Wallcovering + Pattern Trends In 2025, According To Designers

Choosing The Right Wall Treatment: Wallcoverings, Paint + More

It’s all about the mood when it comes to choosing the right wall treatment. Looking to craft a quiet, tranquil vibe? Try paint. “If we are going for a serene, understated atmosphere, a beautiful paint color might be the perfect choice,” designer Paloma Contreras says. The Texas-based designer is a master of understated elegance. In one Houston dwelling, she transformed a porte cochere-turned-sun room into a calm retreat by covering the original brick in a crisp coat of Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. Not one to shy away from pattern, though, Contreras wrapped other rooms of the house in whimsical wallcoverings, like de Gournay’s Nordic Garden paper lining the dining room (featured here). “If we want to infuse more personality or a sense of drama, wallpaper is a wonderful way to achieve that,” Contreras shares. The space is topped with the designer’s Brigitte chandelier from Visual Comfort & Co.

When drama is on the docket, wallpaper is the way to go. “Some rooms want a lot of character—bedrooms, powder rooms, dining rooms—and for those spaces we go with wallpaper instead of paint,” designer Chloe Redmond Warner explains. For the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, she went all in on wallpaper, using Peony Chintz from her RAD Goods‘ collection to make a floral-forward statement. Dubbed the “Peony Pavilion,” the poolside oasis (featured below) and its darling wallpaper took inspiration from the designer’s grandmother, and is just one of many original designs from Warner’s firm.

Want to see more of Chloe Redmond Warner’s work? Tour this character-rich Northern California getaway she designed.

Oregon-based designer Max Humphrey, known for his Americana aesthetics and pattern play puts it in layman’s terms: “Walls are like outfits,” he muses. “Sometimes you just need a crisp white T-shirt—clean paint, simple and classic. Other times you want a statement jacket that steals the show—that’s wallpaper.” Speaking of stealing the show, Humphrey’s designs are anything but boring. Case in point: the charming bedroom (featured below) wrapped in Farm Toile, a bucolic wallcovering from the designer’s collaboration with Chasing Paper.

Pattern + Scale: Getting It Right

So you’ve opted for wallpaper over paint to set the tone. Now it’s time to pick your design. Consider the scale in relation to the room size. “Tiny rooms can actually handle oversize patterns and big rooms need ones that don’t disappear,” Humphrey says. Don’t be scared to play with a bold look for smaller areas like powder rooms, and consider the size and density of your motif when designing bigger spaces like bedrooms.

Looking for more from Max Humphrey? Check out this cozy Oregon retreat he designed.

Warner often opts for a mix of both pattern and size from “something scenic and something floral to something geometric and something ditzy” in order to keep the eye exploring the space. In the cozy seating area featured here, she layers a vintage floral-patterned wallpaper from floor to ceiling, complete with matching curtains, while an armchair boasts a smaller, denser floral design.

Designer Words Of Wisdom

“Walls are like outfits. Sometimes you just need a crisp white T-shirt—clean paint, simple, classic. Other times you want a statement jacket that steals the show—that’s wallpaper.”

– Max Humphrey

How To Balance Patterns + Textures

When it comes to making sure your room remains visually balanced despite a striking wallcovering, it’s important to look at all the elements. “If the wallpaper is making a bold statement, I keep the larger furniture pieces more neutral and bring in complementary colors and textures thoughtfully through pillows and other decor,” Contreras shares, noting how she lets the pattern shine with supporting elements. “I pull colors and textures from the wallpaper into the upholstery, drapery and accessories so the whole room feels connected,” she states. In the lounge featured here, Contreras employs throw pillows and curtains for a textured take on the wallcovering’s color palette.

Discover more projects from Paloma Contreras and learn how she imbued this century-old Houston family home with sentimental updates.

Humphrey encourages a top-down approach: “The wallcovering comes first, then I build the room around it. Window treatments come after the walls, then furniture and fabrics come next, and rugs are always last,” he says. His method underscores the importance of order and hierarchy. Walls establish the backdrop, with furnishings and textiles layered on top in logical progression.

Looking Forward

As for what’s hot in wallcoverings in 2025, Humphrey is seeing an emphasis on vivid visuals . “Right now, it’s all about texture, murals and bold colors,” he comments. “Beige is taking a back seat while jewel tones and saturated hues step forward.” Designers are seeing similar trends across paint colors, too.

Contreras shares that she’s also observing clients gravitating toward bolder choices in their interiors. “I recently completed an installation in Houston where we used a gold-leaf Phillip Jeffries wallpaper overhead, and the way the light caught it was absolutely stunning,” she explains. “I love seeing ceilings treated as a true ‘fifth wall’ because it adds so much depth and character to a space.” From top to bottom, pattern play is here to stay.