Wallpaper Trends 2025: Are People Still Decorating with Wallpaper?

If you think wallpaper belongs with avocado-green appliances and disco balls, it’s time for a surprise. Wallpaper has come full circle, leapfrogging from grandma’s living room to the walls of savvy, style-forward homes. With social media feeds flooded by stunning accent walls, people aren’t just hanging wallpaper; they’re reimagining what a room’s vibe can be. Major home decor brands have doubled down on collections, and DIYers on TikTok have made ‘removable wallpaper’ one of the hottest trends—2.7 billion views counted as of early 2025. Even people who vowed never to fight bubbles and paste again are tempted by peel-and-stick designs. Swanky hotels and high-end apartments are rolling out bold patterns, and homeowners are copying the look. So, do people still put up wallpaper? Not just yes—they’re obsessed with it. Let’s peel back those old paper edges and see what’s really going on.

Wallpaper’s Comeback: Why It’s More Popular Than People Think

Wallpaper got a reputation in the late 20th century: fiddly to put up, impossible to take down, and visually busy. Chip and Joanna Gaines might have led the world into shiplap, but lately, wallpaper is the decor world’s surprise star. Market analysts at Statista reported that the global wallpaper market topped $2.3 billion in 2024 and is still growing.

What changed? Choices, for one. Today you can get everything from bold botanicals and geometric metallics to super-crisp murals—all thanks to digital printing. Ultra-thin vinyls, fabric-backed papers, and eco-friendly versions are being snapped up. You want to transform a rental in a day? Peel-and-stick wallpaper lets you do it and take it off again without damage. A survey by Houzz in late 2024 found that 39% of homeowners under 35 say they’ve used or plan to use wallpaper—double compared to ten years ago.

Another twist? Instagram. Influencers and interior designers are basically giving masterclasses in picking and hanging wallpaper. A once-dreaded task—remember those horror stories of paper peeling in strips and glue making a sticky mess—has become almost cool. Removable, pre-pasted, and ‘paste the wall’ types are everywhere, making the whole thing less intimidating.

Commercial spaces are also jumping on the wallpaper train. Next time you walk into a boutique or even a dentist’s office, take a closer look. Stunning wallcoverings are popping up in unexpected places—mostly because businesses want Instagrammable spaces. Small cafes and hotels love how wallpaper can change a room in a way paint can’t touch. One New York hotel redid all their guest rooms with woven wallpaper and now gets daily questions from guests on where to buy it.

Here’s a simple data table to blow your mind:

Wallpaper’s no longer a retro punchline. If anything, it’s become a creative weapon for showing off personality and adding serious wow-factor. Anyone looking to make a room feel fresh and memorable is at least considering it.

Choosing the Right Wallpaper: Tips and Common Mistakes

So, you’re curious about trying wallpaper on your own wall. It’s not as simple as picking up a roll and diving in—unless you want to end up with a headache and wasted money. Designers have a few golden rules. First, measure way more than you think you need. People consistently underestimate how many rolls a room will take, especially once the pattern repeat gets involved. You don’t want to run out halfway and discover the pattern batch number has sold out.

Patterns need more planning than you think. Large prints make small rooms feel cozier and dramatic, while subtle textures or stripes can make ceilings look higher. If you have a low-lit hallway, avoid heavy, dark prints. And beware of trends that might feel tired in two years—2023’s obsession with maximalist palm leaves is already cooling off. Consider how a wallpaper will work with your furniture and the room’s purpose. Nursery wallpaper? Pick washable, non-toxic materials. A powder room off the entry? Go bold—guests will never forget it.

Don’t just trust a screen image or a tiny swatch. Lighting can totally change how colors look. Always order a sample, tape it to the wall, and look at it during day and night. Peel-and-stick samples are great for this; you can move them around and see if the pattern drives you nuts after a few days.

Here are some must-follow tips that actually help:

• Order extra rolls—pattern matching can eat up material fast.
• For first-timers, removable wallpaper is your friend. You can reposition it if you mess up.
• Always prep your walls: Fill holes, sand rough patches, and make sure surfaces are dry or the adhesive won’t work.
• Use a smoothing tool to push out air bubbles as you go. Most local hardware stores sell simple plastic ones.
• If the wallpaper’s non-woven or ‘paste the wall’ type, go slow—the glue dries quickly.
• Avoid applying it over glossy paint or existing wallpaper, unless specifically stated as compatible by the brand.
• Painted plaster and drywall love primer. A quick base primer coat ensures the paper sticks evenly.

One of the coolest things about today’s wallpaper is the finish. Textured, metallic, or even leather-like surfaces are out there. Some even act as whiteboards or are scrubbable with mild soap—perfect for families.

Biggest mistake? Not reading the instructions that come in the roll box. Every manufacturer has little quirks. Some need overlapping seams, some need edge-to-edge. And don’t forget humidity: bathroom or kitchen wallpapers need to specify ‘moisture resistant.’ Bathroom wallpapers in the past would peel at the first sign of steam, but now brands are producing lines that survive daily showers.

And if you’re renting, new adhesives barely leave a mark. Packing up? Most peel off with no trouble, a godsend for tenant redecorators. Want to really commit? Professional installers exist, but lots of people find installing a single feature wall is a totally manageable weekend project.

Beyond the Living Room: Surprising Places People Use Wallpaper in 2025

Forget thinking wallpaper is only for grand entry halls or statement living room walls. People are sneaking it into the most unexpected spots. Want to jazz up plain stairs? People wrap each riser with a strip of patterned paper—no need to wallpaper the whole stairwell. Drab kitchen backsplashes? Yep, waterproof vinyl wallpaper is making appearances behind stoves; it holds up far better than you might think.

Closets and open shelving units are also getting the wallpaper treatment. It makes organizers and storage cubbies look completely custom. Kids’ bedrooms? Sky murals and playful patterns are winning over paint because they’re fast, clean, and can be swapped out as the child’s tastes change. According to a 2025 Lucid Interior Trends report, decorative ceiling wallpaper is up 26% from last year. ‘Fifth wall’ decor (the ceiling) is the new frontier: gold stars, clouds, or even faux tin tile patterns.

Commercial uses are exploding too. Coffee shops cover barista stations with easy-to-clean paper. High-traffic entryways in apartment buildings are switching from paint to extra-tough vinyl wallcoverings. One clever use that’s all over design blogs: lining the back of bookcases or glass-fronted cabinets. It’s a cheap way to make furniture stand out—and you can swap it out for a holiday look if you’re feeling festive.

Another trend taking off in 2025: ‘self-expression rooms’—small spaces like reading nooks, laundry rooms, or home offices are getting high-drama wallpaper, because people want fun, energizing backgrounds for video calls or just to make chores suck less. Technical advances mean there are now sound-absorbing wallcoverings too, which is appealing to anyone with a noisy house.

It’s not about wallpaper as a background anymore—it’s about wallpaper as a main attraction. Even hotels and airlines have joined the game, using it in lounges, jet interiors, and staff areas. And if you like a one-of-a-kind vibe, some companies now offer fully custom prints. Your dog, your favorite vacation photo, a quote—if you can dream it, you can hang it.

So if you’re wondering if wallpaper’s still around—the answer couldn’t be more clear. It’s not just around; it’s everywhere, in more creative ways than ever. Wallpaper is having a major moment, it’s just a totally different one than your parents remember.