Bedroom Wallpaper: Top Ideas & Styling Tips

The bedroom is the one room in a home that answers to nobody but you. It is where mornings start slowly and evenings end quietly, and everything in it, from the bedding to the bedside lamps, carries a little of who you are. So why should the walls stay silent? That is where bedroom wallpaper comes in: a single pattern or texture turns plain builder-grade walls into a bespoke backdrop, and it does so without taking an inch of your precious floor space.

Choosing the right paper takes more than falling for a pretty print. Beyond finding a pattern that speaks to your aesthetic, you will also weigh practicalities, such as whether to go with peel-and-stick or traditional unpasted wallpaper.

At Sewn, there is a wide variety of patterns to choose from, so finding one that carries your aesthetic is easy. And whichever design you pick, you can have it printed on either a peel-and-stick or an unpasted base. In this guide, we share ideas and tips to choose the right wallpaper and style your bedroom thoughtfully around it.

HAUL ’EM HOME: Printed Wallpaper | Plain Textured Wallpaper

How to Choose the Right Bedroom Wallpaper?

Choose bedroom wallpaper by weighing five things: mood, aesthetic, room size, natural light and the balance between pattern and plain. In a bedroom, the wallpaper must balance personal creative expression with a restful spirit. It has to reflect your style and create an environment conducive to sleep, so it is not enough to simply like what you choose.

MOOD: Walls take up a great deal of visual space in a bedroom. So, choose a wallpaper that sets the mood for sleep, rest and fantasy. It could be nostalgic florals, quiet textures or simple geometrics. Pick something that soothes the mind rather than stimulates it and interferes with sleep.

AESTHETIC: Wallpaper presents a great opportunity to express your aesthetic preferences. The privacy of this room gives you the latitude to break design stereotypes and conventional rules, if that is what it takes to define your style.

BEDROOM SIZE: While oversized prints can make a small bedroom look even smaller, a plain wallpaper may fail to make the desired impact in a large bedroom. The proportions have to go hand in hand so that the bedroom feels well styled, neither overdone nor underwhelming.

NATURAL LIGHT: Colors and patterns read differently to the eye depending on the intensity of the light that falls on them. Since bedrooms tend to be used more at night, consider how the wallpaper will look in the daylight of the late evening and early morning.

PATTERN-PLAIN BALANCE: In a bedroom dominated by solid colors, a patterned wallpaper adds visual interest. Conversely, where patterns are already present in the curtains, bedding and other elements, a plain wallpaper provides a counterbalance. Choose between plain and printed wallpaper based on what your room already has.

What Colors Suit Bedroom Wallpaper?

Soft neutrals, pastels and dark hues suit bedroom wallpaper best, because they create a calm, sleep-friendly atmosphere without asking you to give up your taste. The colors of a bedroom not only reflect your personality but also shape its mood. And since walls offer a foundation to the decor, the palette of your wallpaper has to be thoughtfully selected.

Let your preferences lead your choice. However, if you have a penchant for bold colors like glossy yellow, blazing red or bright aqua, we recommend restricting these to accent tones. The idea is to create a sleep-friendly ambiance without compromising your taste.

In case you’re looking for colors that go beautifully with any bedroom, here are our top picks:

SOFT NEUTRALS: Colors like white, gray, cream and beige never disappoint in a bedroom. They’re calming, sophisticated and timeless. And they blend effortlessly with all palettes, so no matter what bedding and furnishings you introduce, your walls will assuredly get along.

PASTELS: A great choice for bedrooms, pastels let you indulge in color without overwhelming the eye. Think sage, powder blue, dusty coral, pink, lilac, lavender, mint and mauve. They go with the quietude of the space yet bring it a unique character.

DARK HUES: Wallpapers in colors like navy, burgundy, dark teal and charcoal create a moody bedroom atmosphere. When paired with warm lights, metallic accents and plush fabrics, you can immerse your evenings in an after-dark aesthetic, perfect for sleep and the coziest movie nights.

HAUL ’EM HOME: Beige Wallpaper | Gray Wallpaper | White Wallpaper | Pink Wallpaper | Blue Wallpaper

How to Select a Patterned Wallpaper for the Bedroom?

Select a patterned bedroom wallpaper by matching the print to your decor style, scaling it to the size of the room and using its direction to your advantage on a low ceiling. Compared to solids, patterns are more vocal at endorsing any aesthetic, which makes patterned wallpapers ideal for bedrooms that crave personality. Here is what to consider:

DECOR STYLE: Romantic florals lean toward nostalgic country, damask, paisley and ornate medallions offer a heritage touch, and geometrics bring a crisp elegance to both traditional and modern spaces. Choose a print that furthers your aesthetic.

BEDROOM SIZE: Patterned wallpapers can become very overpowering if they feature oversized repeating patterns or bold contrasts in small bedrooms. Choose the palette and scale with care, ensuring that it works with the proportions of the room. Always order samples before you commit.

