How to Choose the Perfect Wallpaper
Choosing the right wallpaper for your interiors can often be a bit overwhelming at first when there's so much choice out there and different design decisions to make along the way. I’ve put together some helpful tips, advice and inspiration on how to choose the right wallpaper for you and your space.
Colour Matching
A good place to begin is the existing colour palette in your chosen room. Draw out existing colours that you want to create more focus on by matching these with wallpapers. For example, the colour of your sofa or your oak, wooden bedside tables. Having a wallpaper that works with the existing furnishings will really bring your colours together and create a harmonious design throughout the room.
My fabrics and wallpapers can be found on show with Scottish paint company Craig & Rose, who offer an amazing colour consultation service in their Edinburgh showroom. A qualified colour consultant will guide you through choosing the right colours for your home as well as help you mix and match chosen colours with swatches of my fabrics and wallpaper for the ultimate interior overhaul.
You can also complement existing paint by selecting a coloured wallpaper with a pattern that's a few shades lighter. For example, my Crossing Tides Wallpaper is beautifully-paired here with a selection of Craig & Rose neutral shades.
Feature Walls
Make a statement in any room with a wallpaper feature wall. Using the same process that you would when selecting paint for a feature wall, look to existing furnishings and any colours in the room that you’d like to highlight. You can even create great contrast and drama by choosing a wallpaper that includes an existing accent colour you want to play on — for example, a mustard throw or teal cushion cover. Feature walls can be a great way to introduce wallpaper to smaller rooms within your home that might look busy fully covered in paper. They can also help double up as works of art if you’re looking for a statement focal point in your room.
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Above: Bronze Flush Thistle Wallpaper
Choosing the right style of wallpaper can be less tricky when you have an idea of the overall impression you want to create within your desired room. Take cue from your surroundings — are they contemporary, traditional, whimsical? — and the kind of room that you want to create.
Below is a very short list of different styles and wallpaper examples to give you some inspiration:Traditional: Look for intricate, detailed designs, like my Emerald Thistle designContemporary: Look for abstract, cool greys and metallics, like my Highland Tundra designRomantic: Look for softer palettes and whimsical florals, like my Summer Isle designAnd if you’re looking for a real Scottish heritage feel, take a look at my Deer Stalker design.
Above: Island Botanist Wallpaper
Finally, repurpose any leftover wallpaper to create beautiful one-off pieces — frame paper, or line your drawers for a subtle yet quirky addition. The possibilities are endless, and it’s a good opportunity to get creative! Visit my wallpaper collections to get some more inspiration, including my latest wallpaper collection, The Explorer, inspired by travels around Scotland’s iconic peaks, majestic Munro’s and Lochsides.