Why Wallpaper is Back in a Big Way
Nostalgia and maximalism ruled the home decor market in 2020, pushing aside minimalism for the first time in a long time. Grandmillennial interiors grew in popularity, filled to the brim with floral prints, rattan furniture and vintage accents. Antiques rebounded after decades of declining sales and bold, post-modern designs made their way to the front of the line. Wallpaper is one way to capture the styles of yore without going overboard. According to Jennifer Ebert in a recent article for Better Homes & Gardens, “wallpaper is a key trend for 2021, and the insatiable appetite from consumers doesn’t look like abating any time soon.” The variety of prints, textures and finishes available today make modern wallpaper attractive for any space and any style. They also make wallpaper more achievable in any climate -- from the mountains of Colorado to the tropics of Hawaii. Follow below to learn more about why wallpaper is back in a big way and which trends we have our eyes on in 2021.
How Wallpaper Got Its Groove Back
In her April 2021 article for The Washington Post, Jennifer Barger writes that “twenty years ago, wallpaper was the kiss of design death.” Interior designers and homeowners across the country considered it “a murderously hard-to-remove blight from the 1980s (or earlier) that smacked of fussy grandmas and Victorian haunted houses.” The wallpaper of prior decades was hallmarked by messy installation, ugly bubbles and horrific partial removals that revealed mildew and degraded plaster. Today, however, wallpaper is far “easier to put up and take down, made with super-durable materials, and sometimes comes in peel-and-stick varieties you can slap up yourself.”
In fact -- writes Barger quoting Pattern Collective owner Brittany Ellis -- “‘with many of the wallpapers today, removal can be easier than installation.’” Today’s wallpapers are so easy to install and remove that Architectural Digest’s Jessica Cherner compares them to a simple wardrobe switch -- an ideal and impossibly easy makeover. Cherner writes that wallpaper has gained so much popularity in 2021 because it “is hands down the easiest and most affordable way to transform a space without buying a single piece of furniture.” While wallpaper once required solvents and messy pastes, many of today’s designs are waterproof and removable. They are just as suited to humid climates as arid ones and just as appropriate for apartments as single family houses.
Top Wallpaper Trends for 2021
#1 Post-Modern Italian Prints
In her February 2021 article for Living Etc., Megan Slack noted that "1970s interiors are on track to be one of the biggest interior design trends this year, with sales of retro design favorites rocketing.” Angular shapes, cozy textures, “sunny yellow tones'' and “a 'pop-tinged playfulness'” all recall the glamour and joy of the 1970s. These translate to what Slack describes as the primary goal for this year: “a sense of optimism for 2021.” To capture the bold tones and unconventional design of 1970s Europe, consider retro styles like Graham & Brown’s Cirque Sunshine wallpaper.
#2 Old School Florals and Chintz
As Kelsey Mulvey writes in her article “The Updated Way To Decorate With Wallpaper—That Won't Look a Bit Like Your Grandma's Place” for Southern Living, “there’s nothing wrong with a bit of influence from older generations.” American homeowners and interior designers appear to agree with Mulvey’s assertion in 2021. Old school florals, toiles and chintzes are all back in style this year.
Jennifer Ebert elaborates in her article “Wallpaper trends 2021 – the most stylish ways to dress your walls” for Better Homes & Gardens. Ebert writes that “florals are big news 2021 for interiors and can be adapted to suit any space, whether it’s vintage, retro or contemporary,” but chintz takes it one step further. According to Ebert, the new chintz “takes inspiration from the past to influence the present” and is all about “sophistication and style.”
#3 Out of This World Themes
In 2020, Americans all across the country reacquainted themselves with a deep and enduring love of the great outdoors. Nothing expresses this love as purely as the night sky. As such, it should come as no surprise that homeowners and decorators have turned towards celestial wallpaper for some indoor inspiration. In her article “The Most Popular Wallpaper Trends For 2021” for Apartment Therapy, Jessica Wang identifies celestial designs as paramount in the new year. She notes that “the moons and the stars could (and should!) be brought into a space.” They are suitable for everything from “a bohemian home or a nursery.”
Carly Minsky agrees in her article “3 More Home Decor Trends” for Culture Southwest. Minsky writes that the celestial trend has arisen from a desire “to forget what’s happening here on earth and escape to another planet!” Wallpaper inspired by the heavens is “the perfect way to add a touch of otherworldly ostentation to your home.” Minsky references a stunning wallpaper designed by Affreschi & Affreschi -- pictured above.
#4 Geometric Grasscloth
Though many assume grasscloth wallpaper is difficult to care for, the textured wallcovering has come a long way over the last two hundred years. In their post “8 Inspired, Sophisticated Spaces to Make You Fall in Love with Grasscloth Wallpaper,” the Laura U Interior Design Collective team explain. The LUDC editorial team writes that “grasscloth wallpaper [is] not only beautiful and effective but also incredibly versatile.” It has a fascinating history, is eco-friendly and can be “both timeless and trendy.”
Anna Buckman explains why grasscloth wallpaper is an incredible choice in 2021 in her latest post for The Zoe Report. Quoting Michael Berzsenyi of Josephine Design House, Buckman writes that grasscloth “is particularly fun for texture right now.” Berzsenyi notes that she “‘especially love[s] when you find a textured paper (grasscloth, for instance) set into a geo pattern…[because] it adds so much depth.’" Geometric grasscloth wallpaper with a metallic sheen is perfect for both small spaces and grand rooms.
#5 Murals and Tapestries
Tapestries are some of the oldest wallcoverings in history. It far preceded wallpaper, which originated in the 16th century. Tapestries depicted lineages, legendary hunts and local lore. Today, wallpapers that tell a story remain popular. Tamara Kelly elaborates in her article “Wallpaper trends 2021 – the designs setting the scene for the year ahead” for Ideal Home. Quoting Wallpaper Direct’s Melanie Adams, Kelly writes that wallpapers that “draw you into the stories they tell” have emerged as major players. Murals and tapestries also represent “statement features” for the walls of our homes.
Can I Wallpaper My Home in Hawaii? Paper Town Interiors Answers Your FAQs
Homeowners often assume that wallpaper cannot survive in humid environments. These humid environments might be the entire Hawaiian Islands or a single bathroom in your single family home. Either way, dozens of styles and formulations can easily stand up to both consistent and fluctuating relative humidity. Modern wallpapers are pretty resistant to humidity and to contact moisture. In fact, today’s interior designers frequently apply wallpaper from everything to kitchen backsplashes and bathroom wainscoting to exterior walls and cabana interiors. T
o ensure wallpaper will work in your home, consider advice from Sheryl Novak in her article “Can you hang wallpaper in humid Mexico?” for Yucatan Magazine and Caroline Chin-Geyler in her article “Wallpaper in the Tropics” for Houzz. Novak recommends checking the ventilation in your home first and then opting for a “wallcovering that balances performance and permeability.” For spaces prone to moisture build-up, Chin-Geyler suggests “paper-backed vinyl wallpaper (also known as vinyl-coated wallpaper) or solid vinyl wallpaper.” These types of wallpaper “are more durable, mildew-resistant, and more humidity-friendly.” For more information about hanging wallpaper in your home, reach out to Paper Town Interiors for a consultation.
