Five Creative Wallpaper Ideas for Summer 2018
Wallpaper is no longer about simple repeat patterns. The interiors industry has got a lot more creative with its designs this year, from highly convincing trompe l’oeil to personalised backdrops. Here’s our pick of the best.
Fake a secret doorway
Cole & Son’s latest collaboration with designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard has an East-meets-West vibe that focuses on the unique craftsmanship of cultures from around the world. This particular design, Bahia, named after the stunning Bahia Palace in Marrakech, is a hand-painted design that takes inspiration from both the palace and the Durbar Room of Osborne House, the holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. What’s great about this particular wallpaper is that you can hang one standalone panel to create the illusion of a secret doorway – great for creating a sense of space and also an element of fun and intrigue to a small hallway. The 10-metre-high panel costs £450 ($619), available from John Lewis.
Design a custom wedding photo-booth backdrop
With wedding season fast approaching and Instagrammable photo booths becoming a more popular trend, Murals Wallpaper has created customisable backdrops especially for the occasion. You can personalise the Confetti design with the bride and groom’s names and the date of the special day, or choose from one of the brand’s on-trend floral prints, the Anemone Floral, Rosa Blue Floral, Wildflower Floral or Tulipa Floral. They cost £36 ($50) per square metre, making it an affordable alternative to hiring a photo booth for the big day. See the range here.
Go retro with Anaglypta
Not long ago we were all ripping this off our walls with a vengeance, but this once-unpopular patterned wallpaper is having a resurgence. Homeowners are now seeking out textured materials in order to add character to their homes and Anaglypta is great for creating interest in an otherwise minimalist space. Go for the original white paper for a subtle look, or really embrace the embossed pattern and enhance it with a bold paint colour. Check out the Anaglypta site for inspiration.
Turn your wall into a masterpiece
Whether it’s Monet’s famous Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies or Michelangelo’s dramatic Leda and the Swan, you can now live among your favourite artworks, as interior designer Andrew Martin has just been granted permission by The National Gallery to reproduce any painting from its permanent collection. Use your chosen design to inform the rest of your decorating scheme in order to create a cohesive look, picking out flashes of accent colour through accessories and textiles. Find out more about commissioning a wallpaper design here.
Opt for a statement ceiling
Feel your room is too small for statement wallpaper, but still want to make an impact? Consider the fifth wall: your ceiling. The ‘statement ceiling’ is having a comeback, with Pinterest reporting that this search term is up 310 percent as more and more homeowners are embracing this often-ignored valuable space. Think more bold graphic prints than stately frescoes; this Muriva Aztec Diamond Wallpaper from iwantwallpaper.co.uk is an affordable £12.49 ($17.18) per roll, making it a quick update with maximum impact.
Looking for more interiors inspiration? Check out these top trends from London Design Week and find out how to achieve the on-trend country look, regardless of whether you’ve got a rural retreat or London pad.