The Best Places to Print Your Own Wall Art & Wallpaper

When everyone else’s abode seems more of the moment than yours, it’s time for an attitude adjustment — of your walls, not your outlook. Wall art lets you make sweeping style changes without an extensive investment or commitment.

Peel-and-stick wall art is an inexpensive, easy-to-remove alternative to traditional wallpaper — easy enough on the budget and walls that you can change it out every couple of years as your design tastes evolve. Online providers can create custom wall decals, murals and wallpaper in any style, fabric, color scheme and photo variety imaginable. 

Before you hit the purchase button on one of these websites, make sure you’re using the best photos for the job. Choose an image for your custom wall art with these four things in mind:

1. Select an image you actually own

All reputable custom wall art sites abide by copyright laws and ask you to confirm that you’re the owner of any images you submit for printing. If you’re not the owner of an image (say, a family friend took the photo), make sure you get their permission in writing to reproduce the work. 

2. Check the resolution

Always consider the resolution of the digital file you want to print. Some custom wall art sites recommend an image resolution of at least 75 dots per inch (dpi). But to play it safe, more is always better. If you’re going with an image that you want to enlarge, we recommend selecting an image that is 150 to 300 dpi, the same standards used at a professional printing house. To check the resolution of an image, right click on it and review its properties in the details tab.

3. Pick the right colors

Selecting a high-resolution image isn’t the only thing to consider. You should review the colors as well. Custom websites print in either sRGB, RGB or CMYK, which are color models used in printing. Review each site’s production standards and convert your image to the site’s preference to ensure the colors come out correctly. For example, the shadows in your RGB image may look black on your computer screen, but if the image isn’t converted to CMYK, those shadows will look like a murky yellow or brown. 

4. Purchase only a small sample to start

Before you blow your entire budget on a custom design, buy a sample or swatch of the pattern, since the onscreen preview may vary from the actual item. 

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