How to Make Wallpaper Work For You

The word “wallpaper” might call up images of grandma’s house, but the truth is, it’s come a long way. Contemporary wallpaper can be a great design tool, highly artistic, and incredibly chic. So where to start? Consider the following tips and ideas before adding a pattern to your walls, then get papering!

When choosing your wallpaper, it’s important to consider the size of the pattern and its context within a given room. For example, if you already have many little patterns peppered throughout your living room on throw pillows and curtains, then it would be best to choose a large-scale pattern for your walls. Big prints like the beloved “Martinique” tropical leaf wallpaper made famous in the Beverly Hills Hotel needs enough vertical to repeat, while a more subtle mosaic-print can add dimension to small spaces, nestling into narrow places without getting swallowed up.

Likewise, if you plan to hang framed prints of singular objects on top of the wallpaper, then keeping the wallpaper pattern small is necessary. That way the prints will stand out among the arrangement instead of extending and blending into it. Pro tip: Wallpaper, like clothes, can give illusions of width, height, and more space. Play with horizontal stripes for an expansive feel, or colorblock above and below a chair rail to visually bring lofty ceilings down.

 

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