Why Wallpaper Is a Must Have for Your Home in 2027

By Dipan Patel, co-founder of Giffywalls | Last updated: 26 September 2026

Yes, wallpaper is worth it. It adds texture, pattern and color that paint cannot copy, it covers minor wall flaws, and modern peel and stick options go up in an afternoon and come off cleanly. For most homes, one papered wall does more for a room than a full repaint, often with less effort.

The benefits of wallpaper come down to three things: character, flexibility and fit. Giffywalls prints custom sized peel and stick wallpaper and large format murals made to measure for homes and commercial spaces, so every design is sized to the wall it will cover. Below, we compare wallpaper vs paint on cost and effort, clear up the common myths and show the rooms where it pays off most.

Is Wallpaper Worth It in 2027? Key Benefits of Wallpaper

Wallpaper is worth it when you want a finished, designed wall without the repeat work that paint demands. Its main benefits are:

• Texture and pattern that paint cannot reproduce
• Printed to your exact wall size, so the design fits edge to edge
• Renter friendly peel and stick options that lift off cleanly
• Better at hiding hairline cracks and patchy drywall
• Wipeable, durable finishes for busy rooms
• Faster to refresh one wall than to repaint a whole room
• Personal designs, down to a mural printed from your own photo

Homeowners are noticing. Mordor Intelligence forecasts that residential wallpaper installations will grow at a 5.14% compound annual rate through 2031, faster than commercial use, and credits peel and stick formats with lowering the barrier for home buyers (Mordor Intelligence).

7 Benefits of Wallpaper for Your Home

Each benefit below comes from what we see on real orders: the questions customers ask before buying and the photos they send once the wall is finished.

1. Character and Texture Paint Cannot Match

Paint gives a wall one flat color. Wallpaper can carry a pattern, a scene or the look of a natural material such as linen, plaster, stone or woven grass. Printed texture reads as real from across the room, and it catches light differently through the day, which gives a plain wall quiet depth.

This is the benefit people underestimate most. We regularly see customers order a textured sample for a single plain wall and end up covering the whole room once they see it in their own light. If you want to start subtle, our textured wallpaper designs give a room warmth without shouting.

2. Made to Your Exact Wall Size

Most wallpaper frustration comes from guessing: buying too little, running out halfway, or ending with a seam or motif in the wrong spot. When the design is printed to your measurements, that guessing disappears. You enter the width and height, and the panels are set up for that wall.

Our printers prepare each order for the wall you measured, which means the pattern can be centered, a mural can frame the headboard or sofa, and there is far less waste to throw away. It also makes odd walls simple: a narrow wall between two doors, a tall stairwell or an extra wide great room all work the same way.

3. Renter Friendly Peel and Stick

Peel and stick wallpaper has a self-adhesive backing. You peel away the liner, line up the panel and smooth it on with a plastic smoother. While you align each panel, you can lift and reposition it, which makes it forgiving for first timers.

For renters, this is the big one. A papered wall can be a temporary change that comes down when your lease ends, with no scraping and no primer. Browse our peel and stick wallpaper range if you want the look without a long commitment. Always test a sample in a hidden corner first, and check your lease for rules on wall changes.

4. Hides Minor Wall Flaws

Flat paint, especially with a bit of sheen, shows every patched nail hole and uneven repair when light hits the wall at an angle. A patterned or textured wallpaper breaks up the surface, so the eye reads the design instead of the flaw.

Be realistic about limits. Wallpaper hides hairline cracks, small patches and uneven paint texture well. It will not hide large holes, bumps or crumbling plaster, and thin peel and stick panels can show a big bump underneath. Fill, sand and wipe the wall first, and the finished result will look far better.

5. Wipeable, Durable Options for Busy Rooms

Many modern printed wallpapers wipe clean with a damp cloth, which suits hallways, kitchens and kids rooms where hands and bags touch the walls. Scuffs on flat paint tend to need a touch up, and touch ups on older paint rarely blend in.

In bathrooms, pick a design meant for the space, install it where the room is well ventilated and keep it out of direct shower spray. Our bathroom wallpaper collection is a good place to start for powder rooms and half baths, where a bold wall makes a big impression in a small footprint.

6. Faster Than a Full Repaint

A proper repaint means moving furniture, taping trim, priming, two coats and drying time between them. According to Angi, painting a room averages around $1,100, with most projects falling between $200 and $2,000 (Angi).

A single accent wall in peel and stick, by contrast, is usually an afternoon job for one or two people. There are no fumes, no drying time and no second coat. You get a finished feature wall the same day, and the rest of the room stays usable while you work.

7. Custom Murals From Your Own Photo

This is where wallpaper leaves paint behind entirely. A custom wall mural lets you put a family photo, a favorite landscape, a piece of artwork or a brand graphic across a full wall. Because everything is customizable, you choose the image, the crop and the exact size.

You can upload your own image and we print it to your wall measurements. Our tip from experience: send the largest original file you have, not a screenshot or an image saved from social media, since those are compressed and lose detail when printed across a wall.

Wallpaper vs Paint: Cost, Lifespan and Effort

Paint and wallpaper both have a place. The table below shows how they compare on the points people ask us about most.

