This Goes With That: 5 Wallpaper Tips From an Interior Designer
Finding wallpaper you adore is just the first step. For the next stage, we show you how to make it really work in a room
Noni Edmunds
9 July 2017
Houzz Australia Contributor. Interior Designer for Style Precinct in Melbourne. Im passionate about creating the living spaces you will truly love and enjoy everyday.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Interior Designer for Style Precinct in Melbourne.... More
With thousands of wallpaper patterns and designs available, choosing the right pattern can be overwhelming. To top it off, selecting window dressings and soft furnishings, furniture and accessories to complement your wallpaper can be even more confusing. Follow these style tips from an expert to keep you on track when you’re putting it all together.
1. Choose the Wallpaper First
Think of your wallpaper as a piece of art in a space to provide inspiration and direction for your scheme. It is easier to find your wallpaper first and build your room around it.
The colourful combination pictured is the Amazilia Collection from Harlequin. Fabrics for soft furnishings are also available in the collection and have been designed to coordinate with the wallpaper.
Tip: Choose a plain fabric or wallpaper from a collection to make a custom lampshade.
Think of your wallpaper as a piece of art in a space to provide inspiration and direction for your scheme. It is easier to find your wallpaper first and build your room around it.
The colourful combination pictured is the Amazilia Collection from Harlequin. Fabrics for soft furnishings are also available in the collection and have been designed to coordinate with the wallpaper.
Tip: Choose a plain fabric or wallpaper from a collection to make a custom lampshade.
Pink is a perennial favourite colour inspiration for a girl’s room. Keep the look fresh as they grow by changing the bedlinen and soft furnishings. Match with the brightest yellows and a neon pink for a high-voltage look. A velvet floral cushion fabric completes the pattern combination. Plenty of white in the bedlinen and bedside table and lamp keeps the look fresh.
2. Focus on Style
When choosing your wallpaper, have a style in mind before you begin your search. The style could relate to the architectural period of your home or a look you love. Wallpaper collections will have a theme, so narrow down your search by honing in on the most suitable collections. A retro-inspired wallpaper was the starting point for this scheme. Combine with the same colour tones in plain upholstery, cushions and accessories.
Tip: Small details can have a big effect. Charcoal piping on scatter cushions pulls the look together.
See more whimsical wallpaper schemes
When choosing your wallpaper, have a style in mind before you begin your search. The style could relate to the architectural period of your home or a look you love. Wallpaper collections will have a theme, so narrow down your search by honing in on the most suitable collections. A retro-inspired wallpaper was the starting point for this scheme. Combine with the same colour tones in plain upholstery, cushions and accessories.
Tip: Small details can have a big effect. Charcoal piping on scatter cushions pulls the look together.
See more whimsical wallpaper schemes
A grasscloth wallpaper adds texture with its natural weave for a more formal look. Window furnishings complement this detail by remaining simple and classic. The accent chair upholstery brings the wallpaper colour into the room furnishings.
Tip: Add a band to the base of curtains for decorative interest.
Tip: Add a band to the base of curtains for decorative interest.
3. Decide on Your Scheme
As well as a style, think about the kind of colour scheme you want to achieve. Having a scheme in mind helps you focus on selecting the right ‘coordinates’ for curtain and soft-furnishing fabric, furniture and accessories. Consider basing your scheme on one of the following:
Complementary
This includes colours from the opposite sides of the colour wheel for a bold and dynamic look, as seen here. Opposites such as blue and orange create a bold personality. The watery blue hues in the wallpaper are matched with a deep denim fabric on the bedhead, shades of blue in the scatter cushions and contrasting complementary bright pops of orange.
Tip: Turn a striped wallpaper horizontally for a different effect.
When colours are not what they seem
As well as a style, think about the kind of colour scheme you want to achieve. Having a scheme in mind helps you focus on selecting the right ‘coordinates’ for curtain and soft-furnishing fabric, furniture and accessories. Consider basing your scheme on one of the following:
Complementary
This includes colours from the opposite sides of the colour wheel for a bold and dynamic look, as seen here. Opposites such as blue and orange create a bold personality. The watery blue hues in the wallpaper are matched with a deep denim fabric on the bedhead, shades of blue in the scatter cushions and contrasting complementary bright pops of orange.
Tip: Turn a striped wallpaper horizontally for a different effect.
When colours are not what they seem
Here, the sophisticated combination of complementary coral pink and dark sage green is combined with the paler shades in the geometric wallpaper adding a feminine touch to this home office.
Analogous
These are neighbouring colours that sit next to or near each other on the colour wheel. These spaces will feel calming and relaxing, with colours that work harmoniously together. Add some neutrals in grey, white or black for extra sophistication in your furnishings to allow the wallpaper to make a statement.
