Dakota Fanning's on-trend wallpaper brings a whimsical twist to her open-plan living space

If you're not a fan of wallpaper, you might be convinced to give it a shot after seeing Dakota Fanning's whimsical take on one of 2024's biggest design movements.

The actor posted a photo of her colorful yet classy home, featuring a velvet mauve coach, robin-egg blue decals, and, most noteworthy of all, walls covered in black and white sketches of forests.

While it's understandable this supernatural wallpaper trend is not for everyone (after all, many of our immediate associations with the word conjure something loud and floral), there is undoubtedly a rise in popularity and variety amongst walls worldwide. And for those who are keen to add personality to their home, there is perhaps no better way to tell a story via interiors than through mural-esque wallpaper.

'The reason wallpaper is on a high is because there’s no quicker way to transform any room than with wallpaper,' explains Martin Waller, founder of Andrew Martin. 'There is more wall than anything else in any scheme, so adding interest here is key. This can be achieved through textured wallpapers and wall murals.'

Martin Waller

Martin Waller is the founder of Andrew Martin and he remains at the heart of the brand to this day. He has produced 23 books, appeared on television in the UK, US, China, India, Russia and the Middle East. He has written extensively about travel for a variety of magazines, including the Financial Times, and has served on the advisory boards of Molton Brown and KLC Design School. In 2017, he was named in The Evening Standard's list of 1000 Most Influential Londoners.

The most crucial approach to incorporating wallpaper into a space is accepting that mismatching pieces actually add character to the room. This could mean pairing neutral wallpaper with statement furniture like Dakota has done with her couch or playing with opposing colors, prints, and textures.

'It is important for a design to both surprise and create harmony to a space,' Martin explains. 'You can do this by not matching all of the interior elements – this will add diversity and pace to the room. 'Don’t be scared to select pieces that are a true representation of you and your personality. These are the pieces that say something about you and your house.'

As Interior Designer Matthew Williamson also states, the potential for wallpaper is unlimited. He says working with wallpapers over the last several years 'has been a brilliant platform to experiment with pattern, color and visual references from the annals of design history and far-flung wonderlands on a larger scale.’

If you're considering leaving paint in 2023, we rounded up a few wallpaper options that suit different styles and aesthetics below. Happy shopping!