Home decor 101: How to master the art of wallpaper

Wallpaper is one of those design elements that can feel daunting as it has come and gone in waves of trends. It has been through being loved, outdated, and back to a renaissance in recent years.

Additionally, the commitment of wallpaper can be equally daunting to apply and change, making you feel like you’re stuck with the final product.

However, when following some simple steps before you get started, using wallpaper is something that shouldn’t be feared and when used the right way, can really enhance a space.

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There are so many opportunities and techniques you can try when using wallpaper in your home. It can be a simple step that transforms the space into something really distinctive and completely your own.

There are some key things to keep in mind when using wallpaper and how to figure out the best way to add them to your room. 

Make it your own

When trying out any wallpaper in your home, the biggest thing you should focus on is what you actually like in terms of colours and patterns. Don’t feel pressured to follow trendy styles as they’ll often feel outdated much sooner and you may not personally love them for as long.

Find patterns that fit well in your space and match your overall design goals. Think of how you want the space to feel and what elements will aid in recreating that sense within your room.

Something that is fun to play with is textures and more subtle colours in larger rooms. It can really add dimension to your space without distracting the eye too much or making it difficult to redecorate in the future.

Try finding a shade that is within the colour scheme of your room and pick a wallpaper that uses it in a unique and textured way. This will add more depth to your room while still staying on theme, and remaining cohesive.

Start small

If you’re not sure about how much commitment you’re ready for in terms of using wallpaper, start in smaller areas like powder rooms or closets. This is an awesome design technique to make a smaller space a lot more interesting and individual. When you start out in rooms like this, it can help give you the confidence to keep moving onto more frequented and central spaces. 

Geometric shapes work really well in powder rooms and have a great modern feel. They bring an element of “texture” without being too overpowering in a small space. Try using a geometric pattern with more traditional colours to really remain cohesive with your design elements. 

Try a feature wall

If you’re wanting something bold without enveloping your whole room, a feature wall with wallpaper is an awesome way to bring some life into the space. From big bold patterns or brighter colours, feature walls have the ability to shift the feeling of an entire room. When picking wallpaper for the feature wall, ensure it ties in with the other textures and colours in your room as you don’t want to overwhelm the space with too much pattern.

Something we love about feature walls or accents is that they can make spaces feel bigger and open. When you pick a bolder wallpaper for a feature wall, don’t be afraid to embrace change and commit to the exciting new feeling your room will get.

Make it easy 

DIY can be a great option when done well, especially if you’re starting out using wallpaper or are a younger homeowner. When doing it yourself, definitely try the easier options such as ready-pasted paper that comes with an adhesive back.

If you don’t have much experience with installation, try not to use more expensive papers to reduce the risks of it going wrong. DIY is great for smaller rooms, as mentioned, as well when you’re starting out as there is less commitment. Just always ensure you’ve done your research and measured your room appropriately before pasting it to the wall!

The most important takeaways are to ensure you pick styles that you love and match your space really well. Don’t be afraid to have fun and if you have the option, experiment with styles you’ve been dying to try out in your rooms. Your home can be functional but also super exciting to be in when you play with colours and textures.

Options are endless when it comes to how you can transform your space with wallpapers, which is why using them keeps your space so unique. Once you embrace wallpaper patterns and textures, you won’t ever look back!