Decorative wall coverings for the bedroom

Features of choice

To make the right choice, you need to know some interior properties:

• A horizontally directed pattern helps to visually expand the room, but “reduces” the height of the ceilings;
• A vertically directed pattern will “raise” a low ceiling, but visually reduce the area of the room;
• Some geometric shapes, such as trapezoids or diamonds, applied to the canvas, change the psychological perception of space – it seems larger;
• Light colors and a rare small pattern also help to visually enlarge a small room, such wallpaper is appropriate in the interior of a small bedroom;
• Large elements of the pattern, especially if they are located often, “reduce” the room;
• Combining wallpaper in the bedroom makes it possible to highlight different areas, for example, to accent the headboard of the bed, to isolate a corner with a dressing table or a place for a home office;
• Additionally, you can purchase a border that matches the design; it is used to horizontally divide the area;
• One of the walls (usually behind the headboard) can be made an accent wall by pasting wallpaper with large patterns on it, in a contrasting color to the rest of the walls, or with an unusual texture. You don’t have to wallpaper the entire wall, just the part next to the headboard.

Choosing a material

Various materials are used in the production of wallpaper, which determine its properties. Each type has its own advantages, but they all have their drawbacks.

Paper

Paper is the cheapest material. The quality of the wallpaper depends on the quality of the paper – the higher it is, the better. The manufacturer can use paper in one layer or two, which makes the canvases more durable.

• Low cost;
• Environmentally friendly;
• Air permeable;
• Easy to apply.

• Short service life (does not exceed five years);
• Low resistance to fading, abrasion;
• Wet maintenance is not allowed.

Quality indicator – specific gravity. If it is in the range from 110 to 140, the wallpaper is considered good.

Non-woven

Non-woven material, non-woven, is used as a base in production. It has a high density and consists of cellulose fibers with the addition of polymeric materials. There are several options for applying patterns to the base.

Direct application

The pattern is applied to the non-woven base. Such wallpapers are much stronger than paper ones, but they also have their drawbacks.

• Strength;
• Abreathable;
• Do not swell or shrink, which makes it possible to glue them to the wall immediately after applying the glue;
• Smooth out minor irregularities and cracks on the walls;
• Eco-friendly.

• Cannot be washed, care is the same as for paper;
• Fades quite quickly.

Polymer coating

The design is applied to a polymer coating that covers the paper. Typically, this is a vinyl coating. It can be smooth, foamed, or embossed (silk-screen printing). The surface of such wallpaper can imitate brickwork or plaster.

• Resistance to external influences;
• Possibility of removing dirt using a wet method;
• Hides minor wall defects – cracks, small potholes, chips;
• Significant tensile strength.

• The polymer coating does not allow you to “breathe” because it does not allow air to pass through;
• Some polymers can release toxic substances into the air; therefore, it is necessary to choose only certified ones: GOST 6810-2002 “Wallpaper”.

Textile

Textile ones are more expensive than paper ones, but they have a number of advantages that are difficult to ignore. They are made of two layers, the bottom one is non-woven or thick paper, the top one is fabric threads or fabric canvas. The fabric can be silk, linen, cotton, jute, velor, felt.

• Exclusivity;
• Environmentally friendly;
• Improved sound and heat insulation properties;

• Difficult to maintain, do not allow wet cleaning;
• Low resistance to moisture, dust, damage, which is especially critical if there are animals in the house;
• Complex pasting procedure, requiring the participation of a specialist;
• High cost.

Vinyl

As a rule, non-woven wallpaper with a vinyl coating is not used in the bedroom. The reason is the lack of ability to pass air. As a result, the walls under such a coating cannot “breathe”, and mold can start under them. The room will require frequent ventilation.

• A wide variety of colors and textures at a relatively low price;
• Possibility of wet maintenance.

• Not environmentally friendly;
• Inability to pass air and moisture vapor.

Other types

In addition to these most common types, there are other options. For example, photo wallpaper, which allows you to decorate the entire wall with a city view, a picture of nature or an abstract pattern. Photo wallpaper usually has an adhesive layer. They are made from fiberglass, usually for painting. In addition, canvases made of natural materials – cork, leather, bamboo – have recently become popular.

