Choose the Right Wallpaper for Your Kitchen

Wallpaper is making a comeback, especially in light of all of the modern patterns and color designs and textures that are now available. A kitchen is a fantastic place to create an impact with the addition of wallpaper. Here are some tips to choosing the right wallpaper for your space.

Kitchen Wallpaper: Where Should it Go?

Traditional application of kitchen wallpaper involved covering every wall space with your wallpaper choice. These days it is used as an accent, which can be applied as a backsplash, behind a stove, or even along one wall as a dramatic backdrop. This way, if you choose a bold pattern or color, it won’t overwhelm or take away from your kitchen’s overall look; rather it will enhance the look with just the right amount of color and pattern. If you choose to use wallpaper as a backsplash, simply finish it with a waterproof varnish to make it more durable in the kitchen against potential food and water splatter.

Give Your Kitchen Texture

In addition to an endless choice of colors and patterns, with kitchen wallpaper you get a wide variety of textures. Linen, natural weave grass cloth, grass reed, and even cork can give your walls dynamic texture and appeal. There is also paintable wallpaper that imitates the look of a tin backsplash with a raised design that would also work well on a ceiling for a vintage look without the high cost of installing a real tin ceiling. Textured wallpaper can be more difficult to install, so hiring a professional is often best, but these efforts can result in a truly unique decorative accent.

Popular Wallpaper Patterns

A bland kitchen can be given new life with the additions of some well-placed wallpaper in a trendy design. If you want to give your kitchen vintage appeal, consider one of the many vintage patterns that have come back into style. For example, damask, paisley, and brocade have all made a comeback, as evident in their graceful appearances in many contemporary kitchen designs. You could choose a wallpaper with a concentrated or more widespread pattern, depending on where you’ll put the wallpaper. It could be a simple black and white, or you could use this as an opportunity to inject some vibrant color. You could choose a warm copper and olive green paisley combination, a cheerful yellow and white damask or even a blue and white or blue and red brocade design for French country.

If vintage isn’t your style, you might consider a bold geometric pattern, such as a diamond pattern in 2 shades of the same color, such as light and dark silver with a metallic sheen. Stripes also continue to be popular, especially thicker stripes that run horizontally, again working well with shades of the same color instead of contrasting colors. These geometric patterns are best suited for a backsplash.

Don’t let anyone tell you that wallpaper is out. With all the new and vintage designs and materials being used today, your choices are endless and your kitchen will benefit from a unique and tastefully chosen wallpaper.