Explore the 7 exciting trends which are inspiring decor this year.

Wanting to make over a room in your home? The quickest way to completely transform a space is with wallpaper. Not only does wallpaper allow you to express your personality in the most expansive way possible, it can also help create areas of interest in your home and make it feel completely your own. Whether you prefer styling that’s subtle or sophisticated, minimalist or bold, wallpaper can set the tone and act as either a background for your chosen décor, or a design feature all its own.

With so much choice and variety available when it comes to selecting your wallpaper, a good place to start is by looking at the latest trends to see what best suits your personal aesthetic. This year you’re in luck, as 2023 is packed with colourful, innovative concepts for every taste and preference. We’ve gathered together a snapshot of our current favourites and done the work for you – take a look at some of the fun new trends we love and some that have morphed from last year:

1. Happiness - 'Dopamine dressing'

That's right – it's not just an emotion anymore. In 2023 it's a wallpaper trend too, and we couldn't be more delighted. Better known as ‘dopamine dressing’, the idea of celebrating happiness through wallpaper that evokes positivity and optimism is one that we’re here for all year long.

Named for the chemical that’s released in your brain to make you feel good, dopamine dressing began as a trend in 2022 and has carried through to the new year, full of bliss and contentment. And if that’s the kind of atmosphere you want to create in your home, there are plenty of ways to do it.

As happiness is subjective to everyone, you’ll need to think about what sparks joy in your own life when it comes to design. Do you like bright colours, bold patterns, quirky themes? Choose mood-enhancing patterns and colours. Embrace your bliss with inspired wallpaper choices and live your happiness every day of the week.

2. Textured wallpaper

It’s a trend we’ve mentioned before, and it’s still as popular as it ever was. It’s textured wallpaper and it has the ability to make a distinct impression in your home. From natural materials like grasscloth, cork and linen to more opulent choices like beading, flocking and embossing, textured wallpaper adds interest to plain walls, creating an experience that’s not just visual but tactile too, appealing to your senses in the most satisfactory of ways.

Life is lived in three dimensions – there’s nothing to say your wallpaper shouldn’t do the same too. What’s more, textured wallpaper isn’t just ideal for creating depth and character in a space, it can help to hide imperfections too. It’s more than a trend – it’s something you can reach out and touch, and experience in the most personal of ways.

3. Retro

New nostalgia is the buzz-word being thrown around today. Retro designs and 70s style is reintroducing itself with a bang in 2023. Characterised by bold geometric shapes, rounded forms and colourful designs, the 70s is a decade that left its mark as far as design goes, and now it’s back in all its glory.

Whether you want to pattern your home with hexagons, chevrons, stripes, swirls and loops, or add splashes of bright, clashing colour to your walls, there’s a rich history of design to explore in the 70s, and a lot of fun to be had while doing it. Once you’ve chosen your wallpaper, finish off with vintage  furniture and shaggy rugs or cushions to complete the look. Groovy baby!

 4. Go big & bold

If you want to make a statement in your home, now’s the time to do it. That’s because 2023 is all about the large-scale print and the bold wall mural. Transforming one wall with an all-encompassing design does more than just update your space – it can transport you to a completely different place and time altogether. Whether you want to travel to the country, to the city, the forest or outer space, or simply immerse yourself in oversized florals or other dramatic patterns, the choice is yours.

By far one of the most popular mural choices for 2023 is the nature landscape, whether within a field, the woods, a jungle, or other natural scenes. Photo-murals are definitely out and artistic impressions are in. Not only do they immediately let the outdoors in, they also create a calming energy that can bring much-needed peace into your home. Finish off your skirting boards with a complementary colour and breathe in pure contentment.

5. Botanicals

Following on from the idea of murals, if you’re not set on a background wall, there are still plenty of ways to feature botanicals in your home if that’s a design concept you love. There's a reason botanicals end up on trending lists every year, and that's because they're so endlessly versatile and engaging. Whether you want to bring your garden indoors, spread floral bouquets throughout or travel to the exotic jungles of the Amazon, botanical wallpaper will transport you into the heart of nature while creating a calm, relaxing, contented environment. If your style is more vintage, archival florals or heritage prints are also all the rage.

The ideal space for this trend? Typically your bedroom or bathroom where you’re most likely to unwind and appreciate the soothing power of nature. Choose from designs like palm trees and tropical scenes or timeless, elegant florals, and revitalise your home with fresh, natural energy.

6. Art-inspired graphics

Whilst real art is out of the reach of many homeowners, the new move in wallpaper design to create art-inspired design, allows one to inject some of the magic that art brings, into your home. Now there’s no need to bankrupt yourself purchasing fine art – just use wallpaper instead!

That’s right, 2023 sees a flurry of exciting wallpaper patterns either inspired by or created by well-known artists and designers. With nods to Futurism and Fauvism, abstract designs are prominent along with rounded graphic shapes and striking geometry. Colours range from warm rich earthy shades to vibrant startling colour, depicting a pure ‘joie de vivre’. With its endless versatility, wallpaper can transform your space with energy, texture and character – everything you need for a successful room makeover!

7. Wallpaper where?

Why use wallpaper on the walls when you can get creative with it instead? That’s what this 2023 trend is asking, and some of the answers will surprise you. This year wallpaper is taking the place of paint in DIY circles, being used above or below dado rails, on screens, on furniture, bookshelves and cupboards, enliven stair-risers and why not line the inside of drawers too. It’s quirky, it’s visually appealing, and it’s luxury design where you least expect it.

But perhaps the most popular of these applications is the fifth wall – the ceiling. It’s not a place you’d think to decorate, and yet adding wallpaper to it creates instant energy and visual appeal. Contrast white walls with a brightly patterned design, or brighten up a gloomy space with a colourful pattern – the choice is yours, and it’s a bold one.

Want to start bringing the best trends of 2023 into your home? Browse our selection online or visit us in-store for a consultation, and let’s start transforming your space for the year ahead together.