This is week 3 of the One Room Challenge, and today I’m going to show you how I created a polka dot accent wall in our master bedroom. If you’re new here, this is my plan for our master bedroom makeover
Last week I mentioned that I was going to share with you how I reupholstered our bed. However, I did not work on that this week. I was having some second thoughts about the fabric I chose. After I bought it and brought it home, it just felt too busy and wasn’t quite the look I was going for.
But I think I’ve figured out a solution to the fabric situation, and if all goes according to plan I will be sharing our bed makeover next week.
So instead of working on the bed, this week I worked on an inexpensive accent wall using white polka dot wall decals.
The To-Do List
Finish installing some remaining pieces of trimCaulk, fill nails holes, and do two coats of paint on the trim and doors- Install one last pocket door hardware
Create an inexpensive accent wall- Makeover some yard sale bedside tables
- Upholster the bed
- Add some art to the walls
- Develop a better system to reduce clutter
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Why did I choose polka dot decals?
There are a few options for an accent wall that I considered before deciding on polka dots decals. They are, with the reasons I decided against them:
- Wallpaper – very beautiful, but way too expensive. This would have been my top choice, but it wasn’t in the budget
- Solid color painted wall – While paint is inexpensive, I’m sick of painting, so I really didn’t feel like it.
- Painted stripes using Frogtape – looks great, but I’ve done that before (here, here, and here) and wanted to try something else. And plus, I’m tired of painting.
- Wood plank wall – I probably would have needed Tony’s help, and he has enough going on that whatever I chose had to be all on me.
- Vinyl decals – cheap, easy, removable = perfect accent wall
So that’s how I landed on vinyl polka dots wall decals. I bought 1 inch white polka dots on Etsy. I spent less than $30, but the cost will depend on your pattern and how many dots you will need.
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Make a plan for your polka dot accent wall
Figure out where the focal point of your wall is. For our master bedroom, I felt the most important area was above the window. I planned the first dot to be in the center of the window, centered between the window and the ceiling.
You can do some fancy math to determine the best spacing for your dots, but I just did what I thought looked good. For this first wave of dots, they are all spaced 8 inches apart vertically and horizontally.
First Row is the most important
Make sure you use a level when you place your first row of dots. I measured all the other dots off the top row, so if the first row is not perfectly straight, all the other dots will be slightly off.
Creating a polka dot accent wall
After I finished the top row, I created vertical lines by placing the dots every 8 inches.
Every now and then I checked the horizontal lines just to make sure they were level too.
Then just keep going until you’ve filled the whole wall!
I don’t always know where to stop, so I added more dots in the center of each square.
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And then I ran out of dots, so that’s how I left it for now!
Opinions please!
What do you think? Do you like my original design with less dots…
or with more dots?
Next week I’ll be working on the bed, plus starting to work on the bedside tables. I’ve finally decided on a color for the tables, so stay tuned!
Back to the One Room Challenge Linkup
lidialidiaca says
October 19, 2017 at 8:57 pmI LOVE POLKA DOTS!!! I think it looks perfect as is!
jessvanderveen@gmail.com says
October 23, 2017 at 2:37 pmThanks Lidia!
Darrell Dempsey says
December 20, 2018 at 9:25 amI’m not sure about a polka dot walls. At my age I get floaters in my eye as it is. (Smerk) good idea!
Ola Broom says
October 19, 2017 at 9:05 pmI love this look Jessica. Once you get the fabric on the headboard, you can decide if you want more polka dots (the snowflake look), or fewer polka dots (the structured look). BOTH styles are beautiful and a smart choice.
northcountrynest21 says
October 20, 2017 at 5:51 amOh my goodness, this is so fun! I love polkadots and that you’ve chosen this as an accent wall! Can’t wait to see the upholstered bed fabric you chose against this wall!
Best,
Kelly
Cheryl says
October 20, 2017 at 9:27 amLove the look with the dots in the center. It seems to soften it and finish it somehow. Great job!
Laurie @ VinYet Etc. says
October 20, 2017 at 9:57 amAmazing feature wall, I love the polka dots! I think the decision will all come down to balance, once some of the other elements get added to your room you will be better able to determine how much is too much. As is, it looks wonderful.
heyfitzy says
October 20, 2017 at 10:58 amI am with ya! Decals are truly the way to go! Super easy and for me…less time and commitment. In fact, I just put star decals in my daughter’s room. When I get tired of them in a couple years we can just peel them off. No crazy sanding involved!
