Kitchen Wallpaper Ideas - Revamp Your Culinary Haven

Wallpaper offers a simple, affordable way to give your kitchen an instant style upgrade. With the range of colors, patterns, and textures available, you can find wallpapers to match any design aesthetic from traditional to contemporary. It's an easy DIY project that makes a dramatic impact, allowing you to refresh the look of your kitchen without a full remodel. Some benefits of using wallpaper in kitchens include injecting new color palettes, adding eye-catching focal points, and showcasing your unique style. Keep reading for all of our kitchen wallpaper ideas, tips, and tricks.

Choosing the Right Wallpaper for Your Kitchen

Select patterns and colors that speak to your personality - whether that's whimsical tropical prints or classic plaids. Also consider the wallpaper’s durability, environmental friendliness, cleanability needs and lighting scheme for a high-traffic kitchen.

Understanding Wallpaper Types

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is removable, making it great for renters or those wanting to change up designs seasonally. The adhesive backing easily goes up and comes down. More permanent wallpaper options like premium paper are durable for long-lasting style. Premium paper can  withstand humidity and lay flat to resist bubbling.

Selecting Colors and Patterns

Look for wallpapers in colors like tranquil blues, warm metallics, or vibrant jewel tones that coordinate with your existing kitchen palette. Draw inspiration from countertops or appliances. Patterns can range from traditional florals, plaids, and damasks that echo classic charm to modern interpreted prints like bold geometrics, expressive watercolors, or nature-inspired prints for an eclectic element.

Design Considerations for Kitchen Wallpapers

Factor in lighting when selecting wallpaper for kitchens. Dark saturated hues can feel brooding with poor illumination whereas lighter tones keep things bright.

Creative Kitchen Wallpaper Ideas

Use wallpaper on a single focal accent wall behind a stove, sink, or prep area for drama. Contrast bold prints like graphic black and white designs with light cabinets and neutral wallpaper. Or, highlight architectural details like framing a recessed breakfast nook or shelving display with an ornamental wallpaper border. Even wallpaper the inside of glass-front cabinets or drawers for a fun hidden pop of color revealed when opened. 

Here’s even more creative wallpaper kitchen ideas:

1. Black and white graphic print - Make a bold black and white statement by covering one wall with a geometric or floral pattern.
2. Vintage fruit print - Use a retro fruit or vegetable print to add a kitschy, playful vibe. 
3. Chalkboard wallpaper - Cover a wall in chalkboard paper for a fun, practical accent wall to write messages, notes and recipes.
4. Wallpapered shelves or cabinets - Line the back of glass-front cabinets or open shelves with a vibrant pattern peeking through.
5. Linen wallpaper - Add the appearance of texture to your kitchen with a linen wallpaper look. 
6. Removable backsplash paper - Use a temporary, removable wallpaper to change up your backsplash look.
7. Focal wall mural - Make a stunning statement with a bold floral, landscape or abstract wall mural.
8. Argyle print - Use a classic argyle pattern in unexpected colors for a preppy element.
9. Whimsical fruit border - Frame upper walls with a striped fruit garland border.
10. Brick or wood look - Go for an exposed brick or reclaimed wood aesthetic with textured wallpapers.
11. Wrapped refrigerator - Disguise appliance fronts by covering doors in a lively pattern.
12. Wallpapered nook - Define a breakfast nook with surrounding specialty paper.
13. Marble wallpaper - Make your kitchen look like the walls of the Grand Canyon for a psychedelic feel.
14. Damask print - Include some traditional elegance and dimension with a damask pattern.
15. Hand painted mural - Commission a custom scenic or floral hand-painted mural.
16. Colorful floral wallpaper - Give one (or all!) of your kitchen walls an extra oomph with bold, vibrant florals. 
17. Blackboard paint - Use blackboard paint for a chalk art accent wall.
18. Faux stone finish - Emulate a real stone wall covering with textured wallpaper.
19. Abstract pattern - Go bold and modern with a graphic black and white abstract print.

The Best Kitchen Wallpaper

The best wallpaper for kitchens is one that is:

1. Moisture-resistant - Kitchens can be humid environments and wallpaper needs to stand up to steam and condensation without warping or growing mold. Vinyl-coated papers tend to be most moisture-resistant.
2. Scrubbable - Kitchen wallpaper inevitably gets some grease splatter or food mess on it, so choose papers labeled "scrubbable" that can stand up to cleaning. Vinyls clean the best.
3. Durable - With all the activity in a kitchen, wallpaper takes some wear and tear. Look for commercial-grade vinyls or pulp-based papers that can handle occasional scuffs and bumps.
4. Peelable - While permanent wallpapers work, choose peelable options if available to make changing out the paper easier when you eventually redecorate.
5. Coordinated with your style - Make sure to pick wallpaper colors, patterns and textures that align with your existing kitchen aesthetic for a cohesive look.

Mixing Wallpaper Styles

The key to successfully blending wallpaper styles is to create cohesion through color scheme or theme while allowing each design its own moment to shine. This helps balance the visual weight of your kitchen space.

Balance Patterns and Tones

Anchor loud floral wallpaper with crisp white woodwork trim for contrast. Too many competing patterns can feel visually busy.. Group colorful patterned feature walls from adjoining living spaces into one unified kitchen view.

Open Concept Kitchens

For open floor plans, extend wallpaper from the kitchen onto adjacent walls in dining areas or family rooms. Use wallpaper to define separate zones without totally closing them off. Transition kitchens to dining spaces with an indicative Pavel & Poem adhesive wallpaper border in a nature-inspired print. The continuity creates better flow.

Installing Wallpaper

Peel-and-Stick Application Tips

Ensure surfaces are clean, smoothed, and primed before application. Carefully affix paper starting at the top, slowly removing backing and smoothing out bubbles as you go with a wallpaper squeegee or plastic smoother. Finish outer corners with a seam roller. Once applied, use a topcoat sealer like polyurethane on pipe shelving paper for added protection.

When to Hire a Professional

For intricate wallpaper projects, consider hiring an experienced professional installer who can expertly cut intricate patterns and prepare challenging textured or uneven surfaces. Removable Peel & Stick compared to Premium Paper is much more forgiving to work with as traditional wallpaper is applied with paste. Final Thoughts

Revamping your kitchen with creative wallpaper opens up endless possibilities to inject color, texture, and personality into the space. With thoughtful planning and preparation that takes your kitchen’s functionality into account, you can craft a stunning new look reflecting your personal taste. Experiment and have fun with adorning accent walls or other clever applications in your transformed kitchen sanctuary. The right wallpaper choices help craft a kitchen that nurtures the soul as well as the appetite! 

Need more kitchen wallpaper ideas? Check out Mitchell Black’s collection of high quality, stunning wallpaper.