Whether your bedroom ideas are focused on creating a peaceful sanctuary, a modern room, an elegant traditional effect, a cozy retreat, or something else, wallpaper can be a fabulous part of the room design. These wall decor ideas for bedrooms will inspire whether your taste is for the classic or contemporary, your preferred color palette bold or muted, and boldly sized motifs or small scale pattern your desire.
Bedroom wallpaper ideas
Wallpaper ideas for the bedroom can elevate the space whether used on a single wall or all four. Take your lead from our curated selection.
1. Go for a small-scale design on all four walls
‘Bedrooms are perfect for using bold, joyful wallpapers to create design impact,’ says Kate French, creative director at Dado (opens in new tab). ‘But if you’re looking for a softer approach that works well on four walls, consider an all-over pattern such as the Floral Ogee by Dadydress for Dado which is an easy-to-use print reminiscent of hand-embroidered suzani textiles. Its small scale and use of multiple colors mean it coordinates fantastically well with layers of color and pattern.’
2. Consider a flocked design for its tactility
Using texture in interior design can add depth and interest, as it has with this above the bed decor idea. ‘Use tactile textures such as flocking to bring a neutral scheme to life,’ says Jamie Watkins, co-founder of Divine Savages (opens in new tab). ‘Our Pooch “Bichon Creme” is a warm, neutral shade that brings a subtle, calming interior with the added temptation to touch and stroke playful poodles.’
3. Use neutral wallpaper as a backdrop to artwork
If you are buying artwork for the bedroom, consider how it will combine with your bedroom wallpaper ideas. ‘Using fabric walling, like the Dhongia fabric in this bedroom, creates a unique and textural backdrop within a space, says Clara Ewart, head of design at Kitesgrove (opens in new tab). ‘When designing this particular bedroom, we wanted to create a neutral but enriching ground which would complement and enhance our client’s existing artwork without fighting against it.’
4. Create a cozy bedroom with a floral wallpaper
Choose a wallpaper to play its part in cozy bedroom ideas. ‘Wallpaper adds a layer of texture or pattern to a room and I use it as often as possible,’ says Penny Morrison, interior designer at Penny Morrison (opens in new tab). ‘It is more interesting than paint and can make a feature in any space. Small print wallpapers give walls a texture and add an element of coziness.’
5. Make the room full of personality
‘Bedrooms are a deeply personal space, so rather than opting for a scheme that transitions well with the rest of your home, I see it as an opportunity to really embrace your own personality,’ says Richard Smith, founder and creative director at Madeaux (opens in new tab). To do so, mix pattern and prints confidently. ‘For me, bedrooms work beautifully with layers of color and pattern across wallpapers, headboards, pillows and curtains, contrasting and combining stripes with florals or geometrics with leaf prints to create a cozy, textured and joyful interior,’ says Richard.
6. Match wallpaper to drapes
Create a scheme that grabs attention by matching. ‘We love the trend of matching the wallpaper to furniture or upholstery in the room for a cohesive, yet, eye-catching look,’ says Lance Thomas, principal interior designer at Thomas Guy Interiors (opens in new tab).
7. Opt for a handcrafted natural wallpaper
Consider hanging wallpaper to create a decorative surprise. ‘By using handcrafted wall coverings made from natural materials such as botanical fibers and paper yarns and Japanese papers, you are able to bring nuances of tone and texture that add an element of the unexpected to a space,’ says Mark Butcher, head of Mark Alexander (opens in new tab).
8. Build a scheme around your wallpaper design
Whether you’re commissioning wallpaper or have fallen for design you’ve seen, it can be the starting point for the room. ‘Bedrooms are a wonderful place for embracing a wallpaper you love and building your scheme around it,’ says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene (opens in new tab). ‘For an intimate effect opt for all four walls, or if you want to create a feature wall from a bold design, select the wall behind the bed as once you’re horizontal, you won’t see as much of it, meaning it’s a fantastic place to be dramatic and adventurous with your design choice.’
9. Create a statement with one papered wall
The wall behind the bed isn’t the only option as a bedroom accent wall. In this loft room, the window wall is the one that provides sufficient height for the wallpaper to make an impression. ‘This geometric design complements the room’s natural tones,’ says Andrea Childs, editor, Country Homes & Interiors. ‘And together with the parquet floor makes the space feel sophisticated as well as relaxing.’
