How to Wallpaper Your Bathroom

You don’t have to wallpaper your entire bathroom to make a big impact. Use wallpaper to highlight the part of your bathroom that includes the vanity. A wallpaper with a strong pattern or bright color can really make this section pop.

Vinyl peel-and-stick wallpaper works well in bathrooms, which can be hot and humid. It’s easier to install than traditional wallpaper. Peel-and-stick wallpaper can also be removed pretty easily. When you’re ready to sell your home or when your lease is up, you can take it off the bathroom walls without too much trouble.

When you’re adding wallpaper around the vanity, don’t get too close to the sink. Though vinyl wallpaper can handle some splashes, it shouldn’t get wet on a regular basis.

As you get ready to apply any wallpaper, clean the bathroom walls thoroughly. Fix any flaws in the walls so that the surface will be smooth. The walls should be completely dry before you start putting up wallpaper. If your bathroom always seems a little damp, you may want to avoid adding wallpaper to it.

Some homes have panels or tiles that cover the bottom half of the bathroom walls. In general, you don’t want to place wallpaper over tile, but you can still cover the area above the wall panel. If your bathroom walls aren’t partially tiled or paneled, you can still cover the top half of the wall with wallpaper to create interest.

A floral or scenic print that could be too much on a full wall may be perfect above a wall panel. You could also select a pattern to complement tile, a countertop or other bathroom features. To take the look to the next level, you could paint the bottom half of the wall with a color drawn from the design of the wallpaper.

Measuring the space where you want to put wallpaper is essential. Peel-and-stick wallpaper is available by the roll. You’ll need to figure out how many rolls you’ll need for your project.

Choose one wall and cover it with wallpaper from floor to ceiling for an eye-catching feature. Wallpaper with bold patterns work well. Give your bathroom a tropical feel with a large-scale wallpaper design featuring palm fronds or an ocean-inspired scene. Prefer a classic look? Try a simple pattern in an understated gray.

With wallpaper, you can also create a faux finish for your bathroom walls. Install wallpaper that looks like tiles, stone, exposed brick, wood paneling or even shiplap.

If your bathroom has a shelving unit, whether it’s freestanding or built in, it can be updated with wallpaper. As you consider wallpaper for a shelving nook, think about what you keep on the shelves. The wallpaper could be a nod to what’s stored there. For a coordinated look, choose a design or colors that go with your shower curtain or towels.

The way you’ll place wallpaper in a shelving nook will depend on the types of shelves you have. You might add wallpaper to the inside back of the shelves. For open shelves, place the wallpaper on the wall behind the shelves. Peel-and-stick wallpaper works especially well for shelves.