, animal prints, and retro patterns inspired by the 60s and 70s, like swirls and starbursts.
Quick tip: Use a pattern that fits the scale of your kitchen so it doesn’t overwhelm the space.
Bring in nature with natural materials
Natural materials like stone, wood, brick, and metal can create a unique texture in your kitchen design and go well with natural wood cabinets. Reclaimed wood adds a rustic, historical charm, telling a story with its unique grains and imperfections.
Stone offers a timeless look, while brick adds an industrial chic charm to the kitchen. Consider bamboo panels for an eco-friendly and sustainable way to create a Zen-like vibe in the kitchen.
Quick tip: Use a mix of natural materials for a layered and textured look that adds depth.
Reflect your personality
A family photo collage, an artisan cutting board display, and a vintage kitchenware display are all ways to show off what means the most to you. Mix a few different accent wall ideas to create an eclectic and fun portrayal of your personality!
Quick tip: Change the display items seasonally to keep the look fresh and engaging.
Create an accent ceiling
Want to move beyond an accent wall? Create an accent ceiling instead for a unique and unexpected element in your kitchen. It will draw the eye upward, making the space feel larger and more dynamic.
You can paint your ceiling with a pop of color, use wood paneling, metal tiles, wallpaper, or show off exposed beams.
Quick tip: Incorporate statement light fixtures to enhance your accent ceiling; while you’re at it, think about decorating the tops of your cabinets!
Creating the best kitchen accent wall involves two rules: Make a statement and design with intention. With these guidelines, you can craft a beautiful, eye-catching accent wall that showcases your creativity and style.
The 20 kitchen accent wall ideas discussed here are some of the most creative and unique, appealing to every design aesthetic. There's something for everyone, from open shelving and hanging pots to stone veneers and 3D textured panels.
Once you create your ideal accent wall, continue your creative streak with a beautiful kitchen backsplash! Reach out to your local dealer for even more innovative design ideas for your kitchen.