10. Bring pink to a bedroom
Think pink as one of your bedroom color ideas. ‘All my fabric and wallpaper collections have pink in them,’ says Molly Mahon, textile designer and founder of Molly Mahon (opens in new tab). ‘It is one of my most favorite colors and I love pairing it with blue and/or red. ‘This Marigold design adorns my bedroom walls and has created a pretty, calm retreat at the end of a busy day.’
11. Evoke a tropical paradise
Even if you don’t live in a balmy equatorial climate, that doesn’t have to stop you introducing a fun and tropical feel into your home through your bedroom wallpaper ideas. This style, often inspired by global traveler’s expeditions, with a rich palette of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and ochre, can add warmth and depth to the bedroom. A stand-out palm-print wallpaper will anchor the whole look of a room, and this hazy version is a new take on the classic green palm leaves. The earthy ochre of the linen headboard and the pinch of ginger in the cushions against the tropical pictorial wallpaper in this gray bedroom idea evokes the memory of faraway shores.
12. Be inspired by nature
Here, a botanical, leaf patterned wallpaper creates a calming allure. United with contrasting colors, textures and patterns, the wallpaper’s reference to nature grounds the contemporary scheme with a more traditional style. Bringing the outdoors inside is a great way to create a tranquil space, ideal for a bedroom.
13. Clash with graphic patterns
The bedroom is a wonderful place to experiment with daring patterns and a dramatic color palette, and it’s easy to achieve with bedroom wallpaper ideas as one of the elements. This scheme mixes bold geometrics with contrasting colors and patterns to create a vibrant room that is bursting with joie de vivre. Graphic geometrics form the starting point of the decor, with the monochrome tumbling block wallpaper and pastel rug. Keeping furniture simple allows for experimentation with florals, animal prints and spots for the bedlinen and window treatments. Using a variety of scales will add to the visual impact.
14. Opt for an English folly revival
At once whimsical and unashamedly bold, this heavily patterned style, which unites eclectic finds and architectural detailing, is now calling from across the ages. In this scheme, the floral wallpaper works well with the dark wooden flooring and furniture, creating a timeless, traditional feel. The metal four poster bed adds texture and contrast, finished with calming white bed linen and a white bedside lamp to bring all elements together.
15. Work in vibrant abstracts
As far as headboard ideas go, this is one of our favorites. Using the same design for your headboard and the wall behind makes a wonderfully bold statement. Complementary paint shades that echo and enlarge the motif on the wall and the extra-wide headboard design unites the two spaces.
16. Decorate with lipstick pinks
This is another great take on pink bedroom ideas. Opting for a palette of pinks and natural tones creates a bright yet calming bedroom space, and this wallpaper in pink and dark orange forms a striking, geometric element. Paired with accessories that mirror the wallpaper’s colors but in natural textures, it creates an overall cohesive, relaxing feel that subtly references the outside world.
17. Revisit country house interiors
Country wallpaper ideas, full of whimsical patterns and relaxing colors are perfect for the bedroom, bringing a wonderfully cosseting feel to this country house bedroom. The quintessential English style has been rejuvenated without losing its classic appeal here. The timeless floral pattern creates a pleasing and inviting atmosphere in the bedroom, with the calming green color choice preventing the overall effect from feeling overpowering. The natural materials such as the dark wooden flooring and furniture link the whole scheme beautifully to nature and the outdoors.
18. Transport yourself to warmer climes
With its easy mix of energetic prints and tactile weaves, the latest take on tropical style will transport you to warm Hawaiian shores. For those looking to indulge a love of color and pattern, this bold palm design with its deep blues and fresh greens is a colorful accent wall idea that serves as an exuberant focal point. Plain bedlinen keeps the look balanced, while contrasting patterns and textures can add emphasis to the tropical theme, especially working with natural materials such as wood and rattan.
19. Wow with red
A bold red color is often considered a daring choice for interiors, but red bedroom ideas used creatively can introduce a welcome burst of energy and flamboyance. Here we have Soane Britain (opens in new tab)’s Karun Thakar - Arabesque Wallpaper in Musk, creating a cozy, country retreat atmosphere in the bedroom. Paired with red paint and eclectic accessories, the floral arabesque design is perfect for a bedroom space. Lulu Lytle, creative director of Soane Britain states, ‘I’m a great proponent of covering all surfaces of a room – walls, ceilings and upholstery – in matching wallpaper or fabric for an enveloping effect and used in this manner, botanical prints create the feel of almost sitting in a garden structure. Wonderfully relaxing!’
