Wallpaper for the living room - 85 photos, beautiful design ideas, how to combine, tips for choosing

When arranging an apartment, special attention should first be paid to the walls. After all, they will create the basis of the interior and set the color scheme. Furniture and additional decorative elements are installed later and must be combined with the walls to make the rooms look cohesive.

Here we will not be scattered throughout the apartment, but will focus on its largest room - the living room or hall. It is in this room that you bring guests; here you can relax after work, arrange a home theater or have a tea party.

How to choose wallpaper by color, contrast, pattern

First of all, you need to decide on the color scheme, and only then think about the presence of a pattern. Think about what shades you prefer: warm or cool.

Warm ones will make the room more lively and bright.
Cold ones will help to visually expand the room (which is especially important for Khrushchev-era apartments or other small spaces).

Related colors

If you are not confident in your design abilities, combining related colors (solid or similar) is the easiest way! You definitely can’t go wrong and this solution will always look stylish.

Contrasting colors

This photo is a good example of a combination of contrasting colors. There is not a very noticeable pattern here, but plain wallpaper in such a combination would look harmonious.

Wallpaper with ornaments

When looking for patterned finishing materials, do not forget that all patterns are perceived differently. It is important to consider the size, color and dynamics of patterns on the walls .

Wallpaper with large patterns can form powerful accents in the interior, but are not suitable for decorating rooms with limited sizes. In spaces with a small area, it is better to use small prints in light shades.

Some patterned wall materials can transform the interior beyond recognition. For example, using wallpaper with stripes or a straight line is considered a good design solution. Vertical patterns of this type will raise the ceiling, and horizontal ones will visually expand the walls.

Recently, wallpapers with alternating patterns have become popular. A high frequency of pattern repetition may seem attractive to owners of both modern and vintage living rooms, but it is not recommended to use such wallpaper as a background , especially if their design is dominated by bright or dark colors.

Tip: To ensure that patterned wallpaper does not disturb the harmony of the design, choose shades that match the details present in the room. Use wallpaper with bright patterns as an accent, and with neutral-colored prints as a background.

If you decide to follow fashion trends and plan to purchase photo wallpaper for the living room walls, think about which pattern will not disrupt the integrity and harmony of the interior . Landscape images, macro photography or 3-D drawings are suitable for creating an accent on one of the walls.

We recommend that you read the full article on the topic “Wallpaper with Ornaments.”

Ways to combine wallpaper

After becoming familiar with the basic aspects of color combinations, you need to move from theory to practice and proceed directly to choosing wallpaper. There are several ways to combine them:

Pattern + solid color
2 drawings
Geometry + one color or pattern

Whichever one you choose, the main thing is to create a harmoniously combined, pleasant interior that will satisfy your preferences and make the home truly cozy. To understand the possible options, let's look at them in more detail.

Pattern +solid color

With this combination, most often wallpaper with a pattern is applied only to one wall , and the rest are simply plain. This will help to create a certain emphasis, but will not look too colorful.

The pattern can be made from colors that are related to plain wallpaper, or from contrasting colors .
A wall with a pronounced contrasting pattern will look like a huge painting .

Below are interesting options for such a combination; you can choose one of them as a basis when creating a living room design.

A clearly visible floral print was used here. Please note that the furniture, rugs and cushions are selected from exactly the colors that make up the pattern.

The pattern can be either small or large, abstract or concrete.

Also note that walls with bright patterns are not loaded with decorative elements (paintings or photos); at most, a mirror should be very carefully selected. Maintain simplicity and harmony. An overloaded interior will be very tiring.

But if you still want to hang something on the wall, see the material - 30 ideas on how to decorate an empty wall!

A good example of a combination of contrasting colors, since without the blue tulle the brown wallpaper would look too gloomy.

With geometric patterns

Floral prints, patterns and abstract patterns can compete with geometric elements. But you must be sure that strict lines will not oppress you and will allow you to relax.

Zigzags, diamonds, lines, ovals, circles, etc. - a wonderful choice for lovers of clarity and order. In this case, you can also try interesting color combinations.

2 drawings

Combinations of two patterns look original and unusual. For a bedroom it would be too flashy, but for a living room, if chosen correctly, it’s very good.

This photo shows both the contrast of colors and the combination of floral and geometric prints. Cool black on the lines and warm red on the petals.