These are neighbouring colours that sit next to or near each other on the colour wheel. These spaces will feel calming and relaxing, with colours that work harmoniously together. Add some neutrals in grey, white or black for extra sophistication in your furnishings to allow the wallpaper to make a statement.
This scheme is mainly analogous, with blue and green neighbouring colours on the colour wheel. Interesting accessories enhance the mix.
Monochromatic
A black and white monochromatic scheme with two different wallpapers works together with a variety of fabric patterns and accessories for a stylish space.
Tip: A monochromatic scheme, one with a single hue alongside shades and tints of the same colour, is the easiest scheme to master when mixing patterns and prints.
A black and white monochromatic scheme with two different wallpapers works together with a variety of fabric patterns and accessories for a stylish space.
Tip: A monochromatic scheme, one with a single hue alongside shades and tints of the same colour, is the easiest scheme to master when mixing patterns and prints.
This monochromatic scheme features navy bedlinen and natural-coloured sheer curtains combined with a small-scale geometric wallpaper. Strong, bold colours complete the tonal scheme with a black bedhead, cobalt-coloured bedlinen and a dark grey throw. A custom drum lampshade has been made from a suede wallpaper coordinated from the wallpaper collection.
Beautify your bland bathroom with wallpaper
Beautify your bland bathroom with wallpaper
Use a smaller scale in a similar pattern in roman blinds to complement the wallpaper design. Patterns, including the houndstooth in the chaise and floral in the scatters and coverlet, add layers to the monochromatic scheme.
Triadic
A contrasting scheme with colours positioned in a triangular location on the colour wheel, this scheme achieves a balanced and colourful look.
This room is based on blue, yellow and red. The strong geometric blue-patterned wallpaper is paired with a different print in the curtains, antique gold velvet chair upholstery and red in the scatter cushion.
A contrasting scheme with colours positioned in a triangular location on the colour wheel, this scheme achieves a balanced and colourful look.
This room is based on blue, yellow and red. The strong geometric blue-patterned wallpaper is paired with a different print in the curtains, antique gold velvet chair upholstery and red in the scatter cushion.
Mirror the tones used in the wallpaper for furnishing fabrics and accessories. The colours in the glass light fixtures, dining chair upholstery and decorative accessories are a triadic scheme found in the Amazilia Collection wallpaper.
4. Play With Pattern
A bold, graphic wallpaper design in a neutral colourway is versatile and can be combined with other neutral furnishings or, as pictured, with contrasting shots of strong colour for a personality-packed room.
Tip: Use the same pattern in a different colour to link patterns together visually.
A bold, graphic wallpaper design in a neutral colourway is versatile and can be combined with other neutral furnishings or, as pictured, with contrasting shots of strong colour for a personality-packed room.
Tip: Use the same pattern in a different colour to link patterns together visually.
Mixing patterns takes skill and practise. Start by mixing similar designs with different scales of pattern, then add one to two other patterns. Here, the wallpaper provides the diamond-pattern inspiration for the scatter cushions.
Patterns can be added in curtain fabric and rugs. Keep the wallpaper simpler if other furnishings have strong patterns. A grey grasscloth wallpaper provides the backdrop to the patterns in this room.
Tip: Grasscloth wallpapers are woven from natural grasses and reeds, and have a beautiful textural quality.
Tip: Grasscloth wallpapers are woven from natural grasses and reeds, and have a beautiful textural quality.
5. Add Texture
Add an extra dimension to a monochromatic palette with texture. Ceramic vases with embossed surfaces, glossy mercury glass lamp bases, antiqued mirror and the natural warmth of wood in furniture and wallpaper combine well.
Tip: Use simple greenery to style this nature-inspired scheme.
Add an extra dimension to a monochromatic palette with texture. Ceramic vases with embossed surfaces, glossy mercury glass lamp bases, antiqued mirror and the natural warmth of wood in furniture and wallpaper combine well.
Tip: Use simple greenery to style this nature-inspired scheme.
A marble-effect wallpaper is combined with the natural textures of timber and metal to create a calm sanctuary. Cushions and bedlinen with grey tones and inky ombré effects add a modern touch.
Tip: Copper is a great way to add warmth to a cool scheme.
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Tip: Copper is a great way to add warmth to a cool scheme.
Tell us
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Read more stories about colour
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Hi Kat
Ha ha. Thanks for your thoughts. Where did that saying come from! Probably the dark ages of no colour. Blue and green are nature's best friends - colour of the grass and sky on a summer's day - a happy combo for me.
Hi Dianne Hunter
There are a few ways you could go. I would suggest the one wall behind the bed only and the effect will be doubled in the mirror. The size scale of pattern similar to the fabric you have works well. If you are worried it will be too bold, choose a wallpaper with softer tones or colours.
Here are a few ideas.