How To Use Wallpaper Patterns

We all love a nice patterned photo wallpaper, whether it's a subtle detail along the skirting board, or a bold, colourful repeated print along a feature wall. But how do you know which pattern to choose? Of course it would be easy to just pick out a nice floral pattern and be done with it, but how do you know it's going to work? How do you match it to the rest of the room? How do you know it will look as good on your wall as it does in the shop or online?
Well don't panic. We've trawled the internet and found the best hints and advice we could find to help you choose the perfect design for your wallpaper. Here's our top tips on how to use patterns.

1. Room Size

You wouldn't think it, but the size of the room should have a huge impact on the kind of pattern you choose. It can make the room bigger or smaller, brighter or darker, and it can change the atmosphere completely. In general, you should scale your pattern to the room size; large room, large pattern, small room, small pattern.

Small rooms: be delicate with your pattern. Choose a light, bright background with soft colours. Don't go with anything too bold or jazzy. Maybe consider a floral pattern, or a 3D tile effect. As long as the pattern is small, it makes it seem further away, or it can even blend at a distance to look like a textured wall. This makes a small room look much bigger. If you have a particularly low ceiling, you can add a vertical pattern to your walls to add some height, or if you're feeling adventurous, you could even put a pattern design on the ceiling itself.

Medium rooms: you have a little more scope with a medium sized room, but you still need to find a balance between pattern and size. You can go with a stronger, bold-coloured pattern, but make sure the background is light. If it's too dark or there's too much going on you can make the room seem too small and cluttered.

Large rooms: this is where you can let loose. A large room allows you to be bold and adventurous with your patterns. Choose dynamic designs in deep, rich colours to make the pattern really stand out. Also, having a large scale pattern will help keep the room together and not look empty.

2. Modern vs. Traditional Style

Try to match the style of pattern you choose with the overall style of the house. You don't want to put a 70s-style, multi-coloured, tie-dye print in a two-hundred-year-old cottage. Just make sure you pick the right pattern for the style you already have.

Traditional: stick to traditional designs. There are some beautiful floral patterns on the market, or you could even go down the paisley or damask motif route. Look for soft, warm colours and understated designs.


Contemporary: if you have a more modern house, be a bit more creative. Use geometric patterns and other abstract designs to create a really interesting feature. Go for a bolder colour palette.

3. Mix 'n' Match

You don't simply have to stick with one pattern; sometimes mixing things up can make a room come to life...just make sure you don't overdo it!

Rule of three: make sure you have no more than three different patterns in any one room; if you use any more you can make a room look very confusing and unappealing.

Lead pattern: when choosing your designs, make sure you choose a lead pattern, one that will be the focus of the room. This should be a bold, vibrant design that draws attention. The other two designs should then compliment your lead pattern, rather than compete with it. They need to be smaller and more subtle, but still in-keeping with the theme you have chosen.

4. Be Creative

Rules are made to be broken. Yes these tips can really help when you're stuck and not sure what to do, but when it comes down to it, your wall is exactly that: yours. You can do what you like with it. Fifty years ago nobody would have even dreamed that you could put floral wallpaper with polka dot cushion covers, let alone matching them with some stripy curtains. If nobody was creative, we'd never get anywhere. So go out on a limb, be bold, and choose a wallpaper that says, "look at this. This is my wallpaper. I chose it. And I love it!"

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