We love the look of wallpaper in small doses and reserved for unexpected places — behind shelves, lining the inside of closets — and wallpapered headboards are no exception. No doubt, the concept is nothing new to you — you've probably seen how it's spiced up the blandest of bedroom walls many times before. However, we're always discovering new ways of using wallpaper to dress up the sleep space. Here's a few simple variations on the standard papered headboard...
Pattern with Restraint: Wallpaper Headboards 5 Ways
Framed
Adding a border of molding, trim, or even ribbon creates a more finished look for the wallpapered headboard. For step by step instructions, click here.
Detailed
We've featured this fun idea from Martha Stewart before. Basically the lines of the headboard are created by cutting the wallpaper along the lines of its pattern.
Accent Wall
A large bed can look awkward on a small wall, but turning the whole thing into a headboard of sorts by wallpapering the entire surface gives it a more established, purposeful look. I think it looks best when paired with simple bedding as shown.
Scrolled
Hanging a series of wallpapered segments like paper scrolls gives a totally different look to a bedroom by adding sculptural interest as well as pattern.
Vertical Panels
A slightly more sophisticated take on hanging a single wallpaper panel. We like how it keeps the eye moving and breaks up a wide expanse of wall space.
(Images: 1: James Merrell, 2: Domino, 3: Point Click Home, 4: Martha Stewart, 5& 6: Sunset, 7: Homes and Gardens)
Comments (6)
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Love this idea...but I still resist the idea of hanging wallpaper. It just feels so...permanent and even though I'm a home owner, I don't want to have to remove it later when I (inevitably) grow tired of the pattern. Does that make sense?
view Nevis's profile
I like the scroll. How do you do it?
view eyelight's profile
freakin beautiful headboard in that first picture.
view deeboyayay's profile
I love that kind of messy room in the first picture. I'm sure it's all arranged but it has such a lovely loose feel to it.
view Charlotte's profile
I've never wallpapered before, so this may be a stupid question. Why are people so afraid of using it? I've heard its a real pain to strip off the walls, but don't hardware stores sell tools for the job? Does it do permanent damage to the walls?
I'm asking because I'd really like to try walllpaper on a small part of my apartment. I don't mind providing the necessary elbow grease, I just don't want to ruin my chances of getting my deposit back!
view StudioStarter's profile
StudioStarter, wallpaper can be notoriously hard to get off. I would not recommend putting up in a rental. Removal can damage the walls from the scraping, or over moistening. It's not a quick fix to take it down, and coupled with moving (when/if you do) it's not a task you want to take on in addition to packing, etc.
Also, as someone who works in the rental apartment industry, I am fairly confident you will lose at least part of your deposit if you wallpaper and they find out.
view floridagirl's profile