If a bedroom is the next interior design project you’re going tackle, you’re come to the right place. This article will provide tips and tricks on wallpaper in a bedroom space, and you’ll learn everything from how to choose appropriate colors and patterns, to getting a better understanding of space usage.
Table of Contents
- Defining a ‘bedroom’
- Questions to ask yourself before wallpapering a bedroom
- Setting the mood: bedroom wallpaper color and pattern
- Inspiration for your own bedroom
- Summary
Defining a ‘bedroom’
A bedroom is a room that has a bed in it.
Well, that’s certainly what the majority of us will immediately think of when asked to define what a bedroom is. In fact, there are so many other aspects to keep in mind, such as what a room needs in order to be legally accepted as a bedroom. Just check out this illustrated guide from Naked Apartments and you’ll realize the definition is more than just “a room with a bed.”
The reality is that the definition of a “bedroom” can be so complex that city councils can join the fray in determining the appropriate definition.
Lavish Textured Navy and Gold Speckle Stripe Wallpaper R4049
However, let’s keep things simple. For the purposes of this article, let’s assume a few things about the bedroom you’ll be wallpapering:
- There’s at least one bed and the primary function of the room is to be a place to sleep.
- There’s a door that separates the bedroom from the rest of the house or apartment.
- There’s at least one window.
Questions to ask yourself before wallpapering a bedroom
Before you start adding wallpaper in a bedroom, ask yourself these questions because they’ll help guide your project. It might be helpful to get a notepad and a pen to keep track of your answers. Better yet, answer these questions while in the bedroom in order to better understand the space you’re in.
Is the bedroom I’m designing my own bedroom, or does the room belong to someone else?
If the bedroom is your own bedroom, chances are you already have some likes and dislikes in terms of color and pattern (or, if you don’t know where to start, we’ll give you a hand in the sections below).
If the bedroom is for someone else (like your children, teenagers, a roommate, etc.), it’ll be helpful to get his or her input. Be sure to include them in the decorating process so they know what’s going on. While you might think the bedroom needs a calming, relaxing atmosphere, the person whose bedroom it is may want something completely different.
Our Walls Republic Tip:
Get a blank piece of paper and start brainstorming! Write your name (or whoever will be using the bedroom) in the center. Draw lines extending from the name and at the end of each one, write a word or short phrase that relates to the person’s bedroom, their personality, or a style they’re hoping to achieve. These words can be anything, such as colors, moods, favourite style, and more.
Here are some examples: Sophisticated, relaxing ambiance, orange, geometric, beautiful, energetic, green and/or yellow, old school, creative.
This brainstorming session can help you or your interior designer narrow down the wallpaper choices so you can find your perfect pattern quicker.
What is the age of the person who will be using the bedroom?
Not only does wallpaper come in different colors and patterns, but also different materials as well. Grasscloth wallpaper would not be a good choice for a child’s bedroom since the materials it is made with are more fragile. Small mica stones, paper threads, and arrowroot are just some examples of grasscloth materials.
If you’re anticipating that the walls will need a cleanup job from time to time, vinyl wallpaper would be a more suitable choice since it’s easier to clean. When browsing through different products, be sure to keep an eye out for key words like “scrubbable” and “washable.”
Our Walls Republic Tip:
You can learn more by reading our previous article, Designing Your Child's Room.
Not just sleep: Is the bedroom a mixed-space?
While the bed is the most prominent item in a bedroom, the inclusion of other furniture items can change how the space is used. For example, some bedrooms may double as a workspace if it has a computer desk and a chair. Larger bedrooms may have a small sofa and a coffee table, which works as a lounging area.
When choosing wallpaper for the bedroom, you’ll want to consider the different ways you use the bedroom so you can plan accordingly. For instance, if you want to have a relaxing atmosphere because you spend a lot of time at your work desk in your bedroom, creating that mood means paying more attention to wallpaper color (check out our previous article, All You Need To Know About Wallpaper In A Home Office).
