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[Oznell]

Probably more people dislike them than like them (that's just a guess of mine-- feel free to dispute).   But,  Emily Henderson tried to demonstrate on her site some circumstances where it can be enhancing.

I'll make my usual tired quibble here, that where the other walls are stark white, I think it would have looked better to have an off-white or warm white, sigh.

Here, where the breakfast nook is in this loft-like space, there's a natural "break" between the brick, and the wall recess.   The colored wall looks great, in my opinion!   And what a nice backdrop for their art.   This is my favorite application--

She also felt that, if you want to highlight an architectural feature, like a fireplace in the picture below, or an entire wall of built-ins, an accent wall helps. 

I have to admit, if the wall behind the fireplace below were bright white, it would be boring.   She said in real life, the wall is charcoal, although it looks black in photo.  It could be any color but white, and it would showcase the fireplace, I believe.

She also liked the emphasis that a contrasting color gives to the end of a hallway, like in this instance where both doors and thin surrounding wall are black.  Again-  it wouldn't have to be black.  (Although, I think that here it looks sharp with the mellow chevron wood floor and white everything else.) 

Designers are always looking for ways to "shorten" long corridors, and a contrasting color does advance and make it look less long.

Probably the circumstance where I like accent walls the least, is when there's just a 'random' different colored wall in a room, seemingly for no purpose...   That seems to be more effective in a totally contemporary setting.  But there are always exceptions.

Another instance I thought of--   in a light painted room,  when the TV is huge and dominating, painting the wall behind it at least a medium-to-dark color, always helps it blend in better, and be less of a big focus.

Have you had experience with feature walls?   Opinions?   

[Puppy Lips]

I am terrible at decorating, so I appreciate your thoughts and tips.

[On It]

The area above the mantle of my fireplace is painted several shades darker than the walls of my vacation home. It is a corner fireplace in a room with high ceilings and needed to make more of a statement in the room. it is much more subtle than the black and white one shown in the photo. So far, the painter, the plumber, and the floor installation guys have said they like it. No one else has seen our recent renovation.

[CANDLEQUEEN]

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@On It wrote:

The area above the mantle of my fireplace is painted several shades darker than the walls of my vacation home. It is a corner fireplace in a room with high ceilings and needed to make more of a statement in the room. it is much more subtle than the black and white one shown in the photo. So far, the painter, the plumber, and the floor installation guys have said they like it. No one else has seen our recent renovation.

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sounds pretty-I bet it is beautiful.. 

[CANDLEQUEEN]

@Oznell I love the 1st one for all the reasons you stated and I also like the 2nd one, as I love the color used on the wall behind the Fireplace. It goes beautifully with the white walls...

I think Accent  walls can be gorgeous when done right.

[faeriemoon]

I'll start by saying I always thought I was an anti-accent wall person.

I think the accent walls pictured are very well done even though only one of them is really a wall.  The first I would call an alcove, so it sort of doesn't count. (But it looks great.)  The third is a door, so it doesn't count (but I really like it.)  I have never heard of that design tip about shortening a long hallway by using an accent color; good information.  The fireplace in the second photo is greatly enhanced by the accent wall.  Good choice.

The kind of accent wall I don't like, and is what I always think of when someone says "accent wall" is (like you @Oznell ) some random wall that looks as though someone was just trying to introduce some paint color that they really like, but didn't want to use too much of.  Unfortunately, many times that color is red. (A yuck for me.) However, and fortunately, I think the red wall trend is going by the wayside little by little.

[On It]

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@Puppy Lips wrote:

I am terrible at decorating, so I appreciate your thoughts and tips.

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Years ago either Lynette Jennings or Christopher Lowell explained how to choose colors safely. Select one of the paint strips at your paint store. There are 6 or so choices on that strip. They range from lightest at the top to darkest at the bottom. Choose a lighter and a darker from the same strip and there is your contrasting color scheme. No designer needed.

[spiderw]

First of all I love the art work in that area and against a blue wall.  I also love the chandelier in the hallway and chevron floor!  Very appealing.

In the seventies my sister had a similar wall as the one with the art work shown in the photo. She painted it a chocolate brown , the other walls white.  I also did the same in my place, one wall was painted a midnight blue, the other walls white.  I loved the contrast and kept it that way until I moved,  I still find the contrast wall  appealing but not in black.

[Spacrazy]

Yes, I have done accent walls and love them. They're so easy and inexpensive for the pop you get. 

[Desert Lily]

If it were me, I'd take down the wall art in the 1st photo. Then I'd use a wallpaper or a white stencil design. Last, I'd change out the pillows and cushions to a design that would bring cohesion with whatever my choice was on the bench wall.

I'm not sure that I'd want to sit in the corners of the bench that are partially hidden by the wall; maybe at a restaurant. In a home, I'd feel closed in, almost trapped.

I like the 2nd photo.

I don't understand the condition of the rug in the 3rd photo.

I don't understand how it's supposed to fit in, and I don't understand how it wouldn't trip people.

I like the black doors, but I wouldn't want Emily Henderson decorating my home.