Our homes are a reflection of the choices and behaviours that accumulate over time. It’s a space where we can showcase our personalities, and that we can customise to accommodate our lifestyle choices and the life stage we are in. For example, in my house, we created a feature wall using washable wallpaper on the wall adjacent to the staircase. That is so that we can quickly wipe off the marks our kids leave when their grubby hands trail the wall as they take the corner running up the stairs.

We were able to create a welcoming focal point just opposite the main entrance door of our house for purely pragmatic reasons that have nothing to do with decor. Other just as valid reasons to create a feature wall includes highlighting interesting angles or spaces in the room, breaking the monotony of rooms painted in neutral colours, or to lend mood to a specifically enchanting or relaxing nook or corner.

I feel that the primary decision to get out of the way before choosing a material for a feature wall is to decide on whether you would like a pattern, a colour or a texture. Take that from a layperson. Wallpaper with big bold monochrome or colour patterns can liven up a space and encourage activity, while a textured natural stone wall can lend either a rustic, elegant or modern look and feel. If your budget is limited, you can even go bold with paint and add texture with artwork or ornaments.

When our kids are older, we may decide to cover our living area feature wall with natural stone. It’s quite a hefty investment to make compared to colour or wallpaper, that I am hesitant to do it right now lest my rumbustious boys, (one aged 9 and the other 11 ), chip a corner or cause a nick in a tile. In our situation, our living room feature wall abuts the build up stairwell. My heart is set on travertine wall cladding to get that ancient, weather beaten, Mediterranean look.

My advice for people considering a feature or accent wall is to first take a serious look at the not so fun but practical aspects. Will the area get any splatter, is it a popular place for little or adult hands to trail along the wall and what is the function of the space. It’s also important to take into consideration the existing colours, textures and patterns in the room.