13 Bold Accent Walls You Can DIY for $100 (or Less!)

updated Jun 9, 2020
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Credit: Kate Dreyer

If all four walls in your home office, bedroom, or living room seem to blend together, consider an accent wall. It’s an easy way to add color, texture, and personality to a room without the stress or effort of tackling an endless DIY project, or spending hundreds of dollars. A coat of bold paint will do the trick, and so will a wall full of beautiful removable wallpaper. But the ideas don’t stop there! There are plenty of budget-friendly ways to turn a single wall into a work of art. Here, some of the best under-$100 accent walls we’ve seen.

1. Textured shim wall

An inexpensive hardware store item brings this textured wall to life for just about $90. And though it looks intricate, the homeowner who DIYed it insists it’s an easy technique (but certainly an exercise in patience!).

2. Brushstroke wall

To mimic a playful wallpaper, Jessica of My Style Vita employed a few different sizes and shapes of paint brushes. Using bright blue paint over a white background, she filled the wall with free-handed brushstrokes of different sizes.

Credit: Ashley Rose

3. Geometric painted wall

In effort to make a big white wall a little more visually interesting, Ashley Rose, the blogger behind Sugar and Cloth, used a level and an angled paint brush to create clusters of lines that create a pretty, modern pattern. It’s a great option for anyone who loves the brushstroke wall, but wants a speedier project.

Credit: Just a Girl

4. Corkboard wall

This corkboard wall from Just a Girl is easy to hand and a great option for a home office or kitchen nook—think grocery lists, vision boards, or kids’ artwork. Cork also has the benefit of providing some natural soundproofing, which makes this an especially good pick for a rental.

5. Mid-century-inspired “terrazzo” wall

This colorful and on-trend accent wall cost the DIYer no money (she used supplies already in her craft stash), but you could replicate it for just the cost of a few rolls of contact paper. It’s not hard, either—simply cut and paste to your liking, adjusting until you get the desired result.

6. Reclaimed wood wall

Instead of leaving found wood as-is for the more traditional look, blogger Jenna painted her reclaimed wood a distressed white for a farmhouse look that would make Joanna Gaines proud.

7. Herringbone wall

To break up the monotony of an all-neutral space, Michelle Cannon Smith, the blogger behind Iron and Twine nailed small natural cedar boards to the wall in a chevron pattern. She left hers unfinished, but you could paint or stain yours for a bolder look.

8. Chalkboard wall

A simple coat of chalkboard paint, as seen on Busy Military Mom, is an easy and affordable way to add wow factor to a kids’ room or play space. It’s also a great option for home offices and kitchens—think a space for to-do lists, family calendars, or grocery needs.

Credit: Kate Dreyer

9. Dalmatian-style spotted paint

This homeowner used a stencil and some black paint to create a bold pattern that looks just like pricier wallpaper.

Credit: Angie Scheer

10. Free-handed spots

This homeowner had a similar idea, but free-handed her spots for a more whimsical, free-wheeling style. She used a paint pen, but you could get the look with a small paint brush.

11. Scalloped wood accent wall

To keep costs down, Mallory of Classy Clutter made her own stencil with cardboard and outlined each scalloped piece with a marker on the wall. Once she was satisfied with her design, she cut quarter-inch plywood panels and hung them using mounting tape.

12. Mountain mural wall

This painted mural from Henro Company is a real work of art, but requires minimal supplies—just paint and a brush—and no more artistic skills than a steady hand and attention to detail.