The living room is the get-together place of a house because it is the place where family members spend their time together. Moreover, the living room is the canvas to fill up with attractive colors and designs since visitors generally judge a house by the living room.

Are you confused about how to choose wallpaper for living room? Don’t worry. We are here to help you choose the perfect wallpaper for your living space, binding with your taste and preferences.  

1. How to Choose Wallpaper for Living Room?

Wallpapers are the easiest, most convenient, durable, and cost-effective method to add a bit of change to the monotonous look of your living room.

However, many people consider wallpapering a better option than painting because it allows you to experiment with different designs frequently. 

 It is a nerve-wracking task to choose your favorite wallpaper from the huge pile of available wallpapers. So, it is imperative to consider various living room wallpaper designs while deciding how to choose wallpaper for living room. 

2. Things To Consider While Choosing A Wallpaper 

The living room is no less than the soul of the house, depicting the personalities and preferences of the members of the house. So,  decorating it beautifully makes sense by bringing out the artist in you. 

Furthermore, considering various living room wallpaper ideas before deciding on the perfect wallpaper style will result in a beautifully decorated living room. 

2.1 Whole Room or Feature Wall 

Since the design of the wallpaper will depend on that, decide whether you want all four room walls to be covered or just a feature wall.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with subtle patterns and designs for the whole room, especially if you have a large, ventilated room. It will be worthwhile if done with proper planning, considering other elements like furniture, style, and personal preferences. 

You can even choose to highlight the feature wall with a beautifully designed wallpaper catering to your preferences. The feature wall could be any wall standing out from the rest. It should be easily visible from any living room corner and not too short or long. 

2.2.Size Does Matter 

The size of the room is a vital element when choosing the wallpaper for the living room. If the living room is large, one should typically avoid small patterns. 

Large rooms are ideal for experimenting with big designs, making optimum utilization of the available space. You don’t want to risk snipping the main designs in smaller rooms due to space constraints.

If properly applied, the striped pattern can create an illusion of your living room if you have a small.

In the living space, applying horizontal stripes will give the room a feeling of an enlarged room. Also, vertical stripes will help to add some height to your living room. 

2.3 What’s Your Favorite Colour? 

Colors speak a lot by themselves. Choose the colors carefully along with the design, considering how they will be visible in artificial light and natural light. 

When choosing the colors for your wallpaper in your living room, the size of the rooms plays an important role. 

Dark, vibrant colors reflect light and give your large living room a compact yet elegant look. 

Smaller living spaces clubbed with subtle colors like blue and green give a bright look to your living area, make it look bigger, and will also make you feel relaxed after a tiring day at work. 

So, accordingly, choose the right wallpaper designs that match the other interiors of your house.

2.4 Style Of The House

The house’s architectural structure also has a role in determining the choice of wallpaper. Some traditionally built houses depict the traditions and culture of their area of residence. 

The proposed wallpaper at such houses should blend with the traditional architectural structure of the house. If the house does not have any definite style as such, then you are free to choose any wallpaper as per your taste. 

2.5 Who’s At Home?  

If you do not have young kids at home, you can freely choose any high-quality wallpaper that caters to your taste. However, investing in expensive wallpapers and crying over spilled milk doesn’t seem feasible with young kids at home. 

You can choose your wallpaper design from simple, cost-effective, durable wallpapers because they are easy to maintain and have longer lifespans. Wallpapers like Vinyl Wallpapers can also subside your budget to a great extent.

You can also choose specially designed wallpapers for children’s bedrooms. 

2.6 Advance Preparations

Just choosing the right wallpaper for your wall will not be sufficient to decorate your wall.  You also need to prepare your walls for the same. There is no use in slamming the wallpaper on the wall if it will reveal the loopholes or irregularities of your wall. 

Before applying wallpaper to the wall, undergo repair work for any kind of lumps or bumps. This will help to get the desired finishing to your accent wall or all the walls if you plan to do so.

Specially designed wallpapers can also hide some kind of irregularities in your wall. Still, it is always nice to maintain the condition of the walls once before applying wallpaper. 

2.7 Hire Professionals

Always hire professionals to install wallpapers on the wall, except if you choose a simple basic design wallpaper. 

These professionals know their job very well and will ensure an error-free application. This will also avoid unnecessary wastage, and you can also save on your budget. 

2.8 Plan For Errors

There may be times when, even after getting the perfect measurements and selecting wallpaper accordingly, you might land in a soup due to the occurrence of some errors. So, at that stage, there might occur a deficit of wallpaper. 

 So,  always plan to buy extra for the rainy day since sometimes shades might differ if you buy from different vendors. Do not throw away the extra pieces of wallpaper. You can use them to pin up in smaller areas to give it a new look.

