Wallpaper ideas for the all-important cloakroom

Creating a fun and quirky cloakroom is fast becoming a trend. This small space allows you to have fun and experiment with bold styles and crazy ideas. And using wallpaper is an easy, quick and affordable way to create a stunning design. Consider starting the project around your choice of wallpaper and work around it.

So what are the latest wallpaper trends? Well, let’s ask the experts. “Nature-inspired motifs such as botanical prints and scenic landscapes that provide a luxurious yet serene ambience are gaining in popularity,” says Rebecca Drury, co-founder of MissPrint. “Additionally, bold patterns are making a comeback, offering a vibrant option to infuse a sense of personality and create impact in a smaller space.”

Wallpapering the ceiling and using a mix of wallpaper and wood panelling are both gaining in popularity. And quirky wallpaper designs can be a great choice for cloakrooms. Working within a small space gives you freedom to be more creative as it isn’t a big commitment. If you’re going for a busy patterned wallpaper be careful that you think about the scale of the pattern, as you don’t want important parts of the design to be lost in the small space.

While you are focused on the walls, remember lighting! “If you’re going for a dark and moody feel you and your guests still need to be able to see!” reminds Sophie, design director and co- founder of The Living House. “Brighten up the room with a mirror, this will help to bounce the light around and can make the space feel bigger. Add an interesting ceiling light and perhaps some wall lights to create layers of lighting. Lighting really can make or break a room, so it’s important.

Let’s get started with the latest cloakroom wallpaper ideas, shall we?

Botanical and tropical

The trend for flora and fauna as wallpaper for the bathroom is expanding. And we’re seeing green everywhere in cloakroom, bathroom and mastersuite designs.

Sara Ripamonti, co-founder of Aflux Designs, has some insights: “2023 has been the year of colour, so homeowners are looking to incorporate more adventurous colours and patterns into their homes – and wallpaper is a great way to do that. Bright florals and botanical prints are on the increase, as many look to make an eye-catching statement that also connects more with the outside world.”

Cloakroom with red and green fauna wallpaper
Design by Nardus Lamprecht of Interiors by Nardus, price on application.
Blue downstairs toilet with grey  wallpaper
Aston Matthews cloakroom design using Milk & Honey wallpaper panel 3m x 3m, £1,499.
Botanical downstairs toilet wallpaper
Aflux Designs cloakroom with botanical wallpaper

Downstairs toilet wallpaper: Floral patterns

Moving on to more stylised floral patterns, a plain painted background combined with wallpaper will make the wallpaper less busy but still add intrigue. Using more block colours means you can play around with the other shades in the bathroom. We love the cloakroom below that uses a blue wallpaper and contrasting green wall panelling.

downstairs toilet with blue wallpaper and green wood panelling
Arts & Crafts Canterbury Bells, £75, Beautiful Walls.
Pink and green leaf wallpaper with white tiles
Cloakroom with upstand and washstand, £735, Burlington.
Palm tree stylised wallpaper in cloakroom
Jungle Palm, £96.00 for 52cm x 10m, MissPrint.

Downstairs toilet wallpaper: Twists on vintage

Over the top wallpaper designs are also growing in popularity. Uber-chic designs work well with small spaces. Sophie, design director and co-founder of The Living House advises: “When it comes to your cloakrooms and downstairs toilets, you really can go bold and be brave with your design decisions.

“However, try to create a link within the space to make it all make sense. This may be selecting one of the colours out of the wallpaper and using it within the flooring or with the paint colour you choose.” For example, in the inspo photos below, the pink background with the swans matches the pink countertop and the gold in the wallpaper in the blue design works well with the accent of the splashback. It’s all about the little details.

Bold pink swan wallpaper in cloakroom
Cloakroom design by KWD featuring Heron printed wallpaper by Gucci, price available on application. Image courtesy of Perrin & Rowe. Photography: Armelle Habib.
vintage style wallpapper with flamingos and orchids.
Tropical Shore in Green wallpaper, £99 per roll, Feathr.
Downstairs toilet wallpaper with pink scallops.
Design by Elie Jones Interiors.

Final tips and tricks

Water plus wallpaper can equal disaster. One solution is buying wallpaper designed explicitly for bathrooms – these often have a coating to make them splashproof or made from special plastics.

If you have your heart set on a specific non-splashproof wallpaper, Kerry McKenzie, co-founder at Brand McKenzie, has some advice. She says: “When it comes to protecting your investment, varnishing the wallpaper is a smart move. Water splashes are a common occurrence in areas like around the sink, and if left untreated, they can damage the wallpaper. By sealing the wallpaper with a coat of clear decorator’s varnish such as Polyvine, you can protect it from water splashes, ensuring that it stays looking beautiful.”

Wallpaper is notoriously difficult to do yourself, so consider hiring a professional. However, small jobs like this may not be worth their time, so try to batch your wallpaper jobs together to ensure you can get a good quality tradesperson who is happy to take on the job.

Need more inspo? Here are some quirky downstairs loo ideas we spotted on Instagram

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