Here, too, there are combinations of floral patterns with geometric ones, but in the same color scheme - related colors were used.

One of the patterns can be expressed much brighter than the other, in which case it turns out similar to the pattern + plain wallpaper option. Similar patterns made in different colors also complement each other well.

Types of wallpaper for the living room

There are many subtleties in choosing wallpaper. The variety of types of materials, textures, multiple choice of colors makes you think when choosing, but at the same time allows you to choose an option that will ideally set the necessary general background in the design of the living room.

First you need to decide on the wallpaper material, which has its inherent pros and cons. Any type of wallpaper is suitable for covering the walls of a room, but you need to understand the characteristic features of each of them in order to make an informed choice.

Paper

A well-known and fairly budget option for decorating a living room. A large selection of colors and patterns, ease of gluing make them the most popular. The walls under the paper canvases must be perfectly smooth, otherwise all their flaws will be visible. Pasting the surface should be done carefully, because the paper base of the wallpaper often tears, and the outer part may lose its appearance due to strong friction. Also, when choosing this type of wall covering, you need to take into account the possibility of rapid fading. Photo examples of a room covered with paper wallpaper will give you the opportunity to evaluate the interior in this design.

Non-woven

Durable, dense and elastic wallpaper, the textured surface of which can have certain patterns that are distinguished by bright colors, or imitate the appearance of other finishing materials, for example, decorative plaster. The structure of the material allows them to be used for painting, which will allow you to update the already boring interior of the room without re-pasting. The price of non-woven wallpaper is slightly higher than paper wallpaper, but the quality is much better. Looking at the photo, you can see how varied the design of a living room with non-woven wallpaper can be.

Textile

You can significantly transform, make the interior of your living room more elegant and luxurious by using fabric-based wallpaper. They include not only woven fabric, which can be represented by linen, silk, velor, less often velvet or jute, but also non-woven or foam rubber. They have heat and sound insulation properties. But you need to know that the coating composition absorbs dust, and damage or dirt is very difficult to eliminate. Delightful interiors decorated with fabric trim are shown in numerous photos.

Vinyl

The paper base of such wallpaper does not at all affect its quality, which is no worse than that of non-woven wallpaper. They are moisture-resistant, strong and durable, which allows them to be washed and cleaned even with the use of aggressive detergents or special brushes. When pasting walls with such material, all their irregularities become invisible, and the canvas itself looks solid. Examples of the best interiors covered with vinyl wallpaper are shown in the photo below.

Glass wallpaper

Such wallpapers are distinguished by their durability and reliability. Besides this, they are quite practical. The basis of the canvas is fiberglass, onto which a dense textured or even texture can be applied. They can be used for painting. A feature of the material is fire resistance. For inspiration, you can see photos of the interiors of halls decorated with glass wallpaper.

Photo wallpaper

A new milestone in history has come with photo wallpapers, which began to be used 40 years ago. But if back then it was thin wallpaper, which often did not fit well and wore out quickly, now it is a fairly high-quality material with fashionable prints. This finishing option is not used to decorate all walls. Using photo wallpaper, you can decorate one wall or part of it to dilute the overall interior design or zone a room. If you decide to use photo wallpaper, then feel free to use the ideas suggested in the photo.

In addition to these types of coatings, bamboo, exotic, acrylic, metal and liquid wallpapers are widely used.

Combination methods

One wall

The easiest way to combine wallpaper. How to choose a wall? Of course, the one you most want to attract attention. Usually this is a wall near or behind the sofas in the room.

Picture or frame

If in the case of a wall completely covered with wallpaper with a pattern, it looks like a painting, then the wallpaper here is the painting. It's like a huge canvas with a printed design.

You can simply stick wallpaper of a certain size, or make a frame around the edges.

In the form of stripes

An interesting way of combining is in the form of separate stripes. For this case, it is better to choose wallpapers that are contrasting with an active pattern, as this will be the main accent!

Focus on niche

For apartments that have a niche in the living room, it’s a great option to play with contrasting wallpaper and color. It’s also a good idea to illuminate a niche with an additional source. This is especially important if the niche is far from the window.

Colors and patterns

After choosing the appropriate material on which the wallpaper is based, you need to think about the issue of choosing their color scheme. To do this, it is necessary to take into account several nuances that can influence the overall impression of the room, its visual perception, and the comfort of staying in it. So, let's consider the main aspects that influence the choice of wallpaper for the living room and photo examples of similar design in the interiors of different apartments.