Zen House Striped Beige and Yellow Grasscloth Wallpaper R2860
How often will the bedroom be occupied?
This question relates to the previous one and it really depends on what you’re using your bedroom for. In a smaller home or apartment, you might spend a lot of time in the bedroom if it’s being used as a mixed space. That being said, the longer you stay in a room, the more important your wallpaper choices will be.
If you like that hot pink wallpaper with the crazy geometric pattern now, try to imagine if you’ll feel the same after a few hours. The goal is to find wallpaper that not only suits your lifestyle and personality, but also one that you don’t get bored with.
Will the wallpaper be on all walls or a single feature wall?
Certain patterns work better on all four walls, while others might shine on only one wall. Check out our previous article, What You Need To Know About Wallpapering Feature Walls, to learn more.
In short, if the wallpaper pattern is subtle like the one shown below, it would work best on all four walls.
Abstract Through The Haze Grey and Brown R4494
Since feature (or “accent”) walls are designed to make an immediate impact as soon as you step into a room, larger patterns are more easily noticed. Take a look at the example below:
Our Walls Republic Tip:
If you’re creating a feature wall, you can use other wallpaper on the remaining walls. In the example above, the striped pattern helps reinforce the main floral wallpaper. The key is to choose colors that are similar to the wallpaper used on the feature wall to create a unified theme. For more information on mixing and matching different wallpaper patterns, click here for our guide!
Setting the mood: bedroom wallpaper color and pattern
Bedroom wallpaper colors
Specific colors in a room can affect our mood or how we perceive the space. While many would suggest choosing a relaxing, calm color since the bedroom is a place to sleep, this really depends on the person using the bedroom. As mentioned earlier, some people might want red wallpaper in their bedroom – a color that others would say doesn’t work because it’s too “energetic.”
Our Walls Republic Tip:
This is where you can refer back to your brainstorming sheet and see if you’ve listed any colors. If any did come to mind, take a look at our other article, How Color Affects A Room’s Mood, and see what it says about your choice(s).
Bedroom wallpaper pattern
If you’ve already settled on creating a feature wall for your bedroom, your wallpaper pattern choices are clearer – something that makes an impact, is immediately noticeable upon entering the room, and features a mid to large-scale pattern. Instead of regular wallpaper, you might even consider a wallpaper mural, which can make a room super stylish! If you don’t know what a wallpaper mural is, check out this article, Custom Wallpaper Murals: the Best Way to Spark Individuality and Creativity in Your Home, and Wallpaper vs. Wall Murals to learn more.
If you’re still unsure about which pattern you want, the best way to start narrowing down your preferences is by looking at different wallpaper styles available. You might be familiar with some wallpaper styles already, like floral, geometric, and modern. However, not only has wallpaper technology come a long way, but so has the designs. In the category of floral wallpaper, you might see patterns that are more traditional and classic, while others are more contemporary.
Our Walls Republic Tip:
Faux finish wallpapers is a style that’s trending right now. From wood to brick, faux finish patterns can give a room a very modern and upscale feel.
Inspiration for your own bedroom
Now that you’ve thought about your bedroom space in more detail, let’s take a look at some room shots to get you inspired! Each of the following images comes with some additional information:
- Great for: What type of bedroom is this wallpaper best suited for? Children? Adults? Teens
- Mood/character: What kind of mood or character does the wallpaper convey?
- Usage: Would this wallpaper be a suitable choice for a feature wall or used for all walls in a room?
- Style: The type of wallpaper style that is shown in the example
Let’s get started!
Great for: Adults, teens
Mood/character: Urban, high-end, modern
Usage: Feature wall
Style: Urban/landscape mural
The iconic Toronto Skyline is now available as an urban wallpaper mural! Shown above in black and white, the mural also comes in full color or sepia. If your bedroom has a lot of colorful furniture or décor pieces, going with a black and white mural can help provide a nice balance in the room, making sure that your room isn’t overwhelmed with color. On the other hand, if your room has a lot of black and white furniture or décor items, going with a full color wallpaper mural will make it pop the moment anyone enters the room.
