7 Dining Spaces Where Wallpaper Makes the Room
Bold colour and pattern elevate these dining rooms in a range of styles
Neila Deen
12 June 2019
Houzz Contributor and Interior designer; Raised in NYC, Neila Deen founded Urban Casa, a design studio for city living. Urban Casa makes the most of your apartment so you can live comfortably and be proud of your home. From selecting finishes and furniture, to creating resourceful spaces, to staging your home to sell, Urban Casa helps you pull it all together. Deen's motto is, it's not just where you live, but how you live. Let her help you live well. Visit at www.urbancasa.com
Houzz Contributor and Interior designer; Raised in NYC, Neila Deen founded Urban... More
If you’re looking to spruce up your dining room, have you considered wallpaper? Since most of us don’t spend hours a day in this space – especially if we have a dedicated dining room – it can be the perfect place to experiment. Plus, adding wallpaper can be a relatively cost-efficient way to bring a dose of style to your dining room when compared with a full redecorating project that involves buying a new rug, furniture and lighting. Let one of these seven stylish rooms inspire your own wallpaper dreams.
1. Gorgeous grasscloth
Grasscloth has been a versatile classic in homes for years. It comes in many shades that are like solids but better, because the textured surface of the grasscloth infuses elegant colour while adding subtle interest and depth to walls.
Why it works: The blue grasscloth wallcovering works in this dining room for a variety of reasons. First, the wallpaper’s texture has a horizontal direction that pleasantly emphasises the angled walls. Second, the colour of the wallpaper creates a harmonious palette with the other blues in the room. Finally, light and medium wood furniture complements the sunny blue of the wallpaper.
Grasscloth has been a versatile classic in homes for years. It comes in many shades that are like solids but better, because the textured surface of the grasscloth infuses elegant colour while adding subtle interest and depth to walls.
Why it works: The blue grasscloth wallcovering works in this dining room for a variety of reasons. First, the wallpaper’s texture has a horizontal direction that pleasantly emphasises the angled walls. Second, the colour of the wallpaper creates a harmonious palette with the other blues in the room. Finally, light and medium wood furniture complements the sunny blue of the wallpaper.
2. Chinoiserie chic
Chinoiserie style originated in the 17th and 18th century as a romanticised European interpretation of the Chinese aesthetic. In wallpaper, lush chinoiserie images can be very colourful or have a subtle palette. Either way, they make an elegant impact.
Why it works: In this beautiful dining room, the white birds-and-trees motif stands out against a gorgeous blue background. Although the design is detailed, its simple colours allow the silhouettes to be the room’s focal point without overwhelming it. Everything in the room works together to allow the wallpaper to take centre stage: White wainscoting and pale textiles and chairs highlight the wallpaper’s motif colour, while a wood table and credenza act as complementary warm neutrals.
Discover chinoiserie style for your home
Chinoiserie style originated in the 17th and 18th century as a romanticised European interpretation of the Chinese aesthetic. In wallpaper, lush chinoiserie images can be very colourful or have a subtle palette. Either way, they make an elegant impact.
Why it works: In this beautiful dining room, the white birds-and-trees motif stands out against a gorgeous blue background. Although the design is detailed, its simple colours allow the silhouettes to be the room’s focal point without overwhelming it. Everything in the room works together to allow the wallpaper to take centre stage: White wainscoting and pale textiles and chairs highlight the wallpaper’s motif colour, while a wood table and credenza act as complementary warm neutrals.
Discover chinoiserie style for your home
3. Black beauty
This dramatic dining room owes its debonair style in large part to its glamorous black-and-gold peacock wallpaper. Black and very dark colours are sure bets for elevating your dining room style. I recommend that you look for dark wallpaper with texture or subtle pattern to break the intensity of the colour a bit.
Why it works: Plenty of light streaming through the windows and a large opening to another room with windows help balance this wallpaper’s dark hue. The light illuminates the gold details in the wallpaper (see the next photo for a closer look). The ceiling inset and the striking light fixture echo the dramatic hue of the wallpaper, creating a cohesive room.
Find a wallcovering expert
This dramatic dining room owes its debonair style in large part to its glamorous black-and-gold peacock wallpaper. Black and very dark colours are sure bets for elevating your dining room style. I recommend that you look for dark wallpaper with texture or subtle pattern to break the intensity of the colour a bit.
Why it works: Plenty of light streaming through the windows and a large opening to another room with windows help balance this wallpaper’s dark hue. The light illuminates the gold details in the wallpaper (see the next photo for a closer look). The ceiling inset and the striking light fixture echo the dramatic hue of the wallpaper, creating a cohesive room.
