21 of Our Best Bedroom Feature Wall Ideas, That You Can Try At Yours

There are loads of changes that’ll give your bedroom a new lease on life. But trust me when I say that the feature wall is the biggest and best one. So that’s what today’s showcase is all about, decorating junkies.

Prepare yourself for a whole slew of bedroom feature wall ideas. Because these are all pretty spectacular.

Now, there was a time when the trend of feature walls in bedrooms was thought to be very on-the-nose. And granted, I lived through the early nineties and saw enough burgundy and plum painted walls to last me a lifetime.

So, I totally get where the naysayers were coming from. But as with most things, feature walls have been put back on the map. And it’s all thanks to some clever applications that go well beyond just paint.

Scroll through and soak up all of these feature wall ideas. And then drop me a comment at the end and let me know which one you’re keen to rock at your place!

1. Paint Effects

Now there’s nothing wrong with a flat paint colour on your walls. It certainly elevates the space more than a white wall does. But let’s be more adventurous (I know you have it in you!).

I’m so smitten with paint effects like suede or concrete at the moment. They bring such sense of depth and dimension to the wall in question, in a way a flat colour can’t.

I recently used Dulux concrete effect paint on the walls of my Camberwell project and it came up an absolute treat. It gave the room a moody, industrial vibe without making it feel too heavy or rustic.

The paint is smooth to the touch so it doesn’t weigh the room down, but it certainly does the job in giving the space a more interesting backdrop.

2. Subtle Wallpaper

Now don’t clutch your pearls at the idea of wallpaper. I know, it can provoke flashbacks of papers from the seventies. But I have to tell you, a modern wallpapered accent wall is anything but terrifying. And it’s one of the first things I ask my design clients to let me do.

Wallpapers like the patterned one above are so subtle that they don’t overwhelm the wall. But they do add an additional layer of warmth to the bedroom. And who doesn’t want their bedroom to feel cosy and inviting?

I used a master bedroom feature wallpaper in my Melbourne CBD project, which was a bit art deco inspired. And seriously, take a look at the images in that post and you’ll absolutely agree that it looks amazing. If I do say so myself.

Wallpaper is also relatively affordable. I look to places like Milton & King, Grafico or Motivo for my wallpapers. All can organise samples for you. I tape the samples to the wall for a while to make sure I love them before I purchase the rolls.

3. Upholstered Panels

I always bang on about layers in a room. But they’re so so vital in making the space feel resolved. You know when you walk into a room and it just feels ‘complete’? There’s an ooh-ahh sensation that comes over you. The whole space just feels so inviting.

Well, that doesn’t just happen by accident. It’s because the layering has been executed perfectly. Above is a great example of layering from the design team at Metricon. I love the combination of upholstered wall panels and tinted mirror. Neither take up the entire wall alone, but both give the space a high-end hotel feel, don’t you think?

You could actually just opt to do panels on your wall at home if you didn’t want to include the mirror. You could even DIY it by purchasing timber panels, some foam underlay and fabric.

Click here for a tutorial that’ll walk you through creating panels like this.

4. Tongue and Groove Paneling

Of all the bedroom feature wall ideas this is one of my faves. And it’s so at home in a Hamptons property. The image above is an absolute Hamptons dream come true, and I’m sure you’ll agree that the room just wouldn’t be the same if the walls were covered in just paint.

I’ve actually published an entirely separate showcase dedicated to tongue and groove wall panels. It’ll show you loads of different colours and ways to execute it, along with where you can buy them locally to install them yourself. I love them on a bedroom feature wall, but they also shine on a ceiling.

Oh, and if Hamptons style is your cup of tea, you gotta click here to check out my guide on the new way to achieve Hamptons style at your place. It’s definitely going in a more sophisticated direction in the years to come.

5. Wider Panels Run Horizontally

Now this is probably going to be the priciest option of all the bedroom feature wall ideas showcased here. You’ll need to engage the help of a joiner who’ll be able to measure and quote the wall in question and then produce the correct panels of joinery to your size and colour specifications.

Don’t let that put you off though! Some jobs are so ripe for DIY, while others are better left to the professionals.

Like the fabric panels already discussed, these timber panels are a look that will definitely give your room a hotel feel. I personally quite like a master bedroom design to feel high end, with a sense of sophistication. So, I’m fully on-board with giving panels like this a go. Would you do this on your room? Let me know further down in the comments.

