How to Use Wallpaper in Unexpected Ways

Tuesday Apr 12th, 2022

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It’s a hot decor trend, and using it in small but bold ways can elevate a home’s style.

It's no secret that wallpaper is having a comeback. Although the powder room remains the top spot for this decor element, designers continue to push boundaries and incorporate wallpaper in bold and unexpected ways throughout the home. That being said, we've caught up with top interior designers to ask them to share their favorite wallpaper trends.

Go Bold in Placement and Look

Designer Mel Bean of Mel Bean Interiors(link is external) is all about making bold statements, and adding wallpaper to the ceiling is one way she achieves a dramatic look (as seen below with a butterfly motif wallpaper).

Ceiling Wallpaper
Photo credit: Kacey Gilpin

Bean also favors wallpaper with geometric prints as well as metallic sheen. She also notes that a wallpaper mural can enhance a living room or entertainment space.

Geometric Wallpaper
Photo credit: Kacey Gilpin
Wallpaper by Dresser
Photo credit: Laurey Glenn
Wallpaper Mural
Photo credit: Laurey Glenn

For homeowners who want to test wallpaper without making a big commitment, Bean also suggests adding wallpaper to the back of a bookcase or other shelving unit.

Bookshelf Wallpaper
Photo credit: Laurey Glenn

Choose the Right Style

Designer Brittany Farinas of House of One,(link is external) based in South Florida, favors tropical, botanical, and palm-patterned looks in wallpaper.

She notes that choosing a dramatic bedroom wallpaper style is a hot trend. “I love how it elevates a room and offers instant texture to the space,” she adds.

Wallpaper by Bed
Photo credit: Rosie Mendoza
Wallpaper by Bed
Photo credit: Rosie Mendoza
Wallpaper by Bed
Photo credit: Lifestyle Production Group

Farinas is so passionate about wallpaper that she recently teamed up with Candace Kaye Design(link is external) on a collaboration for two exclusive wallpaper designs, The Mariposa and Tressage. Check it out.(the link is external)

To Match or Contrast?

Designer Lance Thomas of Thomas Guy Interiors(link is external) loves to match the wallpaper to the furniture or upholstery for a cohesive and eye-catching look.

Matching Wallpaper
Photo credit: Jen Burner

Thomas tends to be attracted to coastal and mosaic wallpaper. He says that most shades of blue are a great color choice, “bringing serenity and calm to a room.” But for contrast, he also likes black-and-white motifs for wallpaper. “Black and white together can act as a neutral canvas, and it is versatile with almost any color,” he says.

Wallpaper by Bookshelves
Photo credit: Thomas Guy Interiors
Bathroom Wallpaper
Photo credit: Thomas Guy Interiors

Dress Up the Dining Room

Mary Patton of Mary Patton Design(link is external) has integrated wallpaper throughout her designs over the years. Recently, she has been incorporating wallpaper in more dining room designs. “From murals to textured wallpapers and chinoiserie patterns, dining spaces are getting bolder walls,” she says.

Dining Room Wallpaper
Photo credit: Molly Culver
Dining Room Wallpaper
Photo credit: Molly Culver

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