'I am not an advocate for accent walls' – here's why Shea McGee isn't a fan of this once-popular wall decor

There's no denying that decorating with wallpaper is one of the most effective ways to add character to your home. Often, wallpaper can be what's needed to tie together a room's color scheme and boost appeal through a textured, layered look.

However, there's often one question faced when incorporating wallpaper into a room, and that's how much – or how little – to use. The debate about the accent wall has long prevailed, and interior designer Shea McGee has made clear her views on the topic.

In a recent video shared to the Studio McGee Instagram, Shea explains that she's not a fan of accent walls, and shares alternative decor ideas she prefers when decorating with wallpaper.

'For me and my clients, I am not an advocate for accent walls,' begins Shea. 'I think that they look a little bit less expensive and I also just think that you need to dive in fully to your wallpaper look and have it be an immersive experience.'

Beyond wallpaper, this view goes hand in hand with paint ideas. This year, we've seen so much appeal for color-drenching ideas, where a paint color is used continually throughout a room, avoiding any breaks. Similarly, when it comes to wallpaper, accent walls can risk appearing outdated.

Given, one reason why accent walls are adopted is that colorful or patterned wallpaper could risk overwhelming a room and so using it across one wall only can seem more liveable. However, according to Shea, there are other creative ways to decorate with wallpaper that will ensure a more modern and cohesive look.

'If you have a wall space that is just really large, then instead of doing one wall, break up your wall...' the designer continues. 'Add paneling and then just do the wallpaper above, or maybe you even just do it only on the ceiling.'

'There are things that you can do to break it up instead of just putting a few rolls of wallpaper on one wall in your room.'

As Shea explains, wall paneling ideas can go hand in hand with wallpaper. In this bathroom, for example, dark blue paneling is used on the lower half of the walls, and the Graham & Brown wallpaper on the upper half. This creates a liveable scheme, ensuring the room isn't overwhelmed with patterns, while the cohesive colors ensure a tied-together look.

Similarly, using wallpaper on the ceiling will create a contemporary and unexpected look. In this bedroom, a bold green striped wallpaper features on the ceiling and lower section of the walls, while the majority of the walls are painted white. While a wallpaper as bold as this would quickly create a dark and intense color scheme if used across all the walls, this approach cleverly ensures a light and airy feel, while still benefiting from the playfully patterned wallpaper.

Wallpaper is a timeless decorating choice, but take stock of Shea's approach for a result that aligns with the current design trends. Get creative with your decor ideas and consider ways to incorporate your favorite wallpaper beyond just one accent wall, whether that's in a cozy living room or sophisticated dining room.

Below, we've rounded up some of our favorite wallpapers for you to shop, perfect for adding interest through patterns to your home.

Looking for some more inspiration? We've rounded up the wallpaper trends of the year, ranging from maximalist designs to wall murals.