Choosing the perfect wallpaper for your room decor is a fun and exciting process!
However, it can sometimes become overwhelming for a layman with so many options available these days. Not only there’s ample variety, but now you can also get the wallpapers custom-made by sharing a digital image of the design that you want (like I have done in this kids’ bedroom).
Let me share with you some tips that can help you choose the perfect wallpaper for your space:
1. Consider The Theme of the Space:
Whichever wallpaper you choose; make sure that it gels well with the room’s overall decor. Take into consideration the colour scheme, accessories, and furniture in the room while selecting the wallpaper.
If you’re selecting wallpaper for a children’s bedroom, consider taking something funky, or something which has a lot of drama in it. Avoid taking anything too rich with a golden design or effect. That’s probably for a master bedroom or a royal-themed living room.
For a kid’s bedroom, you can choose a floral, natural design or even a geometric pattern that goes with the overall room interiors. Try to keep the colour theme intact.
2. The Style of the Room:
The type of wallpaper that you select should go with the overall style of the room interiors. For example, if your house has a traditional style interior, you can consider wallpaper with a damask or a floral pattern.
Similarly, for a more contemporary or modern look, abstract designs or geometric pattern wallpapers will look suitable.
3. Room Size:
The size of the room also plays a critical role in choosing wallpaper.
If the room size is small, you may want to go with light-coloured wallpaper or wallpaper with small patterns to make the room look spacious.
In bigger rooms, you can consider bolder patterns or darker colours to add some drama.
Like I have done here for this kids’ bedroom. This wallpaper is customized according to the room theme and room size. It’s matching with the surrounding furniture also.
4. The Functionality of the Room:
The functionality of a room also influences the choice of wallpaper.
For instance, if it is a bedroom, you may want to go for wallpaper that has a relaxing and calming pattern, like a subtle floral pattern, or soft stripes.
For a home office, you can choose wallpaper with bolder patterns or vibrant colours to stimulate productivity and creativity.
5. Samples and Swatches:
It’s advisable that you either hire a professional (an interior designer) and take them with you for wallpaper and other furnishings selection. However, if you are short on budget, you must always first order samples and swatches of the wallpaper before making a final decision.
You may also ask the vendor to get the wallpaper book at home and put it on your wall to decide if it’s going well with the overall interior of the space. This will give you an idea of how the wallpaper looks in your room and how it coordinates with the existing decor.
There are also some online websites where you can choose the design pattern and get the wallpaper custom-made for your room. It may cost a tiny bit more, but trust me, it’s worth it in the end.
6. Go with The Right Colors
Colours set the mood in a room. If you want to make your room look bigger with the ceiling higher, go with patterns that have cool–colour backgrounds, such as blue, green or violet.
Cool colours can also be sub branched as soft and intense cool colours. The soft ones will suggest tranquillity, whereas the intense ones will give the space a more dramatic and fresh look!
The more intense the colours, the more excitement it brings to a room!
If you want to bring some warmth and cosiness to your room, go with warm colours- shades and tones of yellows, reds or oranges. These colours are more popular in areas with colder climates but, also work particularly well in north-facing rooms.
For the north-facing rooms, windowless spaces, and dark hallways, choose wallpapers that reflect the light around the room. Go with patterns that have light colours or have iridescent or metallic inks. Choose wallpapers with smooth surfaces rather than textured ones so that they reflect maximum light.
Dark colours absorb light and hence make the space look smaller. Textured wall coverings also tend to make the wall appear darker.
Where to Use the Textured Wallpapers?
If there are imperfections in your wall (which is not quite uncommon, actually), then you can consider choosing a textured wallpaper with patterns. It can camouflage or hide architectural eyesores. Patterns that have actual tactile surfaces include string cloth and grass, foil, burlap, fabric and even expanded vinyl.
Other patterned wallpapers with perceived textures simulate wood, marble, fabric, leather and even animal skins.
The pattern with layered design can also give a perception of texture. A good example of this would be a monochromatic damask behind a floral pattern.
Just make sure that you use textured wallpaper only in bigger spaces. If you select a textured wallpaper for a small space, it would only look more crunched and would destroy the whole purpose of even going with a wallpaper finish.
Final Words from an Interior Designer
Take your time and enjoy the process of selecting the perfect wallpaper for your home decor.
Also, if you’re on a budget, it’s best to understand how many rolls of wallpapers are you going to require for each space. Calculate the cost of the wallpaper roll accordingly.
Taking these factors into consideration, you can create a beautiful and cohesive look that will enhance the ambience and overall style of your house.
If you feel the need for professional help, don’t hesitate to contact me even if it’s just a tiny piece of advice that you want. Always happy to help!