Wallpaper Ideas for the Laundry Room

We don’t usually think about putting wallpaper in a laundry room. We probably think about it as a space for function rather than aesthetic. But with a whole world of wallcovering ideas, your laundry room can look just as appealing as the rest of your home. 

There are a number of factors you’ll need to consider to make the most of the space, including the light and size of the area. But with one of these inspiring updates, you’ll be rushing to the washer every day!

Back to Basics

In your laundry room, you’ll first want to think about the size of the room. Is it large and clinical or small and cozy?

Next, how much natural light do you have? Lighter colors will lighten up the space, darker colors will close it in. 

If you want to lighten up a small space, use a light colored paper with a simple pattern. For larger rooms which are a little spartan you can add busyness through an intricately patterned, brightly colored wallpaper.

Black and White

If you have a plain laundry room, as many of us do, you can think about the height of your fixtures and fittings and where on the wall to add some interest. 

You can make the best of a small space by drawing the eye up from a bland washer and dryer, to a monochrome patterned wallpaper and fixtures on the wall.

Layering with ornaments, plants, and decanting laundry detergent capsules into pretty jars is important for a designer finish. It will make your laundry room less utilitarian and feel more like pulling up a chair to enjoy the space!

Chinoiserie for Your Laundry Area

This pastel peacock print is a beautiful addition to this sophisticated laundry room. Picking out the colors of the cabinets and the counter top, this wallpaper lifts what could otherwise be an uninspiring space.

The colors and pattern are in keeping with the china blue cabinet doors and the white shiplap ceiling. This oriental style wallpaper would work equally well in a small home or cottage, or a grand, refined pad.  

Designer Techniques

It might take an experienced eye to recreate a look like this but if you follow some design basics you can achieve a similar look in your home.

The colors here lay down a foundation: the green walls, the trendy art print and the yellow door. All of these bold hues are picked out in the wallpaper mural. And what’s interesting is this feature has been placed where the wall is ever so slightly recessed.

You can make your wallpaper a feature by adding it to just one wall for accent. Or you could make your own DIY framed mural. You can paper a square and frame it with painted wooden strips fixed to the wall. Unusual but simple to achieve.

The Brightest Colors

While the sentiments of the framed picture, ‘Alexa, do the laundry’ may be ones we’d also have, we probably don’t have a robot to wash our clothes for us. We can do the next best thing, however, which is to enjoy getting the laundry done. 

This uber bright leaf pattern wallpaper complements the blue green cabinets and shelves in this laundry room to give it a breezy feel. 

Following those decanting tips with the detergent and clothes pins in cute jars, the yellow light fitting gives the final fun finish to this cheery space.

Plant Pattern

For a calmer, more subtle look, this leaf pattern is simpler in a white background with green leaves. The sheepskin style rug adds coziness and will be warm on your feet in colder months.

This little nook is enhanced by the wallpaper which tones in effortlessly with the live fern and the natural ornaments and basket. This is a great look to try in a small space as it’s interesting without being cluttered. 

Oranges are not the Only Fruit

For those who are feeling fruity, oranges are very on trend with some cool retro prints and framed pictures available. 

This romantic decor brings to mind a Spanish villa setting with a field of orange trees ripe to pick. The electrical goods are unfussy as is the plain white tile. On this plain backdrop, the orange print and the decorations on the shelf are an engaging accent.

Bold Print to Brighten up your Laundry Room

This bold print wallpaper is super cute and very fashionable. If you have a plain white laundry room like this, then simply by adding a light, bright print you can inject fun and color into the space.

This room is tiny but the paper design has been chosen as an illusion of space. When papering the wall you’ll need to match the pattern. This guide has tips on how to wallpaper your home and line up the design. 

Art Decor Laundry Room

A laundry room with an Art Deco theme will look cool and luxuriant. So if you have other Great Gatsby features in your house, you can tie in the theme.

These walls are clean and bright. For them to stay that way, you’ll have to consider the finish of your wallpaper. 

Your laundry room will have more moisture than other spaces so check that you buy paper suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. You’ll need it to be wipe clean and water resistant. 

Pink and Black

For a laundry room of your dreams, this pink and black decor is right up there. The black window and floor look cool against the sweet pink cabinets. The pretty, fun wallpaper as an accent lends a touch of lightness and romance.

This would work in a small or large space and the design with the leaves pointing up works to literally lift the feel of this room. So you can see how this design works well in a small space or on one wall.

Ceiling Heights

Wallpaper need not be reserved only for walls. If you are lucky to have floor to ceiling storage and cabinets, then why not add some height as well as a cheeky accent with wallpapered ceilings. 

This blue willow style paper is repeated in the ceramic glazed jars and the theme is continued with the bamboo picture frame. The epitome of simple yet effective.

This mint green fresh laundry room has wit and charm, not only with the swallows on the ceiling above, but also the swan ornament sitting on the counter top.

When you’re decorating, you needn’t blow the budget buying lots of accent ornaments and trinkets. Have a look around the rest of the house and try out looks with existing decorations. 

Conclusion

There are design rules when it comes to wallpaper – you’d usually not see a busy print in a small, dark room, for example. And certainly not if you’re wanting to achieve a light, bright look. 

But the good news is those rules are flexible. You don’t need to cover every wall, but you can use pattern in a small space as an accent feature. Or you can paper just the top or bottom half of the wall, or create a wallpaper panel.

For floor to ceiling cabinets, there is still room to paper – try the ceiling! And think about how the design makes you feel, and whether it encloses or lifts.