Wallpapered doors: the trend that brings pattern and color to forgotten areas

(Image credit: John Lewis)

It is perhaps no surprise that wallpapered doors are having (more than) a moment this season.

It’s one of the wallpaper ideas that allows you to exploit the decorative opportunities your home offers in a new way ahead of the brighter months ahead. And it’s a trend to have fun with. Big botanical prints and bird motifs are among the options.

But whilst its lighthearted aesthetic is certainly one for the remainder of spring and summer, we expect it will be hard to fall out of love with when the darker months come around again. So, it’s worth the investment. And some of the top designers agree. Here’s what they want you to know before getting involved.

According to John Lewis partner and home design stylist Wil Law, the interest in wallpapered doors comes from the desire to introduce individuality into areas that would otherwise go untouched.

‘Our customers have been looking to add personality to previously forgotten areas, such as window frames and skirting boards by painting them in bold colors rather than the traditionally gloss white. It can be taken a step further by introducing patterns to unexpected spaces,’ he says.

And, its striking style aside, the stylist adds that this wallpaper trend has its practical benefits, too.

‘Doors are the perfect area for wallpaper as, often with panels, they offer a flat surface that can appear as a contained piece of artwork,’ he says. ‘They are also perfect for connecting spaces, as they help establish a flow between rooms. For instance, if you have a hallway that is pink and a living room that is green, you could opt for a wallpaper that has both of these colors within it.’

How to style the wallpapered door trend

You could follow designer Kate Watson-Smyth’s lead and introduce this decorating idea to a door at the top of your staircase to create an attention-grabbing focal point. Kate’s door happens to lead to her study, but you can experiment with any room, from your child’s bedroom to your bathroom.

However, Wil adds that, whichever room you choose, you should always stay ‘mindful of the pattern size and avoid any with a large repeat’. If you don’t pay attention to scale, you lose the design when you cut it to size.

‘Stripes or trellis designs can work well, or designs with a smaller repeating pattern. Ultimately, ensure you choose a pattern that you absolutely love, and one which will make you smile, as decorating in this way is all about increasing the joy within your home,’ the designer adds.

Bear in mind that you won’t need a huge amount of wallpaper to follow the trend either. ‘Wallpapering a door is the perfect opportunity to use a design you’ve fallen for,’ says global editor in chief of Homes & Gardens Lucy Searle. ‘A small investment will create a big impact.’

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.

Why are wallpapered doors trending?

How to style the wallpapered door trend