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If you’re looking for living room wallpaper ideas, you have come to the right place. Wallpaper has seen a huge rise in popularity over the last few years and it’s easy to see why. A great way to add colour, texture and interest to your room, it’s now easier than ever to transform your living space in just an afternoon and we’ve got plenty of ideas to inspire you.
Often the best living room ideas start from an image or photo seen online, on TV or in a magazine, and you can begin to form a moodboard in your mind, of how you want yours to look.
Living room wallpaper ideas
Wallpapering your walls, wall, or even half a wall is no longer the time consuming, fiddly job it might have been heralded as in years gone by, and with more and more brands supplying both wallpaper and paint in complimenting shades, giving your living room a fresh make-over is a job that can easily be taken on yourself, with maybe just a tip or two coming from the experts (ahem, us!)
Take inspiration from these wallpaper ideas and see where it leads you…
1. Fall for florals
Once seen as fussy and dated, florals are back in the lime light and back on our walls, proving more popular than ever in living rooms across the country.
Melanie Adams, Global Manager at WallpaperDirect explains, ‘ Floral wallpapers wrap your walls in nature and tend to incorporate a number of colours, which can be a great way to really imbed your colour palette into the space to make it feel cohesive yet natural’.
With a fairly busy print like this one, try to pull out one key colour and echo it further around your room, in accessories and large pieces of furniture.
Buy now: Caverley wallpaper in Rose and French Blue, £89 per roll, Sanderson range, WallpaperDirect
2. Team turquoise with teak
If you have a fair amount of wooden furniture in your living room, from sideboards to dressers, coffee tables, side tables and perhaps even a hardwood floor too, it might be in serious need of some colour to lift the scheme. A punchy turquoise wallpaper like this one will bring vibrancy and life to your room, without becoming too bright and garish.
Paired with white shutters, and white painted woodwork, this striking wallpaper is playful but still smart and sits beautifully behind an elegant sideboard. Thoughtfully chosen accessories in a similar hue, work together to create a pleasing decor.
3. Embrace a combo of colours
‘Blue and green should never be seen’, the old adage goes, but we disagree! Mix just about any blues with any greens (plus their sophisticated love child, teal) and you’ve got yourself an effortlessly harmonious blend that’s vibrant yet calm and soothing at the same time.
The blues and greens combined in this Arts and Crafts style wallpaper create a gentle backdrop for brighter hues like royal blue and lime, perfect if you prefer a colour scheme with a little more energy.
4. Pair your paper with paint
Choosing wallpaper for your living room walls doesn’t mean that paint isn’t also an option too. The two can actually work beautifully together, especially if you have any kind of panelling on your walls, but you want to pair your paper with the right shade.
Zoe Hopgood, Designer at Graham & Brown explains, ‘When pairing a wallpaper with paint it’s important to match the paint with a hue used the wallpaper. With each of our wallpapers, we provide four perfectly partnered colours to make the styling process as simple as possible.’
Buy now: Restore emerald wallpaper, £65 a roll, Graham & Brown
5. Try a terrazzo print
A terrazzo print is similar to a leopard print, as it can almost be seen as a neutral, and create a backdrop with which to pair a more daring colour scheme.
Because of its random, small scale pattern, it doesn’t distract too much and if using with especially vibrant pieces of furniture, like these yellow set of drawers, adds interest to your wall, but still lets the hero piece sing.
Try terrazzo to give your living room a fresh, new feel.
6. Make it matching
For a totally cohesive look, why not match your wallpaper with your curtains? It’s the ideal way to extend your chosen wallpaper design over window dressings and ensure there is no break in the pattern.
Many brands and designers will produce wallpaper, fabrics and accessories in the same print, so it’s easy to keep to a matching look. If opting for full length curtains is a little too much pattern for your taste, try going for a couple of cushion covers in a matching print to your wallpaper, so the design is echoed more subtly around the room.
7. Add depth to a colour scheme
Wallpaper no longer means you have to add standout patterns and prints. The trend for textured wallpapers is back, allowing you to add depth to a colour scheme without overpowering the space with pattern.
In this striking blue living room idea the wallpaper adds interest to the use of colour, preventing it from feeling flat but not distracting fro the blue colour scheme. Painting the skirting boards in the room helps to immerse the entire wall in a unified colour.
