Wallpaper ideas and how to choose the right one
Quick answer
To choose wallpaper, decide the job first (adding pattern, warmth, height or a focal point), then pick the scale: large patterns suit large rooms or small, enclosed spaces like cloakrooms, small patterns suit bedrooms on all four walls, stripes add height, and textured papers add warmth without pattern [3]. Always order samples and check the pattern repeat before buying.
Wallpaper has been part of British interiors for five hundred years and has been through many fashions [1]. In 2026 and 2027 it is used more confidently again, often with pattern mixing and in unexpected places such as ceilings and inside cupboards [4]. This guide explains how to choose and where to use it.
Small rooms first
The earliest wallpapers decorated cupboards and small rooms in merchants’ houses [1].
Flock
Jerome Lanier patented a method for applying coloured wools to paper, the basis of flock wallpaper [1].
Choose the scale
Room by room
| Room | Ideas |
|---|---|
| Hallway | Hard-wearing vinyl or washable papers; a dado rail with paper above. |
| Living room | One focal wall or all four in a quieter pattern. |
| Bedroom | Small florals or soft stripes, sometimes on the ceiling. |
| Cloakroom | The place for big, bold patterns. |
| Kitchen and bathroom | Washable or vinyl papers away from direct splashes. |
Pattern mixing
Homes & Gardens lists pattern-clashing as a 2027 trend: mix modern and traditional prints, vary scale and texture, and keep enough plain surfaces to rest the eye [4]. A shared colour between papers, fabrics and paint is what holds a mix together.
Period houses
Victorian houses were often papered in strong patterns above a dado and below a picture rail, with a frieze above [5]. William Morris's designs, still printed today, are a natural fit for Arts and Crafts and Victorian rooms [2].
How to choose: a checklist
- Order samples, at least A4, and look at them in daylight and lamplight.
- Check the pattern repeat; large repeats waste more paper.
- Check whether it is paste-the-wall or paste-the-paper.
- Check washability for halls, kitchens and children's rooms.
- Buy all rolls from the same batch number.
Designer Shea McGee on choosing and using wallpaper [6].
Video: Studio McGee, “The Art of Wallpaper With Shea McGee | How To Use Wallpaper In Your Home”, via YouTube.
Good to know
Common questions
How do I choose wallpaper?
Decide the job, choose the scale for the room, order samples, check the repeat and washability.
Is wallpaper in fashion in 2027?
Yes, with bolder use, pattern mixing and papered ceilings.
Should I wallpaper one wall or all four?
One wall for a focal point; all four for a cocooning effect, often in a quieter pattern.
Can you wallpaper a small cloakroom?
Yes, small rooms are ideal for bold patterns.
Sources
References and further reading
Harvard style. Web pages were checked on the access date shown.
- Victoria and Albert Museum (n.d.) A brief history of wallpaper. Available at: www.vam.ac.uk/articles/a-brief-history-of-wallpaper (Accessed: 14 November 2026).
- Victoria and Albert Museum (n.d.) William Morris and the V&A. Available at: www.vam.ac.uk/articles/william-morris-and-the-va (Accessed: 14 November 2026).
- Hoskins, L. (ed.) (1994) The papered wall: the history, patterns and techniques of wallpaper. London: Thames & Hudson.
- Richardson, E. (2026) The 10 biggest interior design trends of 2027 for a more considered, authentic home. Homes & Gardens, 2 October. Available at: www.homesandgardens.com/decor/interior-design-trends-2027 (Accessed: 14 November 2026).
- Calloway, S. and Cromley, E. (eds) (1996) The elements of style: a practical encyclopedia of interior architectural details from 1485 to the present. Rev. edn. London: Mitchell Beazley.
- Studio McGee (n.d.) The art of wallpaper with Shea McGee: how to use wallpaper in your home [Video]. YouTube. Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I2Hec86-dI (Accessed: 14 November 2026).
How to cite this article
van Locke, J. (2026) ‘Wallpaper ideas and how to choose the right one’, The Flare Journal. Flare Studio UK. Available at: https://flarestudio.uk/blogs/journal/wallpaper-ideas-and-how-to-choose (Accessed: 15 November 2026).
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