We all are familiar with the notion that a fresh coat of paint will revive a space. Sometimes, however, what’s called for is a style revolution in the form of painted wall patterns. Whether you’re aching to make a statement in your new home or transform a space in your existing, this design element delivers. In addition to being impactful, painting an accent wall is fairly easy and affordable to implement. All you need is a little inspiration and some know-how.

To get you started, we’ve asked our team of interior designers to share their favorite wall paint ideas from past installations.  Before you roll up your sleeves, brush up on what tools you’ll want to have on hand, and get some tips on how to paint patterns on walls:

What You’ll Need:

• Painter’s tape (it should stick well but peel off without taking the paint with it! We suggest always using painters tape for a professional look.)
• Paint rollers and trays (buy extras – it’s much easier than washing and reusing)
• Paintbrushes
• Drop Cloths
• Ruler and tape measure
• Pencil and eraser
• Level
• Paint (however many colors you choose)

Items You May Want to Have on Hand:

• Putty
• Sanding paper
• Wall texture
• Cleaning cloths
• Gentle cleanser
• A tall step stool or short ladder
• Great music

Tips for Painting Patterns and Designs on Walls

1. Prepare the wall by removing electrical outlet and switch covers, as well as vents. Tape around window and door casings and baseboards to prevent paint from getting on them.
2. If there are scuffs or marks on your walls, do your best to wipe them clean with some light cleanser. Unless it’s a brand-new home, we suggest lightly washing your walls with a diluted cleaning solution.
3. Should you discover holes in the drywall, fill them in with putty, allow to dry and sand them smooth. If it’s a large hole, use wall texture after sanding so as to match the rest of your wall.
4. Cover your floor with a drop cloth. Even better, tape it where the wall meets the floor to prevent rogue paint splatter!
5. Paint your base color first and give it plenty of time to dry fully.
6. Measure the height and length of your wall and lightly trace out your pattern. (Tip: this is easier with help. Recruit a friend or two to hold the tape measure and use a level to make sure your lines are straight. Then trace along the edge of the tape measure.)
7. When using multiple colors for a design, put a dab of color in the center of each shape to create a paint by key. This can help make sure you don’t get carried away and paint a shape the wrong color.
8. It’s best to start painting with paler shades and work your way darker, as making a light color dark is much easier than the reverse. If lighter hues overlap darker (as in Roseli’s plaid wall paint ideas below), you’ll still start with lighter colors. However, once you’ve completed the lighter element (and it has dried), you’ll precisely cover it with painter’s tape and then paint the darker elements over the top.
9. Tape one color at a time, and be sure to tape outside that color’s respective lines.
10. As you paint each section, give it time to dry. Keep in mind that you may need 2-3 coats depending on what brand paint you use and the color.

Primed and ready to elevate your home’s interior? Browse the following designer-curated wall paint ideas and get some insight on how they can impact your space.

Evelyn’s Dynamic Accent Paint Designs

At Meritage Homes’ Ravello community, Evelyn used bold colors and geometric shapes to punch up the modern vibe of the Harrison model. Contrasting blue, gray and orange shapes on a bedroom’s window wall inject cheery, creative energy, while the pattern’s diagonal lines serve to expand the space. In this same home’s loft, Evelyn’s use of staggered parallelograms in blue, gray, and white advance a mod vibe, which she further developed with wicker pod chairs and a mid-century-inspired console table. Within the nursery at Ravello’s Meriweather plan, Evelyn went whimsical with a teal and off-white circus tent ceiling.

Edith’s Wall Paint Ideas for Kids

Aqua, gray, and white cubes shown in Linear at Alameda Landing by TRI Pointe Homes is one of Edith’s favorite wall paint ideas for a kid’s room. Patterned to create a 3-D effect, the accent wall brings the playful robot theme together. Similarly, in Plan 2 within Meritage Homes’ Portofino community, she used a fun Avengers wall decal on a solid color accent wall to inject personality into a middle schooler’s bedroom. In another young teen’s bedroom, this one within Stratford at Parkgate’s Plan 4, gray and white rectangles in various heights complement the space’s edgy, masculine style and mimic the bedding. Edith’s last pick is a bedroom inside Plan 4 of Village at Promontory. This space demonstrates a wall paint idea perfect for a teen or college-aged kid. In this case, a simple diagonal split in dark gray and taupe adds impact and makes the room appear larger by continuing the solid dark gray onto an adjoining wall.

Jill’s Geometric Wall Pattern

The loft in Oakbriar’s Plan 2 boasts our designer Jill’s favorite wall paint idea. There, triangles in white, beige and blue tones are a cool and contemporary backdrop to a handsome seating vignette. This same wall paint pattern would be fantastic in a home office or nursery.

Miori’s Triangular Wall Paint Designs

Surf’s up in Plan 2 at Sterling Chateau! Our designer Miori is delighted with how the orange and beige teepee wall paint design she specified interacts with the rest of the bedroom. By placing the center point in the corner, Miori emphasized the bed as a focal point and opened up the room. Her next wall paint idea comes from the same model home. There, oversized floor-to-ceiling diamonds in peach, blue and beige act as a grand headboard. This paint design also draws the eye upward, contributing to an overall airy feel.

Nancy’s Striped Paint Patterns

A blue and beige reflected triangle stripe pattern is the first of our designer Nancy’s wall paint suggestions. Positioned just above the bed, this design’s center anchors the furnishings and frames the room’s breezy, tropical spirit. In Plan 2 of Ruby Meadows, charming stripes of black, white and taupe play up a sporty, baseball-themed bedroom. By varying the widths of the stripes, Nancy established a look that can grow with the child.

Roseli’s Uncommon Accent Paint Ideas

As one of Roseli’s wall paint ideas demonstrates, bathrooms benefit from patterned walls, too! In Plan 3 at The District, she employed a contemporary plaid in black, orange, taupe, white and gray to bring life to a small space. Plaid is also charming in contemporary bedrooms, as evidenced in Plan 6 of the same community. There, Roseli specified a crisp blue, white and gray pattern whose fresh feel plays off the light streaming in through the windows. Within that same model home, a blue and white Greek-key-inspired design elevates a young girl’s bedroom. There, the iconic pattern and color combine for a sophisticated yet welcoming effect.