4 ideas to incorporate wallpaper into your home
I used to think wallpaper was for two kinds of people:
Your grandma who collects porcelain cats
Rich people with a powder room the size of your apartment
But then I saw these two prints from Graham & Brown and my whole view shifted.
Left: Rivington Folly Dusk Wallpaper; Right: Eden Emerald Wallpaper
Now, you know I'm the guy who preaches clean lines and uncluttered spaces.
But even I'd happily curl up with a book in a room wrapped in that Rivington Folly Dusk print. Something about the right wallpaper just transforms a space in a way paint never could.
Wallpaper isn’t just back. It’s stealing the show.
Let’s talk about how to use it well.
First - Don’t Fear The Paper
Wallpaper gets a bad rap.
It’s high commitment. It’s hard to install. It’s what your grandparents had in their dining room that peeled in the corners and featured ducks wearing bonnets.
But modern wallpaper?
It’s pretty. It’s bold. It can even be peel-and-stick.
And best of all, it’s a shortcut to personality in a room that’s screaming rental beige.
4 Ways To Use Wallpaper That Don’t Suck
1. Wallpaper A Corner
The smaller and more overlooked the space, the greater the opportunity for an eclectic wallpaper.
Photo by Nicole Franzen, Interior by Jesse Parris-Lamb (left) & Photo by Nicole Franzen, Interior by Ronen Lev (right)
Left: A moody blue print turns this quiet desk nook into a statement moment. The pattern echoes the navy rug, tying the whole corner together.
Right: Bold golden wallpaper with floating silhouettes and floral in a tiny bathroom brings needed drama. It contrasts perfectly with that black-and-white tiled floor.
2. Use It On The Ceiling (Yes, Really)
Ceilings are the most neglected surface in your home, so why not make it work?
Photo by Sean Fennessy, Interior by Studio Doherty (left) & Interior by Sedef Yazici (right)
Interior by Huit Laguna
A patterned ceiling adds height, drama, and that “wait, what’s going on here and why do I love it?” feeling.
3. Go Tonal With Textures
Not every wallpaper has to scream.
Textural wallpapers like grasscloth, linen weave, or tone-on-tone prints add depth without adding noise.
Paint can’t compete with the tactile finish and layered look that textural wallpaper brings.
Photo by Kensington Leverne, Interior by Studio Ashby (left) & Photo by Paul Massey (right)
Left: Tonal textures shine here. Pairing the sage grasscloth wallpaper with a deeper green velvet headboard creates beautiful textural layers.
Right: The burnt orange grasscloth wallpaper reinforces the room’s warm palette of browns and red while bringing in another layer of texture to complement the rug.
4. Sneak It Into Shelves & Cabinets
Wallpaper’s not just for walls anymore.
Line the back of built-ins. Tuck it inside a freestanding wardrobe.
Surprise spots = big impact.
Photo by Lauren Engel, Interior by Victoria Holly Interiors (left) & Photo by Kensington Leverne, Interior by Studio Ashby (right)
Left: Consider experimenting with patterned wallpaper to create a focal point, especially if your built-ins are plain white like this interior.
Right: Or, keep it chic and understated. This soft sage grasscloth wallpaper adds just enough texture and blends seamlessly with the oak shelves for a refined look.
3 Things to Avoid (So You Don’t Regret It in 3 Weeks)
1. Ignoring Scale
Small patterns get lost in big rooms. Huge prints overwhelm tiny rooms. Match the scale of your print to your space.
2. Going Too Trendy
A zebra-print wallpaper may feel fun now, but do you want to stare at it every day for the next five years?
3. Forgetting About Flow
A bold wallpaper in one room is great, but if every room has something different, your space will start feeling chaotic.
Take a look at Studio Ashby rooms that we showed above (sage grasscloth wallpaper in bedroom & in the shelving). They’re from the same house.
Notice how they’ve created flow by using the same sage grasscloth wallpaper in those two different rooms.
Photo by Kensington Leverne, Interior by Studio Ashby
I want you to do something like this in your own home to create flow!
👇 And if you feel like your home’s flow isn’t quite working – this video will show you why.
Cheers,
Reynard