We interrupt this regular Wallpaper Wednesday broadcast to bring you some WALLPAPER INSPIRATION!

Since starting this Wallpaper Wednesday series, I have gotten several questions and comments in my inbox regarding wallpaper feeling too “busy” for a space. And you know what? I 100% agree…sometimes. For some of the patterns I have shared, I think I would go crazy if all 4 walls were covered in it. Therefore, let’s go over a few ways wallpaper can be used without being overwhelming.

ON AN ACCENT WALL

Can surrounding yourself in pattern feel anxiety-inducing? Yes! Can the cost of wallpaper be exorbitant? Absolutely! However, by placing wallpaper on one accent wall, you can draw attention to that wall and either emphasize existing architectural details or instantly add character while not detracting from a space’s inherent beauty.

Photo of nursery with black modern crib against black and white bird wallpaper. Above the crib is a large tiger painting. — Credit: Found on kidsinteriors.com

Did you know that babies cannot see color until roughly 4 months old?! While black and white geometric patterns don’t necessarily scream “cutesy”, they can actually be some of the most developmentally appropriate prints to have in a nursery. And if you are really bold, why not paint some of the white spaces in cheery colors as the baby’s vision develops!

Photo of child's bedroom with cathedral ceiling and large format gold and white floral wallpaper on wall behind headboard of bed. All walls, ceiling, and floor are white except the wall behind headboard. — Credit: Brian Woodcock

This gold and white floral wallpaper helps bring attention to the architectural details of the space, makes the wall feel larger, and breaks up the white of the walls, floors, and ceiling. The print is sophisticated yet fun and will remain relevant as the girl who lives in the room ages.

Photo of white bedroom with blue palm frond pattern wallpaper behind headboard. Photo of 2 girls carrying surfboards hangs above bed. — Credit: Caroline Sellars - Tidal Interiors

In this beach house bedroom we completed in 2020, the room completely lacked character. With this being the only wall on which a bed could truly work, we decided to add a fun wallpaper to remind guests they are on vacation and to instantly add interest to what was essentially a boring white box.

Photo of white hallway with black and white geometric wallpaper on one wall. There is a full length mirror on the wall as well as a large piece of pop art that has a pink background with black and white drawing of a hand pointing toward the viewer. — Credit: Stadshem

If I’m going to be honest, this black and white geometric wallpaper would probably make feel dizzy and disoriented if it was on all of the walls. However, by placing it on this one wall, it breaks up some of the white of the hallway and acts as a great backdrop for the homeowner’s Pop Art. The full length mirror helps keep the space feeling light and breaks up the pattern.

ABOVE BOARD AND BATTEN

Placing wallpaper above board and batten (or wainscoting or a chair rail or…) is an easy way to add visual interest to a room, break up the pattern of the wallpaper, and draw attention to both the molding and the wallpaper. Another great bonus of placing the wallpaper only above the board and batten? It helps keep the cost down!

Photo of blue and white palm wallpaper above white board and batten in dining room with beaded chandelier. — Photo: Caroline Sellars - TIdal Interiors

After seeing the wallpaper we used in the beach house project shown above, my husband actually requested we use the same wallpaper in our own dining room. While I was completely caught off guard and speechless, I knew I needed to act fast before he changed his mind. By placing this vibrant pattern above our board and batten, we were able to add a great pop of color, pattern, and visual interest to our dining room.

Photo of bathroom with green/grey palm tropical wallpaper above board and batten that is painted the same shade of green/grey. — Credit: Delineateyourdwelling

In this bathroom, the homeowners chose a bold pattern and matched the paint color of the board and batten to the color in the wallpaper. This makes the board and batten feel modern and keeps the room cohesive and not overwhelming.

Photo of watercolor kaleidoscope wallpaper over white board and batten with natural wood door. — Credit: Young House Love

Remember in the 80’s and 90’s when everyone jumped on the wallpaper border trend? This room from Young House Love combines the concept of the wallpaper border with board and batten in the best possible way. So much character from the board and batten and historic door with just the right amount of whimsy from the wallpaper!

Photo of bright bathroom with pale blue board and batten with bird and birdcage wallpaper above. — Credit: Pottery Barn

This bathroom feels sophisticated without feeling stuffy. By matching the board and batten to the light blue found in the wallpaper, the room feels fresh while still feeling formal.

ON THE CEILING

By now you have probably heard of the concept of the “5th wall”. If not, it is the idea that the ceiling should not be an afterthought, rather another surface to be included in the overall design of the room. In some cases that means painting the ceiling the same color as the walls in order to keep the room feeling cohesive, often making the room feel larger. In other cases, adding wallpaper to the ceiling can add an unexpected splash of color or pattern without feeling overwhelming or competing with other design elements in the room.

Photo of light and airy breakfast nook with white walls and light green and white floral wallpaper on ceiling. — Credit: Photo by Lauren Logan, Design by Maureen Stevens Design

The wallpaper on the ceiling in this breakfast nook keeps the space feeling light and airy and helps bring the view of the garden into the room for an almost al fresco dining feel.