Room dimensions

Everyone knows that using dark shades to decorate rooms with modest sizes can visually reduce the already lacking space. Therefore, no matter how much of a fan of dark colors the owner of the apartment may be, it should be avoided in small rooms. You can experiment with such colors in spacious rooms, the main thing is to choose non-depressing shades. To slightly dilute the space in a dark palette, you can use canvases of two matching colors when decorating.

The situation is much simpler with the choice of light colors, which are considered universal, for covering walls. They will fit perfectly into the interior of a large room or decorate a small recreation room. Light-colored wallpaper can be used to cover all the walls of a room or for a separate accent when using two finishing colors. The most successful shades for decoration are diluted white, soft pink, beige, light shades of blue, desaturated yellow, as well as other pastel tones.

Nature of lighting

An important point in choosing the color of the wall covering is the level of illumination in the room. In living rooms located on the north side of the house, the lack of sunlight can be compensated by choosing wallpaper in the lightest and brightest shades, for example, beige, orange or even red.

In well-lit living rooms located on the south side, you can afford to cover the walls with wallpaper in cool colors, additionally using contrasting shades or non-textured wallpaper with a glossy surface. The most successful choice would be colors such as purple, green, blue, as well as their shades. You can use a combination of two similar shades.

Purpose of the room

The purposes for using the living room may be different, and the color of the wall frames must fully correspond to them and create a suitable atmosphere. If the room is intended to be used only for receiving guests, then it is necessary to create a formal atmosphere in the room. For this purpose, finishing using wallpaper in bright colors with ornaments is better suited.

The living room, which serves as the place where the whole family spends most of its time, should be decorated in calm, light colors without unnecessary flashy elements.

Design style

When decorating a living room in a certain style, you need to take care of choosing the appropriate colors and their shades. Focusing on such trends as classic, Provence, retro, you should choose wallpaper in light warm shades that can perfectly emphasize the chosen ancient direction.

Interiors in modern styles look more relaxed, which makes it possible to combine incongruous things. Often a combination of different types of wallpaper of two colors, bright and dark shades is used. Here, light wallpaper is used as inserts. You can also use modern materials - liquid wallpaper, 3D images, and so on.

Preferences in shades

No matter how strange it may sound, the psychological aspect is just as important when choosing a finishing material for walls. Before you buy the type of wallpaper you like, you need to make sure that its color will not negatively affect the mood or even the well-being of the inhabitants of the apartment. For example, colors such as burgundy and red are considered exciting and aggressive. In such an atmosphere you will not be able to rest and relax. Excessive use of gray or olive colors can make even the most comfortable living room boring. It is better to use such colors to accentuate any area of the interior, rather than for a monochromatic finish.

If you have difficulty choosing one wallpaper color, you can try a combination of two or more compatible colors. This will make the interior of the room more lively and interesting.

You can diversify and update your living room interior with patterned wallpaper. Types of patterns on wallpaper are conventionally divided into groups:

without a pattern - a multifunctional option that can be used to decorate any apartment interior. But they look most organic in living rooms, where many additional elements are used for decoration: paintings, photographs, figurines, and so on. Also suitable for interiors with a lot of furniture;
straight geometry - wallpaper of this type can have vertical or horizontal stripes of varying widths. The edges of the lines can have clear or blurred boundaries. Using a canvas with a vertical stripe, you can visually raise the ceiling, but at the same time lose volume. A horizontal stripe on the wallpaper, on the contrary, expands the space but lowers the ceiling. These points should be taken into account when choosing;
natural motifs - the most common types of canvases with prints in the form of flowers. But the variety of floral patterns is quite wide. You can find wallpaper with leopard spots, apples, fish and similar patterns. When choosing this option, you should take into account not only the type of pattern, but its size and frequency of location. For example, large and frequently spaced prints have the ability to illusorily conceal space, so it is better to use them for the interiors of spacious apartments;
stains - these types of wallpaper differ from ornamental ones in the randomness of the arrangement of the pattern. Prints on canvases can also be of a varied nature. You can decorate walls with wallpaper with large stains only in spacious living rooms or parts thereof, combining no more than two types of wall covering. Otherwise, the atmosphere of the room will be depressing. Small spots or a small dot on the wallpaper will decorate any interior. These types of wallpaper can visually hide small flaws in the walls.

