Busting a Myth – Dark Wallpaper Makes Rooms Look LARGER – Not Smaller

Everyone advised this homeowner not to put black in the dining room, that it would make the room too dark. But she had a vision and went with her gut. She was right – the room looks fabulous and elegant. And the texture and sheen on the walls visually expanded the space.

There is enough white molding in the room to play against the black. And the satiny drapes, along with the slight sheen of the grasscloth wallcovering bounce light around the room.

Accent wall in dining room. White swirls (look closely – they’re snakes!) add movement that make this wall lively, not closed-in.

In this master bedroom , everything’s dark – dark green walls , black ceiling , and black floral wallpaper .
If this accent wall had been left painted green , the room would have felt dark and lifeless . But the black against the green, along with the limited color pallet and the visual movement of the wallpaper pattern visually push the wall back and add depth .

This powder room started out all black. And it was a bit oppressive .

But add wallpaper with a little color and pattern , and now the room feels larger and alive with personality .

A powder room with black moldings and black wallpaper. Nothing claustrophobic here!

Another powder room that started out with black painted walls . Yes, it has an enclosed feeling.

Wallpaper with a black background and dark flora / fauna open up the space.
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From 20 Years of Red to Sweet Light Floral

Red is a classic dining room color, and painted walls served well since the late ’90’s. This homeowner has classic taste – note the elegant moldings below the chair rail and around the windows.

The update is lighter and brighter and opens up the room, making it feel larger.
Note the wallpaper around the corner on the right.

This is the paper in the adjoining hallway, which has been in place for decades. The new pattern coordinates beautifully in theme and color!

Close-up. Roses and script.

Norwall is a very economical brand (something like $25 per double roll on sale). Not my favorite quality, because the gritty paper backing can absorb humidity and separate from the thick vinyl surface, plus the seams tend to “pouch” a bit and don’t look great. But I’ve discovered that rolling a bit of wallpaper paste onto the wall under the seam areas will help to “suck down” the edges, creating better seams. I also do believe that the manufacturer has improved the substrate.

I was pleased with the way the seams looked on this install. You’re looking at a very close-up picture. Once the paper is dried and from two feet away, these seams will be invisible. In fact, the homeowner kept walking around the room remarking how she couldn’t even find a seam. Note the slightly textured surface.

The home is in the far west area of Houston.