6. Crown Moulding

I love the traditional feel crown mouldings bring to a room. And when it comes to bedroom feature wall ideas you can do yourself, this one’s a winner. That’s if you’re into a bit of DIY.

If you don’t mind getting in and giving it a go yourself, click here to get some tips on installing yourself. There’s also a roundup of wall moulding ideas from my girl crush Emily Henderson.

And on a side note, if you’re loving the look and feel of the darker master bedroom above, you can tour the entire home by clicking here. It’s a wonderfully moody Melbourne display home and I adore it.

7. Feature Wall? Feature Ceiling!

OK, so I know this showcase is all about feature wall ideas for bedrooms, but who says I can’t cheat a little? And you must let me because the idea above is just too divine not to include.

Sure, the wall itself is still painted a light grey, which we love. And it’s decked out with some gorgeous art, which we’re here for. But then get a load of the feature ceiling!

I love this idea in a larger bedroom where the ceiling is higher than the standard. Throw in a feature pendant light and you have yourself a killer boudoir you can be proud of!

8. Use a Window as a Feature

Now this is a feature wall idea not all of you will be up for. But I wanted to include it because I know many people stress about the idea of having a bed underneath a horizontal window, but you need not worry.

I love that the window in the bedroom above leads your eye to the garden outside. An architecture move like this blurs the lines between indoors and out and allows nature to become part of the internal scene.

Because of the height of the fence here, you could leave the window uncovered if you wanted to. Or you might opt for a roller blind or plantation shutter.

Either way, it’s nice to include a window in your feature wall. And who knows; this might inspire you to go and install a window above your bed. Go on, I give you full permission 😉

9. Timber Wallpaper

This one is my fave of all the bedroom feature wall ideas. It’s dark, it’s moody and it brings texture to the space. I’m smitten and I need some of it in my life immediately.

WoodWall is the name of this dreamy product. It’s a gorgeous pre-finished timber/wood paneling system, produced from architectural grade veneer. You can apply it directly to plaster or plasterboard with no requirement for any heavy substrate such as MDF. And it comes at less than half the cost of traditional veneered panelling.

You can source it through Elton Group, and it comes in loads of different colours. It’s a far better solution that just painting a black accent wall in the room.

10. Make your Headboard the Feature Moment

Again, I cheated a little here. This isn’t exactly a bedroom feature wall. But I wanted to draw your attention to how good an oversized headboard can be in a bedroom.

And if you think about it, the headboard acts as the one eye-catching focal point of the room. It becomes the feature moment. And given that it takes up a large portion of wall, I reckon you can let this one slide.

I love the way the brown leather brings richness, mood and warmth to this room. It’s very masculine and modern – perfect for decorating a guy’s bedroom with.

It’s exactly the kinda look I’d love to replicate in my own master bedroom. It’s the star of the show and then the subtle grey wall behind it becomes the supporting player in the space. I love it, i want it.

11. Bolder Peel and Stick Wallpaper

Want a feature wall that delivers visual interest without the years-long commitment? Then you need to look into peel and stick wallpaper, like the ones we’ve used from Grafico.

This style of paper – so easy to apply – let’s you experiment more with a pattern/print you might be dying to try but are scared you might regret (like the geometric pattern above). If you get tired of it after a while, simply peel it off your feature wall without doing any damage.

If you’re decorating a rental bedroom, this makeover solution is a must-try. Hello divine wall, and hello getting your bond back at the end of the lease!

12. Paint a Wall at Half-Height

This is such a great idea to bid a fond farewell to plain white walls. Well, 50% of them. By painting the lower half of the wall in the darkest shade and letting the lighter tone stay up top, you create a room that feels invigorating but not overwhelming.

This idea has been applied to the walls in the rest of the room as well, but you don’t have to follow this approach. You could do this with just the one wall behind the bed to create a striking pop of colour in just one zone.

Here’s some ideas on great green paint colours if the feature wall idea above has you smitten.

13. Crown Moulding and Three Quarter-Height Paint

Who said you couldn’t combine two bedroom feature wall ideas into one space? This bedroom has and it certainly gives a splash of colour to the wall behind the bed without committing to a full black wall.

