Once seen as old-fashioned and fussy, patterned wallpaper is back with a bang. Modern wallpaper can be edgy, contemporary and playful, allowing you to show your quirky side. Some of the designs can be expensive, but they’re more like an artwork than a wallcovering, and will bring you pleasure for years. In fact, there are plenty of designs out there that take inspiration from artists such as Van Gogh and Andy Warhol, if you want to own your own masterpiece!
Wallpaper is a quick and easy way to transform a room, although these big, bold designs are best left to a single feature wall so that they don’t become too overpowering.
If you go for a really striking wallpaper, keep other wall art to a minimum and keep the remaining walls plain. You don’t have to go for plain white, though – picking out one of the colours of the wallpaper can work really well. Keep furniture clean and simple, and floorcoverings neutral so that your feature wall becomes the focal point of the room. Here are ten prints we’ve picked out.
1. Back to nature original wallpaper, Mineheart
The ‘Back to nature’ range has been designed for a low environmental impact, with 100% biodegradable plastic-free packaging. The artwork has been designed by Courtney Brims, known for her beautifully detailed drawings and illustrations of animals where nothing is quite what it seems. The wallpaper is printed using pulp from sustainably managed forests, with ultra low VOC inks and for every roll sold, one additional tree is planted in areas of Africa heavily affected by deforestation. Available from Mineheart at £152 per roll, 52cm wide by 10 metres long.
2. Hip hip graffiti wallpaper mural, Wallsauce
Make an impact with this high quality Hip Hop Graffiti wallpaper, which is custom made to your dimensions. Great for teenagers’ rooms or make a statement in an urban, contemporary living room. Priced at £27/metre, available from Wallsauce.
3. Harvest hare wallpaper, Mark Hearld
‘Harvest Hare’ by Mark Hearld is a single colour wallpaper, printed in the UK using water-based inks and paper from sustained forests.Made from an original linocut, it has a handmade feel which adds to the charm. Available in a range of different colours at £66 for a 52cm wide by 10 metre long roll from St Jude’s Fabrics.
4. Rhododendron purple and white floral wallpaper, Woodchip & Magnolia
Made in Lancashire, this vivid floral print is reminiscent of English country gardens. The rich purples and greens would work well in a bedroom or dining room. Available from Woodchip & Magnolia at £99 per roll (52cm by 10 metres).
5. Hindustan aquamarine wallpaper, Maison Margot
This decadent wallpaper represents the beautiful world of India and all its glories, with a pale blue background. It’s printed to order with eco-friendly inks, and can be wiped clean making it a good choice for dining rooms. £150 for a box of three rolls from Maison Margot (each roll measures 52cm by 3 metres).
6. Electric lagoon blue, The Curious Department
We love the vibrant greens and turquoises of this water-inspired paper. Digitally printed to order on fine quality paper in the UK, it’s aailable on two different paper types: either matt, or mica which has a subtle metallic sheen. Prices start at £100 from The Curious Department for a roll (measuring 52cm by 10.05 metres).
7. ‘Which came first’ mint wallpaper, Paperboy Interiors Ltd
Perfect for a child’s bedroom, this gender-neutral wallpaper features beautiful, detailed line drawings ideal for stimulating enquiring minds. £60 for a 52cm by 10 metre roll, available from Paperboy Interiors Ltd.
8. Crane bird in vintage pink wallpaper, Woodchip & Magnolia
Inspired by the Orient, Cranes is an eccentric, whimsical interpretation of traditional Japanese bird prints, perched in imaginary Bonsai style branches. This design would look stunning in a 1950s-style decor, and costs £85 for a 52cm by 10m roll from Woodchip & Magnolia.
9. Leaf wallpaper, Erica Wakerly
This pretty nude pink and gold wallpaper has a fine metallic pattern which is perfect for adding a touch of glamour to a bedroom. It’s printed with environmentally friendly, colour-fast, non-toxic, water-based inks, and costs £96 for a roll measuring 52cm by 10 metres. Available from Lime Lace.
10. Bicycle stamps wallpaper, Purlfrost
This wallpaper design has been created using images of original vintage cycling and bicycle related stamps. It can be ordered in any measurement and used as a wall mural (to cover a whole wall or part of a wall), but also as a poster within a wall, or to cover a door or cabinet. It’s made to your own dimensions, and prices start at £10 from Purlfrost.
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That’s a great selection!