8. Imitate wall panelling with wallpaper
“Wall panels add subtle textures and still achieve their original function of maintaining warmth, fulfilling our longing for the tactility and natural materials that modern life is often lacking’ says explains David Harris, Design Director at Andrew Martin. ‘Wall panelling is often seen as a traditional addition to our homes but fast forward to today and many people are adding their own spin to panelling, making it a more accessible design trend, which makes it so relevant for decorating in 2021.’
‘If taking part in this DIY task seems overwhelming, you can now achieve a wall panelling look through the use of wallpaper which offers the same effect requiring minimal effort.’
9. Enhance a rustic scheme
Use a living room wallpaper idea to add character to a decor scheme, such as this rustic country-style setting. Use a striking design to enhance the natural elements of your living room, such as woodland scene to add character to a cottage living room with exposed wooden beams and low ceilings. Choosing a wallpaper design around your existing decor will create a subtle yet stylish approaching to decorating.
10. Frame the fireplace with pattern
Wallpapering either side of a fireplace helps to cement your choice of wallpaper as the focal point for the room. Choose a wallpaper that contrasts but accents tonally with the paint shade on the chimney breast to help balance the scheme. The neutral linen upholstery and the washed wooden furniture help to anchor the look.
The yellow armchair cements the choice of accent colour in this grey and yellow living room idea, giving it more prominence.
11. Invite texture to walls
Where you’re looking to add interest to wall surfaces but not wanting fully-on pattern, seek an alternative design that emulates the look of a distressed surface. By doing so your walls will ooze character and interest without overpowering the scheme by layering too much pattern.
The grey shades of this ‘Fragments’ surface wallpaper design offers a subtle warmth and shimmering effect, which gives walls a soft yet intriguing finish.
12. Coordinate pattern to match soft furnishings
Immerse the whole living room in coordinating pattern to add a real wow factor. Just be sure the room is large enough to take the look, often in small spaces too much pattern can overwhelm and make it feel claustrophobic. Take this fine example as best practise, where the pattern is soft and subtle, with a mid-tone green on a neutral ground. The light contrasting background helps to inject a brightness to the scheme, to prevent it from feeling too heavy.
13. Create a quiet corner for reading
There’s nothing quite like a trompe l’oeil wallpaper to create a sense of intrigue, faking a set up that isn’t really there. Take for instance this library-effect wallpaper, which creates the look of stacked bookshelves to dedicate a corner of this living room as an imaginative reading nook.
Clever use of wallpaper can create a sense of space, tricking the eye into making the space appear bigger than it really is.
14. Make artwork of a wallpaper design
Make a statement of a wallpaper by framing it. This creative idea allows you to use a wallpaper in your living space, in a more imaginative way. It’s great for not only adding a quirky touch to the decor, it’s also great if on a budget. Only one roll will be required to cover a smaller section of wall.
15. Dominate one wall with pattern
Choose the most dominant wall in the room to become a feature wall to position your chosen wallpaper design. This will most likely be the wall with the fireplace on, or if you don’t have any architectural focus points it could be the wall with the TV – where all the furniture points towards. Creating a feature wall helps to anchor the remainder of the decor, directing all eyes towards the wallpaper.
16. Compliment a colour palette
Add a tonal wallpaper design to walls that sit cohesively beside painted walls. Keeping a coordinating colour scheme here stops even a busy prints from over powering the room.
17. Create a decorative backdrop
An open-back shelving unit can be backed beautifully by a decorative wallpaper. It’s a great way to add layers to the look, creating even more of statement. To stop the busy wall from toppling the rest of the room keep furniture neutral for balance – a bright white helps to create a striking contrast.
18. Tie an open-plan room together
Use an eye-catching wallpaper to unify different living zones in an open-plan space. Here, two separate seating areas are visually drawn together by a whimsical botanical print running around the entire circumference of the room. Paper from the dado rail upwards to prevent the scheme from becoming too busy – it’s a sneaky way to save money on your scheme, too.
19. Smarten up with pinstripes
Create a tailored, designer look in your living room with pinstripes – they look just as smart on your walls as they do on suits. Choose soft greys so the scheme doesn’t feel overly masculine, and add a luxe touch with accents of gold in your accessories and soft furnishings.
