Designers love it when people take a creative approach to their homes. The latest example is the wallpaper door trend. Rather than covering just the walls in wallpaper, this unique trend encourages homeowners to cover their doors in the same wallpaper for a continuously patterned look. Designers say this choice can be "very elegant" and add "a subtle sense of whimsy."
Doors are often ignored when it comes to design. After all, they're generally thought of as utilitarian features rather than a design surface. But as homeowners lean into personality-driven homes, more and more people are painting their doors with bright hues or finding ways to make them an eye-catching design feature—just look at the pocket door revival. Similarly, more people are looking to add wallpaper to their ceilings or cabinets to make the most of every design surface in the home.
Bill Richards of McBournie Richards says wallpapering your doors can be “a very elegant solution.” “When the pattern continues across both the walls and the door, the architecture begins to recede, and the space reads as a more unified composition,” Richards shares. “Carrying the wallpaper across the door allows the eye to move more naturally through the space.”
According to Anand Sheth, a San Francisco-based designer and architect who used this tactic in a corporate project in Manhattan, it all starts with the architecture. “It’s architectural gesture that allows the interior design move to fully land,” he explains. The result, Sheth says, is an immersive, cocoon-like room. “When the pattern carries uninterrupted across the door panel, the opening visually dissolves into the room and the wallpaper reads as a continuous field rather than a series of surfaces,” he explains.
And, at the risk of stating the obvious, a wallpapered door (especially one that matches the walls) offers a charming surprise-and-delight quality. “This is an incredible way to bring in a subtle sense of whimsy to a space and to create that ‘hidden door’ feeling in a room that is simply impossible to resist,” says Chicago designer Amy Kartheiser.
Though a pattern-packed entryway might give your home a 360-degree flair, Richards says it has to be done right. While he prefers to add wallpaper to “hallways or transitional spaces where a door might otherwise interrupt the room's flow,” the infrastructure has to be there.
If you’re not sure where to begin, the first thing you’ll want to consider is the door itself: Kartheiser says wallpaper pairs best with a jib door that sits flush against the wall. Not only do jib doors need special hinges to ensure they blend in with the surrounding wall, but Kartheiser also recommends wrapping the wallpaper around the side of the door to protect it from fraying. “This is especially important on high-use doors,” she says.
As for the wallpaper itself? Richards says alignment is key. “It should be carefully matched so the repeat flows seamlessly from wall to door,” he shares. “When that alignment is right, the door becomes part of the decorative surface rather than a separate element.”
Kartheiser suggests a mural repeat, while Richards enjoys a medium scale because it “maintains continuity without overwhelming the door’s proportions.” “It ultimately comes down to sightlines,” he adds. “When the wallpaper carries across the door, the architecture quiets down, and the view through the room feels calmer and more resolved.”
That said, whether you’re looking for an awe-inspiring fresco or a mid-sized paisley, there are a lot of options to choose from. To help, check out the patterns that are trending this year.
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance journalist who has over a decade of experience in print and digital media. She covers interior design and lifestyle content for a breadth of publications, including Good Housekeeping, Country Living, House Beautiful, Veranda, and more. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