Pattern and texture

The pattern has a direct impact on our perception of the room, so it should be chosen taking into account the purpose of the room.

Flowers

Suitable wallpaper for the bedroom in if you want romance – with images in the form of flowers. This is a feminine and romantic option. If the bedroom is intended for two, then you can combine a floral pattern with a more “masculine” stripe or check. Floral motifs are suitable for decorating a bedroom in the English style, vintage.

Stripes and checks

Strips and checkered patterns are typical for the design of men’s bedrooms. They are suitable for interiors in the English style and in classics, both traditional and modern. They are used, as a rule, on all walls, if the stripes are not too bright. Combined wallpaper in the bedroom is often used to highlight the headboard. For example, a pattern of narrow stripes in rich tones can be used as an accent on one of the walls – this is typical for modern styles.

Ornaments

For a bedroom in the Provence, shabby chic or retro style, there can be wallpaper with an ornament of flowers and plants. Ornaments using geometric elements look quite strict, more often used in classics or art deco.

Texture

By choosing the option with textured embossing, you can get an exclusive stylish interior. Embossing can imitate velvet or corduroy, or the fabric that covers a sofa.

Combined wallpaper

Using wallpaper with different patterns or embossing in one room allows you to create interesting interior effects, correct the imperfections of the room’s shape, and visually divide the room into functional zones.

• We highlight the pros and disguise the cons: Different types wallpaper in the bedroom will allow you to focus your gaze on the point you need. For example, you can hide the unevenness of the ceiling by forcing the viewer to look at the bright pattern in the middle of the wall. And vice versa – by pasting an uneven wall with a neutral color, you will make it “invisible”.

• We divide into zones: The bedroom can perform several functions, for example, a bedroom and an office. Using combined wallpaper, you can visually separate them from each other.

• Correcting the geometry: Combined wallpaper in the bedroom design will help to expand a narrow room. To do this, dark-colored canvases are pasted on shorter walls, and light-colored ones on longer ones. If the bedroom is square in plan, one of the walls can be covered with combined wallpaper in rich bright tones, and the rest – in light tones, the room will look more advantageous.

• Read also

  How else can you decorate an accent wall in the bedroom?

  Placing accents: One of the easiest ways to highlight one of the walls is to paste wallpaper in a contrasting tone or with a pattern on it. Among the variety, you can choose ones that match in shades but differ in saturation. You can also cover the accent wall with wallpaper with a bright decorative pattern. It is good if the tone of the background wallpaper is among the tones of the pattern.

• Focus on a point: Another common interior technique is to create a focal point that attracts the eye. In this case, accent wallpaper is used to highlight not the entire wall, but only one of its fragments, for example, near the bed, fireplace, antique piece of furniture, in the sitting area.

• Decorating the room: Often, combined wallpaper is used as a decorative element of the interior. A sheet of plywood covered with wallpaper is inserted into a suitable frame and hung on the wall. Also, a part of the wall with canvases of a contrasting tone can be enclosed in a frame of moldings.

When combining different wallpapers in one room, make sure that they have repeating elements. This can be a pattern, color or texture.

• Different shades. By pasting a room with wallpaper of the same color, but different shades, you can get an elegant stylish interior, discreet, but with its own “face”. You can combine shades of color, for example, ecru and ivory, or its saturation.

• Different colors. The basic rules of combination are the combination of neutral and active colors. You can also experiment with contrasting tones. Different colors are used for zoning.

• Plain and patterned. Using combined wallpaper in the bedroom design, you can achieve interesting decorative effects. For example, a bright patterned panel looks great against the background of smooth, plain walls. A smooth wall can be decorated with a wide border with a geometric pattern.

• Combination of patterns. Patterns such as stripes and flowers, stripes and checks, wood grain and floral patterns go well together. Combinations of geometric shapes look interesting.

• Horizontal division. The traditional way of pasting the bottom of the room with striped wallpaper, the top with smooth or floral wallpaper, and dividing them with a border looks good in classic interior styles. As a rule, lighter ones are used at the top, darker ones at the bottom.

Which color is better to choose?

