8 Creative Ways to Use Wallpaper to Refresh a Room

You don't have to paper a whole wall to change how a room feels. Some of the most striking wallpaper projects cover a ceiling, the back of an alcove, a stairwell or the lower half of a wall. This guide covers 8 creative ways to use wallpaper in smaller, unexpected places, with a real design for each and which ones suit renters.

TL;DR: Use wallpaper where people don't expect it. These 8 ideas cover the ceiling, an alcove, a wallpaper headboard, a half wall, a stairwell, a pantry, a framed mural panel and a kids' reading nook. Small areas mean small orders, and every design is printed to the size you enter.

Can you refresh a room without papering every wall?

Yes. Wallpaper on one small, well-chosen area often changes a room more than a full wall, because it shows up where the eye doesn't expect pattern. A papered ceiling, an alcove or the space behind open shelves adds color and depth while the main walls stay calm.

Small projects are also easier to try. You need less wallpaper, less time and less nerve. If you love the result, you can go bigger later. If you're renting, a peel and stick finish lets you change it again when you move.

Pick a spot you already look at every day. A papered ceiling over the bed, the alcove beside the TV, the wall you see from the front door. A small project in a spot you pass all the time does more than a big one in a corner nobody notices.

8 Creative Ways to Use Wallpaper in a Room

These 8 ideas all use less than a full room of wallpaper. Each one names a real design, its type, and the kind of room it suits. Every design is printed to the width and height you enter, so a small alcove or a narrow stair wall gets a design sized to fit it, with no leftover rolls.

1. Paper the Ceiling

A papered ceiling, often called the fifth wall, makes a room feel finished and cozy. Clouds are a natural fit overhead. The Dreamy Painted Clouds Wall Mural puts soft white clouds on a pale blue sky with visible brush texture.

Standard Paper, Premium Matte and Canvas Paper can all go on ceilings, according to our FAQs. Plan for two people.

For more overhead ideas, read our guide to ceiling wallpaper ideas.

2. Line an Alcove or the Wall Behind Open Shelves

The wall inside an alcove or behind open shelving is a small area that frames everything in front of it. A quiet pattern works best, because books and objects will sit on top of it. The Linear Botanicals Wallpaper draws fine white flower outlines on soft gray.

Keep the shelves a little sparse at first, so the pattern shows between objects. See more in our botanical wallpaper collection.

3. Create a Wallpaper Headboard

You can skip the headboard and paper a panel behind the bed instead. Order a wall mural sized to the width of your bed plus a little on each side, and hang it from the floor to just above where a headboard would sit. The Chic Sunset Arches Wall Mural layers blush, sand and terracotta arches that look made for it.

For more ideas behind the bed, read our guide to bedroom accent walls.

4. Cover the Lower Half of a Wall

Paper the wall below a chair rail or a painted line and keep the top half plain. It's a classic look for dining rooms, hallways and kids' rooms, and it protects the part of the wall that gets bumped most. Vertical stripes are a traditional choice here.

The Warm Beige Textured Distressed Stripes on Creamy White Wallpaper has soft, slightly uneven stripes that look relaxed rather than formal.

More options sit in our striped wallpaper range.

5. Turn a Stairwell into a Feature

A stairwell is a tall, narrow wall that most people leave plain. A bold repeat pattern makes it the most interesting space in the house. The Starburst Deco Wallpaper repeats black radial bursts on a pale ground in a classic art deco style.

Stairwell installs need a ladder or platform and usually two people. Our guide to staircase wallpaper ideas covers layouts and safety.

6. Surprise Inside a Pantry or Closet

The inside of a walk-in pantry or closet is a small, private space where you can be bolder than anywhere else. A cheerful pattern makes a plain storage room feel finished every time you open the door.

The Mediterranean Citrus Grove Orchard Wallpaper scatters watercolor lemons and green leaves across white. It's fresh in a pantry and bright in a dark closet.

Browse more in our kitchen wallpaper collection.

