Finding the right wallpaper mural for small rooms and apartments can be challenging. After all, certain mural patterns can unintentionally make a room look and feel smaller than it actually is, which can be disastrous!
Thankfully, the opposite is true as well. There are certain wallpaper mural patterns that can create the illusion of a larger space. Whether you're decorating a small room or a small apartment in general, keep reading to learn how you can use 3D wallpaper murals to create the illusion of a larger space!
The Problem With Decorating a Small Apartment
While wallpaper murals work best on mid to large-sized walls, don't think that you're out of luck if you have a relatively smaller wall. Because wallpaper murals can be resized to fit the exact dimensions of your wall, you can still achieve a stunning visual effect on a smaller scale. However, the problem with choosing a mural pattern is more than just the wall size – it's how the pattern interacts with the rest of the space.
In small apartments or rooms, you want to do everything you can to maximize the space, and that's where certain wallpaper mural patterns are much better than others. If you choose a wallpaper mural pattern that's too "busy" or complex, that could end up making the entire apartment feel smaller and more cramped. For example, take a look at the Paisley wallpaper mural below. While it's absolutely gorgeous, it's not something we'd put at the top of the list when recommending murals for small apartments.
Whimsical Ornamental Paisley M9457
With a high degree of detail and image complexity, there isn't a lot of space for the image to breathe and when a mural looks "cramped," this just translates to the rest of the small apartment. Instead, let's take a look at wallpaper mural patterns that can make your small space appear larger!
Patterns That Can Make Your Small Apartment Feel Larger
There are a few ways you can use wallpaper mural patterns to make your space look larger. The first way is by creating the illusion of taller or wider walls. This is easily done through patterns that emphasize a horizontal (wide) or vertical (tall) pattern placement. Consider these two abstract wallpaper murals below:
The first features a vertical orientation that can make a wall look as if it's taller than it actually is. On the other hand, Flange 2 is an abstract wallpaper mural that can make walls appear wider. This innate "illusion" is part of why striped wallpaper patterns are so common. Its versatility is not only in its flexible imagery, but how it can bolster the size of the space.
The second type of wallpaper mural pattern that looks great in small spaces are those that have a sense of movement. Wallpaper murals that inspire or create a sense of movement add a level of energy and excitement to the space. Also, because the pattern represents movement, that means our eye never stays in one place for too long. Instead, we're constantly looking across the entire wallpaper mural rather than just one part. An example of one such wallpaper mural is this one:
Bold Sweep uses curving lines and contrasting colors to create its sense of movement. Our eye naturally travels from one end of the mural to the other, thanks to the directional movement of the white pattern and curves in the red background. Adding energy to a small apartment can help make it feel revitalized and not so cramped.
Another way to create a more spacious look in small apartments is by using wallpaper murals that emphasize depth. These typically include wallpaper murals with a strong or clear division between the foreground and background, such as the San Francisco Chinatown wallpaper mural above. These types of wallpaper murals can make it feel as if the wall is farther away than it actually is.
3D Wallpaper Murals that make small apartments look larger!
By now, many of you will have realized that all of these tips have one thing in common – all of these wallpaper murals emphasize an illusion or 3D approach to imagery and pattern. 3D wallpaper murals essentially transform a flat "2D" surface into something more tangible, with depth, shadow, lighting, and more. It's this effect that can dramatically change a small apartment for the better. Here are a few more 3D wallpaper murals that can make small apartments look large!
Thanks to its simple yet effective composition, not only do you get a sense of depth but also a sense of movement as our eye naturally "climbs" the stairs in the image. The symmetry of the imagery helps to maintain a balanced look, providing a nice backdrop for any small room. The color scheme predominantly features neutral colors, such as beige, brown, and taupe – perfect for those who already have an established color scheme in their space!
While the stairs wallpaper mural has a traditional-classic aesthetic, those looking for something more contemporary should check out this geometric pattern. It takes simple geometric shapes but thanks to shadow and lighting effects, it gives the shapes a layered appearance that adds a 3D look. The fading effect also makes the shapes "pop" off the surface, which adds to the three-dimensional look.
This concrete wallpaper mural is particularly interesting because it combines depth with energy or movement. The circular concrete pattern has a hypnotic look that draws in the eye. In the foreground, the empty space makes it feel like the concrete wall is farther away from the viewer than it actually is. These simple yet effective methods of creating a 3D look makes it a must-have for small rooms or apartments.
Using photo images where there is a defined foreground and background is a great way to add a sense of depth to your walls. In the mural above, this sense of length is reinforced by the lines on the road that draw our attention and direct it towards the "back" of the mural. In small apartments or rooms, this can contribute to the look of "deeper" walls that are farther away than they really are, turning a 2D surface into something more visually engaging.
Another cityscape wallpaper mural, this one functions in a similar way as the mural above but in a different orientation. With a bird's eye view of the city below, you still get that sense of depth but it's more like a sense of height. This feeling is made even stronger thanks to the towering skyscrapers that help to frame the middle section of the mural.
Transform Your Small Apartment Today!
Just because you're designing a small room doesn't mean you have fewer options. It just means you have to be more creative and thoughtful about the type of wallpaper mural pattern to use. 3D wallpaper murals are a great way to create a sense of energy, movement, and the illusion of more space! What style of 3D wallpaper murals is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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DESIGN ADVICE is where you can learn more about wallpaper - how to use certain colours, wallpaper designs perfect for smaller spaces, what do wallpaper symbols mean, and so much more. Our goal is to help you understand everything there is to know about wallpaper products. If you have a particular wallpaper topic or product you want us to write about, let us know in the comments below.
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