When choosing a color scheme for wallpaper for a bedroom, it is important to consider not only the combination of colors, but also their impact on the owners. Therefore, the first thing you should pay attention to is the psychology of color. Psychologists recommend using calm shades, which promote relaxation after a hard day and reduce irritability. The most popular wallpaper solution will be beige.

I recommend replacing the coldness of the snow-white wallpaper background with shades such as ivory or milky.

If a single-color wall decoration in the bedroom does not suit you, then consider a selection of the most successful examples:

• A light combination of light tones of yellow and green is perfect for an adult bedroom. For example, you can choose wallpaper with green patterns or monochrome, and curtains and textiles in a pleasant yellow color;
• Young people, as well as teenagers with constant daytime activity, should choose pastel shades of blue with contrasting blue patterns or moldings;
• A yellow or beige palette with discreet accents is ideal for livening up a child’s room.

Check out a selection of the best color combinations in the bedroom.

The location of the windows in the bedroom on the cardinal points plays an important role, so pay attention to this when choosing the color of the wallpaper.

• If you need to neutralize excessive sunlight in the south, It is worth choosing a cold palette, visually adding positivity and space. Here it is suggested to include bright dark accents in separate sections with wallpaper, for example, an accent wall at the head of the bed;
• In the north, a warm range of colors with the saturation of deep and yellow shades is used to correct the lack of natural light;
• Facing the east will require the presence of greenish shades with turquoise and noble gray;
• A brownish palette with beige will help to observe the beauty of the setting sun from the bedroom. The complement will be golden with bronze, reflecting the reflections of the evening.

Design of a small bedroom

Too small a room size is a problem for many houses, especially those built in the middle of the last century. Therefore, the issue of choosing wallpaper is quite acute. Everything is important here – what color to choose, whether to take options with a pattern, how to correctly combine different types of wallpaper in one room to make it seem larger.

The main recommendation is to choose light, calm, natural tones. There are also several design techniques that will help to visually enlarge the room:

• A narrow room can be easily “expanded” if you wallpaper the end walls with dark, saturated tones, and the rest with light ones.
• If the ceilings are low, you cannot use wide borders. If the room is high and small in area, a wide border, on the contrary, will correct the proportions.
• A glossy surface in the interior of a small bedroom will help to expand the room due to the play of reflections.

How does the interior style affect the choice of wallpaper?

It is necessary to adhere to the general design concept adopted for the entire interior. A small floral pattern on a mint, bluish and beige background is suitable for Provence. And it is better to choose wallpaper for a loft-style bedroom with the effect of an old wall, brickwork or concrete.

Striped wallpaper in beige tones will suit lovers of classics. With the Scandinavian style, everything is much simpler – pay attention to the richness of gray, sometimes with the presence of white. It would not be superfluous to use photo wallpapers with a primitive image or a geometric pattern in a limited amount.

Trends 2024 for choosing wallpaper

The following trends will be relevant for decorating a bedroom next year:

Don’t forget that the interior should be decorated primarily according to your preferences, so that you feel comfortable being and relaxing in the bedroom. And trends will only serve as inspiration and guide you in the right direction to create the interior of your dreams.

• Environmental friendliness is at its peak now, so choose wallpaper made from environmentally friendly materials. You will sleep there after all.
• Bright color accents should be used carefully and in small quantities. A maximum of one detail either on the wall or in the decor or furniture.
• Natural motifs have been haunting us for several years now, but this year it is better to stick to plant patterns and textures.
• As for the color, the most fashionable color of 2024 will be a delicate shade of apricot (Apricot Crush) and ash rose, and for lovers of dark interiors, midnight plum is suitable.

Design ideas

There are many interesting ideas for decorating walls with wallpaper that will look stylish in the bedroom. I will consider the most relevant examples below:

• Accent minimalism. Use wallpaper with a geometric pattern on a light background to decorate niches or a wall at the head of the bed.
• Thematic prints will give you additional inspiration after a hard day. A good solution would be to use natural and urban landscapes from your favorite vacation spots.
• The fashion for a single-color coating will fit perfectly into any style. But unusual textures in the form of velvetiness or embossing will add originality to the bedroom.

It is quite difficult to imagine how the wallpaper will look in the bedroom if you do not have specific examples in front of you. To decide which materials for wall decoration are suitable in your case, look at the photos below, they will help you make the right choice.