6 Rooms That Prove Wallpaper Isn’t Boring

You see, my childhood bedroom was decked out in wallpaper with itty, bitty florals—and I despised it. (Sorry, Mom!) All my friend’s bedrooms were decked out in cool colors and mine felt like I was living in an American Girl doll room—and not necessarily in a cool, modern way. I hated my wallpaper so much that I would low-key peel a little bit off every morning and night. (Dramatic? Yes. Necessary? Definitely.) And when I finally painted my room when I was 16 years old, I swore off wallpaper for good.

Or so I thought.

Recently, I’ve been reconsidering my strict stance on wallpaper. From fun patterns to new ways to decorate with it, wallpaper feels fresh, innovative, and (dare I type it?) fun.

Think wallpaper is boring and archaic? Here are six rooms to prove it can be anything but:

Your parents might have taught you to never draw on the walls, but illustrated wallpaper can add some much needed whimsy. A dainty design can breathe life into a small space, be paired with a freshly painted wall, or be paired with another printed wallpaper for an eclectic feel. We’re swooning over the portrait-clad pattern in Fiorella, a San Francisco-based restaurant.

ICYMI: You don’t have to restrict your wallpaper usage to only your walls. Jennifer Jorgensen’s home tour makes a case for sticking a matching print on your ceiling, too. The result? A vibrant room that’s exciting to look at from all angles.

We know what you’re thinking: Doesn’t sticking to one color turn your wallpapered room into a snoozefest? Quite the opposite. In fact, coordinating your wallpaper with the other pieces in your room — much like Hi Sugarplum did here — takes your space’s charm and coziness factor up a couple notches.

Dipping your toes into the wallpaper world for the very first time? Take a page out of this Los Angeles house tour by placing a teeny, tiny strip along an alcove, open-concept closet, or bookshelf. Trust us, this tip will pack a punch without feeling as predictable as an accent wall.

We know that a wallpaper repeat is necessary for any busy print, but having the same thing over and over again feel a little, well, stale. Shake things up by selecting a wallpaper design that feels more like a mural. Let this maximalist California pad show how it’s done.

As the Beverly Hills home of the Too Faced cosmetics founders proves, you don’t need your passport or a first class ticket to take you to paradise. Sometimes, all you need is a good wallpaper pattern to give your home a vacation-esque feel. This leaf-printed option successfully leans into the tropical theme without feeling cheesy.