ACCENT WALL

The Best Wallpapers from Amazon, Target, Etsy and More to Add to Any Room

Go wild or subtle. Either way, wallpaper will help liven up any room in your home.

Wallpaper is a great way to quickly bring some excitement and originality to your decor. Contrary to popular belief, wallpapering doesn't have to be expensive, or time-consuming. There’s a huge selection of basic and specialty papers all made for DIY installation. In some cases, the back of the paper is adhesive like a sticker, and in others, the glue just needs to be wet, like a stamp. Removable wallpapers that use semi-permanent adhesive are great for when you change your mind, or your apartment.

Once you select the space you want to wallpaper, you have to choose a design. It might be hard to commit since the wrong one can leave you feeling trapped in a patterned hellscape. While you might want to recreate the hallway from The Shining, or the banana-leaf-covered walls of the Beverly Hills Hotel, choosing a pattern that is specific to your style will be much more pleasant to live with. 

Blush Stripe Wallpaper by Spoonflower, $8+ on Etsy: Stripes go with any decor, but unless your walls are built perfectly it can be a big challenge to line up the panels. Choose a stripe that looks more hand-drawn to hide your uneven walls (or uneven DIY skills).

Sunlit Branches Wallpaper, $88 at Anthropologie: Floral has come a long way since your Grandma’s powder room. To avoid a dated look stay away from small illustrations of repeating flowers and opt for a large scale, or a painterly style.

Etched Arcadia Mural, $298 at Anthropologie: Confined spaces or small walls are the perfect canvas for murals. Lay out the entire design before you start sticking it up to make sure you have enough space.

Wave Pop Graphite Self-Adhesive Wallpaper, $125 at Food52: Retro and Art Deco designs can be brought into this century if you choose dark, moody colors and pair them with metallic decor. 

Removable Dark Green Damask Mural, $12+ on Etsy: Damask prints are traditionally woven into fabric, but you can find printed wallpaper versions that give a similar effect. Choose a monotone color pallet and a larger scale, especially for a large room, to keep the design from looking too busy.

Tempaper Tokyo Celestial Self-Adhesive Removable Wallpaper Blue, $28 at Target: Paper marbling is a centuries-old technique that uses ink and water to create an organic swirl of color that mimics the veining in marble. It creates a wonderfully dreamy effect when applied to walls. 

RoomMates Blue Chevron Stripe Peel and Stick Wallpaper, $33 on Amazon: Geometric designs can help a room feel grounded and orderly making them great for playrooms, closets, and offices. 

NuWallpaper Halcyon Peel & Stick Wallpaper, $28 on Amazon: Birds are a classic wallpaper motif. A random pattern updates the traditional Audubon look and gives the design a more natural feel. 

Holli Zollinger Terrazzo Wallpaper Green, $120 at Target: Wallpaper patterns don’t really have to be a pattern at all. An abstract smattering of color is both playful and artistic.

Scalloped Rainbows Wallpaper by Erin Kendal,$8+ on Etsy: When a plain white wall is just too boring add some visual interest by using a print with a white background, and minimal contrast. From far away the wall will look plain but the closer you get the more interesting it will become.

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Julia Alvidrez

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