Find a wallcovering expert
Here’s a closer look at the wallpaper pattern and the chandelier.
4. Modern wood
Installing a textured or printed wood-look wallpaper is a simple way to add a natural element to your room without investing in wood paneling or shiplap. Just like real wood, wood-inspired wallpapers come in a variety of hues. Wallpaper can convey vertical paneling, seamless panels or horizontal shiplap patterns.
Why it works: Adding textured wallpaper gives the modern dining room a styled look without overwhelming the other elements of the design. The pale hue of the wallpaper pairs beautifully with the room’s creamy blond textiles and wood furnishings. An organically shaped light fixture adds a little glitz to this beautiful, fresh space.
Wallpapering in the tropics
Installing a textured or printed wood-look wallpaper is a simple way to add a natural element to your room without investing in wood paneling or shiplap. Just like real wood, wood-inspired wallpapers come in a variety of hues. Wallpaper can convey vertical paneling, seamless panels or horizontal shiplap patterns.
Why it works: Adding textured wallpaper gives the modern dining room a styled look without overwhelming the other elements of the design. The pale hue of the wallpaper pairs beautifully with the room’s creamy blond textiles and wood furnishings. An organically shaped light fixture adds a little glitz to this beautiful, fresh space.
Wallpapering in the tropics
5. Jungle love
Adding lush greenery via dining room wallpaper can bring a sophisticated garden aesthetic to your dining experience. Leaves and trees lend movement and visual interest, turning a plain room into a showcase space.
Why it works: In this dining room, the designer created an accent wall by featuring a wallpaper with a dense repeat of lush leaves. The busy pattern of the greenery pairs well with the modern and minimal furnishings. The dark blue built-in shelving ties to the darker hues of the wallpaper, pulling the space together.
Adding lush greenery via dining room wallpaper can bring a sophisticated garden aesthetic to your dining experience. Leaves and trees lend movement and visual interest, turning a plain room into a showcase space.
Why it works: In this dining room, the designer created an accent wall by featuring a wallpaper with a dense repeat of lush leaves. The busy pattern of the greenery pairs well with the modern and minimal furnishings. The dark blue built-in shelving ties to the darker hues of the wallpaper, pulling the space together.
6. Gingham classic
Like stripes, gingham is a classic pattern seen throughout home decor. In fabrics, carpets and even wallpaper, gingham – as well as its close cousin plaid – is timeless and sophisticated with many options to choose from.
Why it works: In this cheerful dining room, enlarged gingham wallpaper works as the focal point of the room. Its cadet blue hue is echoed in the paint colour of the solid walls as well as the dining table and rug. Bursts of yellow and pink give the room a lively, sunny feeling.
Browse more dining room ideas
Like stripes, gingham is a classic pattern seen throughout home decor. In fabrics, carpets and even wallpaper, gingham – as well as its close cousin plaid – is timeless and sophisticated with many options to choose from.
Why it works: In this cheerful dining room, enlarged gingham wallpaper works as the focal point of the room. Its cadet blue hue is echoed in the paint colour of the solid walls as well as the dining table and rug. Bursts of yellow and pink give the room a lively, sunny feeling.
Browse more dining room ideas
7. Sensational stripes
Stripes are a timeless design element that have adorned walls for decades. Simple, clean and versatile, striped wallpaper can assimilate into any room’s decor. Options range from wide to narrow widths and from sharply contrasting colours – as shown in this whimsical dining room – to more tonal pairings, such as two similar hues of blue.
Why it works: The black and white stripes act as a neutral backdrop for colourful chairs and accessories. The stripes are on two accent walls, so they don’t overwhelm the space. Dark built-ins complement the black stripes and balance the room’s palette.
TELL US
Which dining room do you like best and why? Share in the Comments below.
Stripes are a timeless design element that have adorned walls for decades. Simple, clean and versatile, striped wallpaper can assimilate into any room’s decor. Options range from wide to narrow widths and from sharply contrasting colours – as shown in this whimsical dining room – to more tonal pairings, such as two similar hues of blue.
Why it works: The black and white stripes act as a neutral backdrop for colourful chairs and accessories. The stripes are on two accent walls, so they don’t overwhelm the space. Dark built-ins complement the black stripes and balance the room’s palette.
TELL US
Which dining room do you like best and why? Share in the Comments below.
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an answer. Machine embroidered on the upholstery fabric by the upholsterer. This is beyond what I would be willing to spend. Might be adapted in some way, less expensively perhaps, using ribbon? Hmmm.
I doubt any of this wallpaper was part of cost-efficient decorating.
Okay, maybe grasscloth is acceptable [basically benign]. But wallpaper in general is something I expect to never use again.