I’m not usually a fan of the “accent wall” – a distasteful, ’80s term to begin with. I think that people who fear color sometimes think an accent wall is a good alternative to painting an entire room. It usually isn’t.
Done thoughtfully and with restraint, however, articulating a single wall with a different color can be an effective strategy to define space and add visual interest. For example, this orange wall anchors the living area in an open-plan apartment. The orange (Benjamin Moore 2168-20 Pumpkin Cream) has a lot of black in it, which helps tone it down against the light grey walls (Benj. Moore 1591 Sterling) surrounding it.