Choosing the right wallpaper pattern for your space can be an emotional, intense, and arduous process. Because putting up and taking down wallpaper is so tough and time-consuming, you're naturally going to want to make "the right choice" the first time. But how can you do you know you're making the right wallpaper choice? When choosing a wallpaper pattern, there are three significant things to consider: your desired color scheme, the pattern fitting the tone of the space, and the quality of sample materials. Once you feel comfortable that you're choosing the right color, the right pattern, and the right material, you're ready to order!
Color Scheme
First, you need to figure out what the color scheme from your room is or what you want it to be. If you have an existing color in your space, your job has gotten easier, especially if that color is white. Whether your walls are a neutral slate or not, you can look at a color palette calculator to get a sense of how to proceed with color!
Look at this example below for paint color Guilford Green from Benjamin Moore.
You can play around with the harmonies to lock down a look for your space. One rule of thumb to keep in mind is that the farther apart the colors are on the color wheel, the more contrast and tension will be visible to the eye. In the picture above, the color harmony is analogous, meaning that the colors are close to each other on the color wheel. This creates a very natural, harmonic color scheme for a house, which is no doubt what you'd like to have! To put this in practice, use the two other colors sparingly—beige curtains and lighter green accents, as an example.
You can use this to figure out the wallpaper color that will work well for your space!
Understanding the Tone of the Room
Not all rooms should feel the same! The decor, knickknacks, and accoutrements should not be the same in a nursery as a kitchen. If you want a more visual, pictorial wallpaper as opposed to abstract patterns, trying to find something related to the purpose of the room is always great! For example, you could use a vintage fruit wallpaper for a kitchen or a cute little maritime wallpaper for a baby's bedroom.
Beyond that, you can use wallpaper to lock down a theme or work with an existing theme. If you want something adventurous, try something that's representative of that, like map wallpaper.
If you're a real free spirit, and you want a whimsical, boho wallpaper, try something with a pastel color and zany pattern!
There are millions of wallpaper design options out there, so one is sure to fit your space perfectly.
Ordering Samples
While we can send you proofs and mockups of your wallpaper, the best way to visualize the size of the pattern is with samples. When you order samples, you can request the traditional image proof and/or quality proof.
An image proof is the entire image that will be on your full mural, just on an 8" x 10" sheet of whichever material you choose. There are several different popular materials, the most popular being paper, vinyl, and fabric. Ordering samples ensures that you have firsthand tactile experience with the way the murals look and feel.
An image proof is this full image, just shown on an 8" by 10" sheet of paper
Image proofs are great for testing how all the colors in the mural will appear in your space, in the presence of all the environmental factors.
A quality proof is simply an 8" x 10" section of the entire mural. Imagine putting your full, complete mural up on the wall, and then cutting out an 8" x 10" strip.
A full wall mural with a small red box indicating the area that will be used as a quality proof.
This is what a quality proof would look like. It is the close-up of the image, indicated by the box in red. This is what a customer would receive.
At Limitless Walls, which prints murals on-demand in panels, as opposed to rolls, getting samples is vitally important. This will ensure that the size of your pattern fits with your wall as you desire.
Limitless Walls Murals
With Limitless Walls' proprietary adhesive, picking wallpaper won't feel so stressful! If applied properly, you are able to put it on the wall and remove it without any hassle, saving you hours of your precious time, and saving you from some hard hard work! Contact our customer service team to get started on your very own peel-and-stick wallpaper pattern today!