DESIGN TREND: Wallpaper is Back
Nearly every home in the ‘50s and ‘60s made use of wallpaper. Its bold colors, patterns, designs, and scenes were a design staple, but wallpaper’s popularity faded with new design trends over the years: wood paneling, larger windows, and minimalism.
Today, interior design trends are bringing back nostalgic styles that appeal to our needs these days for comfort and coziness post-pandemic. Wallpaper is becoming popular and making a strong comeback! Check out what’s helping wallpaper find its way back into homes…
Easier Install
The days of wrestling with wallpaper rolls and glue are over. Innovations make installing wallpaper easy. Similar to a sticker, simply peel off the backing and apply the wallpaper. Peel-and-stick wallpaper can be installed within a day, making it a doable weekend project for do-it-yourself renovators. If you change your mind, it is easily removed without damage to your walls.
Nostalgic & Vintage Trends
Wallpaper was all the design rage 50 to 70 years ago. When we see it today, it reminds us of similar times, likely spent in our relatives’ homes. Nostalgia is a reason why we’re seeing mid-century, vintage, and new traditional trends as an interior design style.
Source: Anthropologie
The interest in these styles naturally leans on wallpaper to achieve their look. Large colorful prints and textures, floral patterns, and various geometric designs are easily produced and installed with wallpaper. Achieving the same look in paint is challenging, as you’ll need to be precise with tape, measuring, stamps, and paint to get the design precisely even and straight.
Make an Instant Statement
Wallpaper makes it easy to transform any room. Accent walls add a bit of drama and pop to a room by breaking up the colors. Traditionally done with paint on one wall in a room, accent walls are more versatile when using wallpaper. It is an excellent way to experiment with different colors, textures or patterns that would otherwise be difficult to achieve with paint. With the range of wallpaper styles available, you can really make a statement with your room.
Adds Texture
Source: Home Depot
Wallpaper adds extra dimension to a space. Paint and spackling are prone to showing rough spots, cracks, and other wall defects. Wallpaper can cover these, but with textured wallpapers, you create another dimension of subtle depth that can be visually appealing. Adding a three-dimensional texture elevates a room to create a space elegant and luxurious. The textures help make the rooms feel softer and more comfortable. At the same time, textured wallpaper can be more resilient to any bumps or tear, better protecting the walls.
Easily Customizable
Digital Printed Wallpaper
Wallpaper already comes with a variety of colors, textures, prints, and patterns available. You are almost guaranteed to find something to fit the vision for your room. However, if you can’t find the perfect pattern or texture, today’s technology makes it more accessible to create and order a custom wallpaper print. According to one source, the market for digitally printed wallpaper is expected to reach $7.5 billion by 2026. You can truly make your space exceptional and exactly what you want.
Interior Design Trends Perfect for Wallpaper
Maximalist: Bright, bold, and colorful patterns. The maximalist style uses wallpaper to bring complex designs and rich colors sure to grab the eye. These are not subtle in any way and add drama to an otherwise dull space.
Bold palettes: Bold palettes use warm and bright colors to enliven a room. While less intense than maximalist wallpaper, bold palettes are still eye-catching and lively. Generally, they incorporate colors and patterns while being a bit more calm than maximalist styles. The result can add elegance and drama into a room.
Natural materials: Bring in elements of nature by bringing in nature-inspired wallpaper colors or prints. Choose from patterns involving plants and foliage, wood texture, or a stone pattern. These types of wallpaper are perfect for mimicking paneling, wainscotting, or half-walls of stone. New technology also enables wallpaper to be printed on a range of sustainable materials, like cork, silks, and grass-cloths.
Graphic – Geometric patterns and subtle textures elicit a visual comfort found in repetition and routine. that is delivered by patterns. Graphic choices are versatile, offering more bold choices or understated monochrome palettes.
Murals – Mural wallpaper transforms an entire wall into a 3D work of art. With everything from a field of flowers to a full panoramic scene, mural wallpaper brings drama and depth into a room. It makes spaces feel larger and infinite, with cityscapes, forests, and tunnels. Other installations use mural wallpaper to add fine art into a room, no nails or frames required.
Panels – Adding a small section of a bold wallpaper adds some dramatic flair without overwhelming the entire wall or room. If you find a wallpaper pattern that you love, but think it will visually overpower the space or look, incorporate it by using a smaller piece to create a paneled look. Adding a border that resembles a frame breaks it from the background and adds a pop into a room.
Trompe-l’oeil – Use wallpaper to “trick the eye,” making a wall covering look like something it’s not. A perfect example is using wallpaper that looks like tiles, such as in a bathroom or kitchen.
Wallpaper in Your Home
Wallpaper is now easier to find, customize, apply, and remove. The innovative peel-and-stick options are perfect for experimenting and pushing your style boundaries. Start with some wallpaper paneling, an accent wall, or experimenting in a smaller space like a half-bath or a den.
Of course, you still have permanent and semi-permanent options for wallpaper installation. Make sure you like the pattern or design chosen. Keep resale value in mind as you choose; aim for a wallpaper more timeless in its style with a neutral color or print.
Your wallpaper styling options are growing each day, making it easier to find the perfect color or pattern match for your room. Plus, new wallpapers are made from sustainable materials or with eco-friendly production practices. If you want to add some visual interest into a room, give wallpaper a try.
