7 Gorgeous Accent Wall Ideas From Joanna Gaines You'll Want To Recreate

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Joanna Gaines isn't just the queen of shiplap, she also knows a thing or two about creating gorgeous accent walls using unexpected materials and techniques. The designer once used a dry stacked artisanal checkerboard tile to make a "Mini Reni" breakfast nook stand out, she covered a living room wall in exposed exterior stone on "Fixer Upper: Welcome Home," and there are plenty of premium wallpaper designs to choose from in her collection for Magnolia Home. These materials are definitely eye-catching, but they can be prohibitively expensive for many homeowners, so we searched high and low to find affordable accent wall ideas you can easily recreate even if you're on a budget.

Of course, no list of Joanna Gaines decor ideas is complete without shiplap, the simple material the Waco-based maven turned into a must-have farmhouse decor element without really meaning to. There are some very creative ideas from her Magnolia Market and Hotel 1928 that work just as well in a private home. We also looked to Gaines' first design book for inspiration. But it was watching clip after clip of her binge-worthy shows that proved there are plenty of inexpensive ways to use reclaimed materials, basic woodwork, and inexpensive items to create a gorgeous accent wall of your own.

During Season 2, Episode 7 of "First Time Fixer," Joanna Gaines guided a newlywed couple through a mostly DIY renovation of their 1930s cottage. To save on budget and embrace original materials, the team found a way to repurpose raw shiplap to make the kitchen shine. To keep it from looking too farmhouse, the couple added contrasting features including marble slab countertops and modern black cabinetry. Gaines became known for her creative shiplap use during her "Fixer Upper" days, when she would frequently find it behind existing walls. The rustically collected and curated look is still going strong in 2026.

Eagle-eyed fans will notice shiplap's cousin, beadboard, pop up in several Joanna Gaines-designed spaces. From the quiet, creamy backdrop for the Magnolia Cottage Collection to the rich, navy beadboard accent wall spotted during Season 1, Episode 3 of "First Time Fixer," the look is surprisingly easy to recreate in your own home. You can find relatively inexpensive sheets of beadboard paneling or even Faux Beadboard Peel-And-Stick Wallpaper at Home Depot. After carefully hanging it on your accent wall, consider coating it with one of the Magnolia Home paint colors personally curated by Gaines herself. 

If you want to get the Joanna Gaines "Fixer Upper" look, it's hard to imagine better inspiration than her incredible herbarium. During an interview with GMA, Gaines explained her decision to use simple wooden trim and paint to dramatically improve a basic shed; an affordable design idea you can easily borrow. "I left the plywood because I didn't want to spend the money on the drywall. So you see this is painted plywood, and then I just added this little bit of trim to bring a little dimension to it, just to make it feel a little more refined. It can be imperfect and still be really cool."

In her book, "Homebody: A Guide To Creating Spaces You Never Want To Leave," Joanna Gaines wrote about a method for creating sophisticated accent walls in kids spaces. "All that this homeowner's daughter wanted was a rainbow room. Rather than taking that literally, I softened the typical rainbow color palette with a paint-washed ombre accent wall in multiple shades of pink, blue, and yellow," Gaines explained. Whether you follow her lead by using multiple colors or you tint leftover white paint to achieve a monochromatic look, painting is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to create an accent wall that makes a statement.

"I love plants. We all love plants. Plants!" Joanna Gaines said with a laugh during a behind-the-scenes look at how she and the Magnolia Market visual design team created a unique accent wall for displaying dozens of propagated plants. The concept is simple. Four long, open wooden shelves were attached to a basic white wall. Each one had several small holes just large enough to hold a test tube filled with water. Gaines added a variety of cuttings to each tube, allowing them to grow and fill in the wall over time.

Joanna Gaines isn't just a fan of adding striking built-ins for her clients. She also embraces them in her own home. During a preview of "Fixer Upper: Welcome Home," Gaines showed off a vintage-inspired built-in bookshelf wall (complete with rolling ladder). Whether you're longing for a home library or just need a place to stash your stuff out of sight, creating accent walls using built-ins are anything but outdated. If you're renting or don't want a permanent commitment, keep an eye out for large antique furniture pieces that can easily cover most or all of a wall to achieve a similar vibe.

The renovation of Hotel 1928 in Waco, Texas is Joanna Gaines' biggest project yet. But whether she's working on a three-story building or a "Mini Reni" for her Magnolia Network, she loves to use mirrors to brighten things up and create the illusion of more space. When it comes to accent walls, there are several mirror ideas that will instantly double your square footage. Get the antique look Gaines loves with mirrors you already own by stripping the backing off, spraying it with a mix of bleach and water to create an aged effect, then painting the back of the mirror black.