Photo of child's bedroom with rainbow geometric wallpaper on ceiling. — Credit: Photo by Michael Hunter, Design by Laura U

The rainbow geometric pattern of this wallpaper is so fun and edgy and gives great balance to the white walls and green bed. The space feels clean and modern while not feeling overwhelmingly colorful.

Child's bedroom with light grey walls and navy swallow wallpaper by Hygge and West on ceiling — Credit: Design by Skapa Design

You know I love this wallpaper by Hygge & West and to have it on the ceiling above a child’s bed feels so whimsical and childlike while not being too cutesy. I can just imagine lying on this bed as a child daydreaming about being on adventures in the great wide open. So playful and fun!

Photo of nursery with white walls and black and white geometric wallpaper on ceiling. — Credit: Crystal Sinclair Designs

As I stated earlier, this black and white geometric pattern is actually totally developmentally appropriate to have on the ceiling of a nursery. With a baby lying on its back in the crib, the geometric pattern would be easy for them to see and help them engage with their environment.

IN A CLOSET

Wallpaper comes in a wide range of styles but also in a variety of prices. An easy way to incorporate your favorite pattern without breaking the bank? Wallpaper a closet! It turns a boring space into something a little more exciting and is definitely more budget-friendly.

Photo of a coat closet with its door open. On the walls of the closet is a tropical wallpaper with pink background, exotic birds, and tall, thin palm trees. The rest of the foyer is all white with a Persian rug with the same colors as the wallpaper. — Credit: House of Hipsters

What a fun and unexpected pop of color to welcome guests! This wallpaper in the coat closet is fresh and not overhwhelming and such a fun surprise when you open the closet door!

Photo of closet with white wallpaper with small black dots that look almost like water droplets. — Credit: Diana Elizabeth blog

I love how this geometric print and the gold light fixture balance each other and elevate a typically pretty boring space. BUT what I really love is that the wallpaper perfectly camouflages the electrical panel on this wall! Seriously - look again! Click on the link in the caption to see the before and after. Pretty amazing!

Photo of large closet with dark grey ceiling and moody floral wallpaper. — Credit: Sara Tramp

The bold floral wallpaper and painted ceiling in this walk-in closet make the space feel like a dressing room. And while the closet system is nice and helps give that glam vibe, it can be duplicated with some simple hacks and standard building materials. Moral of the story? Having a spacious, organized closet can instantly go from builder-grade to Hollywood with the right wallpaper!

Photo of cloffice with white cabinetry and brown and white geometric wallpaper. — Credit: Pamela Black and Don Love

With so many people working from home these days, many are looking for a way to carve out a dedicated work space that can be closed off from the rest of the house both for privacy reasons and just to give a sense that the work day is completed. Enter the “cloffice”. It’s a closet that has been turned into an office…and sometimes functions as both. As you can see in this photo, this space is quite small but the cabinetry, light fixture, and high-end wallpaper make the space feel more upscale and inviting than a cubicle or the dining room table.

IN A NICHE

Niches are often unavoidable. Depending on the actual structural needs, many homes end up with spaces that, well, don’t really make sense. Sometimes a niche is created with a certain purpose in mind (ever seen a house from the 40’s-60’s that had a built-in telephone niche?). Whether intentional or a byproduct, a niche can be a lot more fun with a little wallpaper!

Photo of nice with built-ins and light blue paisley patterned wallpaper. — Credit: @ramblinrod

The wallpaper in this niche helps elevate this area and makes it feel like its own room. By adding the wallpaper, the built-in bench becomes a destination rather than an afterthought.

Photo of dining space with blush pink walls and a niche that has black and white eye wallpaper. — Credit: Zoe Feldman Design

Clearly someone who has blush walls with burgundy velvet pillows is not afraid of making bold choices (and I fully support that!) so having this contrasting eye wallpaper adds to the edginess factor of the space and makes the niche feel like even more of a design feature than if they had painted it the same color as the walls.

Photo of wide but shallow niche with gold and white geometric wallpaper. There is a console table backed into the niche and gold sconces flanking the niche. — Credit: Garrison Hullinger Interior Design

I often have clients who purchase a home with a nice and ask “what am I supposed to do with this?” It’s a valid question. Sometimes the niche is a strange size and can’t truly be utilized for storage or seating. That can be a great time to draw attention to the space by adding wallpaper, lighting, trim, and a beautiful piece of furniture to make the space feel intentional and purposeful rather than try to make the niche disappear by painting it the same color as the walls which makes it feel like more of an accident.

Photo of wetbar with dark blue walls and gold and white diagonally striped wallpaper behind bar. — Credit: Caroline Sellars - Tidal Interiors

In this space, the homeowner had a wet bar adjacent to an area that was undergoing renovation. While they didn’t want to lose the space, they didn’t want to allocate major funds for an upgrade of such a small space. The solution? Peel-and-stick wallpaper, open shelving, updated hardware, and painting the cheap laminate countertops. The niche now has a speakeasy vibe and was accomplished on a serious budget!

