Wallpaper is back. Here's what's on Minnesotans' walls.
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Courtesy of Angela Ledding
Wallpaper has come a long way since your grandma used it, says designer Jen Klein at Minneapolis-based O'Hara Interiors.
The big picture: Designers have been wrapping rooms in personality-packed paper this year — and the trend is here to stay for 2025.
- Taskrabbit saw a 70% increase in wallpapering bookings nationwide from January to May 2024 compared to the same period last year.
What they're saying: "With lots of neutrals dominating many furnishing choices, it's a chance to add a pop of personality to an otherwise blank palette," Klein tells Axios.
The latest: It's not just bedrooms and dining rooms. Nooks and crannies, closets, bookshelves and laundry rooms are all getting makeovers, too.
- These small spaces are a playground for bold colors and patterns that might be overwhelming in main living areas, experts say.
What's next: Look up. Klein expects to see more people wallpapering their ceilings to add a dramatic flair, especially in homes with limited open wall space.
Pro tip: DIYers should order extra yardage to account for any repeating patterns, since the wallpaper sheets will need to line up, Klein says.
- For a pop of whimsy, consider a print featuring botanicals, birds or other animals.
- "Any print bringing the outdoors inside will be popping up a lot this next year," Klein says.
Thanks to everyone who replied to our request for wallpaper snaps. Here are a few Axios Twin Cities reader notes we had to share.
🛁 Mendota Heights homeowner Kathy Oakley is happy wallpaper is making a comeback in smaller spaces such as powder rooms or accent walls.
- She and her husband, who covered one bathroom wall with a leafy print, "don't want to saddle any future owners with a huge wallpaper removal project."
🐈 Case in point: Angela Ledding of Grand Rapids in northern Minnesota installed $110 worth of wallpaper herself.
- The resulting "surprise wall" boasts dozens of cats wearing sunglasses.
🐾 Pup prints are also paw-pular. A waggish mix of florals, Corgis, Dalmatians and other dog breeds decorate former Minneapolis Council Member Lisa Goodman's half-bath.
✂️ The fine print: As the pros warned, patterned papers can be tricky to DIY. It's one reason why Teresa Eisenbise of Columbia Heights, who wallpapered her staircase, is opting for paint next time.
The bottom line: Plain walls be gone.