Expert Talk: Spice Up the Bedroom With Wallpaper
Create charisma for your bedroom with the unmatched patterns and textures of wallpaper, and this insight from pro designers
Whether you want to create an accent wall, a serene retreat, a modern girly space with a touch of rock and roll, or a robot room, there's a bedroom wallpaper design here that will please every member of the family.
Repeat after me. Many boys love robots, and "I thought they were such a great, simple repeated image," says Shirley Meisels of MHouse. "I also loved the colors — grayed down and muted, yet they still add a splash of color without being overwhelming. They were also really easy to mix with the furnishings and textiles."
Think ahead. This room is also by Meisels. She fell in love with this wallpaper the moment she saw it. "I ordered it before I even had a room to use it in, knowing that one day it would find a home," she says. "I loved the retro graphic vibe, the feminine floral print and the fact that it wasn't pink."
Grab center stage. Natalie Younger loves wallpaper. She found her perfect client with this project: The entire house was inspired by graphic prints and bold colors.
"This paper was installed as a feature wall and grounded the rest of the room's lighter tones by adding a little drama," she says. "I designed a custom velvet platform bed that was kept low to the ground in order to allow the wall to take center stage. The chandelier over the bed added to the mood, and the crystal knob details on all the furniture rounded out that glitzy glamour feel."
"This paper was installed as a feature wall and grounded the rest of the room's lighter tones by adding a little drama," she says. "I designed a custom velvet platform bed that was kept low to the ground in order to allow the wall to take center stage. The chandelier over the bed added to the mood, and the crystal knob details on all the furniture rounded out that glitzy glamour feel."
Accent the positive. This bedroom is part of an open loft, so Valerie Pasquiou was looking to give it a bit of a cozy feel and some softness by bringing an "un-overwhelming accent wall into the room with a hint of femininity," she says. "The overall idea was also to keep a light and crisp, fresh feel to the room."
The wallpaper is from Elli Popp in London.
The wallpaper is from Elli Popp in London.
Focus on texture. “When you have a really monochromatic bed and everything feels very calm and toned down, you want something to be a focal point,” says Tineke Triggs of Artistic Designs for Living. "This wallpaper brought texture and depth to the room.”
She adds, “There’s also a painting in the room that's not visible in this photo. It has black, white and purple in it, and the gray and the overall color palette of the space was chosen to complement it.”
She adds, “There’s also a painting in the room that's not visible in this photo. It has black, white and purple in it, and the gray and the overall color palette of the space was chosen to complement it.”
Impress your guests. Interior designer Tara Seawright uses wallpaper in a lot of her projects. "I normally stick to a more textured wallpaper and less specific designs, because you can get tired of a pattern," she says.
"I wouldn't normally choose black and white and something this graphic for a master bedroom," she adds. "But I picked this design because it was for a guest room in a beach house, and in that setting, where you're not going to be seeing it all the time, you can make a big impact and go outside yourself a little. We were working on a budget and got a lot bang for our buck by using an inexpensive fabric for curtains and a really impressive wallpaper."
"I wouldn't normally choose black and white and something this graphic for a master bedroom," she adds. "But I picked this design because it was for a guest room in a beach house, and in that setting, where you're not going to be seeing it all the time, you can make a big impact and go outside yourself a little. We were working on a budget and got a lot bang for our buck by using an inexpensive fabric for curtains and a really impressive wallpaper."
Relax and take a deep breath. The brief that Camilla Molders received for this project was straightforward: Create a retreat for her client that was bright, light and sophisticated, with a feminine touch.
"The wallpaper catches the light and adds such a lovely feel and atmosphere to the room," she says. "The wallpaper and the light fixture are the personality pieces in the room, so everything else needed to be simple to keep these in balance and to create a calm space. My client told me that she exhales whenever she walks into the room."
"The wallpaper catches the light and adds such a lovely feel and atmosphere to the room," she says. "The wallpaper and the light fixture are the personality pieces in the room, so everything else needed to be simple to keep these in balance and to create a calm space. My client told me that she exhales whenever she walks into the room."
Embrace architectural details. "This wall covering is one of my all-time favorite applications, because it really highlights the natural elements of a true grass cloth," says Julia Edelmann of Buckingham Interiors + Design. "It's Manila Hemp in Pewter by Phillip Jeffries, and I used it to create a soothing bedroom space, while also incorporating the correct mood for an aged and almost 'imperfect' home."
She adds, "While the house itself underwent a massive redo to bring it back to its 19th-century roots, this wall covering added a real element that gracefully highlighted the raw seams that bring out the home's true heritage. I love the color and the way that it embraces the white architectural details that are part of the house's rich history."
She adds, "While the house itself underwent a massive redo to bring it back to its 19th-century roots, this wall covering added a real element that gracefully highlighted the raw seams that bring out the home's true heritage. I love the color and the way that it embraces the white architectural details that are part of the house's rich history."
Build a bridge between rooms. This bedroom was created for a 12-year-old girl. "She loves ecology and her stuffed animals," says designer Michael Fullen. "We combined the wall covering, which is from Cole and Son, with other elements that reflect her interests."
He adds, "The home is contemporary, so the crisp black and white wall covering seemed appropriate to bridge the child's desires with the modern decor of the rest of the home."
He adds, "The home is contemporary, so the crisp black and white wall covering seemed appropriate to bridge the child's desires with the modern decor of the rest of the home."
Add some cozy to contemporary. Sean Cowan of Sean Michael Design used wallpaper to add a more intimate and cozy feeling to this contemporary bedroom.
"The subtle pattern in the wood grain adds a touch of luxury without adding an actual pattern that may date itself over time," he says. "It becomes visually textural and warms up the dimensionless wall behind the headboard."
"The subtle pattern in the wood grain adds a touch of luxury without adding an actual pattern that may date itself over time," he says. "It becomes visually textural and warms up the dimensionless wall behind the headboard."
Rock this look. "Our teenage client requested a modern girly space with a touch of rock and roll," says Jennifer Jones of Niche Interiors. "A metallic damask wallpaper paired with apple green, fuchsia and black and white stripes did the trick."
Hit the slopes. Ottawa, Ontario, designer Sacha Leclair of Leclair Decor says, "We were inspired by our ski trips to nearby Mont Tremblant and wanted to bring a modern lodge feel to our room. This bold wallpaper hit the mark perfectly. It's been nearly two years since we've put up this wallpaper, and we still enjoy it as much now as the first time we walked into the room."
Reflect on your feminine side. Paula Velez of Lux Design wanted to create a soft and feminine space in this bedroom. "Bold wallpaper is toned down by a soothing monochromatic color palette and beautiful mirror and crystal accessories," she says. "It creates a feminine space, while also helping to reflect light and make this small room appear spacious."