Best Kitchen Wallpaper
Choosing the right wallpaper for your kitchen is a serious business. In many homes, the kitchen has become a really important living space. You don’t use cook in it, you eat all your meals there, entertain friends and, often, watch TV and relax too.
So the decor you choose is really important. It needs to create the atmosphere you want in the room, while reflecting your taste and - importantly - delivering on a practical level.
The choice of luxury wallpaper that’s available today is enormous, so the first step is to narrow it down by asking yourself some key questions. We’ll give you some prompts below!
What feeling do you want in the space?
Because kitchens are such an important part of the home now, the first step is to identify how you want the room to feel. For example, if you mainly use the kitchen in the morning, for breakfast and getting ready for the day, you might want to aim for a bright, energising feel. That could mean bold shades or a strong, inspiring kitchen wallpaper design.
Citrus shades like yellow and orange are thought to give us energy, as does red, but the right kind of teal or green can also give a space a vibrant boost. Black and white can be a great look as well. The pattern can really make a difference too - try a geometric or damask design to give the space a pop.
But, if you use the room as a relaxation space in the evenings, you might seek out more subtle tones and designs. Darker colours create a more cosy feel, which can often be a challenge in a large space like a kitchen. You might like to use wallpaper to create ‘zones’ in the space - the cooking area is kept simple while the wall next to the dining space or where your sofa is can have a softer touch. Feather design wallpaper can be very effective in creating that comfy feeling. Also, take a look at this petrol panelling wallpaper for sultry yet warm colouring.
Fabrics can also really help with this cosy effect. Choose a good rug for the space, along with cushions and throws to make your sofa look extra snuggly.
If you want to create a ‘dining room’ feeling in one end of your kitchen, again, darker colours can be very effective. If you want something that works well in both day and night, a darker pattern might be a good choice, like this popular Back to Nature design.
What’s your style - traditional or contemporary?
Most of us have a clear idea of whether we like the look of antique and vintage decor or prefer something more modern. The age of your home can also be a factor in how you choose to decorate your kitchen.
For example, in a Victorian or Georgian home a vintage kitchen look can be very beautiful. Think butler sinks, brass taps and shaker style cupboards. But these homes can equally look stunning with a very modern kitchen - it’s up to you.
If your taste is more towards the vintage, you might choose the very fashionable botanical style floral wallpaper. It’s a wonderful look and comes in so many colours and designs. Or perhaps a marble design will give you an art deco feel that will suit your home.
If you prefer a modern kitchen there are lots of wallpaper options for you. Modern can sometimes mean minimalist - and in fact an all-white kitchen is a super stylish look you’ll never tire of. White wallpaper comes in so many designs and is both subtle and energising. Meanwhile, grey wallpaper continues to be a very desirable trend and works really well in a modern kitchen.
Glitter and metallic wallpaper designs are also really popular for a modern kitchen. Whether you go for a subtle shimmer or a geometric pattern in gold, copper or silver, this can be a highly effective look.
Fancy creating a bit of illusion in your kitchen?
If you want to create a unique and attractive effect in your kitchen, take a look at ‘illusion’ wallpaper designs known as trompe l’oeil.
Examples include faux wood panelling wallpaper, which creates the effect of wood panels design in your home. This design comes in various colours from traditional wood effects to yellow and dusty pink.
Another option is the look of wrought metal and cast iron - a beautiful trellis effect that looks great as a feature wall. Or you could opt for a padded-effect wallpaper designed to look like a worn chesterfield leather sofa with buttons. A bookshelf design is also a fun option, giving the appearance of a well stocked bookcase in your kitchen.
Do you need special wallpaper for the kitchen?
Any space in your kitchen that’s likely to become damp or get spattered during cooking needs to be wipeable - which is why tiles and splashbacks are so popular around cookers and sinks. But the rest of the kitchen can really be decorated with any type of wallpaper. Vinyl wallpaper is usually more robust than the paper-based kind, and can be wiped down.
Do bear in mind, though, that if there’s a wallpaper design you absolutely love for a potentially messy area in your kitchen, you can have a clear glass splashback installed over the top.
Do you need more inspiration?
Getting the look right for your kitchen is definitely something you shouldn’t rush. Take time to explore social media, interiors blogs and other sources of ideas. A kitchen wallpaper search on Instagram or Pinterest is always a great place to start.
There are also lots of good bloggers to seek out for ideas. We love this blog from Paper Room Interiors which has a lot of suggestions for making your kitchen more ‘you’ - one of which is to get a cat! Not recommended if you’re a dog person, though.
Sophie Robinson has also created a great blog with lots of kitchen ideas - one of which is to choose a bold wallpaper design. We also love Liv for Interiors’ take on kitchen designing, here.
Once you’ve chosen a spectacular wallpaper design that takes your kitchen to a whole new level, don’t be shy, we’d love to see it. Tag us on social media for compliments and kudos!
