This week, we installed all the wallpapers in a residential project we’ve almost completed. It was SO exciting, especially because in just a few hours the home was transformed so beautifully and all the spaces started coming to life. You know how much I love wallpaper and how extensively I use it. It got me thinking of how I could maybe extend my use of wallpapers to beyond the walls. I started looking up different ways to use wallpaper in a home, and here I am with my favourites!
13 Exciting Ways To Use Wallpaper
I’m not going to talk about using wallpaper on walls today. I’ve done that innumerable times in so many of my project reveals. You can go through the Wallpaper Roundups on the blog to see exactly where and how.. and how many times.. I’ve used wallpaper on walls!
Today we’ll go through all the other exciting ways to use wallpaper, excluding walls. Let’s begin right away.
1 – Wallpaper on Ceilings
The most obvious place to use wallpaper, after a wall, would be on the ceiling. And just like with the walls, it can completely change the look of a space on the ceiling too.
You can use a simple pattern to create interest.
Or a themed wallpaper to create a certain feel.
I love how the wallpaper and the wooden beams mutually enhance each other in this dining area.
You can avoid the monotony of the wallpaper right across by using it in the recesses of a coffered ceiling.
Use a wallpapered section of the ceiling to visually demarcate one area from the other.
And just like with walls, you can also go as bold as you like. This floral ceiling is the show stopper in this otherwise simple and monochromatic dining area.
While the bold pattern here matches the other bold blue and white patterns across this room.
I have used wallpaper on the ceiling only once. The panel behind this dining table continued over the ceiling for a bit. We carried the wallpaper right across it, from wall to ceiling. It demarcates the dining area quite beautifully in this living room.
I do have one suggestion though. Use a bold or bright wallpaper on the ceiling only if you have good ceiling height. It will make a low ceiling look lower and heavier still.
2 – Wallpaper on Doors
Using wallpaper on a door works two ways. You can either have the door stand out and use it to make a statement.
Or you can use it to make the door disappear completely. Carry the wallpaper on to the door from the walls surrounding it, so it looks one with the wall.
3 – Wallpaper on Wardrobes
Wardrobes occupy such a large amount of visual space in our rooms. Using wallpaper on them allows us much more flexibility with the look and feel of the room.
See how this pretty mural makes a complete change from what might have been a full wooden storage wall?
Using wallpaper in wardrobe panels looks great too.
You can take a mural and use it right across the wardrobe to create the effect of an art wall.
Or run the wallpaper from the wardrobe to the adjacent wall to maintain the continuity and make the space look larger.
As always, a bold statement wallpaper can make ordinary wardrobes the show stopper in your room.
4 – Cabinet Shutters
If we can use wallpaper on wardrobe shutters, why not other cabinets?
You saw how I used wallpaper on some of the cabinets of this jungle themed room.
Using wallpaper on shutters is also a great way to give a brand new makeover to an existing cabinet.
It works really well on small cabinets too and you can even use leftover wallpaper for something like this.
And you can make quite a statement!
5 – Back of Cabinet
Lining the back of a cabinet or bookshelf with wallpaper gives an exciting twist to the furniture.
You could use monochromatic textures…
… or bold patterns, both with stunning effect.
Soft colours and patterns make a pretty picture..
… as do bolder ones.
This cabinet with the mural on the back has me speechless!
6 – Wallpaper on Drawers
Wallpapers can make a dazzling transformation to any chest of drawers too.
Select designs and colours according to the design style of your room and it’s the easiest way to get a piece of furniture to ‘fit in’.
Use leftover bits for smaller pieces of furniture.
And pretty murals for a completely new look.
Use different leftover bits for an unusual, quirky look.
Source (I could only trace this pic to Pinterest. Any help to credit the rightful owner will be welcome)
7 – Wallpaper Inside Drawers
This is a lovely way to use leftovers and personalise your piece of furniture.
Whether you use colours and patterns to match your furniture or contrast it, lining drawers with wallpaper looks pretty in every way.
And gives a custom, finished look to your chest of drawers like no other.
8 – Side of Drawers
It is attention to details like these that take a design from ordinary to special.
What a pleasant surprise it would be to open a drawer and have one of these pretty patterns pop into your vision.
9 – Wallpaper on Step Risers
Some of the pics below might have used tiles or peel of stickers, but the idea remains the same.
While climbing a staircase, more than the steps, the first thing you see are the risers. Using wallpaper on this area can make quite a statement. Use it on every riser as above, or on alternate ones as seen below.
Use a combination of wallpapers, in similar patterns or colours.
Again, this is a great way to use leftover wallpaper.
10 – Niches
We’ve often seen different paint colours and textures used to highlight niches. Using wallpaper in a niche gives you a wider variety of options in terms of look and design.
This animal skin design, for example will not be as easily achievable in paint.
And then the quirky little corners like this, which immediately get your attention… and make you smile.
11 – Headboards
Whether making a new headboard, or refurbishing an old one, wallpapers are a super easy way to get some unusual looks.
They are also one of the simplest to change when you are changing the colours of your room.
You can go from a traditional pattern to a modern texture in the blink of an eye.
And get rich finishes like metal inlay at a fraction of the cost.
12 – Artwork
Finding the right piece of art, especially for very large walls, can sometimes be difficult.
Often, when you find what you like, it might be very expensive simply because of it’s large size.
Wallpapers are a smart solution to this problem. Invest in a beautiful mural and have it framed, either as a single large frame of a few panels that you can then hang side by side.
This is also a good way to upcycle leftover pieces of wallpaper. Cut out smaller pieces and have them framed as individual pieces of art.
13 – More Ideas For Leftover Wallpaper
Unless you are getting wallpaper custom printed, you have to buy wallpaper as rolls which are of fixed sizes. This means, more often than not, once you’ve finished installing your wallpaper, you will have a good bit leftover.
There are innumerable ways in which to use this, depending on how much of it is left.
Cut it in triangles and string it to make party bunting. You saw how I used strips of wallpaper along with ribbon to make the bunting below.
Use the leftover to give your lampshade a makeover. You could use the wallpaper on the outside, or the inside of the lampshade.
Upcycle used tin cans or glass bottles by decoupaging the wallpaper onto them.
Make paper bags, decoupage trays, shelves, planters…
The list is endless, and limited only by your imagination.
Which made me realise, once I started writing this post, that I can’t possibly make this a comprehensive list. These 13 ways to use wallpaper is only just a beginning point for a few ideas. I’m already looking forward to using wallpapers in newer ways in upcoming projects. I hope this post helps to get you started too.
Write back and let me know if any of these works for you, and if you come up with some new ideas that I might have missed.
Until next time,
Another great read. Really liked the idea about using them on ceilings and on open cabinet back wall.
Thanks Kadambari. I can’t wait to try many of these myself!