20. Make it monochrome
Black and white bedroom ideas will always be timeless, and you can make a real statement with wallpaper. A feature wall in a monochrome print works perfectly in a bedroom setting where you can bring in color through other elements such as bedding, cushions and throws. This is an ideal choice if you’re worried about choosing the best colors when decorating, as the look and color palette can be updated easily and cheaply through accessorizing.
21. Look to nature
Nature-inspired bedroom wallpaper ideas, particularly florals, are a match made in heaven. However, gone are the days of overly fussy and busy prints. ‘When the world around us feels a little uncertain, what could be more welcoming than this bedroom in Hegemone wallpaper with its wonderfully optimistic feel,’ says Farrow & Ball’s (opens in new tab) color curator, Joa Studholme. ‘Florals connect us back to nature and make us feel protected, particularly when colored in these warm red based neutrals. However, this is not a dainty or formal floral – this pattern is ultimately relaxed, with the blooms ranging freely over the walls giving it a faintly nostalgic air which is as comforting as it is stylish.’
22. Pick a calming green
We automatically associate green with being in nature, which is an incredibly calming feeling. This color trend has already taken off, with green kitchen ideas and green living room ideas growing in popularity, but the desire for calm has brought it into the bedroom. Even a busier print, such as the one shown above, gives off that peaceful sense of nature when used in a green bedroom scheme. The bright yellow accessories and four poster bed frame form an elegant contrast with the traditional wooden furniture and green wallpaper, adding a dynamic, contemporary edge to the whole space.
23. Choose all-over pattern
Surround yourself in pattern by using ceiling wallpaper ideas as well as the walls of the bedroom. It can create the ultimate retreat. Layer in other patterns, too, for a visually rich scheme, but ensure there are areas of plains where the eye can rest.
Which wallpaper is best for the bedroom?
A wallpaper makeover could be just what your bedroom needs for a simple yet striking transformation. There are numerous different bedroom wallpaper ideas and styles to consider when it comes to choosing a look you’ll love. Your bedroom should be a place to unwind and relax after a busy day or, in the case of guest bedrooms, a space to make visitors feel welcome, so selecting the right wall decor ideas is vital in dictating the mood you want to create. Emma Coyles, stylist at Sanderson & Morris & Co. (opens in new tab) states, in the bedroom ‘more subdued palettes can often make a face feel safer, and more tranquil. On the other hand, the bedroom is a deeply personal space, so some will go bold to create a more self-empowering space’. New developments and incremental advances in technology are giving designers greater freedom to pursue ideas, shaking off the restrictions imposed by traditional production methods. Whether your style is classic, contemporary or an effortless mix of both, a greater understanding of the practical elements of bedroom wallpaper ideas will advise your head, so you can follow your heart.
How do I choose a wallpaper for my bedroom?
Let’s start with bedroom wallpaper quality. Many wallpapers are printed on traditional paper, its quality graded by weight. Vinyl wall coverings have a paper backing beneath a washable layer of vinyl on which the design is printed. Manufacturers are increasingly turning to non-woven paper, a blend of polyester fibers and cellulose from wood pulp. Unlike traditional wallpaper which is pasted on the back and must be allowed to expand before being hung, non-woven is applied to the pasted wall. It is stronger than traditional wallpaper, hard to tear and much easier to match drops accurately. But which designs to choose? As we said above, the bedroom is a place to relax, so you ideally want to choose a calming design – but, really, go with what you love (and can bear to wake up to after a couple of glasses of wine too many on a Saturday night). More than any other space in the house, the bedroom is a deeply personal room, and should be decorated to please no one but you.
How much wallpaper do I need for a bedroom?
There is a calculation in interiors to work out how much wallpaper you need: (width of the wall + repeat) x height of the wall = x sq ft. There is a lot of advice out there on how to wallpaper a room, so if you prefer to keep life simple, most brands have wallpaper calculators on their website, or else their experts will be able to advise. Make sure to factor in at least 10 per cent extra for trimming and adjusting for pattern matching.
