Designing With Wallpaper: Shea McGee's Expert Advice

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Avoiding Accent Walls

Shea discourages using accent walls, advocating instead for a full commitment to wallpaper in a room. Accent walls, in her opinion, can appear less expensive and lack the immersive experience that full-wallpapered spaces provide.

For large wall areas, Shea suggests alternatives such as adding paneling and wallpapering above, or even wallpapering the ceiling for a creative and balanced look:

For those hesitant to use bold patterns, Shea recommends choosing more subdued wallpaper designs rather than relying on accent walls.

Best Spaces for Bold Wallpaper

If you're looking to experiment with bold patterns or colors but want to avoid overspending, Shea suggests starting with a powder bathroom.

These small spaces are ideal for creating a striking design moment without overwhelming the overall look of your home.

Powder bathrooms lack the steam component of full bathrooms, making them perfect for bold, adventurous wallpaper.

In addition to powder rooms, nurseries and laundry rooms are great candidates for wallpaper. These smaller spaces provide opportunities to have fun with design, bringing cheer and personality to otherwise utilitarian areas.

Choosing the Right Wallpaper for Bedrooms

When selecting wallpaper for larger spaces like bedrooms, Shea recommends hanging a sample on the wall to understand how the pattern's repeat will affect the room.

The repeat refers to the wallpaper’s pattern duplication. Smaller, busier patterns can sometimes create a dizzying effect in large spaces, so it's essential to see how the design translates when scaled up.

Shea also loves using grasscloth wallpapers in bedrooms for added texture and dimension. Grasscloth is an excellent compromise if one partner desires wallpaper but the other isn't keen on bold patterns. It adds color and interest without overwhelming the room with a strong pattern.

Adding Wallpaper to Built-Ins and Bookshelves

For homeowners not ready to commit to full-room wallpaper, Shea suggests wallpapering the back of built-ins or bookshelves.

This approach is especially ideal for rental spaces, allowing renters to personalize their homes without permanent changes. Wallpapering small sections of furniture or built-ins adds interest and texture to the space without overwhelming the room.

Mixing Wallpaper Patterns

Shea is a fan of mixing patterns and offers several tips for doing so successfully. When mixing wallpaper in adjoining rooms, she advises holding the samples together to ensure they complement each other. For example, Shea used bold floral patterns in both her daughter Ivy’s bedroom and bathroom, demonstrating how different wallpapers can work together when thoughtfully chosen.

For a more conservative approach to pattern mixing, Shea suggests combining a plaid wallpaper with textured textiles and florals in the same space. This balance creates a push-and-pull effect, preventing the design from becoming too repetitive.

Wallpaper Trends: Layering Patterns

One trend Shea is excited about is layering the same pattern throughout a space, where the wallpaper matches the upholstered furniture and pillows. While she hasn’t yet convinced a client to fully embrace this trend, she believes it will become more popular and encourages homeowners to try matching smaller items, such as pillows, with their wallpaper for a less dramatic introduction to the look.

Studio McGee Target Wallpaper Collection

If you're looking for the Studio McGee look but need something more affordable, you can try the Threshold designed w/Studio McGee collection at Target: