How to Create a Cheap & Easy Hand-Painted Accent Wall

1. Fill in the cracks

Fill in any cracks or holes in the wall with filler. Wait for it to dry, then sand it down before doing any painting.

To test out how it looks on the wall, I used Photoshop and try out different patterns and colors.

What if you don’t know how to use Photoshop? Well, I have an old-school hack for you: take a photo of your space, then cut out the wall area. Then, you can hold up the photo to your computer to see what the different designs might look like, You can also just take this photo to the paint store as a reference.

3. Paint the wall

Now that we’ve decided what to do, let’s talk technique. You should always use the exact same amount of pressure on the brush to have a consistent design.

I decided that I wanted shapes with rounded ends, which would make the pattern more feminine and more delicate. So, when I get to the bottom of the shape, I turn the brush around on itself and go back up. This gives a rounded effect and it's so pretty; it almost looks like a stamp instead of a drawing.

For round shapes, pivot your elbow to get a cleaner circle.

4. Paint other sections the same color

For a cohesive look, paint other things in the room in the same color used on a patterned accent wall. Apply painter’s tape to the edges, go around the corners with a small brush first, then fill in the rest with a roller.

If you have a darker color underneath, as I do, you may need more than one coat of paint.

Hand-painted accent wall

Here’s the finished hand-painted accent wall! What do you think? I love the vibrant, playful design, and the pop of color. Plus, this was fun to do and easy to create. Let me know what you think of this DIY accent wall and share your own accent wall paint pattern ideas in the comments below.