Accent Walls Using Wallpaper

Accent walls are a hot topic on Apartment Therapy, so here's a look at some rooms that use wallpaper to make one wall standout among the rest.

Wallpaper gets a bad rap because it's tricky to hang and considerably more expensive than paint. So choosing just one wall might be a good way to fulfill those paper fantasies (and stay on budget).

Big patterns are bold, you can go retro or modern, it can add just the right amount of kitsch, and of course there are plenty of classic options you won't be steaming off any time soon.

(Images: 1 made by rachel; 2 Cactus Creek; 3 Martha Stewart; 4 City Dirt; 5 designage; 6 You've Got To See This; 7 Dose of Design; 8 Ryan for Unplggd)

Comments (9)

has anyone ever seen a wallpaper with really giant oversized florals? We're talking flowers about 24-30 inches wide. I saw a wallpaper like this a few years back in a magazine -- the paper was on one wall about 12ft long, and there were maybe 7 or 8 flowers on the entire wall. A couple of the flowers has picture frames hung around them -- it was just fantastic, elegant and dramatic and whimsical all at once. The image stuck with me, and I've wanted to do this forever, but I can't find anyone who makes a paper anything close to what I saw. And I can't remember for sure what magazine it was either -- maybe a BH&G...

posted by mlleErica on October 1st 2009 at 4:21pm
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that framed poster is freakin' hysterical!!!

posted by I Love Upstate on October 1st 2009 at 4:45pm
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Um - #6 isn't wallpaper at all, but a (rather poorly) painted stencil.

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/idea-houses/texas-idea-house-2009-00400000050550/page12.html

Shouldn't believe everything you read on blogs - You've gotta go to the source.

posted by bepsf on October 1st 2009 at 5:02pm
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LOVE using wallpaper for accent walls (trying to convince my friend that just bought a condo with her boyfriend to do this!)

Erin
SYL: Slipcover Your Life
http://www.slipcoveryourlife.com/

posted by Erin Stanton on October 1st 2009 at 5:26pm
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I'm loving the idea of accent or feature ceilings...I've just painted the ceiling of my white ensuite a canary yellow. If I had more rooms (I live in a studio) I'd love to wallpaper the ceiling of a small bedroom/study/walk in robe. Much less wallpaper for one ceiling rather than 4 walls!

posted by rachel.e on October 1st 2009 at 5:35pm
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I just redid my office and wallpapered the longest wall with a great black and white modern graphic. I think it's a great way to make a statement and as you pointed out, stay on budget.

posted by iCovet on October 1st 2009 at 9:21pm
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It's definitely a good idea. Looks great, and less of a financial and time commitment.

bepsf, why is it poorly painted? It looks fine to me, but I'm no expert. I do think it's pretty though.

mllerica, let us know if you find it, it sounds pretty.

posted by HeyNowTex on October 1st 2009 at 9:27pm
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Anyone know where to get the wallpaper in the first picture?

posted by hacker2 on October 2nd 2009 at 1:35pm
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"why is it poorly painted?"

Check out the big gaps in the stencil pattern - the horizontal zigzag gap above the top of the headboard as well as vertically to the left of the bed and on the upper right.

You'd think that in a showhouse that they would have done a better job...

posted by bepsf on October 2nd 2009 at 5:02pm
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