Style insight Expert guide to new season wallpapers
Designers and experts reveal the latest colours and patterns and how to make them work in your home
PRETTY PASTELS
The big new trend I love the fact that we’re becoming bolder with pattern and colour. This year’s softer pastel palette works beautifully on the new geometrics, conveying a more feminine edge to a masculine style – particularly if you add a little metallic highlight. Pattern clash and patchwork tiles are great options for bringing interest to any room – a recent trip to Portugal gave me lots of ideas for this look.
Personal favourite I’ve always been fascinated by the magic and illusion involved in making a flat surface appear three dimensional. Trompe l’oeil effects are mesmerising – my favourite of all design styles.
TOP TIPS
1 Always try to get a wallpaper sample and put it where you intend to hang the paper. View it at different times during the day, and at night with the lights on. It’s amazing how lighting affects colour and how metallics and shimmers react to different conditions.
2 Consider your room proportions
– for instance, would you like to make it look taller, wider, larger? You can change a room’s appearance with the clever use of pattern and colour. For example, striped wallpaper hung vertically will make the room appear taller, and paler colours will tend to make it feel more spacious, particularly if there’s a metallic or shimmer effect on the walls to reflect the light.
3 If you’re a wallpapering novice, try a ‘paste the wall’ product. It’s so much easier to hang than a traditional paper, and far less messy. All you have to do is paste the wall, apply the wallpaper and trim the top and bottom. There’s no need for a pasting table!
PERSONAL STYLE
The big new trend Wallpapers have always had a universal appeal and tend to create a feeling of nostalgia for people through their colours and patterns. Though they’re very much an enduring trend, it’s one that goes through phases; some years patterns are popular but at other times it’s stripes.
At the moment we’re seeing a move away from the clean, minimal interiors that were so popular a decade ago – today people would like their homes to be much more personal, reflecting individual tastes and interests rather than a ‘one style suits all’ approach. Geometric wallpapers in particular are resonating with people wanting to create a bold, fresh feel.
Personal favourite I really like large-scale patterns that contain texture and tone-on-tone colourways – they provide a dynamic, modern, graphic look.
TOP TIPS
1 When you’re decorating a room, create a seamless connection between the wallpaper and paint by using the same colours on the ceiling or skirting as the one used in the background or pattern of the wallpaper.
2 Large-scale designs in strong colours will make a room feel smaller and cosier, and if used on one wall will foreshorten a space. Smaller-scale designs in softer colourways have the opposite effect, so can be a great choice if you want to open up a room.
3 Always remember to remove excess wallpaper paste as any that’s left over on papers with a traditional matt finish can show up as a shiny patch.
PATTERN PLAY
The big new trend Wallpaper designs can speak volumes about the tastes and personalities of their owners and the heritage of the houses they occupy. They also can tell the story of the home owner, infusing the home with character, like a piece of art.
Wallpaper is big news because so many people are renovating their homes rather than moving. There’s a trend for pretty patterns, trails and birds, textures and decadent shimmering finishes. Scale is generally large and wallpapers are no longer reserved to single feature walls. Contrasting skirting boards and painted woodwork in brighter, punchy hues has become more popular and is a fantastic way to bring together heritage patterns in a contemporary way.
Personal favourite I adore dark, moody wallpapers that give you a sense of being wrapped up in their opulence and depth. They look incredibly sophisticated teamed with wood and door frames painted in deep colours. It’s always a joy to see wallpaper in bathrooms and kitchens.
TOP TIPS
1 Be adventurous and play with scale. Using large prints on small walls and small prints on large walls always works well.
2 The more the merrier – choose one design in two different colourways to add interest in a room. Alternatively, use one colourway in one room and another in the next to create intrigue and continuity.
3 Always use good quality wallpaper paste – your decorator will thank you for the thought and you’ll appreciate the difference in the quality of the finish.
MIX AND MATCH
The big new trend Today wallpaper comes in every look you can think of, from classic, neutral or minimalistic to bohemian, bold and arty. Digital printing has enabled revolutionary changes, bringing wallpaper up to date with exciting designs. Unlimited colour palettes are available and there are no restrictions when it comes to pattern size, resulting in designs that are big and brilliantly vibrant.
Personal favourite In general I really like colourful wallpaper that tells some kind of story. Also I’m an art lover so if a wallpaper combines some of these elements, then I’m sold!
TOP TIPS
1 Try to decorate the whole room with wallpaper. If you don’t dare, you can always start with a small room before moving onto something bigger. Wallpaper works best if it’s all around you as it brings a room together and unexpectedly creates space.
2 Wallpapered walls covered with paintings or prints can look fantastic.
3 Don’t be afraid to mix different patterns; more really is more.
SCALING UP
The big new trend The fantastic thing about now is that there isn’t one over-riding trend – people are embracing their own tastes and individuality. They’re decorating more fearlessly and including items they truly love in their schemes – things that make their heart and home happy.
Personal favourite I’m a fan of large-scale mural-style designs – I think of them as art for my walls and they can change the atmosphere of a room dramatically. I’ve used one in my little boy’s room and it’s really helped create a cool fun space for him.
TOP TIPS
1 Feature walls can look amazing – they work best with a larger-scale, statement design, which could overwhelm a whole room but when used on just one wall can add personality and colour.
2 Bathrooms and hallways are brilliant places to go wild with wallpaper, as they can handle pattern really well – usually in a small to mid-sized pattern. Pick a colour from the pattern and paint the doors and surrounds in that for a modern look.
3 It sounds obvious but be sure to read the hanging instructions carefully before you start. A lot of wallpapers these days are ‘paste the wall’ rather than ‘paste the paper’, so it’s very important to do this correctly to get the best finish and avoid ruining your paper.