Areas behind cupboards, refrigerators, or bookshelves can be decorated with the leftover wallpaper.  It will give them an innovative look. The bookshelf with less number of books will have an added feature now. So,  plan to buy a little extra wallpaper more than how much you need. 

2.9 Period  

It is important to consider the period for which the wallpaper will be used. If you plan to fix it for a short period, you can choose to align it with temporary features like side decor, curtains, etc., to give a new look to your room.

However, if you plan to have it longer, carefully match it with the furniture or the room’s flooring to enhance its beauty.  

2.10 What’s Your Mood? 

Colors play a pivotal role in determining your mood. Colors also depict your personality to a great extent.

If you like excitement, you can have fun with vibrant colors like red, orange, etc., by adding them to textures and patterns. People residing in colder areas prefer warm colors as they give the room a warm and cozy feeling. 

Light pastels like pale yellow, blue, and green could win over your heart if you are a calm, composite person. They also give a sense of coolness and add to the serenity in the room.

2.11 Look at the Ceiling 

Highlighting the ceiling of your house with artistically decorated wallpaper will give a new look to your living space. The wallpaper in the ceiling generally covers the center patch and not the whole wall as such. 

 You can also beautify the other walls of the room with plain wallpaper with some similarity to the ceiling, or you can also give it a total miss. 

2.12 Check For Samples 

Sometimes, the vendor might offer you a small sample to test on the walls of your room.

It is best to order samples to get a feel of how the wallpaper would look on the wall rather than to spend an enormous amount on a wallpaper that will not be satisfying later. 

Some wallpapers display different color shades in natural and artificial lighting. Ensure to check this parameter with the samples before buying the wallpaper. 

2.13  Wallpaper For The Chimney Breast

Chimney breasts are common in places with colder climates. Have you ever thought of decorating it with a beautifully designed wallpaper? 

Decorating it with beautifully designed wallpaper, you can create a decor corner in your house and flaunt your style. 

2.14  Own House or Rented Apartment

If you own the house, you can opt between painting your house with textures or adding a textured wallpaper. Wallpapers are the silver lining for the tenants who cannot paint the house.

The peel-and-stick wallpapers are a blessing in disguise for them, which they can easily carry with them when they move to a new place. 

2.15 Define  Your Style of Wallpaper 

There are a variety of wallpapers available in the online or offline mode. Choose the best one according to your taste for styling your house. 

2.15.1 Metallic Finish Wallpaper 

If you prefer a deluxe lifestyle, then high gloss metallic finish wallpapers are the ones for you. They give a sense of richness to your walls.

But make sure that your walls are of great quality as they quickly highlight any irregularities in your walls.

Regular dusting and mopping are required to maintain the finishing effect over the long run. 

2.15.2 Natural Fibers Wallpaper 

If living near nature is your character, choose from wallpapers made of natural fibers like sisal, bamboo, grasscloth wallpapers, etc. They give a rustic effect to your room. 

The only drawback with wallpaper made of natural fibers is that there will be various joints, knots, and imperfections compared to the uniform patterned structure of typical wallpapers. Cleaning them also could be a tedious task at hand. So, choose after considering all these factors. 

 You could also choose to have a botanical garden wallpaper to sit by while enjoying your coffee to get the feeling of living close to nature. 

2.15.3 Patterned Wallpapers

The patterned wallpapers are best to give an informal look to your living room. Opt for larger or small-scale patterns as per your preferences.

Just remember the golden rule of larger patterns to get a fantasy of a larger room and vice-versa.

2.15.4 Plain Wallpapers

Not everybody likes experimenting with patterns, designs, glossy finishes, etc. Some like just to keep it plain and simple.

Choosing plain wallpapers from the wide range of available colors can be difficult. The best part about plain wallpapers is that they can mingle well with any furniture or other decor items in your room. 

2.15.5 Peel and Stick Wallpapers

This is a new phenomenon in the world of wallpapers. The peel-and-stick wallpapers resemble a giant sticker. You just need to peel the paper and stick it on the desired wall.

Rollers can be used to smoothen the wallpaper. You can use a flat squeezer to get rid of air bubbles. They can be used on surfaces that are traditionally not just walls, like the back of refrigerators, cupboards, stair risers, etc. 

The removal process is simple. Simply lift one corner and pull it. They are also reusable. Hence,  they are much in demand by renters who don’t have permission to paint their walls.

Also,  getting painting done in rental apartments is not feasible. So, this temporary solution works fine for them. It is also a good option for house owners who frequently get bored with the same painting daily. 

