Easy Modern Accent Wall DIY with Metallic Paint

Learn how to paint a metallic accent wall DIY using only paint for a modern accent wall that is easy to update a blank wall. Add an easy budget friendly accent.

This post is part of a campaign with Modern Masters and LooksiSquare.  I was provided with materials for my projects, but all opinions are entirely my own.

How to paint a metallic accent wall (the easy way)!

When we moved into our house a couple of years ago everything was a freshly painted beige. Which isn’t bad, but it just lacks a little bit of character. I decided that I wanted to paint some of the house, which was a little crazy, because the house had all just been painted. So I’ve held off, until I found Modern Masters metallic paints. You know I’m a sucker for glitter and anything shiny so this was the perfect paint for me. Just look at all these beautiful colors.

I knew that this would work perfect for a small alcove in my bathroom. Next, I knew I wanted to paint it with something fun yet, still neutral. I was drawn to the dark paint colors. The bathroom has lots of browns with touches of baby blue. I went with the Statuary Bronze color. It is so rich it looks like chocolate!

Supplies you will need:

First things first, you will need a few different supplies to paint walls with a metallic accent wall final design:

• Metallic Paint (the amount of paint you will need will depend on the size of your wall, read the product descriptions when ordering)
• Extender for Rolling
• Metallic Paint Roller
• Painter’s tape
• small foam paint roller with 1/2 inch nap
• good paint brush for corners
• Master Clear Protective Coating

Let’s take a look at the before. I made this photo real because my vanity was a little messy, but hopefully painting my little nook will help me keep it cleaner (right) and add visual interest at the same time. I hope this easy DIY will inspire you to add something new to your home too in a budget-friendly way to reflect your personal style.

Now to get rid of boring walls and add a focal point with a DIY accent wall, no wood boards, nail gun or brad nailer required to achieve this smooth finish (the best way to me is the sometimes the easiest)! Sometimes it is fun to add a different color into a room using an accent wall or area.

I choose my vanity nook because it was small enough that I could add something bold to my bathroom. This same principle can be used by adding a bright metallic accent wall in a living room, home office, kitchen or master bedroom. It is a great way to add something funky and fun without having to overdo it.

How to paint an accent wall:

Let me walk you through the steps to paint an entire wall for a great option for an accent wall.

Tape and prepare: Make sure you’ve gathered your supplies needed. Tape off the ceiling and walls, remove any light switches or electrical outlet covers. I probably should have taped my entire baseboards at the bottom of the wall and ceilings because I’m a messy painter and had to do a bit of touching up afterwards. Taping is important because it leaves nice clean lines. 

Prime the entire wall: Start with a great primer. I used Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Water-Based Primer for Interior & Exterior. Make sure to use an acrylic (water-based) primer for these awesome metallic paints. This coat doesn’t have to be perfect, just get it on the walls. Not using the right primer can leave the metallic paint with different results that expected, so don’t skip this step.

Let Dry: Make sure to let paint dry long enough between coats (it will normally say dry time on the cans). I waited overnight for the primer to dry. In between coats of the metallic paint wait 4 to 6 hours.

Painting Wall Color: The next step is the fun part, the metallic paint.  Be sure to mix it up really well. I shook mine and then stirred it with a paint stick. Add Modern Masters Extender for rolling. Do this in a bucket or right in the paint pan. This makes rolling a whole lot easier. It allows it to not dry as fast so that the paint goes on nice.

Cut In: Cut in (that means do the edges and corners) with a small roller with 1/2 inch nap. This will mimic the roller that is used for applying the metallic paint. 

Roll Walls: Paint a thin coat using the metallic roller (this roller is a little different than normal rollers and helps to set the metallic properties while painting). Start the roller at the top and back roll down the length of the wall toward the floor in small sections at a time. Repeat moving along the wall. Do not paint in the usual normally “V” shaped pattern that is used on interior walls. The metallic properties of the paint work best when rolled from top to bottom in a straight line using a back roll (roll the roller toward you).

Touch Up: Touch up corners, near the baseboards and near the ceiling with the paint brush going in a similar method as with the roller. I’m so messy, that this is what happens when I paint in the corners.

Allow to Dry: Let the paint dry and repeat the previous two steps until the wall is covered. Mine took three coats.

Last Touch Ups: Touch up baseboards and ceilings while tape is still in place.

Clear Protective Coat: Protect the beautiful metallic paint with Master Clear, by applying with a roller. This will help protect the paint.

Remove Tape: Remove the painters tape as soon as the last coat has been painted. Remove while the paint is still wet. This helps to remove the tape with nice clean lines. After the paint has dried, add the finishing touches by replacing outlet and light switch covers.

Can you see how gorgeous this rich metallic brown is. It says modern neutral to me. I love how warm and beautiful this smooth surface with metallic properties adds to my bathroom. A bold statement for sure! 

The bold color contrasts so greatly with the beige and the tile in the perfect way for a stunning accent wall. I might finish it up by adding wall art to the center of the wall. This is a great way to avoid power tools but still make an easy project for a fresh accent wall. 

I even had a little extra paint and made this pearly white towel or jewelry rack. Tutorial here. Isn’t it so eclectic and gorgeous? This might just be exactly what I need to hang in my bathroom nook, what do you think? Good idea?

More DIY Tutorials to Try: 

• Crate Bookshelf
• Striped Accent Wall
• DIY Message Board
• DIY Magnetic Board

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