5 Top Tips for Using Patterned Wallpaper in Your Home
Thinking about bringing patterned wallpaper into your home? Wallpaper helps to wrap your room in colour and movement, adding depth and personality in a way that paint alone simply cannot achieve. Whether you’re into soft trailing florals, neat stripes, or gentle geometrics, patterned wallpaper has the power to transform a space from simple to spectacular.
We caught up with our expert in-house Interior Designer, Tania, to talk through her top tips for using patterned wallpaper in your home. Here’s what she had to say…
1) Start small and make an impact
If this is your first time using patterned wallpaper in your home, we recommend starting with a smaller, more contained space like a downstairs bathroom or entrance hall. These are transitional areas that you pass through rather than linger in, so they’re perfect for making an impact for a short period of time.
For example, you could use our Cow Parsley wallpaper in Duck Egg & Cornflower in your hallway to set the tone for your entire house, or introduce a soft pink wallpaper like Pretty Maids in Dusky Pink & Winter to bring warmth and charm to your bathroom. This will allow you to experiment with pattern and colour in a way that doesn’t feel scary – and once you see the finished look, you may even feel inspired to take it further!
2) Wallpaper those unexpected spaces
Wallpaper doesn’t need to be confined to all four walls. Why not get creative and spruce up those more surprising spaces with patterned wallpaper?
For example, you could line the back of open shelves or the inside panels of a bookcase to create a layered, collected feel and allow your ceramics and books to stand out beautifully. Or you could paper the interior of a wardrobe for a secret flash of pattern. Even your door panels or a single framed section of a wall can become a charming feature with the right wallpaper. It’s these little touches that make your home feel truly one-of-a-kind.
3) Don’t forget the “fifth wall”
The ceiling, AKA the fifth wall, is often overlooked when it comes to wallpaper. But this can actually create the most enchanting and cocooning effect, especially if your room is tucked into the eaves.
Papering a pitched ceiling in a smaller-scale design, like our Shibori Light Pigeon grey wallpaper, allows the eye to gently wander, making the space feel cosy rather than confined. But avoid bedroom wallpapers that are too dense or overly busy here, as this could cause your room to feel claustrophobic. Or, if your room has vertical walls, you could paper the ceiling in a soft, subtle pattern and then paint the walls in a complementary shade.
4) Yes, you can wallpaper a bathroom!
Bathrooms can often feel cold and clinical – but with the right patterned wallpaper, you can turn them into warm, welcoming spaces that truly feel like they’re part of your home rather than an afterthought.
As long as your bathroom is well ventilated, there’s no reason why you can’t use wallpaper here. We recommend using a fungicidal paste to prevent fungal growth, and you could also apply a clear matte decorator’s varnish over the surface for an extra layer of protection.
5) Be clever with your budget
Wallpaper can be a little pricey, so we recommend choosing your pattern wisely. If you’ve got a tighter budget, we recommend opting for a design with a smaller repeat, like our Spotty Stripe wallpaper, as this helps to minimise wastage on papering. Subtle stripes also have a wonderful way of adding height or width to your room, depending on how they are hung – this illusion of additional space is worth every penny!
How to choose the perfect patterned wallpaper
1) Start with a feeling
When selecting the perfect patterned wallpaper for your space, you need to think about the feeling you want to create. Soft, organic florals and flowing lines are more calming, while diamonds or bolder shapes are more energetic.
2) Consider the scale
You also need to consider the scale of the design. If you’re wallpapering a small room, we recommend opting for a smaller-scale, more delicate pattern; but if your space is on the larger side, a bolder, grander print might work better.
3) Create colour contrasts
Think carefully about contrast as well as colour. Tonal combinations, for example a soft sage on a slightly deeper green wallpaper, are much easier on the eye. However, higher contrasts (i.e. paler tones against darks) help to create more definition within a room. Neither approach is right or wrong; it all depends on whether you want your wallpaper to sit quietly in the background or provide a confident focal point.
Fill your walls with Vanessa’s beautiful designs
Looking for the perfect patterned wallpaper for your home? We’re proud to offer a wide selection of durable wallpapers showcasing Vanessa’s most popular nature-inspired designs, including traditional luxury wallpapers and contemporary wall coverings made from an innovative mix of fabric and paper. You can order up to 5 free samples directly from our website, so you can weigh up which design best suits your space before committing to a full roll.
Explore our full wallpaper collection and get ready to inject some personality into your walls!
FAQs
Should I choose a feature wall or wallpaper the entire room?
If you’re feeling a little bit scared about wallpapering your entire room, you could start with just one feature wall. However, using the right patterned wallpaper on all four walls can really pull your whole room together. We promise you won’t regret it!
What are the best wallpaper colours for bedrooms?
Blue and green wallpapers are best for bedrooms, as they feel more calming and restful. Or you could opt for a soft yellow or pink wallpaper to add warmth without overpowering the space. We recommend choosing deeper shades for darker rooms to create a cosy, cocooning feel.
How do I coordinate wallpaper with fabrics?
Balance is key when coordinating wallpaper with fabrics. If you’ve already added patterned wallpaper, we recommend choosing a plain or smaller-scale fabric for larger pieces such as the sofa or headboard. For curtains or Roman blinds, you should focus on varying the scale rather than matching it exactly to the wallpaper.
We sell fabrics exclusively designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott, along side small, bespoke collection of Made to Measure items which includes curtains, blinds, sofas, footstools, chairs, headboards, and quilts, all handmade specially for you by master crafts people.
