40+ Rooms That Wow With Wallpaper
Wallpaper has a reputation for being bold and eye-catching, but it can also be subtle and understated. Whether it’s used as an accent wall or to envelop an entire space, one thing is for sure: it always adds wow-factor. Click through for 40+ stunning spaces that incorporate wallpaper, and get inspired by the endless patterns and possibilities.
In this sweet nursery, breezy floral wallpaper ties in the room’s surfside aesthetic when paired with a handwoven macramé light and rattan rocking chair.
This breezy tie-dye print injects plenty of California cool into a petite powder room.
Intricate koi fish add dimension to Gillian Gillies’ tonal grey European-inspired kitchen.
Cheeky floating sardines — with liberez les sardines (meaning free the sardines) written underneath — offers a playful punch in this cozy corner.
This graphic wallpaper almost resembles chalk on a blackboard, which is a quirky, yet cool feature in this earthy principal bedroom.
Bold floral wallpaper strikes the perfect balance with the entryway’s olive green palette, creating a classic English country vibe.
Whimsical lady bug wall coverings by Villa Nova transform a kids room into an enchanting retreat. An electric pink dresser plays up the colorful bug’s wings.
This striking home‘s powder room is full of pep thanks to the spiky brass chandelier, gilded mirrored vanity and on-trend cobalt wallpaper with a subtle Escher effect.
In shop owner Denise Zidel’s colorful home, black grasscloth wallpaper from Schumacher gives this understated bedroom plenty of drama, and provides a luxurious backdrop for an assortment of bowls.
If there is any room in the house to experiment with eye-catching wallpaper, it’s the powder room. This whimsical print, depicting crashing waves, makes a splash in this small space.
In her own home, H&H’s 2018 Designer Of The Year Nam Dang-Mitchell relies on luxe Gracie chinoiserie wallpaper for a romantic touch, that’s updated by contemporary furnishings.
In another example of designer Nam’s love of look-at-me wallpaper, this Circus wallpaper by Cole and Son draws the eye to this handsome mantel in this home office. A tufted armchair and neutral photographs tie in the clean-lined aesthetic.
From Italian design house Fornasetti comes a moody wallpaper filled with fruit-laden pomegranates trees, which help bring the outdoors in.
A wasp’s nest and tree trunk are natural counterparts amidst the geometric, artful wall covering. Look closely and you’ll notice the print is actually precisely positioned beetles.
Bring the rolling hills of the English countryside into your home with this lush wallpaper by Cole & Son.
In Toronto boutique Bettencourt Manor, bold patterned wallpaper is artfully layered with vintage offerings, rich texture and statement art.
Oversized, hyper-real florals are a lush counterpoint for black wainscotting in this dramatic dining room: both work to enhance a moody, cocooning effect.
The fronds of Cole and Son’s breezy palm leaf wallpaper pairs perfectly with the tree-lined view outside in this calming country bathroom.
In this European-inspired condo‘s principal bedroom, velvety handmade wallpaper gives the illusion of marble veining.
An oak leaf-print wallpaper is juxtaposed against an array of curved furniture, for an organic look inspired by nature.
Applying wallpaper above a chair rail, wainscotting or a half-tiled wall softens the boldness so it’s less overwhelming in a small bathroom.
A delicate yet cheerful peony and butterfly pattern supplies a preppy vibe to this young girl’s room.
Guest rooms are the perfect spot to use a bold or dramatic wallpaper, as guests don’t tend to stay for long so they won’t tire of the design. This dark, moody one by Kelly Wearstler envelops the room in a rich, cozy feeling.
For editor-in-chief Beth Hitchcock’s bedroom, she fell for the texture and subtle etched lines of this Pierre Frey design. Up close, the paper looks like an abstract drawing, and at a distance it takes shape in wide stripes.
Legendary wall-covering company Farrow & Ball is known to take a traditional motif and update it without losing its historical charm. Their oak-leaf Feuille wallpaper is a twist on beloved William Morris prints, in a fresh blue colorway.
Here, a bucolic farm scene — with pastures of horse and sheep, fields of crops and even barns — looks hand-printed and is a twist on traditional pastoral motifs.
A young girl’s bedroom gets a mod twist with an exotic, ogee patterned wallpaper. To create a cohesive look, the pattern is echoed in the bedding and lampshade.
A grown-up floral wallpaper is the perfect choice for the bathroom at this Arts and Crafts–style home in Upstate New York — it nods to the heritage style of the home while still feeling fresh and new.
Grasscloth is the designers’ choice when it comes to adding texture to a room. The natural striations of the grasscloth give a subtle striped texture that changes depending on the light and time of day.
High-octane orange wallpaper gives a nursery a fresh spin, and the look will age well with time.
A super subtle checked wallpaper creates a neutral backdrop for a reproduction of a 19th-century Empire painting.
The now iconic Zebra wallpaper by Scalamandré is a playful choice for a powder room — and is enhanced by matching embroidered hand towels.
This cottage bathroom brings a little of the outdoors in with a verdant geometrical design that feels like a forest canopy.
With all the white surfaces and fixtures, a bathroom is a great spot to show off a bold wallpaper as it has neutral surfaces that let it breathe. Here, white subway tile acts as a buffer between gutsy wallpaper and illusionary flooring.
In design editor Sally Armstrong’s walk-in closet, a painterly wallpaper wraps around the space and in a niche of shelves for a seamless look. Quiet roman blinds and a large mirror let the space breathe.
A wallpaper depicting vintage cars makes for the perfect feature wall in a little boy’s bedroom. In order to help blend a feature wall into the rest of the room, paint out the walls in the background color of the wallpaper.
The quilted headboard picks up on the diamond pattern of the wallpaper for a delicate look.
In this dining room, an ombré wallpaper makes a subtle statement, which will create the ultimate cocoon for an intimate dinner party.
A wallpaper with a loose, hand-drawn feel gives this bedroom gentle pattern in a soft grey palette. Statement wallpaper in a bedroom can dress up a simple headboard.
Highlight a built-in feature, such as a bookcase or a bar, with a wallpaper backing. This subtle medallion print was custom scaled to fit the wall’s dimensions.
The Tempest wallpaper by Quercus & Co. adds seaside charm, but not in a clichéd way, thanks to its olive green coloring.
