Don’t snooze on these designer-approved ideas.
You spend a third of your life in bed, so it’s only appropriate that—in addition to a top-notch mattress and luxurious sheets, of course—your sleeping chambers are up to snuff aesthetically. An easy, not to mention on-trend, way to take your bedroom to the next level is with a chic wallpaper. Not only does the right bedroom wallpaper make your space distinctive, but it also has the magic ability—depending on your decorating goals—to make your room feel snug or spacious and to accentuate or diminish features. “Wallpaper provides a real opportunity for the walls and ceiling to be the main feature in the room,” ELLE DECOR A-List designer Danielle Colding insists. “Textured papers—like my favorite, grass cloth—can also give a more dynamic background that adds another dimension and layer.” Wallpaper Damask
The possibilities for a wallpapered bedroom are endless, as the homes shown in ELLE DECOR prove. You can swath your sleeping space floor-to-ceiling with a stylish wallcovering, as Lorenzo Castillo did in a Parisian pied-à-terre, or apply it to a single wall as an extension of the space surrounding your headboard, as Nickey Kehoe did in one California-cool home. And with an endless variety of stick-and-peel options available, adding color and pattern to your bedroom walls has never been easier. But where do you even begin? “The main consideration is the feeling you want in the space and your own style preferences,” Colding advises. “For a more modern, minimalist space I would lean into texture—a grass cloth, plaster, or cork is perfect for these spaces. If you want more of a traditional or transitional space, layered patterns work well.” An all-over floor-to-ceiling look in a floral or stripe can foster a cozy, immersive atmosphere, but you don’t necessarily have to go all out; a metallic treatment or a pretty hand-painted panel can look gorgeous on a single wall, Colding says.
When selecting a pattern, once again, consider your vibe. Do you want your walls to blend seamlessly in with your existing decor or become a bold style statement? “Small-scale patterns can read as all-over color and layer well without taking over. Bolder, graphic patterns or scenic panels become the focus of the space and allow other aspects of the design to be more quiet,” Colding says, whose go-to brands include grass cloths from Twenty2 and Holly Hunt; statement styles from de Gournay and Fromental; and patterns from Pierre Frey, John Rosselli, and Schumacher. As for her number one rule? “The most essential thing is that there should be some balance. Not everything can be the star of the show.” With these tips in mind, we’ve scoured our archive to unearth some of our favorite bedroom wallpaper ideas, whether you’re interested in keeping things classic, going a bit wild, or trying something new. One thing’s for sure: with the right pattern, the place where you catch some z’s will never catch a case of the blahs.
Forgo the tired baby blues and pinks that douse so many nurseries in favor of a fresh, jungle-y wallpaper, as Nate Berkus Associates’ Lauren Buxbaum Gordon did in this happy room. In this case the wallpaper is Brunschwig & Fils’ Bird and Thistle pattern, a print that reminded the designer of Gucci’s designs at the time. “Putting together the color scheme and wallpaper for this room was so much fun,” she told us. “There was something so chic about mixing a more traditional paper with colors that innately don’t go together but felt very ‘runway’ to us.”
If you fall in love with a print, why not put it on your headboard, bedframe, and walls? Lori Deeds of Celerie Kemble Interiors did precisely that in this lavish Palm Beach villa. The classic Brunschwig & Fils pattern, Les Touches, brings a little animal-print glam but is delicate enough not to veer into tacky territory.
“More is more” was the attitude in this Manhattan apartment designed by Patrick Mele, so it’s no surprise that look-at-me wallpapers were deployed with maximalist aplomb. The client wanted her bedroom to evoke a garden, so Mele selected a mural-like forest print from Jennifer Shorto to serve as the bed’s romantic backdrop.
ELLE DECOR style director Parker Bowie Larson never met a wallpaper she didn’t like. And since the guest bedroom in her Long Island home overlooked a forest, she brought greens into the bedding and the leaf-print wallpaper, called Palm Leaves, by Cole & Son. Bonus: The bold pattern helps to accentuate the cozy sloped ceilings.
If the idea of all-over pattern doesn’t appeal, consider featuring a scenic version on a single wall. Here, in the primary dressing room of a colorful Manhattan home, designer Danielle Colding backed jet-black cabinetry with a rich landscape by Fromental. Not only does it function as a work of art, but it will save you the labor (and expense) of papering an entire space.