CEILING HEIGHT: Vertical stripes and climbing vines create the illusion of a taller ceiling. So, if your bedroom has a low ceiling, pick a pattern with a vertical orientation to make it look taller.

Should You Wallpaper All Four Walls or Just One?

How extensively you wallpaper your bedroom is largely a matter of personal preference. Papering just the wall behind the bed gives you a focal point, while papering all four walls creates continuity. Keep these things in mind when deciding between the two:

ACCENT WALL: Papering the wall behind the bed helps create an effortless focal point for the bedroom. This approach is particularly suitable if you’ve chosen a bold print or an arresting color that can be stimulating to the senses if it is visible while in bed.

ALL WALLS: Dressing all the walls of the bedroom helps create visual continuity. That, in turn, makes the space feel more spacious. However, we’d recommend you opt for soft prints and neutral tones to prevent your sleeping area from feeling too cluttered and visually heavy.

How to Coordinate Wallpaper with Window Treatments?

Coordinate bedroom wallpaper with window treatments by keeping one color story, mixing pattern with plains and using border trims to tie the two together. Since wallpaper and window treatments share the same space, the vertical plane of the room, they must ideally complement each other so that the bedroom looks well considered. These are the aspects to keep in mind:

CREATE ONE COLOR STORY: Keep the wallpaper and window dressing in conversation with each other through a coordinated palette. If you’re pairing two plains, choose complementary hues like blue and white or cream and brown. Regarding pairing a plain and a pattern, we’ll get to that in a moment.

When layering sheers with curtains, keep the sheers neutral toned and color-coordinate the curtains with the wallpaper. That’s because the curtains are visible all the time, while the sheer layer is only visible when the curtains are gathered to the sides.

MIX PATTERN WITH PLAINS: Choose plain window treatments if the wallpaper is patterned, and vice versa. Their contrast adds more personality to the room. Only take care to keep their palette coordinated by choosing a plain that echoes the accents of the pattern.

USE TRIMS TO COORDINATE: The border trims of window treatments offer an opportunity for color coordination. When pairing plain curtains or roman shades with solid textured wallpapers, match the window treatment’s border trim to the wallpaper’s color.

If you opt for a patterned wallpaper, match the border trim of the curtain or roman shade to the accents of the wallpaper. Say, if you choose Arthur wallpaper, featuring olive block-printed florals on a cream background, you can pair it with plain cream Ottoman curtains finished with olive green fringe trim.

HOMESEWN WISDOM: Bedroom Curtains | Bedroom Roman Shades | Layering Sheers with Blackout Curtains | Layering Roman Shades with Curtains | Bathroom Wallpaper

Bedroom Wallpaper FAQs

Is Sewn wallpaper easy to remove?

Yes. Sewn’s wallpaper peels off in strips without leaving any residue, whether you choose the peel-and-stick version or the traditional unpasted one.

How wide is Sewn wallpaper?

Sewn’s peel-and-stick wallpapers are 49 inches wide and its unpasted wallpapers are 46 inches wide. Compared with the standard 21-inch rolls most brands offer, that is extra wide, which means fewer joins to tackle and a more seamless flow of pattern.

Which wallpaper pattern is best for a small bedroom?

In a small bedroom, choose wallpapers that create a sense of space. Patterns with upward movement, like climbing vines and vertical stripes, make the ceiling look taller, while patterns with a horizontal orientation make the wall look broader. In addition, opt for neutral tones and low-contrast prints that offer visual interest without crowding the walls.

What colors work best for bedroom wallpaper?

Soft neutrals like white, gray, cream and beige, pastels like sage, powder blue and lavender, and dark hues like navy and charcoal all suit a bedroom. If you love bold colors such as blazing red or bright aqua, restrict them to accent tones so the room still feels restful.

Should I wallpaper just the wall behind the bed?

Yes, an accent wall behind the bed is an easy way to create a focal point, and it suits a bold print or an arresting color best. If you would rather paper all four walls, choose soft prints and neutral tones so the sleeping area does not feel cluttered or visually heavy.

How do I match curtains or roman shades to bedroom wallpaper?

Pair a patterned wallpaper with plain window treatments, and vice versa, and keep the palettes coordinated. You can also match the border trim of your curtains or roman shades to the wallpaper’s color or to the accents of its pattern.

Shop Bedroom Wallpaper at Sewn

Whether you prefer a nature-inspired print, a minimalist check or a quiet textured neutral, you’ll find them all in our curated catalog. So, head to Sewn’s wallpaper collection and find the bedroom wallpaper that will bring a little magic to your private retreat.

And because the beauty is only complete when the entire room comes together harmoniously, take a peek into our curtains and roman shades section. You might just find a made-for-each-other pair that will give your bedroom a wonderfully tailored, bespoke appeal.

HAUL ’EM HOME: Custom Curtains | Custom Roman Shades