Sim Wierdsma says
October 20, 2017 at 11:12 amlove the look … so creative
jessvanderveen@gmail.com says
October 23, 2017 at 2:36 pmThanks mom!
Mary Hunnicutt says
October 20, 2017 at 1:04 pmI love the polka dot wall and I vote for the more dots the better!
Lindsey says
October 20, 2017 at 1:16 pmMore dots!!
jessvanderveen@gmail.com says
October 23, 2017 at 2:36 pmThat seems to be what everyone is saying!
Kristen says
October 20, 2017 at 3:10 pmBoth are great – but I like more dots! Such a great idea – the room is really coming along 🙂
jessvanderveen@gmail.com says
October 23, 2017 at 2:35 pmThank you!
Lindsay says
October 20, 2017 at 10:00 pmI love it! Smart alternative to wallpaper! I think I like the original with less dots but both look great!
Jolene says
October 21, 2017 at 11:59 amI love the design with more dots! Great job, I think it’s already done wonders for the room! So creative.
jessvanderveen@gmail.com says
October 23, 2017 at 2:35 pmThanks Jolene!
Kat says
October 23, 2017 at 9:31 amI also like the design with more dots, I think because of how the addition of the extra dots rotates the grid by 45 degrees, which somehow makes it feel less rigid and more expansive. Either way, it’s fun!
And if I had a dollar for every time I changed a design decision mid-stream… Sometimes things just look so different in the real world compared to the vision in our heads! Looking forward to seeing the fabric you ended up choosing. 🙂
Colette @ restyle it wright says
October 23, 2017 at 9:50 amI like it with the extra dots you added! Makes it seem less ‘perfect’ and more random!
Jessica | Petal + Ply says
October 23, 2017 at 10:42 pmSuper cute!! I like the “more dots” pattern!
Lindi Vanderschaaf says
October 25, 2017 at 12:41 amLove the look of that polkadot wall! I don’t know if I wouldn’t picked it for myself, but now I might! lol.
vrmm26 says
October 25, 2017 at 8:22 amLOVE anything polka dots! Great patience on lining on those dots perfectly. Looks great.
Habiba says
October 25, 2017 at 1:49 pmIt took me a while to get that you didn’t paint these dots, lol. I’ve never heard of this technique before and I must say I am intrigued. But I won’t be able to make an accent wall like this as I have popcorn wall…but maybe a chest of drawers can be accented like this?!
Carrie @ Carrie's Home Cooking says
October 25, 2017 at 2:50 pmI love this for an accent wall! I am going to have to show this to my daughter. We are re-doing her bedroom for her 15th birthday and this is so cute! We just started the Whisk It Wednesday link party and I thought you might be interested in sharing there too! Thanks, Carrie
Ariel says
October 25, 2017 at 10:09 pmI love the polka dots! I want to do this on a wall now. Thanks for the tutorial!
Sheri K. says
October 26, 2017 at 3:38 pmJessica, this is so amazing! Thanks so much for joining us at the To Grandma’s House We Go link party. Your link has been pinned! Please join us again next Wednesday! Cheers!
STEPHANIE ABBOTT says
October 31, 2017 at 4:42 pmLooks so pretty, Jessica! You deserve a medal for patience after that, but so worth it! Thanks for sharing with our link party!
UncommonSensesc says
December 19, 2017 at 9:07 amI like your second version – the one where you put the dots in the middle of the square. Both are nice but the second one just has a little more pizzazz! Great job – do you remember the wall paint color?
CC says
December 19, 2017 at 9:27 amAwesome! What is the color of your painted walls
jessvanderveen@gmail.com says
December 21, 2017 at 3:26 pmThe paint color is Benjamin Moore Grey Owl
Diena Cameron says
June 3, 2018 at 6:49 pmHi Jess, I love your wall !! Definitely the the finished wall with more dots is the best. They look random and not so perfectly square. I feel like the “less” look is more modern and the “more” look is more traditional. ( If that makes any sense to everyone , lol ) I too, love the wall color and have been looking for the perfect grey shade and I finally think I have found it, thanks to you ! Thanks so much for sharing.