The pro installed figures come from Angi's cost guides for wallpaper installation and room painting. On price alone the two are close. The difference is what you get for the money: paint delivers a color, while wallpaper delivers a design.

Our honest verdict is to use both. Paint the ceiling, trim and secondary walls, then put wallpaper on the one wall people should notice. If you are choosing that wall now, our accent wall wallpaper collection groups the designs that work best as a single focal point.

Where Wallpaper Makes the Biggest Difference, Room by Room

Some rooms benefit more than others. Here is where wallpaper earns its place fastest, and why it beats paint in each one.

In our experience, the bedroom headboard wall and the living room TV wall are where customers get the most reaction for the least effort. Both are walls you look at every day, and both usually have little else on them.

Wallpaper Looks Worth Committing to in 2027

If you want a design that still feels right in five years, lean on tone and texture over novelty. These are the looks we are printing most often right now:

• Warm neutrals with a linen, plaster or grasscloth texture
• Oversized florals and botanicals on a single wall
• Scenic landscape murals in bedrooms and home offices
• Earthy tones such as terracotta, clay and ochre
• Quiet tonal patterns for rooms with low light

For a full breakdown of each look, with the rooms it suits best, read our guide to 2027 wallpaper trends.

Wallpaper Myths, Debunked

Many people still picture wallpaper as the fussy, glued down paper their parents spent a weekend steaming off. Here is what has changed.

Myth 1: Wallpaper Is Hard to Remove

Old wallpaper was often hung with heavy glue over unprimed walls, which is why removal stories are so painful. Removable peel and stick panels come down by lifting a corner and pulling slowly at a low angle, close to the wall. Modern paste papers are also far easier than their older cousins: warm water or a steamer usually loosens them in one piece.

Myth 2: Wallpaper Looks Dated

What looks dated is a specific style: tiny busy repeats, borders at chair rail height and faded colors. Today's printing allows large scale murals, soft textures and designs sized to a single wall, which read as modern and intentional. If you are curious about the cultural side of that shift, we cover it in why wallpaper is making a comeback.

Myth 3: Wallpaper Damages Walls

Damage almost always comes from poor preparation or rushed removal, not from the wallpaper itself. Prime new drywall before any paper goes up, give fresh paint a few weeks to cure before applying peel and stick, and test a small sample in a corner. Take panels down slowly, and your wall should look the way it did before.

How to Measure, Sample and Order

Getting a wall right is mostly about doing three small things in the right order.

1. Order a sample first. Look at it on the actual wall in morning and evening light. Colors shift with daylight and lamps, and a sample also lets you test how the material behaves on your paint.
2. Measure the wall. Note the widest width and the highest height of the wall itself, leaving out baseboards and crown molding. Our step by step measuring guide walks through it with diagrams.
3. Choose your paper type. Peel and stick suits renters and quick refreshes. Paste papers such as standard, premium and canvas suit rooms where you want the look for the long term.
4. Enter your size and order. Designs start at $3.90 per sq ft and are printed to the dimensions you enter, so you are not trimming a generic size to fit. Orders ship within one to two business days, with free and fast shipping on every order.

Once your panels arrive, keep them flat, check the labeled order, and start from the center or from the edge the instructions recommend. Pick a design, order your samples this week, and live with them for a few days. The right wall usually becomes obvious quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is wallpaper better than paint for an accent wall?

Usually, yes. Paint gives an accent wall a new color, while wallpaper adds color plus pattern, texture or a full scene. It also hides small flaws and comes off cleanly if you choose peel and stick. Paint still wins on ceilings, trim and walls you plan to change every season.

Does wallpaper add value to a home?

It adds appeal rather than a guaranteed dollar value. A tasteful, well installed accent wall helps a room photograph and show better, while bold patterns throughout the house may narrow buyer interest. If you plan to sell soon, keep wallpaper to one or two feature walls that are easy to take down.

Can renters use wallpaper without losing a deposit?

Yes, in most cases. Peel and stick wallpaper is designed to come off without scraping or residue on a sound, painted wall. Test a small sample in a hidden corner first, remove panels slowly at a low angle when you move out, and check your lease for any rules on wall changes.

How long does peel and stick wallpaper last?

On a clean, smooth, painted wall away from direct water and heat, peel and stick wallpaper can stay in place for years. Lifespan depends on wall prep, humidity and sunlight. Edges that lift early usually point to dust, paint that had not cured, or a textured surface underneath the panels.

Will removing wallpaper damage my walls?

Not if the wall was prepared well. Peel and stick panels release when pulled slowly at a low angle, and paste papers soften with warm water or steam. Damage usually happens on unprimed drywall or when paper is torn off quickly, so prime new drywall before any wallpaper goes up.

Is wallpaper still in style in 2027?

Yes. Wallpaper remains a favorite way to add warmth and personality, with textured neutrals, large florals and scenic murals leading the way. The looks that age best lean on tone and texture rather than a passing motif, so order a sample and live with it for a few days before committing.

How do I order wallpaper for an odd sized wall?

Measure the widest width and the highest height of the wall, leaving out baseboards and crown molding, then enter those numbers on the product page. The design prints to that size. For sloped ceilings or cutouts around windows, order the full rectangle and trim the extra during installation.