Black is a statement color and it frightens a lot of people when they try to use it in their home. They’re worried that if they put it on the wall, that room will become dark and drab. But black can be a beautiful color on any wall in the home, either as a feature or a background to the primary design. And if you use black wallpaper, it can be quicker and easier to install than paint. Plus, you can easily use black wallpaper on furniture and craft projects, not just walls.
How to Use Black Wallpaper in Your Home
In this article, we’ll show you all the fun things you can do with black wallpaper to add a splash of modern style to your home. We’ll also give you step-by-step instructions on how to install it and what tools you will need to complete your wallpaper project.
Create Drama With An Accent Wall
Accent walls are an easy way to incorporate a bold, dramatic color into a room without committing to covering all four walls with it. The key to making an accent wall is choosing the right one. One option is to pick the wall that is furthest away from you when you walk into a room. This will draw your eyes further inside and make the room appear longer. Another great option is to choose a long wall. This will feature the black wallpaper even more and give you plenty of space to add decorations or center large furniture, like a King-size bed or a couch in front of it.
Alternate It With Other Wallpaper Colors
Break up the dark color with opposite colors, like white wallpaper or gold wallpaper. One fun design option is to create stripes by cutting strips of different colors and sticking them side by side on the walls. Or, if you want to get really creative, you can use scissors to cut a graphic design out of gold or white wallpaper and then stick the design onto black wallpaper to make it pop.
Add A Splash Of Color To The Inside Of Your Bookcase
When you have a white or light-colored bookcase, something you can do to spruce it up and add a splash of monochromatic color is stick black wallpaper to the inside of it. The black wallpaper will break up the light monotony and also provide a dark background for you to feature your favorite books or knick-knacks.
If the back of your bookcase is detachable, you can just spread the black wallpaper all over the part of the back that faces out towards you. That way, if you need to adjust the shelves, you don’t have to reposition the wallpaper. If your bookcase has no detachable back and the shelves are fixed, too, like built-ins, just measure the space length and height of the spaces between each shelf and then cut the wallpaper into sections to fit.
Put It In A Frame And Make Artwork
There’s no need to spend a lot of money on artwork when you can just buy some inexpensive wallpaper or use what’s leftover from a larger project. Brick wallpaper can be used to make a beautiful block of color that will pop on your light-colored walls. Simply stick it to a canvas or to the cardboard inside of a picture frame and then hang it on the wall. If you want, you can use it as a background color and stick photos to it, or paste a graphic design made with vother wallpaper colors onto it, as we talked about above.
This is also a great method of creating cohesion in your interior design, by using the same wallpaper in different ways throughout the room or the entire house.
Best Black Wallpaper for Interior Design
Need some ideas for wallpaper to use for your interior design project? We listed a few of our favorites from Amazon below. All the items we selected use black as a primary color, but some of them include white and gold in case you want a pop of light, bright color.
This solid black wallpaper by Homease is like a little black dress: it’s solid, dependable and never goes out of style. It’s peel and stick, so you don’t have to worry about spending extra money on a separate adhesive. It’s also waterproof, so you can use it on walls or as decor in the bathroom and kitchen, or other rooms that tend to collect moisture.
Black Wallpaper – Wood Peel And Stick Wallpaper
When you’re looking for a solid black wallpaper with a little extra style, choose this option from YanYor. It’s textured to look and feel like wood grain. It’s peel and stick, with a grid on the back that helps you cut in the right places so your scissors don’t slip on the texture. It’s also waterproof and oil proof, so it won’t be ruined by moisture or human touch.
HaokHome 96020-1 Herringbone Black And White Wallpaper
This herringbone pattern wallpaper by HaokHome is a chic way to incorporate a monochromatic color scheme into your home without overwhelming your space with dark color. The thin black stripes on the white background of the wallpaper make a lovely contrast that’s modern and stylish. This option is also peel and stick, moisture-proof and mold-proof.
Gold And Black Geometric Hexagon Stripe Wallpaper
Make a bold and proud statement with this black and gold wallpaper printed with hexagonal shapes. This option is offered by Toduso and is modern with a little bit of an art deco flair. It will work beautifully as an accent wall, artwork or even all over the room. It’s peel and stick, and Toduso promises that it’s easy to remove, so you have plenty of leeway for experimentation.
Yancorp Dark Blue Black Marble Paper
This wallpaper by Yancorp is designed to mimic glossy granite with a beautiful mixture of colors, including black, blue and gold. You can use this in your bathroom or kitchen on the walls, as backsplash and even on your countertops. It’s waterproof and oilproof, which means it’s safe to use in areas like the kitchen where moisture and oil accumulate.
Guvana Stripe Black And White Peel And Stick Wallpaper
Break up the monotony of your plain white walls with a little stripe action. This wallpaper by Guvana is printed with thick black and white stripes oriented vertically, which can actually give the illusion that a surface (such as a wall) is taller than it really is. It’s peel and stick, waterproof and easy to clean.
Raise the luxury factor in a room by putting up black wallpaper embossed to look and feel like silk. It’s a fun way to incorporate texture if you want a wallpaper that’s a little more interesting than just matte black. It’s peel and stick, easy to keep clean and easy to remove.
How to Install Wallpaper
When you want to install peel and stick wallpaper, there are some basic steps that apply to pretty much every wallpaper across the board. Here are some supplies you’ll need to begin the installation:
- A sponge or rag
- A mild cleaning solution (water will also work)
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Plastic smoothing tool
- Utility knife or scissors
Step 1: Wipe the wall or surface that you’re going to stick the wallpaper to clean with the cloth or sponge and the cleaning solution. It’s usually best to use a cleaning solution that’s non-abrasive and non-toxic so you don’t damage the surface or leave a film that could prevent the wallpaper from sticking to it properly. Water is a good option if you don’t have anything else. Make sure you give it plenty of time to dry after you clean it – at least a few hours, even overnight.
Step 2: Use the measuring tape to measure the dimensions of the surface you want to stick the wallpaper to. Then, measure these same dimensions on the back of your wallpaper and mark the edges with a pencil. (Most of the peel and stick wallpapers have a grid line on the back you can use to keep your lines straight.) Then cut the wallpaper to the size you need using the utility knife or scissors.
Pro Tip: If the surface is large and requires more than one piece of wallpaper, just make sure your pieces are of equal size and that the patterns line up on the outside.
Step 3: Line the wallpaper piece up to the surface’s edges and get it as close to them as you possibly can. Start with one corner and slowly peel back some of the film on the back of the wallpaper. Then stick it little by little, pulling back the film a little bit at a time, to the surface. (You might want a friend or family member to help you with this part.) As you go, use the plastic smoothing tool to smooth out the air bubbles and wrinkles.
Step 4: When you reach the end of the piece of wallpaper and stick it to the surface, go back over it with the plastic smoothing tool. Then stand back and take a look at your handiwork. If it looks crooked, most peel and stick wallpapers are easily removable and reusable, so just peel it off and try again. If you have another piece that needs to go on, let it overlap with the first piece a little bit and make sure that the patterns line up.
Step 5: After you have all your pieces in place, run the smoothing tool over all of it to make it as smooth and bubble-free as possible. Then sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor: a surface covered in beautiful, stylish wallpaper.
Conclusion
Black wallpaper can be an essential element in any form of interior design. You can use it on your walls, on furniture, and even as artwork. You don’t have to stick with just plain matte black because there are lots of patterns and textures to choose from. Or you can keep it classic and use it as a background for other colors, like white and gold, to pop out of. It can also be the perfect backdrop for photographs in a frame. The applications for black wallpaper are endless.
