Welcome to a new blog series where we explore the latest and greatest wallpaper trends in the interior design industry!

For the first wallpaper trend we’ll be looking at, we’ve decided to go with the unexpected yet creative route. We’re not looking at our walls so much as we’re looking up. That’s right, we’re talking about wallpaper on your ceiling. Maybe you’ve heard about this trend, maybe you just did a double take, but we can assure you that wallpapering your ceiling isn’t as outlandish as you think! In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at why you want to use wallpaper on your ceiling as well as the types of wallpaper and wallpaper murals that work best.

Why Wallpaper Your Ceiling?

The term “the 5th wall” refers to your ceiling and it often goes neglected by interior designers. Other than the odd lighting fixture, hanging décor item, or textured “popcorn” finish that we’re all familiar with, not many people consider the ceiling to be worth including when decorating the space. We think it’s time for a change! Why use wallpaper on your ceiling? It’s a unique and visual way of bringing the entire room together, rather than just focusing on the other four walls of the space. It adds an aesthetic that is hard to replicate because it plays with perspective and height, rather than just the traditional walls we see. If you’re just wallpapering your ceiling, it acts as a feature wall, much like a traditional single wallpapered wall.

Both residential and commercial spaces can benefit from ceiling wallpaper and even ceiling wallpaper murals as we’ll see later on. Ceiling wallpaper is best used on surfaces that are flat and are mostly unobstructed by large lighting fixtures. For ceilings with coffers, you can still use wallpapers in the individual panels to create a patterned geometric look. Using wallpaper on your ceiling is such a unique trend because it’s an out-of-the-box look that emphasizes unused space.

Choosing Wallpaper For Your Ceiling

Similar to a feature wall, the wallpaper pattern you select for your ceiling is important. Because ceiling wallpaper is viewed at a distance, look for designs that are mid to large-scale and can be easily distinguished at a distance. Compact designs and textured wallpaper don’t really offer that “wow” factor that you want when using ceiling wallpaper. Along the same lines, color plays an important part. Very light colors may not always be the most appropriate choice, especially if the details look washed out and blurry. You’ll want to choose colors that appear clear and crisp at a distance.

Of course, that doesn’t mean light colors are a no-no. If you want to test out different wallpaper patterns and colors on your ceiling, be sure to take advantage of our free wallpaper samples program. Taping the samples to the ceiling can give you an idea of how it’ll look. The same wallpaper pattern will look different in two different homes since we have to take into account the amount of natural light and artificial lighting that’s present in the space.

Examples of patterns perfect as ceiling wallpaper

Now let’s look at some examples of wallpaper and wallpaper murals that would look perfect as ceiling wallpaper!

Blush Pink & Cool Grey Bold Overlaying Jungle Leaves R5919

Earthy tones such as dark beige, taupe, green, and burnt orange offer a unique look that results in a more cozy atmosphere. The mix of cool and warm colors creates a contrast that’s not only pleasing to the eye, but engages viewers as well. Bold Overlaying Jungle Leaves is a floral wallpaper featuring large-scale stylized leaves that cover the entire surface of the pattern – it’s easy to add a lush forest right in your own living room or bedroom!

Toy Taxis Wallpaper Mural M9299

Like traditional home wallpaper, digital wallpaper murals can totally be used to decorate your ceiling. In fact, since wallpaper murals can be customized to your exact ceiling length and width, you’ll be getting your very own work of art without the hassle of making sure your wallpaper fits. With digital murals, we think one of the best images to use are ones that play with perspective, such as this top down look at a busy intersection.

Minimalist Painted Nature R5079

With ceiling wallpaper, it’s perfectly OK to use out-of-the-ordinary colors like lime green. While it can look garish or busy when used throughout the entire space, using vibrant wallpaper colors on the ceiling can be a way to balance the aesthetics of the room and the color palette.

Brick Layer M9226

Faux effects wallpaper is always a trendy choice and for our final selection of ceiling wallpaper, we’re going with iconic red brick wallpaper. Our collection of faux effects patterns offers a lot of variety, but there’s just something about this brick wallpaper mural that we just love. It has an effortlessly stylize look that will make any room feel more like a trendy loft.