Working with wallpaper… off the wall

It may be in the name, but wallpaper is not just for walls. In fact, the beauty of wallpaper is that it can be applied to most flat surfaces, giving you endless options to work with it.

With Resene’s wide range of wallpaper on offer, from art deco prints to tropical motifs, there’s a design to suit every style. In this bedroom, we’ve used Resene Wallpaper Collection 39653-1, an Eastern-style print with foliage of red, blues and earthy browns. These feature on the drawers and bedhead, applied after each piece was painted in Resene Night Magic.

Resene Night Magic, a deep charcoal, frames the wallpaper accents perfectly, picking up on the flecks of black in the wallpaper pattern. The earthy tones are further picked up by the bedroom walls, painted in creamy Resene Spanish White, and bed furnishings. Blue-greens are met with similar hues in the bedding and lampshades.

This is a great example of how exciting it is to play with texture and colour and how easy it is to introduce a pattern with wallpaper into already established decor. Want to learn how?

Follow these easy steps:

1. Make sure your selected piece of furniture is in good nick. Fill any holes with wood filler, sand down any rough patches and give it a good clean with a damp cloth.

2. If the furniture isn’t timber, ask a Resene Colour Expert if you will need a primer and apply to the piece if necessary.

3. Once dry, use a small roller to paint any large flat surfaces and a Resene testpot brush to get into the nooks and crannies. Leave to dry according to instructions.

4. Measure the surface where you will be applying the wallpaper and cut the wallpaper to size.

5. Follow the instructions using wallpaper paste to apply the wallpaper. All the tools and products you need are available to buy from your local Resene ColorShop.

6. Leave to dry as per instructions and then display your furniture makeover!

Top tip  Wallpaper samples are available to view in store and order from your local Resene ColorShop. Who knows… you might fall in love with a pattern that’s perfect for your walls as well! If so, all your wallpaper hanging needs are also available to buy instore.

Where to wallpaper?

If you’re wowed by these ideas with wallpaper, here are a few others to try for size.

• Paste to the back of bookshelves, inside cabinets or drawers and furniture panels. You could also update a folding screen or dividers. The perfect space may even be under a kitchen island or on the risers of your stairs.

• Think outside the box – add wallpaper to closet interiors, door panels, lampshades or as a table runner. How about framing a piece of wallpaper and hanging it up as art? Or consider leftover pieces for gift wrapping.

• Don’t forget your ceilings! Give guests something to wow over when they look up. It doesn’t have to be the whole ceiling. You could create a ceiling rose, pasting it to a section of the ceiling perhaps where the lighting is.

Did you know…  if you’d like to match your wallpaper to a Resene shade, there’s a handy tool for that? Head to the Resene Colour Match online and upload a sample photo of your wallpaper. Once uploaded, click on the ‘Match’ button and it will find similar colour suggestions for you.

Try out these wallpaper trends

Floral and fauna wallpaper prints continue to thrive in the world of wallpaper. This works well with the earthy tones and brown hues that we have made a huge comeback within interiors. Look at whimsical designs such as Resene Wallpaper Collection 463446, or organic, earthy-themed prints such as Resene Wallpaper Collection IF2-020. Take inspiration from colours such as Resene Pearl Bush, Resene Just Right and Resene Anglaise.

It’s all about warmth and welcoming hues this year, from jewel-toned yellows to creamy walls. Try wallpaper designs such as Resene Wallpaper Collection 37527-4, Resene Wallpaper Collection 2311-173-02 and Resene Wallpaper Collection MR70605. Think along the lines of Resene Bardot, Resene Rob Roy and Resene Half Scotch Mist.

Art deco is very of the moment, with it celebrating 100 years since stepping into the spotlight. Choose geometric patterns with a side of glam such as Resene Wallpaper Collection A54903, Resene Wallpaper Collection AGA101 and Resene Wallpaper Collection HX3-008. Look to hues such as Resene Cobalt, Resene Gold and Resene Stromboli.

With anything interiors related, choosing the right wallpaper also comes down to which room you are decorating. For the living room and bedrooms, go for calming prints and designs that reflect your personal style. For bathrooms and kitchens, look at more durable types of wallpaper.

Remember that in small rooms, light colours and small-scale patterns will make the space feel larger. In bigger rooms, darker tones or bold patterns create a more intimate feel.

The best thing to do is to grab a few samples and find the perfect pattern for you and your home.

Colours and products mentioned in this article

Styling by Megan Harrison-Turner. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2024