For many years, the accent wall has been the standard approach to using wallpaper. It’s a safe and effective way to introduce a pattern or color into a room without overwhelming the space. But as homeowners and designers become more confident with patterns and textures, we are seeing a shift away from this single-wall treatment. The new focus is on using wallpaper in more holistic and integrated ways that make a space feel more intentional and complete. Moving beyond the accent wall opens up a world of design possibilities that can give a home a truly custom feel.
Covering All Four Walls for a Complete Look
One of the most direct ways to move past the accent wall is to simply keep going. Applying a wallpaper to all four walls of a room produces a fully enveloped, cohesive feeling. This technique works especially well with subtle textures or small-scale patterns that won’t overpower the senses. A soft grasscloth or a delicate geometric pattern on all walls can lend a quiet sophistication. For a bolder approach, a large-scale floral or mural-like paper in a dining room or powder room can be very effective. When you cover the whole space, the overall feel of your wallpaper design room will be more finished and thoughtfully composed.
The Chair Rail Divide
A classic but often underutilized technique is to apply wallpaper to either the top or bottom portion of a wall, divided by a chair rail or a clean line of paint. This method allows you to use a bold pattern on a manageable scale. Papering the top third of a wall above a solid color can draw the eye upward and give a sense of height. Conversely, papering the bottom portion below a chair rail can ground the room and protect the wall in a high-traffic area like a hallway or dining room. This approach supplies a layer of architectural detail and visual interest.
Connecting Spaces with Coordinated Papers
In homes with open floor plans or adjoining rooms, wallpaper can be a fantastic tool for building a sense of flow. You can use the same wallpaper in two connected areas, like a living room and an adjacent dining nook, to unify them. For a more subtle connection, you can use two different but coordinating papers. For example, you could pair a solid textured paper in one area with a complementary wallpaper design abstract from the same color family in the next. This shows a thoughtful approach to design that makes the whole home feel connected.
Using Wallpaper to Delineate Zones
In a large, open-plan space, it can be difficult to define different functional areas. Without building walls, you can use wallpaper to signal a shift in function. A section of wallpaper behind a desk can visually carve out a home office nook. A bold wallpaper design black and white can effectively outline a dining area within a larger living space. The wallpaper acts as a visual cue, grounding the furniture and signaling that this particular spot has its own specific purpose. It’s a clever way to organize an open layout without sacrificing the feeling of spaciousness.
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