The Feature Wall Comeback

Feature walls are fabulous whether it's simply a different shade of paint or a wall of sumptuous flocked wallpaper, textured coconut shells, even a feature mosaic.

Feature walls are back on trend with many new options and can be as bold or as subtle as you like. Lindy Evans from Windemere Interiors, says even though feature walls are made to stand out, you still need to tie parts of it to the theme of the space or home. "The feature wall may have elements that tie in with the colour theme of the room, or decorating elements, such as cushions or lamps may tie in with the feature wall. Ensuring all these elements work together will make the space more harmonious."

There are many new ideas and options for feature walls. Timber walls, textured wallpaper, painted patterns, tiles, picture printed wallpaper and mosaics are just a few ideas. There is a big trend in colour blocking at the moment (similar to fashion), where two or three adjoining walls are painted or finished in the same colour, creating a block of colour rather than small individual walls.

It is important not to overwhelm the space though, particularly if the feature wall is quite bold. Ensure the other decoration in the space complements rather than competes with the feature wall.


Inspiration Gallery

Mirrored wall feature in the bedroom

A burnt orange feature wall ties in with the retro theme of this media lounge

This mosaic feature wall adds impact to this family bathroom

A wallpaper feature wall makes a dramatic backdrop for the bed

Bespoke wallpaper by designer Andrew Martin

A truly unique wallpaper feature by designer Andrew Martin

Wallpaper feature by Andrew Martin adds a vintage feel

Shimmery wallpaper feature adds a touch of glitz and glamour to this bedroom

Contrasting lime wallpaper wall feature adds impact to this urban themed bedroom

Bamboo and tile feature makes a dramatic entrance to this Asian inspired home

A feature wall entrance ties in with the tropical resort theme of this home

A feature wall of coconut shells add a unique touch to this outdoor room

Touches of bronze from this wallpaper tie in with the bronze tones in the rest of the space

Sumptuous flocked wallpaper adds a touch of 1940s glamour to this space

This checkered wallpaper adds impact to this entrance space

Tiled wall feature entrance

Meet the Designer - Carly Gilmore

Surrounded by gorgeous fabrics from her dressmaker grandmother, Carly Gilmore was always destined for a life in design and textiles.

A love of fashion and genuine passion for vintage fabrics and furnishings led to a niche in design and architecture. After completing a Diploma of Interior Design, as an interior designer and property stylist, Carly's unique style blends vintage and special pieces with the contemporary and modern for an eclectic look. 

Rather than discard a client’s prized possessions and personal history in favour of trendy pieces, Carly typically reinvents or repurposes things. “I often tell my clients that creating a beautiful home filled and layered with special things takes a lot of time, it’s not something that can be created overnight”. 

The challenge is something she enjoys. Whether it's creating a St Tropez inspired bar in Melbourne or a homely interior for a cottage, she draws great satisfaction from creating spaces with meaning. "Interior Design ultimately is about creating a feeling, about memorable spaces. It is the culmination of many things, the material, the colour, the ambience, the light.”

Carly's one tip is to recycle and redesign to add new life while still keeping meaning and personality to a space. "Don't be afraid to mix vintage and contemporary pieces together. It will be a unique and special space."

Interiors Theme - Resort Living

An upmarket resort is the inspiration for this relaxed and casual interior by Windemere Interiors. A calm, subdued palette of cream, chocolate and taupe are highlighted with tropical hues of olive and mustard. Furnishings of warm timber, and natural fabrics of linen and cotton add texture for an interesting, but relaxing interior.

Designed by Lindy Evans, the interior is highlighted by a number of unique feature walls. "We've created interest and texture on the walls and kept with the neutral colour palette and natural materials as inspired by resort style living. The entrance features a timber wall and the hallway a unique check tiled wall. The fabulous sunken outdoor lounge has a feature wall of coconut shells creating a tropical resort style feel."

To recreate this look at home, start with a canvas of neutral colours and layer with natural textures and fibres such as timber, raw cotton and canvas. Use subtle, but natural colours such as khaki and brick to add  highlights.

