The right wallpaper ideas for living rooms can totally transform your space quickly, easily and usually pretty cheaply. Plus, if you want to DIY, you can give your lounge the perfect makeover in just a weekend.
Whether you want to cover all four walls or if you want to focus on one corner or particular area, wallpapering your lounge space is a fine way to inject more personality into your interior design scheme.
With gorgeous classic and contemporary designs to swoon over right now, you can get impact, the illusion of more space, chilled out vibes and so much more with careful selection of this decorative wall covering.
- DIY: Learn how to wallpaper walls yourself like a pro.
Which wallpaper is best for a living room?
'The living room is usually the most used room in any household; it’s where we relax at the end of the day, where we entertain our family and friends when they pop around. Plus, your living room says a lot about you; are you all about cozy comfort, or do you enjoy bold and vivid colours? As the source of such joy and comfort in our lives, it's the perfect place to channel your creative flair to create a look and feel that suits you. As a truly versatile interior choice, wallpaper can add so much to your living room, and with so many themes and designs to choose from, there’s something for every style of home.' Says Alex Whitecroft, Head of Design at I Want Wallpaper.
- For more living room ideas check out our gallery.
1. Choose traditional living room wallpaper in a modern space
Although classic patterned wallpapers do lend themselves to period properties like this space, the color schemes they come in means they can work in more modern settings too – so don’t rule them out! This stunning Crowe Hall Lane design in gilt looks fabulous in this high-ceilinged living room. And the white/creamy background of the wallpaper will keep your space feeling light and bright. The accessories have been chosen to perfectly fit with the colours from the wallpaper in mind to create a lovely cohesive look.
2. Wallpaper art deco into a small corner of your lounge
The Tourbillon wallpaper by Farrow & Ball makes a seamless addition to a lost living room corner. Keep the rest simple for added luxe. Velour chair, tall floor lamp, done.
3. Combine painted trim with wallpaper
Painted ornate wall trim makes living room wallpaper pop furthermore. The darker shade of green elevates the design and level of sophistication in this cozy setup also.
4. Pick a grown up jungle wallpaper print
Jungle print wallpaper for a living room has been on trend for ages now, and our love for the palm leaves and banana plants aren't going anywhere. We love Cole & Son's Palm Jungle and a chic, grown up take on the style and there are so many colourways to choose from so you will definitely find something to suit your space. Note how gorgeous the burnt orange looks with the blue – a color combo we are for sure going to test out. And about making a ceiling feel higher? Any wallpaper with a vertical stripe (like this one, even if it's subtly hidden amongst the leaves) will make a room feel taller.
5. Pick an exotic print that's not too hectic
Inspired by the beauty of original Ajraks, MADDER is an authentic Gujarat style pattern created with wood block printing natural dyes. An ancient design showing repetitive handmade geometric motifs combined with elements which symbolise nature, such as stars and flowers. Available in two colour versions: grey and the original red – but we think the gray (above) is perfect for a living room. If anything we'd guess it was an exuberant Scandi design. Either way, it's fab.
- Find more gray wallpaper ideas.
6. Create a fresh look with pastel shades
Featuring blackbirds, leaves and branches in pretty soft pinks and sage greens, this delightful living room wallpaper design was originally created by hand-printing with a lino block. It’s available in five other colorways and is a digitally printed ‘paste the wall’ wallpaper. Team with candy accessories and furniture and hints of white for a fresh look.
Walk in the Woods wallpaper in putty and sage, 52cm wide, £15 per metre, Louise Body
7. Add copper tones with a metallic wallpaper
Copper is all the rage right now, so create a feature wall with hints of it like this design. It’s a good example of how wallpaper can enhance a space rather than take it over. The velvet sofa is perfectly matched and it pulls the scheme together, with a mixture of plain and decorative cushions to add interest and depth to room. '
8. Go bold with monochrome living room wallpaper ideas
If you’re feeling brave and want to go for statement living room wallpaper ideas then pick a monochromatic wallpaper in an all-over stripe. This design is 100 per cent eye-catching and will certainly create a wow from guests as they walk in. Add pops of colour to balance the look, like with this electric blue sofa and pink ceiling.
Osborne & Little Minaret wallpaper, £76 a roll, Jane Clayton & Company. Eden sofa in Omega II Italian velvet in azure, from £1,299, Sofa Workshop
9. Create a calming space with indigo hues
Invoke a calming atmosphere with this Japanese-inspired Shibori design – a striking geometric pattern that has been printed on non-woven ‘paste the wall’ wallpaper. This is a good example on how to use a decorative wallpaper around a bay window, too, cleverly creating a frame around each window. Follow the lead here and use mustard, gray and navy accessories to recreate the look.
Indigo blue wallpaper, £50 a roll, Graham & Brown. Otto chaise, from £3,110, Porter rug, from £169, both sofa.com.
- DIY: Wallpapering windows like a pro.
10. Opt for a bold feature wall in sunny hues
To create an statement you don’t need to paper the whole room; in fact, you’ll make more of a focal point if you don’t! This beautiful print looks perfect in this all-white room; the stand-alone decorative aspect makes it feel like a piece of art instead of wallpaper. Pull out key colors like the sunset orange, sky blue and citrus and look for vases, cushions and throws in those shades to add more color to the scheme.
Loriini in Jasper wallpaper, £94.50 a roll, from the Archive Trials II collection, Little Greene
11. Go retro with your living room wallpaper ideas
If you would love a Mid-Century modern living room, then consider a retro style wallpaper print. Charming and stylish, this wallpaper features abstract forms with illustrative textures and patterns and is inspired by the High Plains and Grasslands of the Mountain States. There are seven colors to choose from (shown here is Denver Dolly in a matt finish), all of which look great with retro style furniture and accessories.
12. Be creative with a colorful geometric print
For a color explosion, look no further a living room wallpaper design that features a kaleidoscope of pinks, oranges, purples, blues and greens. Printed using a four colour separation process to create the best color results, this design is most definitely for color lovers and mimics the table angles perfectly.
13. Add interest to a simple space with an abstract print
For the ultimate in a large scale graphic design this bold print depicts branch formations from oak trees. Not for the faint hearted, it comes in five colorways: mustard, pale verdigris, stone, lido and (shown here) Douglas fir. Team with sleek modern furniture and super smart accessories.
14. Choose floral living room wallpaper ideas with gusto
This lounge goes big with its botanical printed wallpaper, setting the tone as cool and energetic, all at the same time.
15. Wallpaper your chimney breast
This wallpapered chimney breast ignites all the cozy vibes in this living room space. Choose a textured print that nods to different hues you have around your room for more impact.
Which wallpaper can help a room feel bigger?
Combining natural lighting with reflective wallpaper designs can enhance a small space with style and ease. 'One of the most powerful elements we have in interior design is natural lighting, particularly when it comes to how it interacts with a space. And with wallpaper, the rich variety of materials and textures that define certain designs interact with natural light in a way that can make a room feel bigger and brighter in a truly dynamic way. When it comes to reflective wallpaper designs there are some many options to choose from. Embossed foil wallpaper combines texture and light to great effect, adding a sense of warmth without sacrificing the light feeling of the room. Light metallic wallpaper is brilliant for adding a layer of sophistication, while shimmer effects are great for catching the summer sunlight, which can make any space feel light and airy.' Adds Whitecroft.
Wallpaper is the way forward.