12 best statement wallpapers
Make an impact and transform a room with a conversation-starting pattern
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Your support makes all the difference.Wallpaper is having a renaissance and as a result, there is a flood of bold, striking prints to choose from. From stand-out geometrics to fun nature-inspired patterns, our round-up should include something that catches the eye. We looked for conversation-starting, quality papers that would transform a space.
1. Boråstapeter Ypsilon Wallpaper: £59, cloudberryliving.co.uk
Ypsilon belongs to a collection of pattern designs from the 1950s by legendary Scandinavian designers Arne Jacobsen, Sven Markelius, Stig Lindberg and Karl Axel Pehrson. Remixed for the modern day, the paper comes in muted natural shades and the pattern has been scaled back for subtlety whilst retaining its retro appeal.
2. Graham & Brown Making a Crockery Wallpaper: £12.50, debenhams.com
This lively wallpaper from Graham and Brown makes an impact from far away and in detail. A closer look at the unmistakable outlines of household pots, pans and utensils and reveals they are filled with floral and tartan patterns highlighted in metallic. It’s a clever way to mix the intricacy of traditional patterns with bold graphics.
3. Orchard Wallace Secret Garden Wallpaper: £115, liberty.co.uk
Based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel The Secret Garden, the romantic idea behind this wallpaper design is to invite nature into the home. Developed from a William Morris print called Larkspur, the branching pattern was developed by Liberty Art Fabrics to appear more tangled and intertwined with a vibrant green in tonal shades rather than full colour.
4. Feathers Wallpaper (Lido) by Mini Moderns: £55, minimoderns.com
Artist Matt Sewell painted these feathers for the end papers of a book based on the wildlife of Dungeness. Too beautiful to be hidden away, London-based designers Mini Moderns had the good sense to get them out of the book and onto the wall, adding to their eclectic paper collection inspired by travel and nostalgia.
5. Timorous Beasties Devine Moth Wallpaper: £78, occa-home.co.uk
The thought of giant moths covering your bedroom walls might be off-putting for some, but not for Glasgow-based Timorous Beasties. The designers have made their name turning the edgy and unpalatable in life into designs of beautiful intricacy that make you look twice.
6. Pip Studio Dark Blue Floral Fancy Wallpaper: £65, amara.com
There is floral and then there is this, by the Dutch interior design studio; red, yellow, blue and white blooms entwined on a bold background. This one comes in 10 colours.
7. Amy Broklehurst Bulldog Wallpaper Pink: £125, graduatecollection.co.uk
Okay, so you’ll have to love dogs as much as artist Amy Broklehurst does to have this Pop Art-inspired paper in your home, but this pink and yellow paper will certainly be a talking point. There is also a Dachshund design if you’re more of a sausage dog fan.
8. Scion Groove: £36, wallpaperdirect.com
This horizontal zigzag pattern has a distinct 70s feel and makes an effective statement wall. It comes in four colourways, but we like the retro orange hues.
9. Osborne & Little Komodo: £109, wallpaperdirect.com
Komodo dragons probably aren’t the first animal that springs to mind when you’re looking for nature-inspired paper, but this design with the lizards in a metallic green on black is eye-catching, yet not as domineering as some of the other statement designs.
10. House of Hackney Troop Wallpaper: £128, houseofhackney.com
East London-based House of Hackney is known for its playful animal designs, including this striking monkey print. Choose from three rich colours. We’d go for this orange to add interest to a dark corner.
11. MissPrint Mountains Wallpaper Sunrise: £59.95, johnlewis.com
The monochrome pattern with splashes of yellow is nicely unusual. It has a retro vibe but would work equally well in a sleek, modern room, too.
12. Harlequin Kaleidoscope Wallpaper: £32, johnlewis.com
There are lots of vibrant geometric prints around, but this one caught our eye as it’s a great price for the quality. This would work a treat in a kids’ bedroom, we think. Come in four equally bright colourways.
Verdict
Statement doesn't have to mean seriously expensive. Graham & Brown's kitchen themed paper manages to be both bold and intricate - and is great value. Mini Moderns continue to impress with its British wildlife-inspired designs. And for something that will really get people talking, try Timorous Beasties' moth-print paper.