Summer wallpapers: forests, oversized florals and light tones

Summer is a good time to give your home a small refresh. Sometimes one wall is enough to bring a little more light, colour and mood into a room.

This season’s wallpaper mood is all about forests (whether Nordic woods or tropical jungles), oversized florals and light botanical designs. Floral wallpaper has moved well beyond tiny rose patterns behind a grandmother’s sideboard. What works beautifully now are large, loosely painted blooms, soft leafy motifs and mural wallpapers where a garden or natural landscape opens out across the wall.

A summery interior does not have to be all white

A summery interior does not need to be white, whiter and whitest. Softer shades with a hint of sun, nature or the calm character of an old house often work far better: pale grey, chalky pink, apricot, sage green, misty blue and warm beige.

A large floral pattern on a light background, or an airy mural wallpaper, can make a room feel more open — especially in a bedroom, living room or dining area. In daylight, the wallpaper becomes part of the room’s atmosphere. By evening, it creates a softer, slightly more dressed-up backdrop.

Which wallpaper should you choose?

Start with how the room is used and how much natural light it receives.

In sun-filled rooms, misty blues, sage greens, dusty pinks and pale floral tones work particularly well. North-facing rooms often benefit from warmer shades: creamy backgrounds, light brown, soft yellow or beige with a blush undertone.

Choose a mural wallpaper when you want one wall to take the lead. A repeat pattern wallpaper is often the better option when you want to cover a room more fully and create a more continuous look.

In both cases, give the wallpaper a little breathing room. Simpler furniture, calm flooring and a few well-chosen textiles will show off the pattern far better than ten competing details.