The peel-and-stick wallpapers are preferred for their easy maintenance,  easy installation, and low cost. 

2.15.6 Textured Wallpaper

Textured Wallpapers are beautiful texture designs that give a versatile look to the accent wall. Depending on personal taste,  you can choose from texture designs from a wide variety of bright, vibrant color textures to simple, minimized designs in subtle colors. Textured wallpapers are also used to hide flaws or irregularities in your walls. 

If you prefer bold pattern ideas, geometric and abstract patterns could be your wallpaper type. Geometric wallpapers are generally irregular shapes, curved or wavy lines that form a pattern that gives your wall a classy and contemporary look. Having ample space between two patterns will give the illusion of a big room.

Textures on walls can be done through paintings as well. But it is a bit heavier on the pocket if the comparison is made with textured wallpapers.

It also runs the risk of continuing the texture design for a longer duration, as one will not go for textured paintings frequently. Texture paintings do not require much expertise and are easily done. 

2.15.7 Brick Wallpapers 

The brick wallpaper is an excellent way to decorate a feature wall. It will provide the perfect dining area background, the perfect company for sofa furnishing, or even complement a cornered bookshelf with its artistic features. 

The brick wallpapers are generally easy to maintain and, hence, have gained popularity recently. 

2.15.8 Vinyl Wallpaper 

Vinyl  Wallpaper is the most popular type of wallpaper widely used. They are easy to clean, have a longer life, and are perfect for homes with growing children.

They are also moisture-resistant. There is no doubt that this is the most popular type of wallpaper that is being used worldwide. 

2.15.9 Mural Wallpapers

Mural Wallpapers are large wallpapers that have pre-printed images on them. The printing is usually on one or a large number of wallpapers. 

The process of installing wallpaper on a wall, either horizontally or vertically, is fairly simple. The only requirement is a wallpaper roller for application to a smooth surface. You can ditch the wallpaper paste for this one. 

2.15.10 Fabric  Wallpapers

The fabric wallpaper is the latest trend in wallpapers. It can give a classy, contemporary look to your walls. Generally, polyester material is used to make fabric wallpapers. 

Fabric wallpapers are generally printed in nontoxic ink, which is safe for children. Also, it has an effortless process of just peeling and sticking it as it is self-adhesive. The adhesive used does not damage walls.

Similarly, fabric wallpapers generally have a long life if they are properly cared for. Avoid wallpapers in moist places.  

So, if you get bored with a particular wallpaper after some time, you can just peel it and get a new one or give the walls of your house some rest. 

2.15.11 Traditional Wallpapers

If you love Indian traditions and cultures, the wallpapers with traditional patterns are just right for you. Traditional wallpapers are available in various designs depicting our traditions and cultures.

Initially, they were made from Vinyl material, but that has been drastically reduced. The reason is that it suffered from the problem of shrinking over time. Also, it was difficult to remove it.

Now, Non-woven traditional wallpapers are made by compiling natural and synthetic fibers. 

3. Tips For Maintenance of Wallpapers

3.1 Moist Areas 

Avoid wallpapers in moist areas. It reduces the period for which the wallpaper could be used. Wallpapers are specially designed for the kitchen, bathrooms, washrooms, etc. Use them accordingly.

Wallpapers specially designed for the living room should not be used in these areas. 

3.2 Dusting and Sponging 

Always try to keep their wallpaper clean by regularly dusting it with a clean cloth, dry or wet, depending on the wallpaper, a soft brush, or even a vacuum cleaner.

Start dusting from the top and go down so no loose dust falls on the freshly dusted wallpaper. Some wallpapers can even be cleaned with a soft sponge or cloth. 

Always read the descriptions on how to clean the wallpaper if you are buying online or ask the local vendor if buying offline. Following proper cleaning procedures will increase the life of the wallpaper.

3.3 Don’t Be Harsh

Wallpapers are sensitive. So, avoid applying excess pressure on them by scrubbing or rubbing harshly on them. It will affect the quality of the wallpaper and reduce its life. 

3.4 Avoid Direct Sunlight 

Avoid wallpapers in areas that are exposed to direct sunlight. The color of the wallpaper might lighten due to overexposure to sunlight.

Conclusion 

The above guidelines on how to choose wallpaper for your living room will ensure that you choose the best wallpaper for your living space. 

Experiment with different patterns of wallpaper is the easiest way to change the look of your home. Take the risk to experiment with different styling patterns. For example,  classic designs like florals and stripes can be blended with exotic styles such as tropical patterns. 

By mixing and matching with the wallpaper choice, you can frequently alter the look of your homes easily.

Last Updated on February 29, 2024 by kalidaspandian