Choosing the right wallpaper is one of the most impactful decisions you can make in any home renovation. With so many types, styles, and materials available from a wallpaper company like ours, it can feel overwhelming at first. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know — from understanding wallpaper types to installation, care, and room-specific choices — so you can shop with complete confidence.
Understanding Wallpaper Types
Before you choose a design, it's worth understanding the different types of wallpaper available and how each one is installed.
Peel-and-Stick (Self-Adhesive) Wallpaper
Self-adhesive wallpaper is the fastest-growing category in the market, and for good reason. It requires no paste, no special tools, and no professional experience. You simply measure, cut, peel the backing, and stick it to a clean, smooth surface. It's removable, repositionable (to a point), and perfect for renters who want to personalise their space without risking their deposit. This is the number one choice for feature walls, renter-friendly makeovers, and anyone who wants to redecorate frequently.
Paste-the-Wall Wallpaper
As the name suggests, paste-the-wall wallpaper requires you to apply adhesive directly to the wall rather than the paper. This makes it cleaner and quicker to hang than traditional paste-the-paper varieties. The result is a premium, seamless finish that lasts considerably longer than self-adhesive alternatives. This type is ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms where you want a permanent, high-quality result.
Paste-the-Paper Wallpaper
The most traditional method, paste-the-paper wallpaper involves applying adhesive to the back of each strip, allowing it to soak ("booking" the paper), then hanging it on the wall. This technique gives you the most working time and is often preferred for heavily textured or heavyweight papers. It requires a paste table and a little more patience, but delivers outstanding longevity.
Choosing Wallpaper for Different Rooms
Living Rooms
The living room is your most-visited space, so choose a wallpaper that sets the right tone for the whole home. Bold geometric or large-scale botanical prints work beautifully as feature walls behind sofas, while subtle textures across all four walls add warmth without dominating. As your central wallpaper company, we stock everything from understated grasscloth effects to striking Japandi-inspired designs for this space.
Bedrooms
In bedrooms, calming colours and softer patterns tend to work best — think muted botanicals, soft stripes, or delicate geometric repeats. A feature wall behind the headboard is a hugely popular approach, adding drama without making the room feel enclosed. For children's rooms and nurseries, look for designs with characters, clouds, or nature motifs, and always choose non-toxic inks.
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Moisture resistance is the key consideration for these rooms. Waterproof or wipe-clean wallpapers are available in a surprisingly wide range of styles — from marble effects to subway tile patterns — that give you the look of expensive materials at a fraction of the cost. Self-adhesive options are particularly popular for kitchen splashbacks and bathroom accent walls.
Home Offices
A well-designed home office can genuinely improve productivity and focus. Geometric wallpapers add structure, while nature-inspired designs can reduce stress. A subtle textured wallpaper behind your desk or monitor creates a professional-looking video call background without being distracting.
How to Calculate How Much Wallpaper You Need
Calculating the right amount of wallpaper is one of the most important steps in the buying process. Ordering too little can result in a mismatched batch if your pattern is discontinued; ordering too much wastes money. Here's a simple process:
- Measure the total width of all the walls you want to cover in metres (or feet).
- Measure the ceiling height of the room.
- Multiply width by height to get the total square meterage (or footage).
- Check the coverage information on your chosen wallpaper's product page.
- Add 10–15% extra to account for trimming, waste, and pattern matching.
For rooms with large windows or doors, you can subtract approximately half a roll's worth of coverage per opening, though it's still sensible to order a spare roll.
Understanding Pattern Repeats
Pattern matching affects how much wallpaper you need and how you hang it. The main types are:
- Straight match: The pattern matches horizontally across adjacent strips. Minimal waste.
- Half-drop match: Alternate strips are dropped by half the pattern height. Requires more material but creates a flowing, professional look.
- Random/Free match: No matching required — ideal for textured or abstract designs, and the easiest to hang.
The pattern repeat distance is always listed on the product page. Larger repeats (above 30cm) require proportionally more material for matching.
Wallpaper Installation Tips
Good preparation is the foundation of a successful wallpaper installation. Whatever type of wallpaper you choose, take the time to prepare your walls properly. Fill any cracks, sand the surface smooth, and wipe away dust. If you're hanging traditional wallpaper, size the walls with a diluted paste or primer first to improve adhesion and reduce the rate at which the wall absorbs moisture from the paste.
Always start from the most prominent vertical line in the room — usually the wall directly opposite the door — and work outward. Use a long spirit level to draw a perfectly vertical guideline before hanging your first strip. Everything else follows from that first strip being perfectly plumb.
How to Care for Your Wallpaper
A well-maintained wallpaper can look beautiful for many years. Most modern wallpapers can be gently wiped with a slightly damp cloth to remove everyday marks. For deeper cleaning, a drop of mild dish soap in warm water on a soft cloth will handle most stains without damaging the surface. Always test any cleaning method on a small, inconspicuous area first.
Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners, abrasive pads, or excessive water near the seams. Keep rooms well-ventilated to prevent condensation, which is the main cause of wallpaper peeling in bathrooms and kitchens.
Frequently Overlooked Wallpaper Accessories
Great wallpaper deserves great accessories. A good quality smoothing brush or squeegee is essential for a bubble-free installation. A sharp snap-off craft knife gives the cleanest trim lines. A seam roller — a small roller used to press the seams flat — prevents the edges from lifting over time. For paste-the-paper wallpaper, a dedicated paste brush or roller and a paste table will make the job considerably easier.
Why Buy From a Dedicated Wallpaper Company?
Choosing a specialist wallpaper company over a generic home improvement retailer means you get curated ranges, expert knowledge, and focused customer support. We don't carry thousands of unrelated products — we know wallpaper inside and out. Our blog, buying guides, and customer service team exist specifically to help you get the best possible result from your wallpaper project, from the moment you start browsing to the day you hang the last strip.
Whether you're a first-time decorator or an experienced interior enthusiast, The Wallpaper Company is here to make the process simple, enjoyable, and successful. Browse our country stores to find the designs that speak to you, and don't hesitate to reach out if you need any guidance along the way.
