Feature walls using furniture and vintage clocks. Left, design by Baxter.Right, design by Diego Correa
I had my haircut done yesterday.
Yes, I understand this is not a very useful piece of information for you but what I saw in the barber’s place is something I have been witnessing for a while now. I’m sure you have too.
It just hit me. Enough is enough, right?
It was the feature wall.
The feature wall by itself was even lovely… but it was the only lovely piece of deco in the salon, everything else had no importance or beauty.
What is worse, the detailing between the feature wall and the other walls by its side display a completely lack of craftsmanship.
The poor wall has the huge responsibility of saving the place.
This situation explained what is happening in many showrooms, offices, homes, hotels, etc:
Feature walls have become the “panacea” for making rooms “interesting”.
Or at least that is the intention.
The careless use of feature walls is back firing at some situations as it is becoming a serious thread for achieving beautiful, elegant and harmonious interiors.
It is absolutely correct that the idea of a feature wall is to draw the attention to a specific point, the chosen wall.
You can do this in many, many ways, some of them even horrible, abominable I would say.
So the point is not certainly just to draw the attention.
Feature walls using panels in wood/fabric and stone/art. Left, design by Emanuel Ungaro. Right, design by Gian Franco Ferre.
The point is creating a focal point, a reference that makes everything else be beautiful and why not even sublime.
Feature walls should be the expression of the crescendo of a great composition.
It needs to be connected to the other surfaces, to the furniture, to the lighting, etc.
In that case the feature wall is being supported by the whole interiors; it is explained thanks to it.
It makes sense.
Feature walls are about the surface of the wall, so it can be:
Colour, wallpaper, art, graphic art, stone, a collage, mosaic, concrete panels, ceramic tiles, reclaimed wood, glass, light, leather,water, fabrics, etc.
In London we just had the Surface Show, a great place to find some inspiration.
The possibilities are endless.
I insist, first make sure there is a connection, a concept, an idea that justifies it and connects it with the rest of the space and second pay special attention to the detailing not just of the feature wall itself but that of the line that separates it from the other walls, floor and ceiling.
The beauty that the outcome can give you is worth the effort.
Feature wall using glass mosaic; design by Diego Correa