Keep window treatments plain and simple, making the walls the star feature.
20. Clad a chimney breast in wallpaper
Embrace architectural details that lend a sense of charm to the space. The beautiful of decorating a small area with wallpaper means you save on costs because only one roll is required.
In this small living room idea the wallpaper helps to balance the fully stacked bookshelves either side of the fireplace, in the alcoves.
21. Play with mid-century patterns
Add a sense of retro fun to your living room scheme with mid-century colours and patterns. When it comes to 1950s prints, it’s a case of the bolder the better, so be brave and create a striking feature wall in a daring shade or design. Balance your wallpaper with a streamlined period-style sofa in a complementary colour.
22. Pick a theme and stick to it
If you know you are going for a strong theme or trend in your living room, then pick out wallpaper that will complement and emphasise your theme. A botanical patterned wallpaper will instantly conjure up thoughts of the great outdoors. Carry the theme through to the rest of your scheme with natural wood furniture, soft pebble tones and rustic woodland accessories.
23. Make a statement with monochrome
After an effortlessly contemporary look for a modern living room idea? You can’t go wrong with monochrome. Create a dramatic backdrop to your scheme with a bold black and white wallpaper, such as this striking cityscape.
Paint woodwork black to frame your feature wall and turn it into a work of art. To soften the scheme, add a smattering of furniture and accessories in natural wood tones.
24. Go totally tropical with vibrant hues
Transform a plain white room into a tropical paradise with a wallpaper teeming with exotic plants. Continue the colonial jungle feel in the rest of your scheme, with cane furniture, plantation shutters and a cocktail trolley for those early evening gin and tonics. Choose a wallpaper with a white backdrop and your scheme will still feel light and airy, despite the vibrancy of the pattern.
25. Try a tonal scheme
Pick a wallpaper featuring different shades of the same colour to create a subtle but striking feature wall rather than overwhelming the space. Opting for a simple design instead of a hectic pattern will also help to soothe the scheme.
To break up a papered wall, place your furniture and artwork in strategic positions around the edge of the room.
26. Bring zing with bright colours
If you want to introduce bright shades into your living room, balance a neutral scheme with a colourful wallpaper. Pick out tones from the wallpaper and echo them in your soft furnishings – this zesty lime yellow occassional chair help to draw the room together. Use a neutral colour like beige to break up strong blocks of colour where needed.
27. Fake wood cladding
Use a creative wallpaper design to create a wood effect on walls. In this tonal living room the wallpaper fakes the effect of wood cladding, adding a rustic element to the decor. The tones within the design are picked out in the soft furnishings to make the scheme feel harmonious and effortlessly chic.
28. Add a touch of flower power
Bring a contemporary country living room to life with a floral wallpaper. Balance a large botanical print with plain painted walls for the rest of the room to make a real feature of the space. Here the wallpaper has only been used to create a striking feature wall behind a sleek walnut sideboard. Stick to plain or simple patterns in your soft furnishings, leaving the wallpaper to take centre stage.
29. Create a sense of drama
Add a theatrical touch to a neutral scheme with a bold printed wallpaper. This rich midnight blue and gold pattern creates a focal point out of the modern chimney breast and immediately draws the eye. Touches of gold add a sense of luxury to the space and tie in with the metallic elements around the rest of the room.
30. Update an old classic
Create a contemporary cutting-edge vibe in your living room with a wallpaper that puts a new spin on a classic print. A pixelated design transforms this floral pattern from traditional country to contemporary cool.
For a strong, unified scheme, pick out colours and patterns from your wallpaper and reiterate them in your soft furnishings and accessories.
31. Welcome nature indoors
Bring elements from the garden indoors with a classic wallpaper showcasing country flora and fauna. This spring-inspired country living room idea features gentle blooms, birds at play and leafy greens. Wirework pots and antiquities complete the potager look.
Spring greens, soft lilacs and pretty pinks on white backgrounds give this classic style a fresh modern twist.
32. Set the scene
Embrace the great outdoors and cover your wall in graphite-hue forestry. This pictorial mural depicts towering trees and cloud-lined skies in a soothing palette of blues and greys. Positioning a powder-soft velvet chaise in front of an exquisite etched backdrop creates a serene corner for reading. The dark tones of the upholstery treatments and rug chime nicely with the feature wallpaper for a cohesive feel.
