One important part of selecting the perfect wallpaper print for your space is making sure you're choosing the right shade or tint. In other words, will your wallpaper be a dark coloured wallpaper or a light coloured one? For those who have been following some of our previous articles, we've mentioned a bit here and there about when you want to choose light versus dark wallpaper colours, but in this article, we'll go into more detail about both of these groups.
Light Wallpaper Colors
Since colour can affect our mood and the way we perceive space, learning how to "read" the emotion of a wallpaper colour is important since it can alter the atmosphere of the room you're designing. Light wallpaper colours tend to make a room feel brighter, more open, and more welcoming. A popular sub-category of light-coloured wallpaper is pastel, which includes a variety of light colours such as blue, green, pink, and purple. These are typically used to add some colour to the space but aren't overwhelming since they're lighter and less vibrant.
Another good category for light-coloured wallpaper is neutral, which can include white, beige, taupe, and grey. Whereas pastel colours give the room a lighthearted, playful aesthetic, light neutral wallpaper colours tend to give the space a more classic or traditional feel.
Between light and dark wallpaper colours, light colours are more versatile since they look great in both small and large room sizes. Light wallpaper colours tend to unify the space much more, blending into the background rather than being the very first thing you see in the room.
This White Almond Blossom wallpaper in a light white colour with a textured gold almond blossom pattern has been an international success. This unique wallpaper is inspired by the famous work of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh in which the soul of his paintings is captured, including imperfections. Designed and reproduced with care, respect and love. To use the words of the master himself: “What is done in love is done well.
Neutral or light wallpaper like this R5004 will always be a classic. If the mood strikes and you decide you need some vibrant hues in your life, then you simply add a few inexpensive pillows in a bold colour or buy a beautiful bouquet of bright flowers and you're good to go, no need to do a total makeover.
Oftentimes, you'll see these colours used as the "base" for interior design, such as the carpeting in a room, or light beige paint on the walls. However, while neutral colours are versatile, they're far from generic. One of the biggest benefits is that light neutral wallpaper colours can be easily paired up with other colours to create more interesting, colourful looks.
When To Use Light Colors
If you're looking for wallpaper to decorate a smaller space, it's often recommended that you start looking at light wallpaper colours first. Because light wallpaper colours can make a room feel more spacious, this makes it well suited for smaller rooms. In addition, using light wallpaper colours in rooms under less optimal lighting can be beneficial.
This cute laundry room with a blush coloured wallpaper features large peacocks and flowers in an illustrative style. A balance of bold and thin linework with an overall metallic sheen makes this simple contemporary wallpaper ideal not only for a laundry room but also for a cool kids' or teens' bedroom. You want a unique interior that speaks to your vibrant personality, So you think this neutral-coloured wallpaper would work for you, right?
The photo above features fun, vintage floral wallpaper adorned with whimsical flowers in a paisley style. Bright and bold colours pop off the wall in this charming wallpaper design, making it a great statement wallpaper for your powder room or bedroom. Eclectic and evocative, this cream floral wallpaper will make any room feel even softer.
Between light and dark wallpaper colours, light colours are more versatile since they look great in both small and large room sizes. Light wallpaper colours tend to unify the space much more, blending into the background rather than being the very first thing you see in the room.
This can be a benefit for those who want to create a more relaxed rather than dramatic aesthetic. Light wallpaper colours aren't as "loud" as dark colours, which is useful for rooms like a home office or a bedroom if you want to create a more casual, calming space.
Dark Wallpaper Colors
While light wallpaper colours can make a room feel brighter and more spacious, dark wallpaper colours do the opposite. They can make a space look more enclosed, cosy, or smaller. Dark wallpaper colours are great for creating spaces that feel more intimate, so it's a good option if you have a larger space and you want to create this kind of aesthetic.
Some popular dark colours in our wallpaper catalogue include dark neutrals, such as dark brown, black, dark taupe, and dark grey. Similar to light neutrals, dark neutral colours are very versatile in terms of what other colours you want to pair it up with.
