Wallpaper is back in a big way and it is no wonder!  It is such an easy way to add instant character, elegance or charm to any space. 

Fabric can be paper backed to hang like wallpaper too for a luxurious look as an alternative to upholstering walls.

But if you want to maximize the impact of wallpaper without the expense of a whole room full, here are some tricks for using your favorite wallpaper.

Use it in small rooms

We love to use it for big impact in smaller spaces like powder rooms and bathrooms that don’t have very much square footage to cover.

We used a birch wallpaper in this long narrow bathroom (click on highlighted text for links to more about the project) and added a small leaf print with a black background in the WC area.  This echoed the black tiled shower on the opposite end and the room and the window valance of matching fabric in the center.

And we used a teal leaf wallpaper in this guest bath to echo the accent wall of teal tile.

And for this basement guest bath we paired dramatic blue tile with abundant white millwork and this whimsical wallpaper.

We almost ALWAYS use wallpaper in powder rooms for the added drama or elegance - here are a few that we’ve done (click on the images for the link to more project photos)

Use it in a bookshelf

Wallpaper is an ideal way to highlight the backs of open shelving or bookcases.  Depending on what is going on the shelves, you might choose a solid texture or a pattern.

We used a solid aqua grasscloth to highlight these display shelves in a living room sitting area (sorry for the grainy picture…it’s an oldie!)

And we used a raffia texture in a natural color to lighten and add dimension to these dark office bookcases. 

On the back of my recently renovated kitchen shelves, I used this gorgeous patterned paper because I would be storing mostly plain white dishes and clear glassware on these black shelves.

Line a closet with pattern

Similarly, wallpaper (or fabric) is a fabulous little surprise lining a closet.

I used peel and stick paper on the walls of my dressing room closets in my favorite deep teal, and fabric as wallpaper in this bedroom closet both adding a little glam pattern AND covering the rough textured walls as the same time!

Use wallpaper framed by millwork

Scenic wallpaper above wainscoting in a dining room is a timeless classic and there are so many beautiful options!

Bedrooms can benefit from either a soft all-over organic pattern, a feature wall of patterned paper behind the bed, or framed scenic panels like these we did here over magnetic boards for a feature wall to display a vintage hat collection.

And wallpaper makes an elegant introduction in a foyer too.  Using framed panels or millwork to break up the area is a way to use this high impact, but sometimes pricey material to its best advantage.

Here is a spectacular and colorful document print we proposed to give some life to this grand but bland foyer for a family home. We only need to do the lower part of the foyer because the millwork makes a natural break and we can paint the upper walls in the wallpaper background color.

New construction spec homes are often plain vanilla…meant to appeal to everyone.  They are generally a blank slate on which to inject some elegance and personality.  Here are some options we are planning for this pretty long narrow foyer.

We looooooved this gorgeous painted grasscloth. The pattern, color, and texture will strike just the right note in this space, but the homeowner is not a fan of the visible seams one gets with grasscloth.

I devised this paneled scheme which takes advantage of the wide width of the paper and gets us all the advantages with none of the seams AND uses less paper.

The panels also break up the long wall a bit creating a better proportion in the space. Win-win!

Look up! 

Using wallpaper on a ceiling is another way to elevate (figuratively and sometimes literally!) A space.

The 10ft high tray ceiling in the aforementioned long foyer will get the star treatment with this basketweave grasscloth pattern with a bit of metallic peeking through.  This will not only add texture to highlight the ceiling, it will also add a soft reflected glow in the light of a pair of lantern pendants.

Uses for leftover wallpaper

If you happen to have some wallpaper left over, here are some ideas for using it up.

• Frame it for artwork, or use it as matting for pictures

• Cover storage boxes

• Line drawers and cabinets

• Cover a memo or magnet board

• Use as gift wrap/bags/tags

• Cover lampshades

• Line a serving tray (top with glass or polyurethane to protect it)