Wallpaper has come a long way. Any budding DIYers had to stick to the tried and tested methods of the professionals and often didn’t get great results.
Then came ‘paste the wall’ wallpaper which made more sense for beginners but was still tricky.
Now, we have ‘peel & stick’ wallpaper which is simply glorified stickers that make anyone look like a pro wallpaperer (is that a word?)
Combined with more daring and luxurious designs, this has opened up new opportunities to create the wall designs of your dreams. Here are a few of our favourites, although some even we are hesitant to go ahead with!
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Irregular Dots Pattern
This spotty peel and stick wallpaper is an excellent and fun background for any room. It really eventuates furniture placed on front of it, especially bold colours such as yellow and orange.
This is a good compromise pattern if you’re nervous about some of the patterns to come…
Classical Bird and Floral Pattern
A classic on a modern material. This pattern would be at home in a botanical styled living room, bedroom or bathroom.
With the ease of peel and stick you can incorporate a high-end pattern like this in a DIY room project.

The Great Wave Pattern
This classic Japanese artwork makes a bold but stylish statement. It certainly isn’t for the faint hearted, but why shouldn’t we decorate our homes however we want!?
Obviously this one would work best as a single feature wall. With three other plain walls it won’t seem so imposing and will be a real talking point!
To find this and many more awesome wallpaper designs, we recommend browsing through the huge selection of wallpapers, posters and canvas prints at Photowall (You can select your country on the site [sponsored link]). We have a large canvas print of a choppy ocean which is so beautifully atmospheric.
Pink Blooms Pattern
Another Japanese artwork, this blossom print with dark, brooding background can be your inspiration for a dramatic living room.
Try matching the background colour in paint and paint the rest of the room around this pattern.
Jungle Animal Pattern
This jungle animal wallpaper is a great, fun wall covering. You could even use it in a kids bedroom or playroom.
Once again, you can pick out the background colour and match some paint for the rest of the room if you use it for a feature wall.
Golden Geometric Pattern
Geometric patterns are appealing because they strike a chord with our innate desire for things to be in order. This gorgeous little geometric pattern does not disappoint and would look great in a variety of situations.
You could add in some gold accessories to accentuate the look… a good excuse anyway!

Banana Leaf Pattern
We seem to have chosen a few patterns with a floral edge, but they are all the rage at the moment. This banana leaf wallpaper would create a perfect backdrop against which to display your most beautiful knick knacks, perhaps on the Ikea VITTSJO shelf hack in our previous post.
This a great way to get the natural feel of plants without the maintenance. But if you want the real thing, check out our indoor plant guide.
Night Time Birch Tree Pattern
This birch tree wallpaper is perfect for any bedroom, invoking the spirit of night time. It would look gorgeous in a nursery and you could add the odd owl or deer decal to give it some life.
I’m tempted to get this one in our guest bedroom and see if our guests get a good nights sleep among the trees and stars!
Forest in the Mist Pattern
This forest in the mist wallpaper probably doesn’t have to be a complete wall, it could be a picture, but it really gives a lot more drama as a full wall.
Who doesn’t like the look of a healthy forest in mist? It’s such a calming scene and really gives a wow factor.
Concrete Pattern
Concrete is very popular at the moment, we’ve got concrete effect tiles in the bathroom and polished concrete floors are a trend set to stay. This concrete effect wallpaper continues in the same vein, giving a textural industrial look to any room.
Paired with a bright coloured piece of furniture it will bring instant cool into your home.
Woodland Animal Pattern
This woodland animal wallpaper is definitely in for the kids (yes you can have it too if you like). It would be perfect for a nursery or kids bedroom and provides quite a neutral background so you can go crazy with colourful accessories!
You know they’ll love pointing out the animals before bed!
Peonies Pattern
Ok, one last floral. This stunning peony wall decal makes the biggest impact of all, especially on a dark background like this. So, it’s not wallpaper, but that makes it easier! Just paint your desired background and add the decals where you like.
Why not peruse Etsy for more decals, they have a ridiculously large collection.
Well, have we inspired you enough to get your room plastered with peel and stick wallpapers of wild and exciting patterns?
Why not give it a go, be brave and create something stunning! Oh and show us your creations in the comments of course!