Colorful wallpaper has become one of my favorite ways to shift the mood of a room. Each pattern started as a hunch, something I wanted to feel, and then became a backdrop we now live with every day. Together they tell a story of how our house has taken shape, layer by layer.

These are the seven colorful wallpaper patterns in our home, and the stories behind why I chose each one.

Office – A Street Prints Floral

I had so many different routes I wanted to take in this room. What I knew for sure was that I wanted to be drenched in pattern, a little cocoon of texture where ideas could bounce around and land. Once I narrowed in on that feeling, the A Street Prints floral was the clear winner. It felt like a wild card at first, but now I can’t imagine the office without it. The pattern wraps the room in energy and makes sitting down to work feel like entering a creative greenhouse.

Main Bedroom – Sandberg Birds

This wallpaper was chosen before we even moved in. I kept coming back to it. The soft, storybook quality of the birds felt right for a bedroom. When I realized it also matched the existing green trim, the decision was made. It feels calm but not flat, a little poetic, like waking up inside a painting. The pattern holds the main bedroom together without asking for attention, which is exactly what I want in the place I begin and end my days.

Kids’ Bedroom – Sandberg Navy Stripe

For the kids’ bedroom, I wanted something that felt classic and easy to live with. A simple navy stripe from Sandberg was the answer, and I don’t think I considered anything else. It has a timelessness that can grow with them, playful enough for childhood but not so specific that they’ll outgrow it right away. The stripes bring a bit of order and rhythm, and the deep blue gives the room a grounded, cozy feel. This pattern is discontinued, but you can peruse Sandberg’s other striped wallpapers here!

Kids’ Bathroom – Sanderson Hollyhocks

For the kids’ bathroom, I wanted a colorful wallpaper that felt playful but not childish. Hollyhocks felt just right, and this print worked well with the vintage butter yellow tile without feeling too matchy or overly girly. They bring a sense of joy and a little bit of wildness to a very practical room. Every time I see them, it feels like the space is blooming, and I love that the kids get to grow up with that kind of energy around them.

Stairwell – Ottoline Stripes

The stairwell was asking for a spark, something graphic. Stripes felt inevitable, and I immediately thought of Ottoline’s unique ability to keep graphic prints feeling quirky and warm… something about their work prevents prints like that from feeling too stiff. This colorful wallpaper print is impossible to ignore. Walking through the stairwell now feels like stepping into a little moment of theater. I love it so much. 

Guest Room – Sandberg Spring Green

With the guest room, the goal was simple: welcome. I wanted it to feel fresh and restful, a place people could exhale. The spring green pattern from Sandberg struck that balance. It nods to the countryside, soft and timeless, without veering into precious. Every time I walk in, it feels like opening the window on the first warm day of the season.

Kitchenette – Galerie Pomona

The kitchenette was my chance to add some color in a basement that we had removed so much texture from. After we painted the brick and removed the cream color from the walls, I didn’t want this space to feel like an afterthought. I wanted it to have its own personality. The Galerie Pomona wallpaper gave me that. It’s lush and a little dramatic, but doesn’t compete with the bold terracotta tile.

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Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.