Top Wallpaper Designs for the Bedroom

Choosing wallpaper designs for the bedroom, guest room, or nursery isn't always an easy task. Bedrooms are often shared rooms, but individual tastes can be very different.

Though many people opt for plain white walls, wallpaper is an excellent way of injecting personality into your bedroom space. With the right wallpaper, you can set an ambiance that’s exciting and relaxing at the same time.

Best picks for Bedroom Wallpaper

Floral Wallpaper

Bring the outdoors inside with floral wallpaper that gives the whole space a natural and invigorating feel. Especially recommended for urban apartments, floral bedroom wallpaper ideas offer the feel-good factor in bedrooms that don't have access to a garden or other outside space.

Paired with houseplants, flowers, or décor made from natural materials—wicker chairs, raffia baskets, and paper lamps—summer garden wallpaper is a great way to create a look that’s fresh and relaxing. With so many different modern floral prints to choose from, floral doesn't have to mean old-fashioned or overtly feminine; there's a floral wallpaper for every bedroom.

Art Deco Wallpaper

Looking for some retro glamor in your bedroom? Art Deco wallpaper is back and provides an easy way to add a retro touch to any modern bedroom. 

Bolder or more muted styles both work perfectly as a feature wall. Add retro accents to your room—vintage furniture, heavy curtains, and lush textiles—to create a cohesive Art-Deco-chic aesthetic.

Striped Wallpaper

Striped wallpaper is a good choice for bedrooms where you want to redirect the eye or play with the dimensions of the room. Stripes bring order and structure to a space, which makes them especially great for layering. 

Stripes are also a choice that brings elegance and sophistication. They go well with other colors, textures, and patterns, combining a classic, traditional feel with a playful touch. You can choose matching wallpaper and bed furnishings or intentionally go for contrasts.

Vertical or Horizontal Stripes?

Vertical stripes make the ceilings look higher; horizontal stripes make the room look wider. Take this into account when choosing striped wallpaper, especially in small bedrooms and bedrooms located in basements or attics.

Bold Wallpaper

Though many people opt for calming tones, some people love bold wallpaper designs in their bedrooms, especially if papering a single wall. Bold wallpaper is also a wise choice if you have bold patterns and colors in other rooms of the house.

To make a statement, why not try a deep blue, green, or violet wallpaper with accents that match your bedroom decor? Not only will this create continuity in the room but it will also tone down the impact of the bold color.

Monochrome Wallpaper

Black-and-white wallpaper designs in the bedroom can be simple yet impactful, offering a very modern aesthetic. A monochrome look works well to highlight any statement bedroom furniture, larger-than-life art, or other bold accents your bedroom may have.

White wallpaper with black accents injects drama and interest into an all-white room. Antique and metallic features can also complement a black-and-white bedroom theme. Keep the amount of natural light in mind when choosing between dark and light monochrome wallpaper designs.

Wallpaper Designs for the Guest Room

Unlike the master bedroom, a guest room can be a space to experiment with different styles. Keep in mind, however, that the wallpaper still shouldn't feel out of place within your home. When picking out a wallpaper design, choose one that will help guests feel welcome and give them a space where they can rest and recover.

Create a Space for Rest

Guests often have busy days visiting loved ones or sightseeing while they stay in your home. That's why your guest room should be comfortable and cozy, and invite a restful night’s sleep.

To create a striking yet restful ambiance, consider dark, deep-colored wallpaper like midnight blue, dark green, or red to help your guests sink into sleep at the end of the day.

A Clutter-Free Space

It's important to offer your guests a clean and tidy room, and you can set this tone with the wallpaper design. A clean, fresh wallpaper look can set the tone for a room that is spacious and has plenty of natural light. A monochrome print works perfectly in a light tone. Alternatively, you could go for a white-themed room.

To make a white theme more interesting, consider:

• A white or cream textured “grasspaper” wallpaper
• An ocean-themed bedroom with white-and-blue striped or patterned wallpaper

Even white rooms feel cozy and welcoming when accompanied by beautiful bedding, houseplants, cushions, and other personal touches that help your guests feel at home. Consider both your wallpaper and your decor when decorating your guest room.

Bedroom Wallpaper Ideas for Children's Rooms and Nurseries

Not sold on blue or pink bedroom wallpaper for your nursery or child's room? Wallpaper design for children's bedrooms includes many other options for those wanting a more modern look.