In an 18th-century home, old-world prints and patterns get a modern update, thanks to designer Heidi Caillier. Patterns are everywhere, but their comparable scale and muted, rust-colored tones work together. In this case, the wallpaper from Lisa Fine heightens the cozy centuries-old ceilings.
Windowpane check is a hallmark of chic men’s dressing, and it looks mighty fine in a bedroom too. Here, in an uncharacteristically neutral interior designed by Redd Kaihoi, a Miles Redd for Schumacher print covers the walls, shades, and canopy. Talk about a haberdasher hack!
One of the many benefits of wallpaper is its ability to make a small space feel magical. This picture-perfect nap spot got a fairy-tale treatment, thanks to designer Frances Merrill, who papered the slanted walls and ceilings in a blooming Pierre Frey wallcovering.
If it’s all-over pattern you crave, try a move that’s slightly easier on the eyes: swapping the pattern’s foreground and background colors. The move works beautifully in this Parisian bedroom designed by Eric Allart, where the hand-stamped bedding, headboard, and curtains are by Simrane.
Wallpaper doesn’t always have to feel formal. Take this fancy-free animal-themed print from Bien Fait in a Hamptons home designed by Alec Holland. “I’m totally obsessed with this wallpaper—I want to use it next in an adult space,” the designer told us.
In a cozy guest room in her upstate New York home, ELLE DECOR A-List interior designer Sheila Bridges applied layer upon layer of colorful patterns. The classic green wallcovering by Adelphi Paper Hangings picks up the mint hues in the vintage kantha quilt and the upholstered headboard.
Interior designer Amaro Sánchez de Moya went wild for patterns in his maximalist, but clasically informed, pied-à-terre in Seville, Spain—and you can too. Here, Sánchez de Moya applied the same leafy trellis pattern by Zuber on the furniture, cushions, and walls.
Wallpaper is uncommon in Italy, but the owners of a Rome apartment (perched perfectly above the Colosseum) asked that design duo Alivisi Kirimoto use it throughout their home. The chosen floral wallcovering, designed by Romo, appears in three different versions throughout the home, including this pale variation in the bedroom. The delicate blooms converse with the trees and plants just outside the window.
ELLE DECOR A-Lister Martyn Lawrence Bullard may be known for his opulent pattern play, but in this Hawaiian getaway, he opted to let the lush tropical surroundings do the heavy lifting. In lieu of a look-at-me wallcovering, he selected an organic, bark textured material by Caba Company to clad the room.
If you love a pattern, why just apply it to the walls? Designer Remy Renzullo took a page from the book of decorating greats of yore (think Billy Baldwin and Dorothy Draper) and covered this Hamptons bedroom entirely in the same Pierre Frey fabric. After all, there’s never too much of a good thing.
Mathilde Favier, an impossibly chic executive at Dior, brought the catwalk to her Paris bedroom, which features a purple carpet design featured on the fashion house’s runway. And though the wallspace above her bed isn’t technically wallpaper (it’s actually a wall mural by Rosie Mennem), we love how the pretty cherry blossom motif ties the entire room together.
Fabric is a fabulous alternative to wallpaper. We adore this de Gournay damask, in a gleaming deep salmon colorway, that designer Summer Thornton selected for a bold Chicago prewar apartment.
Star Los Angeles chef Suzanne Goin tapped ELLE DECOR A-List firm Nickey Kehoe to create a calming retreat away from her hectic restaurant kitchens. In the bedroom, the design duo selected an Arts and Crafts movement–inspired wallcovering from Lewis & Wood. The pattern lends the feeling of being nestled in an enchanted forest.
All-over pattern doesn’t verge into heavy territory, thanks to a white ground and a sweet floral print. Architect Paul Lamb worked with a Texas client to create adorable reading (and nap) nooks throughout this Austin home. Here, the pattern on the walls and curtains is from Alex Conroy Textiles.
We couldn’t help but showcase one more napping spot in the same home designed by Architect Paul Lamb. A bold, retro floral called Hello Yarrow by Abigail Borg feels neutral due to oatmeal upholstery and off-white walls.
Anna Fixsen, Deputy Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, focuses on how to share the best of the design world through in-depth reportage and online storytelling. Prior to joining the staff, she has held positions at Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record magazines. elledecor.com
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