The design pros agree that wallpaper is having a moment. From coastal florals to mountain monochromes, there really is something for everyone!
No matter your style or the size of your home, or how simple or adventurous you’re feeling, no space is off limits to wallpaper. This growing revolution is seeing professionals and DIY fans curate and design spaces – simply – with impactful colours, dynamic patterns and inviting textures. To inspire you (and us), we turned to Carmi Course and Blythe Dienaar from Westville’s Wallpaper Ink to uncover the leading wallpaper trends for 2023.
Thanks to advancements in print technology, allowing for more choice and customization than ever before, wallpaper is quickly gaining popularity. With a desire to prove to homeowners and décor fans that there is so much more variety, adventure and fun to be had when it comes to home-makeover projects, than a painted feature wall. Carmi and Blythe have been on a mission to spread the wallpaper revolution, and expose how it truly offers something extraordinary to suit every personality.
In the short time that their small business has been operating, they’ve curated designs to suit every trend and taste, and have found that the space dictates the design choice as much as the client.
“Wallpaper is a great option to consider when unleashing your inner interior decorator, and provides a chic, low-maintenance outlet for your creativity. From quirky, dining room decals to a “tangerine sunset” bathroom, we love to bring people’s vision to life, so that you can discover just how amazing you can be.”
So, that said, whether you’re looking for inspiration or just dreaming about your next home-makeover project, here are some of the top trends that Cami and Blythe have seen emerge in 2023.
Botanicals & Florals The Delicious Monster dominates this category. Designs featuring monochrome or multi-colour displays of local greenery are a popular choice for bringing a fresh, nature-inspired feel to your home. Banana leaves and ferns also make for an interesting addition to your indoor living spaces, and while we are all familiar with the classic floral prints of our grandparent’s living rooms, we prefer a somewhat updated take on this trend. We love a locally inspired twist, so proteas or strelitzias provide great inspiration for contemporary designs to update your home. Orchids also feature quite prominently this season but consider adding a dark background to your favourite delicate flowers for a fun “Moody Floral” effect.
Creative Spaces Wallpapering in unexpected areas, such as the backing of shelves, under staircases and even ceilings are a great option when injecting a bit of personality into a space. Expansive closet doors or even the front-facing facade of stairs are great “wasted spaces” that are brimming with opportunity and begging for a face-lift.
Retro Pastels, mustard and ochre feature prominently with 70s inspired patterns that have made a come-back. These psychedelic statement pieces make for a fun throwback in a contemporary decorated setting.
Monochromatic Display your favourite prints in stark, monochromatic images that provide contrast and a durable backdrop for all of your decor needs. Black and white images especially, make for a complimentary addition to your home, allowing for a neutral setting to act as a playground for accent-coloured cushions and rugs that can be changed out according to your mood and fancy.
Large scale prints Make a statement by using designs on a grand scale. Bold designs that take a new approach to decor are an ideal way to explore some of the variety available to us, thanks to sublimation printing. You can play around with this idea in a few ways by enlarging graphics and blowing up repeat patterns. Be daring and do something extraordinary. Using large scale design is a great way to bring a modern element into your home and moves away from the busier configurations of wallpaper past.
Sassy Stripes Stripes go with everything. Wallpaper provides a slick, seamless alternative to the messy means sometimes achieved with painting. Digital designs also allow for more variety in shape, texture and ratio with this classic print.
Texture Use wallpaper to introduce an unexpected textural print in your home. Digitally printed textures – paint strokes, bricks and wood – create a distinctive talking-point with minimum effort and maximum effect.
Mural Let your inner artist flourish with art inspired images. Whether you like the pastel paintings of the Romantics, simple Picaso-esque line drawings, the soothing swirls of Van Gogh or the vibrant abstracts of Salvador Dali, bring a slice of these great painters into your home with murals inspired by their style. You can also bring the outside in with Trompe L’oeil, or Chinoiserie style scenes.
Details: www.wallpaperink.co.za