Polka Dots

A polka dot pattern is a fresh, fun, and colorful way to inject non-gender-specific color into your wallpaper patterns. This is an ideal choice if you don't know the sex of your new baby, or if you want to avoid traditional colors for boys and girls.

Watercolor dots wallpaper pairs well with wooden or white furniture and other decor such as wall hangings, pictures, or bunting. It’s subtle enough to be used on all four walls and—thanks to its fun color palette—will grow beautifully with the child.

Earth Tones

Earthy tones can work well in children’s rooms, especially in homes with parents who want a more toned-down aesthetic or who have nature-themed wallpaper motifs in other rooms of the house. Earth-toned wallpaper can be textured or patterned for extra interest, providing contrast with the child’s toys, bedding, and decor.

A bedroom filled with nature-inspired motifs is a beautiful style; for example, an “among the trees” wallpaper can be used to replicate a forest scene. Designs featuring leaves, animals, or water can also create a relaxing space for your child.

Fun Prints Reflecting Your Child's Interests

There are many beautiful and fun wallpaper prints for children that reflect things your child loves while maintaining continuity with the classy look you've created throughout your home. In fact, studies suggest that decorating a child’s bedroom based on their interests promotes healthy growth.

While tailoring the wallpaper to their interests is a top priority, children's wallpapers don't necessarily have to be visually loud or untasteful. Many prints are fun and stimulating while featuring neutral tones. Think airplanes, animals, fairy tale scenes, dinosaurs—there's a look for every child that keeps the parents happy too.

How Is Bedroom Wallpaper Different from Other Wallpaper Designs in Your House?

Your bedroom is a very personal room that should reflect your personal tastes. However, the primary use of the bedroom is to rest and sleep, so avoid over-stimulating patterns—or consider restricting a dramatic or colorful pattern to a single dedicated accent wall.

Ideally, a bedroom is the perfect place for a more subtle pattern, especially if you want to paper in the entire room. Of course, a subtle room doesn't have to mean a plain room. Neutral colors layered with your favorite home décor and eye-catching bedding can still bring drama and color to the space.

Other Bedroom Wallpaper Ideas

Once you’ve thoughts about wallpaper designs in general, take your bedroom wallpapering even further with these creative ideas.

How Many Bedroom Walls Should I Paper?

Many people like the idea of hanging wallpaper behind the headboard to create a feature wall. This is a great idea for people who want to create a focal point in the bedroom. Behind the headboard, go for bold or large prints that draw the eye to the papered wall, bed, and bedside tables.

If you want to paper all four walls, it really depends on the wallpaper you choose. Bold patterns could end up overwhelming the room, but a subtle pattern on every wall could work extremely well.

Don't Forget the Ceiling!

The ceiling can be your bedroom's fifth wall, so don't forget it! Papering the ceiling is a brave but rewarding decision that you won't regret when it’s styled appropriately.

Best Wallpaper Designs for Ceilings

Goth Glamour

A dark and dramatic oversized blossom wallpaper can be used on the ceiling in tandem with black-painted walls to create a glamorous feel. Add some eye-catching, blingy touches like metallic mirrors and frames and a chandelier to complete the look.

Sky or Starry Night Wallpaper

A starry-night pattern could look beautiful in a nursery or child's room. It provides color and contrast during the day and a twinkling, shiny sky at night.

Alternatively, a blue sky wallpaper creates a totally different effect, creating the illusion of there being no ceiling at all. This is a bold wallpaper choice but one that definitely brings the “wow factor” to a room.

Contrasting Colors

A charcoal gray or midnight blue ceiling wallpaper can work wonderfully well in all-white rooms to inject a little drama and color. Dark patterned wallpapers can make the contrast less stark and create continuity.

Use Two Different Wallpapers Above And Below the Chair Rail

This might sound a bit out there, but it works! If you have a chair rail in your bedroom, picking two contrasting wallpapers creates a unique and stunning look.

For an effective combination, try vertical striped or dotted paper with another pattern, or, for something more subtle, try a patterned paper with solid paint in a complementary color on the other half.

Your Bedroom Wallpaper Is The Ultimate Expression of You

Your bedroom is a unique space in the house. Rather than being a space that’s dedicated to entertaining or sharing with guests—something you’d have in mind when selecting wallpaper designs for the living room—your bedroom is the one place where you can put your own personal stamp.

The wallpaper—and how much wallpaper—you choose for your bedroom is a statement of intent for how you want to style your bedroom; the focal point in a room that reflects your tastes and character. It can take some experimentation to get the balance right, but ultimately, the result will be truly yours.