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WALLPAPER IS EVERYWHERE right now and can make a huge impact – adding pattern and colour, texture and tactility to your home.
Look at previous projects of interior designer Ali Kirby and you’d be surprised for thinking that she’s a lover of wallpaper, however, like many of us, Ali is discovering (or perhaps rediscovering) wallpaper in 2025 and has decreed it her ‘latest obsession’.
“In my past projects I was more drawn to a muted paint palette on the walls with colour and pattern featuring in artworks and soft furnishings,” she says. “However, since discovering brands like Sandberg, and sensing a shift in my own design aesthetic, I am working with wallpaper much more in my current projects.”
Ali believes that the boom in the use of wallpaper in interiors is representative of a wider shift in interior trends. “There is a shift towards a rich palette of colours, materials and objects that layer heritage and craft, and that provide a sense of authenticity to our homes,” she says. “Wallpaper plays a vital role in this layering of warmth and tactility through colour, pattern and storytelling.”
The designer believes that wallpaper can add depth and visual interest to any space. “Whether you choose a large botanical print or a mural for a whimsical or immersive experience, or a small geometric or floral pattern for a timeless and elegant look, your wallpaper will create a sense of place and will form a rich backdrop for your day-to-day living,” she says.
Wallpaper has come a long way in latter years and there is now a huge range of truly stunning options on the market whatever your taste or style. Whether you favour retro style graphic patterns, bold botanicals, chic stripes or textured papers in neutral shades there is a wallpaper for you and nostalgic types will be pleased to see the return of borders though they’re a lot more chic than the ones that adorned many a hall, stairs and landing in the 1990s. This time think using them to emphasise the positive features of your room, to create a panelled look or to bring the eye up rather than cutting your wall height in two.
Colour drenching has been gaining in popularity for a while now when it comes to paint but many designers are going for a full immersion experience by papering the ceiling too or by papering the ceiling in a contrasting paper in a modern twist on the feature wall. “Applying wallpaper to the ceiling is a modern twist on the ‘feature wall’ and can be really successful, particularly in bedrooms, where you might want to introduce some colour and pattern in a playful way,” advises Ali.
While the love of all thing mid-Century modern continues apace there has also been a revival in 1970s-inspired prints at brands such as Harlequin were Lead Designer Flora Daly echoes Ali’s thoughts on consumers’ desire for a blend of nostalgia and modernity.
“The 70s revival look is the perfect blend of nostalgia and modern charm we crave at home. Kickstarted by the design industry’s love of brown tones across fashion and interiors, it has slowly crept in, and we will surely see it hit with maximum impact in 2026,” she says. “In interiors, this plays into a love of the bold and daring, toned down in shades that minimise any psychedelia. Whether discovered in perfectly aligned checkerboards, or inspired by more random architectural formations, geometries feel perfectly in tune with that 70s revival in interiors. Layer textures in fabrics such as plush velvets in greens and rust for a textural and balanced finish.”
If you prefer less pattern and a more neutral approach to your walls there is no dearth of options on the market either with some beautiful textured wallpapers that mimic the look of linen or herringbone tweed or how about grasscloth or tactile flock papers? Meanwhile companies such as Timorous Beasties and Divine Savages (whose co-founder, Tom Kennedy, we interview here this week) are a great place to start for a more-is-more look.
“The increase in popularity of textured and embossed wallpapers seems to speak to our desire for tactility in our homes,” says Ali. “When choosing a very rich texture I tend to keep the colour palette more muted to create balance in the décor scheme.”
From her own perspective, she favours the Swedish brand Sandberg where you’ll find a beautiful range of papers including check patterns, vintage-style florals and marbled effects. “My favourite wallpapers are from the Swedish brand Sandberg – particularly their new floral ranges that reinterpret 18th Century French styles,” she says. “They are incredibly elegant and timeless, with a contemporary twist.”
Morris & Co. is another great source for any lovers of vintage and floral styles. Handmade in the UK, the Morris & Co. papers reflect the design legacy of William Morris, J. H. Dearle and the original creatives behind Morris & Co. while newer designs draw inspiration continue to pay homage to these legends of craft and design. An interesting new release by the company is the Morris & Co. x The Huntington ‘The Unfinished Works’ collection which launched in September. The new designs are based on 50 unfinished works by William Morris discovered by the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in California and completed by the current design studio following extensive research. The project adds 42 new design iterations to the Morris & Co. portfolio – designs repainted in the modern-day studio with incredible accuracy and attention to detail.
When it comes to style you are only limited by your own imagination as there is something to suit all tastes and styles. “There are so many styles, patterns, colourways and textures available – from the subtle to the bold or maximalist,” says Ali. “However, I would keep in mind the type of mood or atmosphere you are trying to create in any room, and then choose a wallpaper that evokes that mood. And then, if you’re just dipping your toe into the idea, I would highly recommend wallpapering a WC or a small study first. It’s a great way to introduce colour and pattern into your home without it dominating the overall décor scheme.”
Before getting started she recommends sourcing wallpaper samples to get a better sense of colours and patterns in the natural light in your home and if you’ve never used wallpaper before it could be a good time to call in the experts: “I would also hire a decorating expert who will prepare your walls ahead of wallpapering for a seamless finish,” she says.
Address Book:
Ali Kirby Studio provides residential interior design services across Dublin. Contact Ali at alikirbystudio.com or on Intagram. Sanderson’s range of brands includes Sanderson, Harlequin, Zoffany, Clarke & Clarke, Morris & Co. and Scion and is a great place to start. Find them at sandersondesign.group. In Ireland, Stillorgan Decor has a wide range of wallpapers from brands including Farrow & Ball, Emma Shipley, Casa Deco and 1838 Wallcoverings or contact your local interior designer for advice.
A visual reference of William Morris’s extensive range of textile and wallpaper designs, drawn from the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London is available now. William Morris: Pattern & Design introduced by Jenny Lister (Thames & Hudson/V&A) is a visual reference of William Morris’s extensive range of textile and wallpaper designs containing nearly 400 of Morris’s ingenious textile and wallpaper patterns designed to inspire and inform designers, illustrators and Morris aficionados everywhere. 29.95. thamesandhudson.com
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