Apartment Therapy recently posted photos of painted accent walls, which can really bring out a room:

Painted Accent Walls And Why We Love Them

I have a small wall in my entryway that I covered with “chalkboard paint.” I found the black jarring at first, but as soon as I started using it as a chalkboard, drawing and erasing and drawing some more, it faded into a really nice muted gray color. The chalk dust is a bit of an issue, though, so I’ve only done this one wall away from electronics and linens.