33. Nod to the past
Use a striking retro wallpaper in a mix of classic 1970s colours, such as browns and oranges, to create a feature wall that is loud and proud. A wallpaper is a surefire way to help your distinguish a zone or theme in your space.
Here, an assortment of modern and traditional furniture, such as the gentlemen’s leather armchair and mid-century sofa, sit well with the vintage display cabinet, while a greyscale Bowie artwork completes this 1970s scheme.
34. Personalise your walls
Work a world map into your décor for a cool artwork with international appeal. Maps come in myriad styles and scales, and they make great wall art, as this scheme proves. For a vintage vibe, go for a multi-map design like the one shown here.
For country-house grandeur, try a blown-up oil-painting mural. Or why not try a photo print of trees and bring the outdoors into a city flat?
35. Proceed with painterly pattern
Introduce brushstroke-style patterns in bold colours. Drawing on the work of French painters Bonnard, Monet and Seurat, this painterly wallpaper pays homage to artistic spirit. This Impressionist-style wallpaper effortlessly showcases the graduated, ombre-effect that we have all come to know and love. Position a mirror on a wall opposite a patterned wallpaper and it will reflect the design at different angles as you move around the room.
36. Get in touch with texture
Mimic the look of stacked stone and exposed brick walls with realistic-looking faux wallpaper. Great for modern, urban spaces as well as country dwellings, this brick-style wallpaper effectively depicts a traditional, weathered brick wall.
Faux wallpapers look all the more striking if kept to just one feature wall, with neutral furnishings and accessories. Less is more, so don’t use them in more than one or two rooms or the effect will be diminished.
37. Wallpaper furniture
Who says wallpaper needs to go on your walls? Make a striking statement in your living room by wallpapering a key piece of furniture, such as a sideboard. This is also a fantastic way to upcycle an old item that might otherwise end up at the tip. Go for wood or brick-effect wallpaper for an on-trend trompe l’oeil look.
Loved this living room wallpaper ideas? We have plenty more wallpaper inspiration for you!
How to choose a living room wallpaper
It can be tricky to know where to start when choosing a wallpaper for your living room, but choosing a design that you love and excites you is a good place to start. You might also want to consider the size of your room and also its positioning, as Zoe Hopgood, Designer at Graham & Brown explains…
“When choosing wallpaper for your living room it’s important to note whether the room is north or south facing. If the room faces south then it will get a lot of sunlight, allowing the use of the cooler colours in the spectrum, however a north facing room will need warmer colours to make the space feel cosy. Using a patterned wallpaper creates a focal point for the room – try pulling colours from it using accessories to create a cohesive interior style.”
Also think about how you want to feel in when you’re in your living room and how it is being used.. Is it a place to entertain? to relax? to curl up and watch movies? to enjoy a hobby such as painting? Once you know how the space will be used, you can start to think about whether you want a more invigorating, colourful design or a calming, muted one.
There are many factors to take into consideration, aside from personal taste. Firstly consider how you use the room and whereabouts in the property it resides. In small living rooms a large scale patterned wallpaper might overpower the space.
If the space is an open-plan living room adjoined to the garden, a nature-inspired wallpaper might feel more at home – perfectly welcoming the outdoors in. If the room is more of a formal sitting room only used on occasions, the space might benefit more from a gentle print to create a calming, serene feel.
Where do I put wallpaper in a living room?
Another tricky one, and perhaps a personal preference, but think about where a pattern or design will enhance the space and what sort of statement you want the room to make.
Melanie Adams, Global Manager at WallpaperDirect says, ‘Many living rooms tend to have an existing focal point, such as a fireplace or entertainment system and so it’s not always recommended to have a conflicting feature wall. Consider using a wallpaper on all four walls that complements the focal point for a more visually relaxing result.’
Whatever wall you choose to cover, be confident in your choice and remember, it can always be changed if you really hate it.
Video Of The Week
Do you have a Chimney breast or alcoves that would welcome wallpaper to make a characterful feature wall? In a living room generally speaking it’s best to wallpaper the most obvious wall. so the one you see when you immediately walk into the space. Wallpapering the wall with the TV on can help disguise it to some degree.
Feeling inspired to add wallpaper to your living room?