Geometry

Natural motives

Stains

No patterns

Texture

Numerous photos with successful examples of decorating a living room with textured wallpaper force you to make a choice in favor of this type of covering. But texture does not always help to achieve a stunning effect, because it also has its own subtleties.

A relief is applied to the smooth surface of the canvas, which can have different directions - geometric patterns, abstract patterns and similar elements. Relief canvases can imitate various surfaces. For example, using liquid wallpaper you can create the effect of old plaster, which is actively used for interior design.

When using these types of wallpaper, you need to choose light shades for interior decoration. Dark colors can be used for cladding some areas. Recently, textured coatings for painting have been produced, which helps bring a wide variety of ideas to life.

Which wallpaper to choose for the living room?

To understand what you have to choose from for wallpaper for the hall, first find out what kind of wallpaper, in addition to traditional paper ones, are still sold. Of course, paper ones are also used for the hall, as before they are inexpensive, and besides, their range has increased today. But at the same time, paper ones are the least durable.

Kinds

Vinyl: a popular option for decorating a room, because they look elegant: the colors are bright, the quality of the design is high, and besides, such wallpapers are not afraid of wet cleaning. Among the varieties there are relief wallpapers, which often imitate even brickwork.

Non-woven: the design is textured and embossed - this type is distinguished by the fact that it is easy to glue. But the fact is that the glue needs to be applied to the wall. In addition, such wallpaper for the hall is sold in rolls of non-standard width - it is increased, this format speeds up the gluing process.

Textile: this product is interesting in its design, because after pasting, it seems that the walls in the hall are covered with fabric. But the fact is that the decorative layer of such wallpaper consists of natural raw materials: cotton, linen, velor, etc.

Metallic: another type of modern wallpaper for the walls of the hall, differs from the others in properties. Such wallpapers do not transmit radio waves, for example, harmful radiation from a neighbor’s wi-fi router does not penetrate into the room; for the same reason, it is impossible to listen from the outside to what is happening inside. In the hall they look stylish and impressive.

Linkrusta wallpaper: this type is suitable for living rooms, the design of which is made in a classic style, since it looks like noble stucco. They are durable, wear-resistant, easy to clean from dirt, you can use a damp cloth. They differ in that they last for decades. They are still fashionable in 2020! Look at the photo how noble they look in the interior.

Fiberglass wallpaper for the hall: made of the same material as glass and therefore harmless to humans. Performance qualities: durable, extremely difficult to scratch or damage in any way. This type of wallpaper is available in white, as it is designed for painting.

Liquid wallpaper: made from cellulose, cotton and silk. They are sold in the store not in the usual roll form, but in powder form. To apply them to the wall, they are diluted and applied using a spray gun. The advantages of the material are that it is environmentally friendly and there are no seams, they do not fade in the sun and provide additional sound insulation.

Photo wallpapers for the hall: people have known about them since Soviet times, but modern versions differ in the variety of images. In addition, they are made to order using a drawing or photograph of the customer.

Which wallpaper to choose for the hall from the types of models presented is, of course, not an easy question. After all, everyone’s needs, desires and requirements are different. What is in the room, how much money to spend on it, and for how long the future interior is planned for - each issue is resolved individually. But if you take into account the specifics of the room, then you can safely choose wallpaper with a beautiful design that matches the chosen style.

Using 3D wallpaper in the interior

This is a practical material that does not change the color of the design or the brightness of the colors. Dust from such a coating can be wiped off with a wet cloth. These models are made in all colors and patterns. The design offers the most daring ideas for highly durable polyester wallpaper with water-repellent properties. Panoramic 3D wallpapers are the most popular and beautiful. This is a single piece of fabric up to several meters long.

Such models are glued in the same way as vinyl ones. 3D feature: the image on them seems to protrude from a flat wall into the space of the room. This type of covering gives the room originality and uniqueness, as it is made to order. Everyone can choose a photograph or reproduction themselves. The room creates the atmosphere of London or Paris.

Three-dimensional images are created using particles that reflect and refract light from natural and artificial sources. Designers advise choosing and placing such sources according to the rules, otherwise the effect of the coating will be minimized.

Important: The best option for lighting 3D wallpaper is lamps with ultraviolet radiation. They help create a voluminous effect.