IN A BUILT-IN/BOOKSHELF

So many homes have built-ins which can often feel very boring and builder-grade. Many homeowners struggle to find beautiful objects to place on their shelves to make a space feel stylish and elegant while also feeling personal. However, by adding wallpaper to the back, these architectural features can instantly feel elevated and reflect the personality of the homeowner.

Photo of built-in bookcase with gold grasscloth wallpaper in back of built-in. Built-ins are painted white. — Credit: Annette Tatum

The gold and natural tones of the grasscloth wallpaper in these built-ins connects the space to the natural world around it and gives a coastal feel. The space feels sophisticated and classy and provides a neutral backdrop for the items the homeowner wants to display.

Photo of emerald green built-ins that are painted the same color as the walls and trim. There is a white, blue, and green patterned wallpaper in the back of the built-ins with children's toys on shelves. — Credit: EJ Interiors

While this wallpaper may seem busy in other settings, against the bold green of the rest of the room it is subtle yet playful. In a room clearly designed for fun and creativity, it is a perfect accent on these built-ins!

Photo of built-ins with glass front upper cabinets. There is a light blue/grey and white tile-look wallpaper inside the cabinet. — Credit: Brooke Wagner Design

The calming palette and tile-like pattern of this wallpaper is the perfect backdrop for displaying a collection of white and natural dishwasher in this glass-front cabinet.

Photo of built-in cabinetry in mudroom with pink/orange lattice wallpaper inside the cubbies. — Credit: Jenkins Interiors

This is a mudroom that doesn’t take itself too seriously! With the combination of the fun wallpaper and patterned cushions, maybe even MY family would want to put their (i.e. our) things in their proper place!

ON A PIECE OF FURNITURE

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is perfect for furniture! Contact paper or shelf liner has been placed in cabinets and drawers for ages. Now you don’t have to use the faux wood or old-lady-floral patterns typically sold at big box stores. You can cover the furniture inside and out with whatever speaks to you!

Photo of small dresser with flat-front drawers. On the drawers is a bright mustard and white animal print wallpaper. — Source: Ikeahackers.net

Now this is a seriously vibrant way to add color and whimsy to a child’s room! By adding a bold wallpaper to a simple piece of flat-front furniture and you instantly put the “fun” in functional!

Photo of large tv cabinet covered in blue grasscloth wallpaper with large round Chinese-inspired door pulls. — Credit: cuckoo4design

YES! That IS wallpaper! Can you believe it? I’m honestly in awe! I attempted a grasscloth Serena and Lily dupe a few months back and let me tell you, this is lightyears better than mine. I would buy that. In an instant!

Photo of small aqua bedside table that has had the lower doors removed and a black and white tear drop pattern wallpaper pasted inside on all surfaces. — Credit: Caitlin Topham

What a fun way to update a piece of furniture you already own or are able to thrift! If you are like me, you have lots of inherited pieces of furniture that aren’t necessarily your style. A fresh coat of paint and some fun wallpaper and these types of pieces go from hand-me-down to pick-me-up!

Photo of vintage dresser with green diamond pattern wallpaper in drawers. — Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom for Martha Stewart

This is such a beautiful and tasteful way to update a vintage pieces. People have added contact paper or shelf liners to their drawers for years however, adding a pattern that you truly love can look even better! And if you like it that much INSIDE your drawers, why not add it to the sides of your drawers as well?!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Obviously there are TONS of ways to add wallpaper to your home without covering every wall in wallpaper. Here are a few other ways:

AS A BACKSPLASH

Photo of white kitchen with blue and white striped wallpaper for backsplash. The stripes look hand drawn. — Credit: Anita Yokota

FRAMED WALLPAPER PANEL(S)

Photo of light grey wall with white fireplace and large piece of grey and white wallpaper that has been trimmed out in grey trim. — Credit: Shining on Design

ON APPLIANCES

Photo of cabinets that have been painted teal and have a butcher block countertop. The refrigerator has been covered in white and gold wallpaper showing wildflowers. The refrigerator has brown handles. — Credit: TBD

ON CABINETS

Photo of white kitchen cabinets with beadboard fronts however the beadboard is actually wallpaper. — Credit: Nest of Bliss

and of course…

ON A DRYING RACK

Photo of white woman with curly brown hair standing in front of a drying rack with wallpaper covering the back. There is a stamp on the photo saying "easy drying rack upgrade". — Click to read the blog post!

Ok, are you convinced yet? Which easy way are you going to add some wallpaper? Let us know in the comments!

Feeling inspired to give wallpaper a try? Go back to the previous blog posts to look at some of my recommendations for bathroom wallpaper and nursery wallpaper! And stay tuned because next week I really am going to bring you some Primary Bedroom wallpapers I think you will really like!