4 Ways You Can Decorate With Wallpaper Like A Pro

Have you been wanting to decorate with wallpaper, but don’t know how to get started.

Wallpaper is great for adding unique texture and pattern to a space, making a room feel extra special. But it can also be intimidating because it’s a bigger design commitment than a paint color.

You might be wondering, where should wallpaper be placed in your home? We’re covering all the ways you can add some wallpaper into your home design without the risk of going overboard to achieve a classic look.

“Mayfield Desert” wallpaper, Habita Studio      “Walk Like an Egyptian” wallpaper, Elworthy Studio    “Fuana Fantasia” wallpaper, Grow House Grow

Wallpaper a Small Accent

If this is your first experience decorating with wallpaper, you may want to dip your toes in and start small. Don’t worry you don’t need to commit to a whole room right off the bat. An easy way to get used to living with wallpaper is to add it as a small accent.

You can add wallpaper in a bookcase or to the backs of shelves. It’s a great way to transform a piece of furniture that looks simple, into a one of a kind statement piece. Wallpaper adds interest, color, and depth to the shelves. We used this technique for a hallway niche and a mud bench area at our Bouldin Creek Project. 

Vinyl Linen Phillip Jefferies Wallpaper adds texture to the Mud Bench area at our Bouldin Creek Project, Photo by: Kieran Reeves Photography

Add wallpaper to a hallway niche, to make a space that usually just functions to connect one area of the home to the next more interesting. Also in our Bouldin Creek Project, we used the Labyrinth Metallic wallpaper by Schumacher in Mercury for a stunning hallway accent on the second floor. The metallic sheen and the mirror placed against the wall reflect light and open the space up and making it feel brighter. The wallpaper feature, along with the cabinet we discovered at the Round Top antiques fair, makes this space truly unique. No longer is it a hallway that you’ll pass through only to get to the bedrooms, but it’s a space you’ll want to linger in and admire. 

Bouldin Creek Project, Photo: Avery Nicole Photo

You can also wallpaper a niche to add depth and create high contrast in a more prominent area of the home as we did in the dining room of our Rugged Earth project. We used Phillip Jeffries Soho Hemp grasscloth paper in black. The color and texture of the wallpaper help the artwork and vases pop against the dark textured back, making this niche a dramatic focal point of the dining room.

Rugged Earth Project, Photo: Kieran Reeves Photography

Or think of using wallpaper as artwork. You can do this with framed panels of a graphic or bold print, you get a similar effect as covering an entire wall, without feeling overwhelmed by the pattern.

Phillip Jefferies offers gorgeous digital mural wallcoverings, available in a variety of designs and materials. Allowing you to transform a wall (or wall panels) into a beautiful work of art. These wallcoverings not only make a stunning design statement but set the overall aesthetic for a room.

Phillip Jefferies - Flight - Blue Heron - Designer: MI Designer

Flight - Stork White (clouds only) Designer: Anastasia  Kolesnyk

Mirage Ombre Mural Wallcovering Designed by Phillip Jeffries

Wallpaper an Accent Wall

If you’re feeling a little bolder you can do a single accent wall in wallpaper. This creates a focal point for the room, without committing to all four walls. You can do an accent wall in almost any room in your house.

In our Beverly Road project, we added a beautiful accent wall to the nursery in a floral paper by York Wallcoverings. It’s the perfect backdrop for the crib and seating area. We then used the colors from the wallpaper in the rest of the design elements of the room.

Beverly Road Project, Photo: Kieran Reeves Photography

Another great accent wall idea is in a bedroom. Use a fun print on the headboard wall. It acts as artwork so you don’t need to hang anything over the bed. It’s a great way to introduce new colors that you can tie into other areas of the room. We did a calming, zen-like pattern for the headboard wall in our Bouldin Creek project Papier in charcoal by These Walls.

Bouldin Creek Project, Photo: Avery Nicole Photo

Or instead of the traditional accent wall, think about adding wallpaper to the ceiling in a single room. We’re so used to plain white ceilings that adding wallpaper overhead makes a cool design statement. This works great in a bedroom or office for an interesting detail at an unexpected location. Choose a subtle paper or something more whimsical like birds or a cloud theme.

Milton & King - Cranes Wallpaper 

Hygge & West - “Daydream” Wallpaper -  Photo by Vivid Image Photography - Design by Apollina Baker

Wallpaper a Full Small Room 

Or if you’re ready to tackle a full room with wallpaper, a small room is a great way to make a big statement. It can also help a smaller space feel larger. We recommend going for a room that’s not the main feature of your home. 

A powder bath is a great location to try a wild pattern or colorful wallpaper. As it’s a smaller space it’s a good opportunity to show off your unique style and push the boundaries a little. 

In our East 7th Street project we used a green patterned paper by Hygge & West in the powder bathroom that tied into the Baja chic theme of the home.

East 7th Street Project, Photo: Jonathan Garza

Another small room you may want to wallpaper is the laundry room. Though this room isn’t one that your guests will regularly see, wallpaper is a fun way to turn a boring and utilitarian room into a fun space that you actually enjoy being in. 

Add wallpaper to your entryway. It’s a great way to add some interest to walls to greet your guests. Although it may be a small space it sets the design tone for the rest of your home. We wallpapered the entry of our Crestview project with a textured, vinyl seaside linen paper by Philip Jefferies in Marina Blue. We then incorporated the blue color into the entry rug and throughout the living room design.

Crestview Project, Avery Nicole Photo

Wallpaper a Full Main Room

Or if you’re ready to go all out with wallpaper, think about having it be a feature in one of the larger rooms in your home. Bedrooms are great for this.

We wallpapered the kid’s playroom in a subtle Tribal Wallpaper by Milton & King in our Beverly Road project. The builtins help break up the pattern with a solid color. The pattern is also subtle enough that it acts as a neutral backdrop for artwork and furnishings.

Beverly Road Project, Avery Nicole Photo 

Think about incorporating wallpaper in any room you have built-in shelving or large windows that help break up the pattern, like a living room, den or office. Also, choose a wallpaper that’s more textural in a single color (vs. a bold print or pattern) which lends itself better to larger spaces. That way it’ll feel more livable rather than something you’ll get tired of quickly. 

Wallpaper Resources

Whether you’re looking for subtle wallpaper with a luxe vibe, something bold and beautiful, or wallpaper that’s simple and delicate, we’ve rounded up our favorite sources. 
For our projects we love to check out Hygge & West, Philip Jefferies, Milton & King, Supply Showroom, York Wallcoverings, These Walls and we love the curated selections by Anthropologie Home.

If you’re ready to incorporate wallpaper in your home, but don’t know where it’ll work best then we can help! At Cameron Getter Design, an Austin-based interior design firm, we create custom design solutions for young families and busy professionals. Contact us today to talk about your project.