Advantages of 3D wallpaper:

magnificent, unique design developed for each client;
resistance to moisture, washing;
environmental friendliness and safety, absence of toxic elements;
preservation of the brightness of colors over time.

There is only one drawback. This is the high cost of such wallpaper.

Combination techniques, photo catalog with finishing examples

To create an unusual modern design in the living room, an original finish can be used using two colors of material or several textures of wall covering. There are several types of combinations of materials. Each of them is individual and selected in accordance with the characteristics of the guest room. Let's consider each of them separately.

Vertical

The vertical combination of stripes helps to achieve a visual effect that will amaze with its simplicity on the one hand, and originality on the other. You can combine both companion colors and contrasting shades and even textures. But in the second option it is more difficult to find a match. Combining a coating of two colors is considered successful. Choosing more color shades can lead to inappropriate paint smearing.

In addition to the color scheme, you need to think about the sequence of gluing the stripes. A 2:1 combination is considered winning when two main lines are combined with one additional one. To combine contrasting wallpaper, it is better to select the same stripes in width and with the same pattern.

Horizontal

Combining horizontal stripes in wall decoration is much more difficult than vertical ones. In this case, combining stripes with different designs is considered successful. Alternation is done with wallpaper of two colors to divide the room into two parts. To decorate the upper part, lighter plain or patterned wallpaper is used. The lower part is usually done in darker shades.

You can also use a textured combination. The upper part can be finished with wallpaper on a paper or vinyl basis, and to cover the lower part you can use silk liquid wallpaper or wooden panels, for example.

Patchwork

Using a patchwork combination makes it possible to highlight certain areas of the interior, create a panel or make a border for windows or doorways.

When choosing this type of combination, the main thing is not to overdo it with the number of flaps. You should also take care of the correct combination of colors and textures with the overall design of the space.

Inserts

Inserts are becoming popular in interior combinations of wall coverings. As inserts, you can use a variety of materials from regular wallpaper to photo wallpaper and 3D images.

If the interior decoration involves the use of inserts, then you should think through and design the general background in advance. Plain wallpaper, painting, or liquid wallpaper can be used as the main coating. The inserts are installed on the finished surface. This combination will help zone the space. The inserts will look especially natural in the interiors of spacious apartments. To decorate them, you can use liquid or other textured wallpaper.

When decorating a guest room, you can use a variety of wall coverings; the main thing is to choose one suitable option from a variety of proposals, be it the most ordinary paper sheets or trendy liquid ones. And with the help of photo examples that show the decoration of modern apartments, you can choose the most suitable option for any interior.

Which wallpaper to choose for the living room depending on the style?

Before giving preference to one or another design of the walls in the apartment, it is decided in what style it will ultimately be decorated. After all, the hall is the main place of the house; celebrations and receptions of guests take place there. Therefore, all details, materials and accessories must belong to the same style, this also applies to wallpaper.

For a hall in high-tech style

The high-tech philosophy says “the future has already arrived,” therefore, trendy, cutting-edge materials and decors are chosen for interior decoration. For a high-tech room, either plain wallpaper or wallpaper with a strict geometric pattern is selected. Metal and glass wallpaper are better suited than others.

Wallpaper design in hi-tech style photo

Wallpaper for the hall in a classic style

As mentioned above, the ideal option in this situation would be linkrust wallpaper. After all, this is a three-dimensional embodiment of classic interior decor. Other designs with similar or purely classical patterns will also fit. Bright patterns are characteristic of the classic style.

Wallpaper for a classic living room photo

Wallpaper for a loft style living room

Everyone knows that this style is also called attic or factory. In accordance with it, wallpaper for the hall can be chosen to imitate a regular gray concrete wall or just plain gray, as well as relief or photo wallpaper with imitation brickwork or others with a loft theme.

Fashionable wallpaper for the living room

Provence

The simpler and more natural the wallpaper, the better for this style. The decorative accent lies in a bright floral pattern made in a light warm color. Photo wallpapers depicting the nature of Provence can be used. Such beautiful wallpaper for the living room is suitable for both an apartment and a country house.

Wallpaper for the living room in country style

“Simplicity as it is” is a synonym for this style; there should be no sophisticated pattern in the design of the walls. For this purpose, wallpaper in the living room with floral patterns, checkered and striped is suitable. But this does not mean that they are not beautiful; with this design, the living room will become a very cozy place.