Wallpaper murals are often used as a feature wall and in a bedroom, the wall that’s commonly chosen is the one behind the bed.
Urban Denim Patch Light Pink and Beige Wallpaper R4095
Great for: Adults, teens, children
Mood/character: Open, bright, peaceful, creative
Usage: All walls, feature wall
Style: Geometric wallpaper
This interesting design is bright and playful, making it a solid choice for any age group. The denim detailing gives this pattern a creative edge as well because it’s not your typical geometric pattern. It has a rustic edge that sets it apart.
With light pastel colors, this wallpaper works to create a bright, open atmosphere in the bedroom. It creates a welcoming mood that is inviting. To keep that mood throughout the room, our recommendation is to pair this wallpaper with furniture and décor items that are light in color (e.g. white, light pink and blue), or neutral colors, like beige.
Great for: Adults
Mood/character: Serene, classic, sophisticated, elegant
Usage: All walls
Style: Floral wallpaper
Create a relaxing mood for your bedroom with this floral wallpaper. White wallpaper can be seen as “boring” and “uninspired,” but not so with this pattern! It features a subtle metallic shine that catches the light, and its intricate pattern provides a high level of details that is dynamic.
This choice is also great for those who have never made the transition from paint to wallpaper before. Putting up wallpaper can feel overwhelming – after all, you can only do so much with paint. On the other hand, wallpaper completely dramatizes the room with its color and pattern. This wallpaper is perfect for those who want to dip their toe into the world of wallpaper.
Great for: Children, teens
Mood/character: Energetic, playful, interesting, fun
Usage: Feature wall
Style: Contemporary wallpaper
Talk about transforming a space! Now for a bolder wallpaper pattern that has a “love it or leave it” attitude. No longer relegated to being a yard ornament, this contemporary wallpaper features pink flamingos on a background that has a hand painted aesthetic.
Mixing and matching this wallpaper with other designs can become a fun side-project as well! Want to create a tropical theme? Why not use Pink Classic Flamingos as a feature wall, and Tropical Leaves to surround it?
Great for: Adults
Mood/character: Natural, relaxing, rustic
Usage: All walls
Style: Faux finish wallpaper
For a faux finish pattern that also borrows from the abstract wallpaper category, Birch Bark is your choice. This wood-inspired design gives the space a natural feel, and its color lends itself well to versatile space design.
While the example above pairs the faux finish wallpaper with lighter colored furniture items, using darker colors will accentuate the rustic qualities of the design.
Contemporary Geometric Metallic Circle Purple Wallpaper R3934
Great for: Teens, children
Mood/character: Playful, vibrant, quirky, unique
Usage: Feature wall, all walls
Style: Geometric wallpaper
Geometric wallpaper isn’t all about straight lines and angles, and that’s what we love about this particular example. The bubbles gives this wallpaper a fun aesthetic, especially when combined with the metallic backing that reflects the light.
Wallpaper with a lot of personality is a great way to liven up a space. For teens and children who spend a lot of their time in the bedroom, creating a fun atmosphere with wallpaper can be as simple as choosing an interesting pattern.
Great for: Adults
Mood/character: Natural, trendy, contemporary
Usage: All walls, feature wall
Style: Faux finish wallpaper
Our last inspiration is another faux finish wallpaper (we did say it was a trendy category), but one that is more in line with the traditional style. This wallpaper features a realistic wooden panel design that gives any bedroom an organic, natural look. With its dark grey/black colors, it creates an upscale yet rustic appearance that is super stylish.
With its vertical pattern, this wallpaper can also create the illusion of height. Vertical stripes can make a wall appear taller, making it perfect for smaller spaces. This “elevation” can also make a room feel more open and spacious.
Summary
If you were thinking about adding wallpaper in a bedroom, hopefully this article was helpful in giving you a place to start. Whether you’re designing your own space, or working with someone else, choosing wallpaper doesn’t have to be a stressful choice – in fact, it can be quite fun to browse through all the different styles!
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