Wall coverings can completely transform a room, adding color, texture, pattern, and personality in ways that paint alone cannot always achieve. Whether you want to create a dramatic accent wall, give a smaller room more character, or develop a coordinated look throughout your home, the right wall covering can help bring your vision to life.
With so many wallpaper patterns, materials, colors, and styles available, choosing the perfect option may feel overwhelming. The key is to consider the purpose of the room, your existing décor, and the atmosphere you want the finished space to create. Coordinating your wall coverings with complementary window treatments can also give the room a polished, thoughtfully designed appearance.
Why Choose Wall Coverings Instead of Paint?
Paint is a familiar decorating choice, but wall coverings offer additional opportunities to customize a space. They can introduce detailed patterns, dimensional textures, artistic designs, and distinctive finishes that may be difficult to achieve with paint alone.
Wall coverings can be used to:
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Create a distinctive focal point
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Add warmth and texture to a room
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Complement furniture, flooring, and window treatments
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Bring visual interest to a neutral color palette
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Express your personal decorating style
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Establish a polished, professionally designed appearance
Today’s wall coverings include far more than traditional floral wallpaper. Homeowners can choose from contemporary geometric prints, understated textures, bold murals, fabric coverings, decorative borders, appliqués, and timeless patterns.
Consider the Purpose of the Room
Every room has a different function, and its wall coverings should support how the space is used.
Living Rooms and Family Rooms
Living spaces provide an opportunity to make a memorable design statement. A bold pattern can create an eye-catching accent wall, while a subtle textured wall covering can add depth without competing with artwork, furniture, or window treatments.
Consider the size of the room and the amount of natural light it receives. Lighter colors can help a room feel bright and open, while deeper colors and dramatic patterns can make a larger space feel warmer and more intimate.
Bedrooms
Wall coverings can make a bedroom feel calm, comfortable, and personal. Soft colors, botanical patterns, and gentle textures often work well in restful spaces. For a more dramatic look, consider placing patterned wallpaper behind the bed to create a natural focal point.
Children’s rooms can also benefit from playful designs, colorful appliqués, or murals that reflect their interests and make the space feel uniquely their own.
Kitchens and Dining Rooms
Wallpaper can bring warmth and personality to kitchens and dining areas. Depending on the style of your home, you may prefer a classic print, a modern pattern, or a design inspired by nature.
When selecting a wall covering for these spaces, consider how it will coordinate with cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting, and nearby rooms. A thoughtfully selected pattern can help connect these elements into one cohesive design.
Powder Rooms
A powder room is an excellent place to experiment with a bold wall covering. Because it is typically a smaller space, you can introduce an expressive color or pattern without committing to it throughout a large room. Dramatic wallpaper can turn an otherwise simple powder room into one of the most memorable spaces in your home.
Home Offices
The right wall covering can help a home office feel comfortable, professional, and inspiring. Geometric patterns can provide a clean, modern appearance, while textured or nature-inspired designs may create a calmer working environment.
If the room is frequently used for video calls, consider how the color and pattern will appear as a background. A visually interesting but balanced design can give your workspace a more polished appearance.
Choose a Pattern That Works With the Space
Pattern scale can significantly affect the way a room looks and feels. Large-scale designs tend to make a strong visual statement, while smaller patterns can provide detail without becoming the room’s main focus.
Vertical patterns may help create the impression of greater ceiling height, while horizontal designs can make a narrow room appear wider. Textured and tone-on-tone wall coverings offer a more subtle effect while still adding dimension and visual interest.
Before making a final decision, view a sample in the room where it will be used. Colors and patterns can look different depending on the lighting, surrounding furnishings, and time of day.
Coordinate Wall Coverings With Your Existing Interior
Your wall covering does not need to match every item in the room, but it should complement the overall design. Consider bringing photographs, fabric samples, flooring samples, paint colors, or other design materials with you when exploring your options.
Look for colors or details that connect the wall covering to existing elements such as:
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Upholstered furniture
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Curtains and window treatments
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Area rugs and flooring
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Cabinetry and wood finishes
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Decorative pillows and accessories
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Artwork and lighting
Creating these connections can help the room feel intentional and well-balanced.
Explore More Than Traditional Wallpaper
Wallpaper remains a timeless option, but it is only one type of wall covering available. Depending on the room and your design goals, you may also want to explore fabric wall coverings, murals, decorative borders, and appliqués.
A mural can turn an entire wall into a work of art, while fabric coverings can introduce softness and texture. Borders and appliqués allow you to add decorative details without covering every wall. An experienced design consultant can help you compare these options and determine what will work best for your space.
Complete Your Room With Coordinating Window Coverings
Wall coverings are only one part of a well-designed room. Coordinating your wallpaper with the right window coverings can create a cohesive, finished appearance while also adding privacy, light control, and comfort to your space.
D. Schultz Interiors offers a variety of window-covering options, including shades, shutters, blinds, curtains, and custom soft window treatments. Whether you prefer a clean, contemporary appearance or something more traditional, the right window fashions can complement the colors, patterns, and textures found in your wall coverings.
When selecting wall and window coverings together, consider repeating an accent color from your wallpaper in the fabric or choosing a neutral window treatment that allows a bold wall pattern to remain the focal point. Texture is another important consideration. For example, a subtle textured wallpaper can pair beautifully with soft fabric window treatments, while streamlined shades or blinds can balance a room featuring a detailed pattern.
Window coverings can also affect how colors and patterns appear throughout the day. Shades, shutters, and blinds allow you to control the amount of natural light entering the room, while custom curtains and soft window treatments can add warmth, softness, and another layer of visual interest.
Working with a design consultant can make it easier to coordinate your walls and windows with the room’s flooring, furniture, and overall style. By considering each element as part of one complete design, you can create a space that feels polished, comfortable, and uniquely yours.
Find Wall and Window Coverings for Your Philadelphia-Area Home
Choosing wall coverings is about more than selecting a pattern from a book. The right design should complement your home, reflect your personal taste, and help create the atmosphere you want.
D. Schultz Interiors offers a wide selection of wallpaper, wall coverings, and custom window treatments for homes throughout Willow Grove and the greater Philadelphia area. From designer wallpaper and decorative murals to shades, shutters, blinds, curtains, and custom soft window coverings, the team can help you coordinate the different elements of your space.
D. Schultz Interiors carries wall-covering options from leading brands, including Schumacher, Thibaut, York, Kravet, Wallquest, Brewster, Elitis, and others. As a fourth-generation family-owned business serving the Philadelphia area since 1895, D. Schultz Interiors brings decades of design experience to every project.
Visit the D. Schultz Interiors showroom at 312 Easton Road in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, to explore available wall and window coverings and discuss your project with an experienced design consultant. Call (215) 366-7460 or contact D. Schultz Interiors to schedule an appointment.