Transform any room in your home with a feature wall

05 Mar 2026

If you feel like your home is looking a little flat, or maybe you’re just tired of seeing the same old colour on each wall, then a feature wall might be just what you need for a quick, cost-effective refresh.

Feature walls can add visual interest and depth to a space, creating a focal point and enhancing the overall style of any room. With thousands of Resene paint colours and a large Resene wallpaper collection to choose from, feature walls can also be a great way to express your creativity. 

Living room feature wall panels, from Prime Panels, painted in Resene Stonewall. Project by Yellowfox, image by Ben Parry.

Living room mural painted in Resene Fast Forward, Warrior, Merlot, Coral Tree, Bonanza, Pizza and Apache. Project by Alisha Roff, Revive Building.

Resene Pip Studio Wallpaper Collection 333160.

Resene Brand McKenzie Wallpaper Collection BMTD00110C.

Living room feature wall in Resene Kelp, surrounding walls in Merino. Project by Spacecraft Architects, image by David Straight.

Feature wall tips:

• Feature walls can work well in open-plan spaces or smaller apartments where you want to zone off a particular area, like a living room or reading nook.
• To ensure a cohesive look throughout your room, try to pick a few colours and stick to that palette throughout. If you’re using a wallpaper, choose a colour from within this for surrounding walls, or if you’re feature wall is painted, add pops of this same colour within the room on furniture and accessories. 
• If you’re unsure about where to start when designing a space, make a moodboard online of images, or in person by gathering samples of Resene paint cards, wallpapers and décor, and seeing how these all work together before getting started.
• See tips and advice on how to hang wallpaper, and for more inspiration browse the habitat plus – wallpaper booklet.
• If you’re painting your own wall mural, always test both your design and colour palette on a large piece of card to get a good idea of how the pattern, scale and colours will work before you start painting the wall.
• Choose the right paint for the job. The best option for walls in bedrooms and living rooms is Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen for its durable and easy clean qualities and subtle finish. However, if you really want to highlight a specific feature or bright colour, you might like to try a semi-gloss or gloss finish – just be aware if you use this on the full wall it can highlight imperfections.

Published: 05 Mar 2026