7. Frame a Mural Like Wall Art

Order a wall mural at the size of a large framed print, hang it on a plain wall, and frame it with simple wood molding or painted trim. It gives you art-gallery scale for a long wall above a sofa or bed. Painterly scenes work best.

The Earthy Mountain Sunset Wall Mural stacks terracotta and charcoal ridges under an ochre sun. Its painted style reads as art rather than wallpaper.

Paint the molding the same color as the wall, not a contrasting one. The mural then looks built in, like a recessed panel, rather than a sticker with a frame around it.

8. Make a Kids' Reading Nook

A small corner with a cushion and a papered wall becomes a reading nook children actually use. A woodland scene with animals gives them something new to spot each time. The Enchanted Forest Nursery Friends Wall Mural sets watercolor deer, rabbits and bluebirds among birch trees.

Hang it at child height, with the animals low enough to see from the floor. See more in our kids room wallpaper collection.

Which ideas suit renters and which suit owners?

Renters should pick projects on easy, flat surfaces and use peel and stick, which comes off by hand. Ceilings, stairwells and half walls with a chair rail are better for owners, because they're harder to install and usually paired with paste-the-paper finishes. Here's how the 8 ideas compare.

Our paper types page lists all 8 finishes.

Renters can also read our guide to removable wallpaper myths before choosing.

How much wallpaper do small projects need?

Measure the widest width and the tallest height of the area you want to cover, then add about 2 inches (5 cm) to each for trimming. Giffywalls prints to the size you enter, so a small alcove or a pantry wall is a small order, with no leftover rolls to buy.

For a headboard panel or framed mural, measure the shape you want, not the whole wall. For a half wall, measure from the floor to the chair rail. Our how to measure guide has diagrams for sloped and awkward walls.

Should you choose peel and stick or paste-the-paper for small projects?

Choose peel and stick for small, low-commitment projects like an alcove, a headboard panel or a pantry, because it needs no glue and comes off by hand. Choose paste-the-paper for ceilings, stairwells and half walls you plan to keep, where you want a lasting finish and a richer texture.

Peel & Stick is also our pick for kitchens and bathrooms, as long as it stays away from direct water spray. Every paste-the-paper order comes with free glue and a squeegee. Not sure? Order a sample of the finish and test it on the surface first. Our peel and stick installation guide walks through the steps.

What should you avoid with small wallpaper projects?

Avoid busy, large-scale patterns in very small spaces, and avoid surfaces wallpaper isn't made for. A huge motif on a narrow alcove gets cut off and looks accidental. Our materials are made for walls and ceilings, so check with us before trying furniture, doors or anything that gets wet or handled a lot.

Also avoid freshly painted walls. Fresh paint needs 3 to 4 weeks to cure before wallpaper goes on top, or the paper may not stick well and can pull paint off later. Wash and dry the area first, and fill any holes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put wallpaper on furniture or doors?

Our wallpaper is made for walls and ceilings, so we don't list furniture or doors as recommended surfaces. Surfaces that get handled, bumped or cleaned often can wear the edges quickly. If you want to try it, order a sample first and test it on a hidden spot, or contact us to ask.

Can I use wallpaper in a kitchen or pantry?

Yes. Peel & Stick is our recommended finish for kitchens and bathrooms. It handles humidity well and wipes clean with a damp cloth. Keep it away from direct water spray, such as behind a sink without a backsplash. A pantry or a wall away from the stove is an easy place to start.

How long does a small wallpaper project take?

A small peel and stick project, like an alcove or pantry wall, can take an afternoon once the wall is clean and dry. Paste-the-paper takes longer, and the glue needs about 24 hours to dry. Ceilings and stairwells take the most time, so plan a full day and a helper.

Can I order a small size, like a single panel?

Yes. Every Giffywalls design is printed to the width and height you enter on the product page, so you can order exactly the area you want to cover. Add about 2 inches to each measurement for trimming, and you'll receive numbered panels ready to hang.

Start Small, Then Go Bigger

Pick one small spot you see every day and try a design there first. A ceiling, an alcove or a pantry is enough to change how a room feels. When you're ready to choose a design, browse our peel and stick wallpaper collection and order it printed to your size.