If you’ve peeked at my portfolio or Instagram lately, you know that I’m always in favor of adding bold colors and patterns to any project. I’m constantly inspired by the shades and textures of my travels and the world around me, and it brings me so much joy to help my clients express themselves and decorate their homes with hues and patterns that speak to them personally. While I’d love to splash every wall of every room I design with some floral wallpaper, it’s not the right fit for every situation — in fact, most of the time, it’s not! Here’s how I add colors and patterns to the walls of a project while still remaining true to a home and the people who live in it…
When Should You Add Pattern and Color?
In short: If you want to go bold, then it’s time to go bold. The walls offer a distinct opportunity to embed a certain feeling into an entire space — I love how paint and wallpaper can immediately transform a space into an unexpected experience. I’ve spoken extensively about how various colors can impact moods and feelings (see my blog post here), and wallpaper bursts with personality and imbues it into a whole room. But while it’s always fun, it’s not always the right move for a space…
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When planning our designs, we always take budget, goals, personal preferences, and functionality into account. High-quality wallpaper can definitely amp up the cost of a project, and rooms that will be used for relaxing purposes may benefit more from a solid, subtle color. Most importantly, it’s crucial that homeowners feel comfortable in their space — if bright colors and big patterns don’t feel authentic, I’ll never force them.
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If a client does express interest in going bold, I like to offer a range of options (after doing a little happy dance, of course). If they’re interested in adding something unique to their dining room, for instance, we could add a complementary color to the millwork (as opposed to the typical white), or we could utilize a textured, solid-colored wallpaper. Each of these examples showcases more subtle ways to add depth and dimension, but for some, it’s not quite enough. From there, I’d suggest four full walls of patterned wallpaper, and maybe some colored millwork to top it off. At the end of the day, practicality and beauty must go hand in hand — so maybe that results in one wallpapered room amidst several painted ones, or a room with one statement wall, or even a room that embraces pattern through art and rugs as opposed to on the walls. Every client is different, and it’s a joy to find solutions for each!
Which Rooms Are Best for Going Bold?
Wallpaper and paint offer opportunities for expression and emotion — so I like to start in spaces where you want to portray a particular feeling. For example, the entryway is the perfect place for a big show. As seen in my Color Story project, a colorful, floral entry tells visitors that the space they’re walking into is one that’s fun and friendly. In the same home, we created a mudroom decked out in patterned wallpaper and rich, navy paint. While some see a mudroom as an afterthought, this family took the opportunity to tell their guests (and themselves) that there’s beauty and playfulness to be found even in mundane functionality.Â
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On another vein, I love making a big statement in a powder room. It’s a smaller space, so the impact is large — and it’s a great way to test out how you feel about a pattern or a shade.
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In my new studio, my team and I wanted to feel at once grounded and creatively inspired — so the handpainted wallpaper we selected needed to convey exactly that. I can’t wait to share more with you about that space…
So Where Do We Start?
There are so many amazing wallpaper and paint brands out there, and I’m constantly inspired by the patterns and textures I see online and when sourcing for clients. If you want to start falling in love with the best wallpaper in the business, I highly recommend checking out Pierre Frey, Holly Hunt, Elitis, Phillip Jeffries, Scalamandre, and Schumacher. We also have the fabulous Erin Minckley of Relativity Textiles in our own backyard, and her work is incredibly creative. My new studio features the handpainted work of Voutsa, and I can’t wait to continue working with them.
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If this sounds exciting to you, I’d love to chat. I’m always looking for new homes where I can add flavor, personality, and color…