Windemere Renovation Profile - Revive and Rejuvenate

Relaxing on the lounge in the midst of her spacious family home, Sandy looks around and remarks on the recently completed renovations, “Perfect! Everything now has a space and function and it looks and feels fresh and modern. I just love everything about it”.

Located on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast, this is home for Sandy and her husband Phil and their five children.

With a busy printing business and growing family, Sandy and Phil decided to renovate, rather than move, when the home started looking tired and needed repairs. “We really love the neighbourhood and wanted to stay here, but we have a large home and to find a replacement in the same area would have been near impossible. The house needed some sprucing up and repairs, but it was still more viable to renovate than move,” said Sandy.

The couple sought the help of Lindy Evans from Windemere Interior Design to manage and design the renovation project. With firm ideas about the outcome she wanted from the project, Sandy left it to Lindy to interpret these and make them a reality.

“Overall, I wanted a very clean, light feel that was contemporary and modern. We needed to accommodate the storage and study needs of our five children, who range in age from five through to 20, and redesign my home office, which lacked organisation and storage. I had a strict budget which was to include design, building and decoration,” said Sandy.

Interior Designer Lindy Evans said that while the layout and size of the home was a great canvas to work with, the cabinetry needed redesigning to maximise storage and work space, with a colour scheme to flow throughout home.

Kitchen Before	Lounge Room Before

Lindy said, “There is an abundance of space and natural light, but there was a multiple colour scheme of lime green, blue, lavender and salmon which was outdated and made the home feel dark and pokey. The lack of built in storage created clutter on bench tops and work surfaces.”

Working with a neutral palette of white, cream and taupe, Lindy designed a colour scheme that was light and fresh, and flowed throughout the entire home.

“The new colours dramatically lightened the space and created a seamless flow between the rooms,” said Lindy, “and the neutral colours gave us the opportunity to add texture and interest through furnishings and decoration without looking over the top.”

Kitchen After

To address the storage and workspace issues, the kitchen, bathroom and home office were completely gutted and redesigned with inbuilt storage. After shifting the desk and computer from the kitchen, the cabinetry could now span the entire length of one wall, with overhead cupboards, drawers and cabinets providing ample storage and bench space.

The Study Nook

A study nook housed the computer while an extra inwall cupboard gave extra storage. The new space was clean, practical and functional.

The bathroom was given a complete makeover with new tiles, tapware, semi frameless shower recess and full height mirror. Using the home’s new colour scheme, the new space appeared much larger, while new cabinetry provided storage for the family’s towels and bathroom supplies.

Sandy’s work space in the home office, where she runs much of the family business, previously existed of just two bookshelves and a desk. The dark salmon colour of the office made the space seem dark and pokey, while the lack of storage and work space left the area looking cluttered and untidy.

The new design featured cabinetry and bench space that spanned the full length of both walls, creating a galley style space with ample storage and workspace that was functional, uncluttered, light and fresh. The inbuilt storage provides much more space and the entire area is now functional and stylish.

Home Office After

The renovations were carried out by DesignBuild Homes, who specialise in the full project management of renovations. Both Windemere Interior Design and DesignBuild Homes are part of the Home Expert Group, and work extensively together on renovation projects.

Sandy said having the entire process managed made the experience much more enjoyable. “Windemere really listened to our requests and took on board our requirements. They adhered to the budget and presented their proposal professionally as a whole package. I am amazed at their insight and ability to perceive the end result. They were reassuring and approachable throughout the whole project. Every small detail was taken care of during the renovating stage. While we moved out, they even took care of the cat!”

Lounge Room After	Master Bedroom After
Children's Bedroom After	Main Bathroom After

With such a dramatic makeover, the family are enjoying living in what feels like a completely new home and Sandy says the renovations have changed their everyday lives. “I’m loving all of it,” she said, “Each area has a specific purpose and function which I use on a daily basis. I love the natural colours as they are versatile and fresh yet stylish and clean. It is exactly what I asked for and I’m delighted with the end result.”