Here the paint darker paint below has been taken higher up the wall, in a three-quarter to one-quarter ratio. It leaves a smaller strip of white paint above. I love the way the horizontal line runs behind the artwork in the space. It draws your eye to it.

This works well in a more traditional room, and has a more maximalist feel to it.

14. Full Curtain Bedroom Feature Wall

There are some bedrooms that force you to have your bed against the window. There’s just no way around it. Many people fret over this layout, but I love it. In fact, you can make it SO much better by fully committing to the concept and covering the entire wall in curtain.

How relaxing does that wall of fabric behind the bed look, extending well beyond either side of the bed? By keeping the curtains light in colour it contrasts perfectly against the darker rug. It would also look stunning with dark wood floors or if you had brick walls in the space that needed softening.

It pays to think outside the box when it comes to wall decor, and curtains are a perfect example of this.

15. Half-Height VJ Paneling

This is a bedroom feature wall idea straight from our Geelong Project Reveal. There are a lot more photos of this room in that post if you want more inspiration to execute a half-height VJ panel wall in your bedroom like this one.

Built out ever-so-slightly, you can see the wall has a small ledge on top. This allow you to bring photo or art frames in and out of the room as you please; creating a sort of ever-changing gallery wall.

I suggest you keep the paint matte here to ensure the room keeps a sense of serenity to it, and choose a bedside table/nightstand in a contrasting tone so bring some depth to the zone.

16. Rustic Timber Batten Wall

I’ve shown you rustic bedrooms on the blog before, so if you liked that post than this feature wall idea will be right up your alley. Consider this a modern accent wall (not for the traditionalists) that celebrates the raw and organic.

The application of this feature wall is different to VJ or Tongue & Groove paneling because the timber battens are wider and spaces a bit further apart. You can actually see sections of wall between each one.

You do need to be mindful of that, painting the wall behind in a colour that’s complimentary to the tone of the timber you’re laying over the top.

17. Wainscoting Feature Wall

Applying a wainscoting feature wall behind the head of the bed – especially when painted in a colour like this – is a great way to create a focal point in the room without it feeling too heavy.

That’s why this concept is a great one for a small space because you’re not looking at a tonne timber. It’s laid out in quite a minimal fashion. The other thing is, it doesn’t feel to old-school or modern. It’s a bedroom idea that merges the two and feels quite timeless.

Also feel free to cancel the art order you just placed, because this wall idea doesn’t need art over it; it feels rather refined and chic all on its own.

18. Wainscoting and Wallpaper

Like I said earlier, I love it when two feature wall ideas come together. And this is one that allows you to have a play with different colours, textured and patterns in your bedroom.

Now, I know this idea is shown above covering all the walls in the room, but trust me it’ll look just as good one the wall behind the bed if you don’t want to wrap it around the whole space.

Can I also say how much I like the vibe here? It’s giving the best of modern country in look and feel which is a huge home decor trend right now.

19. Painted Sections Feature Wall Mural

Channel your inner Picasso and get creative with this feature wall idea. It’s one that really allows your imagination to fun wild; creating a wall mural with different shapes and colours painted in sections behind the bed.

I’ll admit that this is not for the faint hearted, nor is it one I recommend you try if you don’t normally consider yourself an artistic type. But what an idea for those of you who are! The bright colours here are everything.

Here are some more ideas on painting effects like this one on the walls of your home.

20. Layered Timber and LED Lighting

Now this is absolutely one you need to get a professional to carry out for you, unless you consider yourself a DIY guru (which I am most definitely not).

Back-lighting the round timber disk that acts as a headboard in this bedroom is a genius idea. It not only calls your eye to the circular shape, but it gives this calm and serene room some mood lighting at night without the need for bedside lamps.

This whole space feels like an enveloping cocoon nook I want to crawl into and never leave. Of all the best bedroom accent wall ideas in this post, this one might be my fave. So Japandi!

21. Neon Sign Above The Bed

Now I know this is not covering the entire wall, as such, but I still think it’s such a divine bedroom feature wall idea. You get bright colours, you get a personalised message that means something to you, and you get to inject some fun and whimsy into your boudoir too.

If this is something you can’t imagine in your own bedroom, why not try it in a teenage boys bedroom, or above a bed in your teen girls room? Choose a phrase, slogan or even number that means something to them and you have a feature wall they’ll love for years to come.

Which is your fave of all the bedroom feature wall ideas here? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.