While light wallpaper colours can make a room feel brighter and more spacious, dark wallpaper colours do the opposite. They can make a space look more enclosed, cosy, or smaller. Dark wallpaper colours are great for creating spaces that feel more intimate, so it's a good option if you have a larger space and you want to create this kind of aesthetic.
Some popular dark colours in our wallpaper catalogue include dark neutrals, such as dark brown, black, dark taupe, and dark grey. Similar to light neutrals, dark neutral colours are very versatile in terms of what other colours you want to pair it up with.
Dark Walls and Patterned Wallpapers are undeniably the latest trends. As people continue to desire more luxurious spaces that create areas of harmony in the home, it is no surprise that dark-coloured wallpaper is only growing in popularity.
For an instance, the sample wallpaper above which is Charcoal Climbing in the Trees Wallpaper is a bolder and more trendy option that will give a room a sense of nostalgia with its tropical nature pattern featuring botanical palm trees adorned with cute little squirrel monkeys climbing throughout. The black colour and painted canvas look give a slightly vintage vibe, making this a fun, yet elegant contemporary style living wallpaper.
Compared to light wallpaper colours, dark wallpaper colours demand attention; it's usually the very first thing you see when you enter the room. Dark colours tend to be more dramatic in terms of altering the mood of the space, which is both a pro and a con, depending on what you want to achieve with your interior design.
When To Use Dark Colors
In general, dark colours aren't a good fit for smaller spaces as they can make the room feel more cramped or even smaller than it is. This means that smaller rooms are generally "harder" to choose wallpaper colours for since you have fewer options. You can work around this by using a dark wallpaper as a feature wall on a single wall in the room, minimizing the "enclosed" feeling you would get if you used it throughout the entire space.
However, if you're decorating a mid to large-sized room, your options are more open and you can use both light and dark colours. When using dark wallpaper colours, do keep in mind that it does create the look and feel of a more enclosed space. This can be great if you want to create a bedroom or living room that looks cosier.
This Black Holographic Hummingbirds wallpaper in bright, bold flying hummingbirds in this fun and vivid geometric wallpaper makes a dramatic statement in the room. Hand-drawn birds that are painted and lined with ink contrast against a holographic web of linework in the background. A metallic sheen coats the geometric lines for an added playful effect. The timeless design and sophisticated aura of black wallpaper can be used to create a modern feature wall when combined with more neutral colours or used throughout an entire room.
Keep in mind that dark wallpaper has a much more dramatic impact on a room than light coloured wallpaper. If your room has poor lighting conditions (such as no windows), dark colours can make the space feel drab or depressing. Dark wallpaper colours tend to take over the entire space more powerfully or dominantly than light colours; light wallpaper colours tend to "sit back" and blend into the space more effectively rather than becoming the centre of attention.
Comparing Light vs. Dark Wallpaper Colors
Colours lend a very specific look and feel to the space, changing the mood of the room. Below is a summary of what each colour "adds" to the room in terms of its emotional impact or association. Keep in mind this is just a generalization but it can help as a starting point for when you need to select your wallpaper colour.
How To Use Both Light and Dark Colors
While you can find wallpaper patterns that use only light colours or only dark colours, more often than not, you'll find wallpaper designs that use both light and dark colours together. For example, this watercolour Wetlands wallpaper below uses dark shades of blue to create the grassy areas, but this is offset with light green, light blue, and white.
When a wallpaper pattern uses both light and dark colours, this creates an interesting visual contrast that brings more attention to all colours. In other words, we notice the grassy areas of the wallpaper below because it's dark and we notice the lighter areas because it's contrasted against the darker parts of the wallpaper.
Light Side vs. Dark Side?
Whether you're a big fan of using light colours to accentuate the feeling of space or dark colours to create a more intimate room, both light and dark wallpaper colours have their own unique set of benefits. When selecting the perfect wallpaper colour for your space, be sure to keep in mind how colours will interact with your room – what kind of lighting is present? What size is your space? What "mood" or aesthetic do you want to create? Keeping all of these questions in mind will help you along the way as you pick out the perfect wallpaper for your room! What kind of wallpaper colours do YOU prefer – light colours or dark colours? Let us know in the comments below!
